Bali

Bali is the westernmost of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands, separated from Java by a narrow strait. It is compact — roughly 145 km from east to west and 85 km from north to south — yet remarkably varied: gently terraced rice country in the south gives way to volcanic mountains in the centre and north, crowned by Gunung Agung, sacred to the Balinese, at 3,142 m. The capital is Denpasar, and Ngurah Rai International Airport lies in the south of the island.

Most Balinese are Hindu, and that faith gives the island its singular character: thousands of temples, daily offerings, vivid ceremonies, dance, crafts and painting. The coast — the beaches of Jimbaran and Nusa Dua, the cliffs of Uluwatu — is balanced by inland Bali, with Ubud, the Ayung River valley and the jungle, where a stay revolves around quiet, yoga and the spa.

The climate is humid and tropical, with steady temperatures all year. The dry season runs from March to October; in the wet season, from November to February, short tropical downpours are an almost daily event. Bali suits couples and honeymooners, families with children, surfers and divers, and travellers drawn by culture, golf, rafting or wellness.