Bali : The Island of Paradise in Indonesia

When I was a student many years ago abroad, I was often asked by my friends in the campus like this: "Where do you come from ?". And I immediately replied: "I come from Indonesia?"

Hearing these answers, they were quiet a moment. Their faces looked in amazement and they ask again curiously: "Indonesia? Indonesia…, where is it? "
I immediately understood why they were confused, because I had already heard such previous stories from friends that first out of the country.

Therefore I immediately dilute this sense of confusion with these answers : "I come from the island of Bali". Then they nodded and said: "Oh ... Soekarno?!" And I smile ....

Yes, indeed, that's the reality about 50 years ago. They only knew Bali or Soekarno. In fact, if it is calculated, Bali is only a part of Indonesia. So the natural beauty of Bali island is also only a part of natural beauties and cultural splendors of Nusantara. Let’s just imagine that Indonesia consists of about 13 thousand islands. So it has a more beautiful places and many variations of the local culture. From Sabang to Merauke these islands lie in the beautiful and captivating sparkler like emerald in the equator

The examples of natural beauty and cultural splendor that can be mentioned beside Bali is the temple of Borobudur in Central Java and Javanese dance “serimpi”, Mount Tangkubanperahu in West Java with Sundanese “Angklung” music made from bamboos, Mount Bromo in East Java with the ritual ceremony “kesada” and many others from outside Java.

Welcome to Indonesia !
(DS. Utomo)