Bali is a world away from the rest of Indonesia, and it's a longstanding favorite with independent travelers. Itinerant surfers started coming as early as the 1930s, but it wasn't until the 1960s that surfing holidays in Bali became fashionable.

Today, the island legacy continues, and Bali sees as many bohemian surfers as it does affluent resort tourists. With miles of luxurious coastline and a range of accommodation in Bali, this small island has room enough for everyone.

Indonesia may have the world's largest Muslim population, but Bali fosters its own distinct culture. Hinduism has flourished here for nearly 2,000 years.

Away from the beaches are fascinating Hindu temples, cultural exhibitions, terraced rice fields and colorful festivals all worthy of a visit – any many photos.

Kuta is the busiest resort district in Bali, with a few of the top luxury hotels in Bali. Behind the main waterfront is a spread of budget guesthouses that are still within easy walking distance of the beach.

From here it's a short trip by taxi or rented motorbike to Uluwatu, a massive limestone peninsula jutting out in the sea. Tourists visit Uluwatu to see the temple, go surfing or watch the sun set over the majestic cliffs.

Nusa Dua/Benoa is another major tourist area, with scores of high-end, big name hotels.

images: PlanetWare

Legian is another must-see. This relaxed beach boasts excellent surf and a strip of restaurants and bars near the onsite hotels. Life in Legian begins and ends on the beach. Surf shops give lessons by day, and then give way to lively bars and live music venues after sunset.

Kuta Beach is also legendary and offers up a smorgasbord of luxury beachfront resorts.

Further south is Denpasar's Ngurah Rai Airport, one of Indonesia's busiest travel hubs. Flights connect to prominent cities across southern Asia, and most of the major hotels in Bali offer free transfers from the airport. For those not staying in a hotel near Bali airport, metered taxis and rental cars are easily arranged around the Arrivals Hall.

Online Hotel Reservation

Source: Agoda

Books about Bali..

	Bali: The Ultimate Guide: to the World's Most Spectacular Tropical Island (Periplus Adventure Guides) List Price: $24.95 Sale Price: $15.56
	This updated and revised edition of the bestselling Tuttle Bali guide gives the latest information on what to do and see on this famous tropical island. Bali: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Most Famous Island is the most complete guide to Bali ever published...

	Indonesia (Country Travel Guide) List Price: $31.99 Sale Price: $19.29
	With a Lonely Planet guidebook you'll get the best out of your Indonesian trip. Our 9th edition of Indonesia will take you to the best beaches and bars in Bali, through lush paddy fields in Sumatra, diving with turtles off the Gilis in Lombok and to a traditional dance in Ubud...

	Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World List Price: $14.95 Sale Price: $5.74
	When Rita Golden Gelman traveled to Mexico during a two-month separation from her husband, she hoped to satisfy an old craving for adventure and, in the process, rejuvenate herself and her marriage. Little did she know it was the beginning of a new life, not just as a divorcée, but as a nomad of the world...

	The Paradise Guest House: A Novel List Price: $15.00 Sale Price: $7.17
	A riveting and poignant novel of one woman’s journey to Bali in search of love, renewal, and a place to call home—perfect for readers of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love and Alex Garland’s The Beach...

Yoga Bitch: One Woman's Quest to Conquer Skepticism, Cynicism, and Cigarettes on the Path to Enlightenment List Price: $15.00 Sale Price: $7.24

What happens when a coffee-drinking, cigarette-smoking, steak-eating twenty-five-year-old atheist decides it is time to get in touch with her spiritual side? Not what you’d expect… When Suzanne Morrison decides to travel to Bali for a two-month yoga retreat, she wants nothing more than to be transformed from a twenty-five-year-old with a crippling fear of death into her enchanting yoga teacher, Indra—a woman who seems to have found it all: love, self, and God...