Bali is without doubt one of the safest and friendliest places on earth, and the Balinese extend a warm welcome to all visitors. This is a country where the children are chastised for NOT saying 'hello' to strangers!

The island was thankfully spared the tsunami that devastated some parts of Indonesia - no earth tremors at all were felt there. Unclear reporting in the media gave the impression that the whole of Indonesia was affected, but this is not true.

GEOGRAPHY & POPULATION

Bali is one of 17,508 islands that make up Indonesia, the 5th largest country and the largest archipelago in the world, stretching one-eighth of the world's circumference (5000 km from end to end).

The population of Bali is just 3 million, out of a total population of 206 million in Indonesia as a whole. It is a small island situated 8° south of the Equator, measuring about 90 miles from East to West and 50 miles from North to South. Bali is the only predominantly Hindu island in Indonesia.

THE CLIMATE

The climate is tropical but fresh winds make it less oppressive than elsewhere in the equatorial zone.

Bali has just two seasons - wet and dry. The wet season begins in November and lasts until April. However it's not like the tropical monsoons experienced in some other South-East Asian countries. There are usually several hours of sunshine each day, and the rain conveniently falls in the late afternoon, evening or night. This means that Bali is a tourist destination all the year round.

Temperatures are generally 28-30°C by day and 5-6°C lower at night. Humidity is 75% or more.

The busiest tourist seasons are January, July, August, December and Easter time (March or April). Flights to Bali and hotels cost more at these times.

STAYING HEALTHY IN BALI

The island does not have many of the health risks of other South-East Asian destinations or even other Indonesian countries.

No inoculations are required for visitors arriving directly from most western countries but you will find that travel agents generally recommend malaria pills and immunization against Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis, polio, tetanus and typhoid. Most ex-pats living in Bali remain totally healthy and never take any malaria pills or have any inoculations at all, but you must make your own decision about this.

If you have a delicate stomach it's a good idea to take some high-strength acidophilus or bifidophilus for a few days before leaving home, and continue taking it for a few days after arriving in Bali. This will help your intestinal flora adjust. Be sure to get the type that does not require refrigeration.

AIDS has not spread in Bali as it has in other places. The government has done quite a good job about AIDS awareness.

MOZZIES

Bali does have mosquitoes, but not too many. Just before sunset is the time to watch out for them, so make sure you have your insect repellent on by that time (a few drops (not too much - it's very potent) of May Chang aromatherapy oil in regular body lotion is very effective. Once bitten, the itching can continue for days, so it is much better to avoid it in the first place. If you do get a bite, carry some lavender oil or aloe vera lotion with you that will relieve the sting instantly, and these are also wonderful for sunburn.

Aromatherapy oils and aloe vera lotion are not easy to find in Bali so bring them from home. Be sure never to scratch any bites until they bleed - it doesn't take long for a tiny open wound to turn to a gangrenous sore in tropical climates.

BALINESE BUGS & BEASTS

People always want to know about this. Bali has very few lethal or dangerous bugs and beasts. Australia, just a few islands away, is much more dangerous!

The spiders in Bali are totally harmless.

Cheaper and more rural accommodation is sure to have tiny Balinese lizards (cecaks - pronounced che-chaks) zooming up and down the walls and walking across the ceiling. They are completely harmless and great fun to watch. Very occasionally you may get a larger lizard (gecko) in your room. These, too, are harmless unless provoked. Simply ask the hotel staff to shoo it out for you.

Ants are everywhere so don't keep any food in your room unless it is in tightly sealed containers.

There are snakes and scorpions but they are rarely encountered and very few of them are lethal. There is a type of centipede that gives a nasty bite, but you are unlikely to find one of these unless you start looking under rocks.

The largest animals roaming wild in Bali are monkeys. There are various places on the island where they have learnt to hang out waiting for tourists to turn up to photograph them and they are eager to receive food rewards in return. In some places they have become so accustomed to this that they will pounce and steal your bag if they smell food in it, so be sure to always carry food of any kind separately.

The scourge of Bali is its mongrel dogs, who appear to be roaming wild but in fact are usually owned by someone. They howl a lot and can be intimidating if you come across a pack of them while walking alone at night, but they are rarely dangerous.

FOOD & DRINK

The Balinese staple diet is nasi campur - rice with spicy vegetables, tofu, tempeh, fish, poultry or meat. They have variations of this three times a day (yes, even for breakfast!) and don't eat deserts. Sometimes, they have nasi goreng, which is the same food but fried, and they have special food at ceremonies.

By contrast, restaurants catering for tourists in Bali offer a wide range of food. Breakfast is often delicious fruit salad and fruit pancakes, or American/Continental style. Lunch and dinner choices are vegetarian, seafood, chicken, duck, pork and beef dishes, such as Indonesian curries and satays. The food is not likely to be spicy unless you specifically ask for it to be - request Balinese sambal if you like hot sauce. Most restaurants also have a variety of western food too - pizzas, salads, ice cream and so on.

It is not safe to drink water in Bali unless it has been boiled. Ice in restaurants is made from boiled water, and salads are washed in previously boiled water. Bottled drinking water can be purchased in all but the most rural areas, and refreshing tropical juices are widely available in restaurants.

VISAS

Citizens of the many countries are eligible for a Visa-Free Short Visit Permit for 30-days, given free of charge upon arrival in Indonesia. Click here for more information

In some countries you can obtain a visa from your nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate before travelling to Indonesia which saves you queing at the airport to obtain a visa-on-arrival after your long flight.

The fine for overstaying a 30-day visa is US $20 per day.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Indonesia, and temporary passports are not acceptable. You must have proof of onward passage (either return or through tickets). If you cannot fulfill both of these requirements, you may not be allowed to enter the country.

On the plane you will be asked to fill in a 2-part white card. Half is handed in to immigration officials upon arrival and the other half must be handed in when you leave Indonesia. Be sure to keep it safe with your passport.

AIRPORT EXIT TAX

This currently Rp150,000.

MONEY

The local currency is Indonesian rupiah. The rates change frequently, depending on what is happening in Indonesian politics. For some people it can be a bit of a shock at first to receive a hotel bill that totals several million rupiah, but relax - when you convert it back into your own currency you'll find that most rates in Bali are a fraction of what you would pay back home.

Money changers are open all day every day except on the day of Nyepi. Banks also change money but they have limited opening hours. Both will only accept absolutely pristine notes with no marks or tears.

Be aware that the best rates are obtained for large bills and and lesser rates for bills of smaller denominations. Why? No-one seems to know - that's just how it is in Bali. Also, due to large amounts of counterfeit US dollars in circulation in Indonesia since 2002, many banks and money changers will no longer accept any US dollar bills issued in certain years (this keeps changing so it's not possible to publish a list here). If they do accept them, they may pay lower exchange rates to compensate for the risk involved.

Larger hotels and some up-market shops accept Visa and MasterCard credit cards, but paying by credit card is still the exception, not the norm. Some banks have the facility for you to draw cash on your credit card if you want to. There are many ATM machines around the island and some of them can be used by visitors to draw cash.

Traveller's cheques are easy to cash in Bali. Visitors to the Amed area of Bali (where Karen Kingston's hotel, Dancing Dragon Cottages, is located), please note that the nearest bank and ATM is a 40-minute drive away and can involve lengthy waits while payment is authorized. It is therefore best to bring:

• Cash in a major currency such as US dollars, Euros, Pound Sterling, Australian dollars, Japanese Yen, etc
• Traveller's cheques which can be changed at the local money changer office. The only type accepted in Amed is AmEx.

Dancing Dragon Cottages accepts Visa and MasterCard for hotel accommodation, restaurant meals and Space Clearing products, but it is best to bring more than one card with you as some credit cards issued by western banks are not recognized by the Indonesian banking system. Bank commission of 3% is added to all bills paid by Visa and MasterCard, and 4% for American Express.

DISCLAIMER: While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this webpage, Karen Kingston and her representatives accept no responsibility for any loss, injury, inconvenience or other liability arising from any person using this information.