The island of Bali is only one of over 17,000 islands that make up Indonesia. Bali’s rich cultural heritage, easy-going people, and nature has been attracting visitors from around the world for more than a century.
Unlike most of Muslim-majority Indonesia, about 90% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, formed as a combination of existing local beliefs and Hindu influences from mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia. The central principle of Balinese Hindu belief is that the universe is structured and it is essential that a balance must be maintained. Rituals and festivals are the way the Balinese maintain this balance, and therefore are the essence of Balinese culture.
As the most popular tourist destination in the country, Bali is renowned for its highly developed arts: dance, sculpture, painting, and music, all of which play a large part in the population's spiritual practice.
The vast majority of the people are bilingual or trilingual, with Balinese and Indonesian being the most widely spoken languages. Due to the large tourism industry, English is the common third language of many Balinese.
Bali has a tropical climate with year-round temperatures averaging 85º F. High humidity can be expected during the wet season, during the months of October - April, while the dry season, during the months of May - September, has the lowest humidity. During June - August there is also usually a very refreshing cool breeze all day long. The central mountain area is typically cooler than the lower coastal areas, especially at night.