Bali: the last Paradise or Paradise lost?

Since ancient times, Bali has been known as the "Island of the Gods" or the "Last Paradise", due to its lush natural beauty, stunning scenery, amazing tropical forest, gracious rice fields, high volcanoes, mysterious temples, welcoming people and beautiful beaches ... 

All of this and more can be found in one island in Indonesia - famous and exotic Bali!

Well 8 years have passed since my first visit to Bali, but so much has changed that I was stunned and a bit disappointed... What happened to Bali (or the world), should one ask? 

Now instead of the last paradise, we've found a paradise that was lost...

Mass tourism, high prices, too much traffic, pollution and garbage even in the most remote beaches... Especially southern Bali has become a playground for rich tourists from around the world with dozens of luxury hotels, classy restaurants and shops everywhere with prices as high as in any developed country.

All over the planet lost paradises are no longer secret relaxing places as you can find about them in books and the Internet... But in Bali this must also have been partly due to the famous book-turned-movie "Eat, Pray, Love", by Elizabeth Gilbert.  
Well now everyone has heard about it - Bali is different now and probably forever.

My partner and I traveled all over the island, going from 5-star hotels in Nusa Dua, to Balangam, Uluwatu, Jimabaran Bay, Ubud (famous cultural town in central Bali), Beratan lake, to remote places up in the north close to Lovina beach.

Tourism may have brought wealth and modernity to Balinese people, but it comes at a high price... Its social and environmental impact is huge and quite controversial. 
There was so much traffic and pollution, especially around the main tourist centres, asides from garbage and broken bottles in almost every beach. 
At our beach hotel in Nusa Dua there was even a man picking up trash-  all day long - from the water and the sand, with ongoing background noise from water sports and boats.
There was also free Wi-fi available everywhere - even on holidays you can´t escape your phone and your email now!

Did you know that inside the Petitenget temple, close to Kuta, the gorgeous young temple dancers (wearing elaborate costumes, headgear and make up) were using their android mobile phones? All of them were checking their make-up and hair on the selfie mode of their phones. I just couldn't´t believe it! One of the girls asked me to send her picture to her Gmail address. Talk about changing times...

    Petitenget Temple traditional dancers (all are holding their mobile phones!)

Pura Petitenget, close to Kuta and upscale beach resort Seminyak, is one of my favourite temples in Bali, because it's just by the beach and it still feels very private and antique. 
We were lucky to be there during a beautiful celebration, when this sea temple was filled with Balinese men and women wearing their traditional colourful clothes, bringing baskets of offerings to the temple (fruit, rice, money, etc).

The Balinese still honour their traditions and ancestral lineage. Their Hinduism religion (a minority in Indonesia) has many shamanic traces, as they honour gods and elementals in Nature (such as trees, rivers, ocean, rice fields, etc). You could still feel a lot of spiritual energy around the island and we even got to be part of that celebration in the temple by being blessed by a local priest.

All of this got me thinking about the effects of globalisation and standardization of culture around the world. Everywhere you find that people want to look modern and adopt "western capitalist style", in order to look successful and "happy". You find this especially in developing countries and emerging markets such as India, Mexico, Nepal, China, Indonesia, etc.. Is this what joy and happiness truly is all about?

Balinese spiritual heritage, natural diversity, highly developed arts and people's gentle ways are still present, but it's all so much dimmer, as a fading picture... 
Balinese people have kept their lightness, friendly smiles, beautiful arts and daily rituals, so that´s probably allowing for a natural rebalance and still making Bali a worthwhile trip. 

I especially love watching Balinese women dressed in elegant and traditional attire carrying their offerings to the temples everyday. You actually find small and big temples everywhere around the island, and there are many altars for daily offerings even inside a taxi, and in every restaurant or shop! Spirituality honoured in daily life... How lovely is that?

Balinese people still live in harmony with Nature and the Gods, but for how long?
My prayers go to this beautiful island and its lovely people - may the Gods help you find your way back into harmony and sustainable balance with Nature.

Raquel Sacramento

April 2016

Famous sunset at Uluwatu Temple

                      
                Man collecting garbage at the beach at Nusa Dua (all day long!)

                                         Altar at Balangan Beach (Jimbaran area)

                              Wi-fi and internet available everywhere! 

                            
Here at the lovely "The Alchemist Café", close to Balangan Beach.

               

Lotus Café - central Ubud

                                         

                                      

Views from our stay at beautiful Ubud

               
Rice fields north of Ubud

Ulun Danu Beratan temple, 

on the western side of Beratan Lake 

in Bedugul, central Bali  

                                                        

                                                  
                                       Local temple and market, north of Ubud

                                                   

                                                    
                               Dragons in the Temple at Lovina Beach (north Bali)

Ceremonial offerings at Petitenget Temple (Seminyak - Kuta, Bali)