Bali is the wealthiest and most expensive island in Indonesia and the Balinese are the local elite, descendants of the royal dynasty who have preserved the Hindu traditions. Read on to find out more about the lives of these intriguing people.
1) Bali is a place where time doesn’t exist. Did we forget to do something today? It doesn’t matter! We’ll take care of it tomorrow. General slowness and relaxation in Bali is the norm. This is how life works here. People come here to unwind and forget about the outside world, so why be in a hurry?
2) Repetitive names. When you first come to Bali, you might notice that many locals have the same names. You will mainly come across Mades and Wayans. This is in fact because locals are used to calling their children in a certain sequence: they call their first child Wayan, the second Made, the third Nyoman, and the fourth Ketut. Then again, in a cycle. And it doesn’t matter whether the newborn is a girl or a boy. Therefore, at a local wedding, it is not uncommon for the bride and groom to be Wayan and Wayan.
3) Balinese do not accept violence or aggression. Remember, you will NEVER get ANYTHING from the locals with aggressive behavior and shouting. This will only make you a subject to jokes and ridicule. The tranquility in people’s actions has its own background: In 1906, when Dutch soldiers were approaching Bali on ships, hundreds of Balinese came out to meet them in white clothing and committed mass suicide. Thus, demonstrating their refusal to fight and declaring that they are invincible. This moment in history is called “Puputan”.
4) In Bali, you can witness very odd ceremonies. Ritualism is very widespread on this island, and there seems to be some kind of festivity going on every day of the year. Large ceremonies block roads creating hours of traffic jams. Some shops and establishments may be unexpectedly closed at any time. For example, cremation ceremonies are usually very noisy and fun plus extremely expensive, so it is quite common for families to share expenses with neighbors and cremate people in groups.
5) Feeling sick? – clean your aura. Balinese people believe in the healing power of water and are very sensitive to the spirits of this element. So, do not be surprised if they offer you a trip to the holy spring as first aid. There are a lot of such sources on the island. It is better not to put their medical effects to the test, however, it certainly never hurts to clean your aura as a measure of prevention.
All these cultural differences make Bali so alluring, right? And there’s more good news! Until recently, not all devices worked in Indonesia and you had to check whether the LTE band was compatible with your phone. Now, MTX Connect doesn’t have this limitation, so welcome to Bali and think about roaming before your trip. Since Bali was the least affected of all the Indonesian islands during the pandemic, the local government plans to open the borders of this piece of paradise to visitors as early as September. So, pack your bags! The Balinese await you with open arms and open hearts.