spirituality is bali's foundation it's why they call this the island of the Gods it's where traditions and beliefs are part of daily life where offerings are made with gratitude and devotion and where architecture reflects these deep beliefs but what really makes Bali special are the balines people themselves they embody the Island's spiritual Essence with their kindness warmth and laid-back attitude so join me and our local Deepa to discover bali's wonderful Traditions learn about local customs and architecture and we'll end with the most incredible ceremony I've ever attended come with us to see the island that most tourists never get to [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] see Bali is a Hindu Island in a Muslim sea that's mixed their own beliefs with Hindu to create their own unique Traditions but what really sets Bali apart is how religions integrated into everyday life one of my favorite things about Bali is the Chang sari a daily offering to demonstrate gratitude whether you're walking out of your hotel room wandering through a bustling Market or strolling along a quiet Backstreet the sights and sense of these offerings is a constant reminder of balones Faith you don't only see these offerings in the city they're common in rural areas too 2 this one created by local farmers as a small [Music] Shrine driving around Bali you see traditional balines architecture woven into almost everything small roads are often marked with stone gates and statues a lot of bridges have statues of local deities the checkered cloth represents balance and Harmony between good and evil light and dark and it's not just statues who wear this print and by the way who says roundabouts have to be boring not in Bali in rural areas decorative carvings are used to Mark plots of land and you can see here that even the local farmers have a sense of design and maybe a sense of [Music] humor get out of the commercial sprawl around Cuda and seach and there are endless small Banes Villages each with at least one Temple some fairly modest but almost all incredibly beautiful ful and ornate the scale and variety of temples is like no other place I've ever been this is considered a minor Temple and so is this it was next door to the Sor hotel in Southwest Bali where I stayed at the end of the spectrum are these large temples like the one at the foot of Mount aong they call Bali the island of a thousand temples but virtually every home has a family Temple too and with a population of over for 4 million people maybe they should call this the island of a million temples this is the balines family Temple so every houses in Bali have their own Temple you often see small temples built on the grounds of public spaces apartments and hotels too universally beautiful regardless of size water's also important in balon's design because it's seen as a sacred element with some of the most beautiful temples placed at the water's edge the Kung Kong Water Palace is a great stop if you're headed to East Bali and a classic example of the balones love affair with water the palace's pools the Lotus ponds and its wild statues and carvings are a great way to see how balones Architects mix water with their Architectural Traditions but what I love most is how the balones have Incorporated little water shrines into expected places take a hike and you'll run across a small temple built into a hillside waterfall or next to a river and run into an unexpected Temple that is by balony standards minor but incredibly beautiful and [Music] peaceful bali's also a world leader in ecob bamboo design and construction it's amazing and inspiring what they can make from bamboo if you want to learn more check out our video about the Green Village including a tour of bali's leading bamboo fabrication plant across the [Music] [Applause] river after being in Bali a couple days you might notice drivers beeping their horns at particular times the reason why we beep a lot here in Bali is because it shows a respect to the spirits that live in the temple in the bridge or in the cemetery yeah that's why we do [Applause] it you can also see the balones gift for design in their great sense of style and fashion that comes out with the Island's Many religious ceremonies but colorful clothing isn't just for special occasions the colors and the Beautiful prints are part of daily life sometimes with some Modern fashion accessories thrown in and when the rain starts they app up the fashion one more Notch balones Hinduism reveres nature ancestors and community and those Traditions are on full display during their incredible religious ceremonies the Bales are so open and welcoming to foreigners and I was lucky enough to be in Bali and have a local guide to take me to the full moon ceremony at his local temple so this is the place where the priest are going to lead uh the prayers and that's the altar that's the main part of the temple besides this being a religious ceremony it's also a way for the community to get together and enjoy each other's company an important part of the ritual is the presentation of handmade offerings made by the women and placed on this enormous offering table inside the temple once the offerings have been placed the priest rings the bell to begin the ceremony it's a symbol of prosperity as day turned into night and the chanting began there was an undeniable sense of connection that I will never forget I'd encourage anyone who comes to Bali to find a ceremony like this and see how moving it can be [Music] okay before we get to the best part of this video you should know that we tested bali's most unique places to stay to come up with the ultimate Hotel and Resort guide we also have videos about bali's most unique activities and what you should know before you [Music] [Applause] go okay let's talk about funerals for a second second now before you click to another video you should know that funerals here are a celebration and the balones see death not as an end but as a transitional phase of Life a journey to a new world you know when funerals are happening because outside most temples you'll see these tall structures being built and of course Deepa didn't get us into just any funeral but a royal funeral and it was one of the most inspiring things I have ever seen the ceremony involves a series of rituals that are believed to help the soul on its Journey to the afterlife you'll see what the Bull's about in a minute the community comes together in a spirit of unity and support with just about everyone contributing to the preparations and participating in the [Music] rituals after the coffin's lifted into the tower then over a 100 guys move this Tower with the body at the top through the streets it's so tall that the power company has to take down all the power lines that cross the street the belief that the deceased should be celebrated instead of mourned is reflected in every aspect of the [Music] ceremony the procession ends at the cemetery and the body is moved into to the sacred cow then The Cremation begins and fire sends the spirit on its [Music] way I have to say that this was one of the most interesting and profound rituals I have ever attended and I felt totally welcomed by the bonies I am super grateful to Deepa for arranging this thanks for watching and see us in the next video [Music]