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Bali: Beaches, Spas, Nightlife and Shahrukh Khan

For me, arriving at Bali was a travellers’ delight. Nothing could beat travel fatigue better than the friendly, smiling Balinese faces at the Customs and Immigrations at the Denpasar airport and the ’ Visa on arrival’ stamped on my passport for 10 USD in 15 minutes flat!

I had heard that Bali was an island of temples, dances, and age-old rituals; with over 95 per cent of the 3 million people practice a form of Hinduism. But nothing prepared me for the spot-on recital of ‘Gayatri Mantra’ by my taxi driver, followed by a song from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in the same breath. I was amazed by the Bollywood craze in this Far East city, so much so, that I was instantly labelled ‘from Shahrukh Khan’s country’ by every taxi driver and local I met!

Arriving at the airport, most tourists head straight for the beach areas of Kuta, Sanur, Jimbaran or Nusa Dua, I chose Kuta simply because it is still arguably the centre of night life activities along with an array of shops, boutiques, and galleries- what more could I ask for!

For the adventurous and sporty, Bali offers a host of adrenaline-pumping water-sports, both below and above water. Surfing, scuba diving, banana boats, snorkelling, parasailing, Jet Ski, Bungee Jumping, Bali offers it all.

Bali is one of the Spa Capitals of the world where you can indulge yourself in a spa treatment at very reasonable prices.

Another big pastime here is shopping! For those who do not want to wander too far from the beach, Sanur, Kuta and Ubud have more than enough to appease any shopper, from sarongs and sandals to wooden statues, stone carvings and iron and bronze works.

From the locals raving over Shahrukh Khan to the colourful Balinese-Hindu culture, this tropical paradise lures Indians, not just by its natural exquisiteness but more importantly by its culture and the warmth of the Balinese people.

With Bali becoming more accessible and affordable, with cheap extension packages from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and great deals from Garuda Indonesia Airlines that have daily flights connecting the Island for as little as USD 160 for a round trip ticket, I would defiantly recommend this island getaway as your next travel itinerary!

Manoj Gursahani is the Chairman of India's first ecommerce travel portal- TravelMartIndia. Visit the blog for more travel related issues, travel tips and destinations

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It is the first day of your Bali holiday and your first night at a Bali rental villa. Welcome to the paradise called the Bali Island. However, unless you have been living in the tropics for a while, welcome to what I call the 'mini-environmental culture shock'. Well, at least if you have chosen a good villa in a non-urban setting, you are in for some new, exciting and really interesting sights, sounds and experiences. This free travel guide is intended to help you most of your Bali holiday, and the new sights, sounds and smells that await you. Read more..