Damai Lovina Villas Bali Hai! A Balinese Experience Christened the 'Dawn of the world' by Nehru, Bali's breathtaking beauty, pristine beaches, friendly people, and fascinating culture never cease to draw visitors to its shore. One the world's favorite holiday destinations, the Island of the Gods has more than splendid surfing beaches, golden sunsets, rustic resorts, handicrafts and idyllic villages to offer. Its temperamental volcanoes, terraced rice paddies, lush tropical jungles, cultural enclaves, ancient temples, dramatic religious rituals and colorful traditional festivals provide visitors with a thrilling sense of adventure and an enchanting cultural experience. Once a geographical extension of Java, Bali shares the same climate, flora, fauna and physical attributes as its mother island. Consisting mostly of hills and mountains, with deep ravines, swift rivers and an extension of Java's volcanic chain in the northern parts of the land etching lines into its surface, Bali resembles a massive sculpture - a glorious masterpiece of Mother Nature or the supreme god Sanghyang Widhi.
	Legend has it that the island belongs to this supreme god, and that he has handed the land to the locals in sacred trust. Indeed, the Balinese religion revolves around this belief, as do the religious festivals and symbolic activities. From the simplest dedication of woodcarving, celebration of wealth and learning to elaborate temple festivals, fasting and retreat ceremonies, the Balinese devote a large part of their life to the worship of their Gods. Why, there are thousands of temples on Bali! In houses, courtyards, hilltops, caves and barren lands, temples are everywhere!!
	Balinese Art The devout religious faith of the Balinese is manifested in their art, music and dance, too. In fact, the Balinese pour their energy into creating beautiful art out of humdrum necessities. From the ancient art of lamak (strips of a palm leaf, bamboo and yellow blades of sugar or coconut palm pinned or folded into fancy borders and designs) and pyramidal stacks of edible temple offerings to vivid woodcarvings of mythological creatures and stone figurines of deities, the Balinese esthetic appreciation of beauty is evident even in everyday life. Traditional Balinese paintings depict various aspects of their faith or mystical characters in somber yellow, red and black or plain charcoal. With the influence of European artists such as Walter Spies, Rudolph Bonnet and Adrien Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres post World War II, contemporary themes of people, animals and abstract imagery have made their way into Balinese painting.
	Stone carving is probably the only Balinese art form that has remain untainted by consumerism, perpetuated in part by the Balinese moral obligation to constantly maintain the many stone temples dotting the island and because the high cost of shipping these sculptures deter mass export.
	Balinese Music & Dance
	Next to art, music and dance play very important roles in Balinese life. There are more than 200 different kinds of dances, each performed with mesmerizing intensity and intricate coordination of eloquent limb movements to the accompaniment of crisply percussive gamelan music. The dances are highly dramatized and ritualistic expressions of the Balinese religious faith, performed according to strict tradition: the dancers are forbidden to improvise the movements learned since early childhood.
	Played with much vigor and just as much passion, gamelan is indispensable in every religious festival and activity, whether or not dance performances are called for. Every village has its own gamelan orchestra, which usually consists of unpaid amateurs who gather to practice in the evenings after the day's work. Damai Lovina Villas
	In fact, the Balinese consider art a natural activity. Peasants by day, they work hard at perfecting their art - be it carving, music or dancing - by night. It is no wonder they are so proficient in expressing their religious faith into items of great artistic and esthetic value - these masterpieces are, after all, the outpouring of the very core of their simplistic existence, their way of communicating their devotion to their Gods.
	Looking for the Perfect Place to stay in Bali?
	If you're looking for a quiet retreat in North Bali, then the Damai Lovina Villas is the ideal choice. A small resort set on a gentle mountain slope overlooking the calm waters of Lovina Bay, and surrounded by rice paddies, spice plantations and startlingly green jungle clad valleys, this peaceful oasis makes you feel light years away from civilization.
	Or get yourself entrenched in Balinese life right where you stay! Set on a pristine hilltop near the ocean, Hotel Tugu Bali is a veritable treasure trove of Indonesian artwork and artifacts. Bali's first museum boutique hotel was borne out of its owner, Anhar Setjadibrata's lifelong fascination with Bali.
	Ubud, with its art and artist communities, its myriad museums and cultural attractions, is a good place to begin your cultural pursuits. The Komaneka Resort is located on Jalan Monkey Forest, idyllic Ubud's main street of shops and restaurants, yet away from the bustling activities of the town. A tranquil oasis set amidst lush greenery, rice paddies and peaceful pastoral scenery, perfect as a base for exploration of Balinese life and culture.