INFORMATION ABOUT BALI

the island of bali is part of the republic of indonesia and is located 8 to 9 degrees south of the equator between java in the west and lombok and the rest of the lesser sunda islands (sumbawa, flores , sumba and timor) in the east.
temperatures between 20 to 33 degrees celsius or 68 to 93 degrees fahrenheit year-round. from december to march, the west monsoon can bring heavy showers and high humidity, but usually days are sunny and the rains start during the night and pass quickly. from June to September the humidity is low, and it can be quite cool in the evenings.

bali has an area of only 5,632 square kilometers (2,175 square miles) and measures just 55 miles (90 kilometers) along the north-south axis and less than about 90 miles (140 kilometers) from east to west.
the island is famous for its beautiful landscape. a chain of six volcanoes, between 1,350 meters and 3,014 meters high, stretches from west to east. there are lush tropical forests, pristine crater lakes, fast flowing rivers and deep ravines, picturesque rice terraces, and fertile vegetable and fruit gardens. the beaches in the south consist of white sand, beaches in other parts of the island are covered with gray or black volcanic sand.

bali's population has grown to over 3 million people the overwhelming majority of which are hindus. however, the number of muslims is steadily increasing through immigration of people from java, lombok and other areas of indonesia who seek work in bali.
most people live in the coastal areas in the south, and the island's largest town and administrative center is fast growing denpasar with a population of now over 370,000. the villages between the town of ubud and denpasar, kuta (including jimbaran, tuban, and legian, seminyak, etc), sanur, and nusa dua are spreading rapidly in all directions, and before long the whole area from ubud in the north to sanur in the east, berawa/canggu in the west, and nusa dua in the south will be urbanized.

only rupiah (Indonesian currency) is acceptable at local stores and restaurants. the indonesian rupiah is available in note denomination of 100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 1,000, 500 and 100. Coins are available in denominations of 1,000, 500, 200, 100, and 50.

US dollars are the preferred foreign currency for exchange. only bills printed from 1996 onward are accepted in payment or in exchange for local currency. Larger denomination bills earn a higher exchange rate, as do traveler's cheques. most hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops accept certain foreign currencies and credit cards. you can buy rupiah at foreign exchange banks and other authorized moneychangers on presentation of your passport. the exchange rate fluctuates regularly, so check your bank for the latest exchange rates. the exchange rate for US$1 is the same as Rp. 8,500. most banks and hotels accept traveler's cheques. (this will need to be monitored)

the use of traveler's checks in Indonesia is as popular as in any other country. diners club and american express, visa and master card are widely accepted at hotels, department stores, shops, restaurants and nightclubs. according to the indonesian banking regulations, payment by credit cards is charged in local currency. some merchants apply a 3-5 percent surcharge for credit card transactions.

ATMs are everywhere. many connect to international banking networks so you can withdraw cash in rupiah from your home account. look for those affiliated with your own ATM network, noted by signage on card and the compatible ATM are everywhere.