Often my friends ask me, « but exactly where is bali ? ». Ok i will help you :-).
Bali is located in the republic of Indonesia, between the island of Java in its west side and the lovely small island of Lombok on its east side. Others country such as Australia, Philippines, Papua New guinea surround the island.
A really green island, Bali is rich of history and culture and a famous travel place. You can discover impressive paddy field ans volcanoes, temple : People are mainly hinduist.
I have many good souvenirs from my last trip to Bali.
Let me show you a map picture :
Let’s the geography apart, from my own experience , here somes :
Interesting places to visit in Bali island :
Jatiluwih rice terrace
Goa Gajah
Wake up the Indiana Jones inside you. This temple is fascinating, especially the old destry ruins cover, by moss, inside the deep valley. The sanctuary was buit around the 9th century.
Fountain – Goa Gajah – Bali 
ruins Goa Gajah – Bali Goa Gajah – Bali 
temple ruins – Goa Gajah – Bali Goa Gajah – Bali
JL Raya road – rice terrace
Besakih Temple
Pura Ulun Danu Bratan
The temple of water Pura Ulun Danu Bratan is located on the lake Bratan (or Danau Beratan) in the north part of Bali.
It was erected in the 17th century and is dedicated to Shiva worship but also to the goddess of lake, river and water Dewi Danu.
Pura Tanah Lot
Located in the south coast of Bali, Pura Tanah Lot is one of the seven temple of the sea of Bali island. The site is particularly impressive with the temple build on rocks , shape by the tide of the sea.
Kerta gosa (Taman Kertha Gosa )
A beautiful vavilion, Kerta Gosa was an ancient hall of justice. Located in the city ofSemarapura , the capital city of the Klungkung Regency in Bali in south-east of Bali. Approximately 20 km at the east of Ubud.
The pagoda of Mengwi – Pura Taman Ayun
Gunung Kawi
The funeral monument and temple of the Gunung Kawi complex is located in the center of Bali island, nearly 20 km nork of Ubud and near Tirta Empul site. This site of Gunung kawi is of the eleventh century.
Tirta Empul
The temple of water of Tirta Empul is an amazing site of spring where balinese take ablution. This hindhu temple, from the 9th century, is dedicated to Vishnu.
Mount Batur
Pura Luhur Batukaru temple
Ubud
In the center of the island, Ubud is an excellent central point for discovering Bali.
Geology
The island of Bali is mostly the result of volcanism and of tectonic. On one side, the tectonic subduction of Australian plate under the Sunda plate, has lifted above the sea level some layers of tertiary limestone still visible in places like the Bukit peninsula, the cliffs of Uluwatu or northwest at Prapat Agung. On the other side, the main part of the Bali island is covered by volcanic deposit like magma. The volcanoes, result too from the subduction phenomena between the 2 plates which has fissuring the crust, the Australia Plate begins to melt when it reaches a depth of about 100 miles.
In this area the Australia Plate is moving towards the northeast at a speed of 7 centimeters per year. On the contrary, The Sunda Plate is moving towards the northwest at an average speed of 2 centimeters per year. These two plates are in collision about 200 miles south of the island of Java to form the Sunda-Java Trench (see Plate Tectonics Map). Some volcano deposit older than 1 million years remains but almost deposits are younger. Recents deposits from the eruption of 1963 can be found around the Mount Agung.
Ancient History
A little bit of History. The Island of Bali has a long history, it’s may seem surprising but the presence of human on Bali is very ancient.
Bali was often connected to the Java island where the presence of the Java man, an Homo erectus, was attested between 1.7 and 0.7 million years.
On Bali, itself, the presence of human is attested in the paleolithic (between 1 million year BC and 200 000 years BC) by tools finding such as axes. Bali was still occupied at the mesolithic (200 000 years BC – 30000 years BC) by the Homo Erectus, the tools are more complex such as arrows and bones tools. It seems they have live in cave, at least temporary.
As for modern human, the Homo Sapiens , they arrive around 45 000 BC on Bali from australoid groups and they had replace the Homo Erectus.
Neolithic : Around 4000 years ago to 600 BC, Bali was populated by Austronesian inhabitants who brings rice and his growing knowledge. It seems they migrate from South China via The Philippines and the Sulawesi. They begin to cleared the forests for establish village. We found trace of pork eating and betel chewing. religion of them seems to be oriented to the mountains cults. Some bodies of theirs deads were put inside stone sarcophagi.
Closer to us, the bronze age (600 BC – 800 CE) see the arrival of the Dong Son culture. This culture spreads from the Vietnam and brings metallurgic techniques to the island of Bali, the objects produced with spiral and anthropomorphic patterns. However metals such as copper and tin had to be imported.
History
From 800 CE to 1363 CE, buddhism and hindhuism expend to Bali. We see the appearance of the first written records in Bali, in the form of clay pallets with Buddhist inscriptions. The stone temple of Goa Gajah reflects this periods with a combination of Buddhist and Hindu iconography.
From 1363 CE, the majapahit empire rules over Bali until 1520 CE. This period see a massive immigration from Java with a strong influence on the Bali culture, especially on art, architecture and dance, without forgetting the Hindhu religion.
FAQ Where is Bali
What country is Bali located in?
The island of Bali belongs to the Indonesia country.
Is Bali a part of Thailand?
No, Bali is not a part of Thailand. Bali is located around 2500 km to the south east from the southern border of the kingdom of Thailand. Bali is a part of another country : the Republic of Indonesia
What is the religion in Bali?
The dominant religion in Bali is the Hindu religion. More specifically , they practice the Balinese Hinduism , which represents a distinct form of Hindu worship incorporating local animism, ancestor worship or pitru paksha and buddhist saints or boddhisatva.
What country visits Bali the most?
As of 2020, australians and chinese are the predominants foreigners visiting the island of Bali.
Complements to the Where is Bali guide :
You may be interested by this article :
http://olivierbergeron.com/things-to-do-in-bali/
Places to Visit In North India
wiki : Bali
Britannica : https://www.britannica.com/place/Bali-island-and-province-Indonesia
Bali Discovery : http://www.balidiscovery.com/
Info Indonésie : http://www.infoindonesie.com/
Inside Indonesia : http://www.insideindonesia.org/
Pura Ulun Danu Beratan : http://www.bali-indonesia.com/attractions/ulun-danu-beratan-temple.htm
Kerta Gosa : http://www.thebalitoday.com/news/kerta-gosa/