Bali

Towering volcanoes revered as domains of Hindu deities give way to emerald-green rice paddies as Bali spreads out towards the warm, inviting waters of the Indian Ocean. The sea pushes back with powerful swells that barrel over reefs to the delight of local surfers and crash upon a coastline of soft-sand beaches.

Culturally speaking, bite-size Bali, with its Hindu majority, is a world apart from the rest of Indonesia. Here every doorway is marked with religious symbols, every temple is brimming with offerings and every village observes the Hindu festivals – giving genuine meaning to Bali’s sobriquet, the Island of the Gods.

In the far south, the Bukit Peninsula hangs from the base of the island like an earring, home to the gorgeous crescent of Jimbaran Bay, a number of world-class clifftop resorts and the incredible temple at Uluwatu, where Kecak dances are performed at sunset. Heading up the west coast, sophisticated Seminyak offers golf, shopping and fabulous resorts ideal for families. Trendy Canguu is Bali’s hippest coastal community, with its mellow surf spots, cool cafes and buzzing beach clubs.

Inland lies Ubud, the island’s cultural heartland, set against a backdrop of shelving rice paddies and the distant outline of Gunung Agung, Bali’s highest peak. A hive of artistic activity, the town offers endless rows of craft shops and workshops, excellent galleries, nightly dance shows, a central market and numerous temples and museums.