Useful websites:

Sheraton Hotels HERE

Garuda Indonesia airlines HERE

Bali Hai Cruises HERE

More information about Bali HERE

Indonesia tourism HERE

Budget accommodation HERE

Interactive Bali HERE

Links to more websites HERE

BALI enjoys warm, tropical weather all year round with an average maximum temperature of 75f from April to September.

October to March features higher rainfall and temperatures of 84f along with high humidity.

Currency is the Rupiah but it is generally advisable to take US dollar travellers cheques.

Typhoid, tetanus and hepatitis injections are recommended but malaria tablets are only needed if visiting certain areas.

Flying time from UK to Bali is approx 17 hours. Only Garuda Indonesia fly direct, departing Gatwick three times a week. Economy class fare from £462 plus tax. Packages include flights from Manchester with changes in Singapore or Bankok.

Hotels: A wide range from five star granduer such as the Sheraton Nusa Induh to hostels. A number of hotels. such as the Bali Mirage, offer all-inclusive holidays.

Best buys: Woodcarvings, paintings, jewellery and silks.

Typical restaurant menu: Appetizer - green bean and chicken salad; main course - braised beef or lamb in coconut milk; dessert - sticky rice cake in brown sugaar sauce. This is only part of the menu at Bumbu Bali restaurant and cooking school and costs around £12.

Don't miss:

Ubud: Famous for its painters' community, art galleries and a wide variety of restaurants and shops while on the outskirts of town are paddy fields, a monkey forest and a huge banyan tree, which creates a picturesque setting for this culteral centre.

Kuta: Wonderful sunsets and famous for its beach. A wonderful holiday resort area with hotels, restaurants, discos and shops of all sizes while the surf is ideal for board riding and body surfing.

Denpasar: The largest city on Bali. Shops and banks back on to the Pasar Badung market place, a sprawling complex of stalls with everything from fish to gold, jewellery and clothes.

Sangeh: Monkeys inhabit the sacred forest and fearlessly wander the temple and village.

Besakih: The oldest temple in Bali and the focalpoint for all Balinese Hindus. On the slopes of Mount Aghung, Besakih is a complex of about 30 temples.

Tanah Lot: Carved out of the landscape by tides, wind and rain this is the site of a beautiful sea temple.

There is a bridge from the mainland and below the waterline, there are reputed to be large caves which shelter large sea snakes, the guardians of the temple.