Not just the ocean, you must have never seen a Bali like this!

When it comes to Bali, everyone is familiar with it, but when it comes to Bali's world heritage, many friends may not know about it. Bali's cultural landscape includes five rice terraces and their water temples, covering an area of 19,500 hectares. The Water Temple is the central hub of a collaborative water management system consisting of canals and dams known as "Subak" that dates back to the 9th century. Subak embodies the philosophical concept of the "three elements of happiness," combining the spiritual realm, human world, and natural domain. Due to the pressure of relying on nature for survival, people must actively participate in Water Temple rituals, using complex ceremonies, artistic performances, and offerings to maintain a harmonious relationship between humans, nature, and the divine (spiritual world). To my shame, although I have been to Bali twice, I have never been to any of the five heritage sites that represent Bali's cultural landscape. However, these heritage sites are not popular tourist attractions, and most of them are located in the remote north, including the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan temple (a traditional water temple on the shore of Lake Bratan), the Batur volcanic lake (considered the ultimate source of all springs and rivers), the Subak landscape in the Pakrisan River basin (the oldest irrigation system on Bali), the Subak landscape in the Kintamani volcano crater in the Batukaru mountain range (one of the oldest terraced fields on Bali), and the Mother Temple (a water temple with unique local architectural features on Bali). Although the photos posted this time are not of the 5 heritage sites mentioned above, personally I think they are very similar in terms of landscape and culture, including the Shengquan Temple, the Degelarang Terraces, and the Blatan Lake Water Temple. These three places are relatively easier to reach and visit than the heritage sites. Although I have never been a big fan of islands, Bali is an exception. To be honest, the scenery of Bali as an island, including its beaches, is nothing special, but why has Bali become a world-class island? I think the true essence lies in its culture. Bali has the largest population of Hindus outside of India, but the feeling it presents is completely different from the Hinduism in India, such as Varanasi, where the dirty and oppressive religious atmosphere is daunting. The Hinduism in Bali has developed its own unique system, which at least presents a kind of likable feeling that makes people willing to approach it. It is more like a spiritual Zen, treating everything with respect without the sense of bondage that must be under various religious rituals. Cultivating oneself and nurturing one's mind also depends on slowly experiencing it oneself.