For such a small island, Bali has a strange feeling of being endless. No matter where you go or what you do, it’s a rich cultural experience. You can’t go anywhere without seeing a ceremony, a beautiful temple, a crazy marketplace, or someone placing an offering.

An added bonus: the Balinese are some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. Always smiling, laughing, and up for a chat with anyone walking by. So if you’re heading that way, just bring a smile and a good attitude and you’re guaranteed to make heaps of friends.

Throughout my travels in Indonesia, whenever I’d come across good advice, life lessons or useful tips I’d write them down. So here I thought I would share a few of these tips:

1. Live in the moment: be at the place you are now, there is no reason not to be.
2. Smile: It’s the first word in every language.
3. Learn: Tourist sit back and observe, travellers participate.
4. Go Solo: for a few weeks, a month or even if its just for a few hours, you’ll be surprised how you won’t feel alone at all.
5. Try new things: eat the local food, climb that mountain, you’ll be so happy you did.
6. Say Yes: to everything, you’ll be surprised what happens next.
7. Talk: word of mouth is how you find out what’s truly worth seeing and experiencing.
8. Get off the beaten track: get lost, go somewhere unexpected and enjoy it.
9. Go with the flow: let experiences happen to you, these are the memories you will take home and have forever, the unplanned ones.
10. Do what you want, when you want and how you want. These are your travels, no one else's and that’s the beauty of it.

Make sure to bring these tips with you on your next trip, wherever you may be going, and enjoy all the new experiences!

~Maggie Verity, Beach Travellers Bali Adventure Tour Guide

It's no mystery that Indonesians are great wave-riders. The LST is a local surf team in Nusa Lembongan, a small island next to Bali (destination #3 on BT's Bali & Beyond trip). The team started 10 years ago by a lady named Karen, who came over from Hawaii ten years ago, bringing the Hawaiian spirit and passion for surfing with her.

She noticed that in the water a lack of respect for the local boys was starting to appear at the island's main surf breaks.  Nusa Lembongan is a must-see spot for many backpackers throughout Indonesia, and in result the idyllic waves that once belonged to the locals of Lembongan were getting more and more crowded by “expats”. Karen formed the Lembongan Surf Team, a non-profit organization, so that the local young surfers could get out there and gain a name for themselves.

The boys on the team were put in control and taught how to manage the team on their own, each with an important position. By learning to run and organize the team, the boys gained a sense of importance and responsibility. The team has also taught the boys to have respect for others in the water and to keep surfing fun.

The team is all about equality, if a local kid is from a poor family and can't afford a surfboard, the LST helps the kid get access to a board. The LST often travels to the island of Bali and competes, and four of the boys on the team have now become sponsored by major companies such as Rip Curl and Billabong.

From July 25th to August 1st The Billabong Pro Junior 2011 contest will be held at the legendary "Shipwrecks" break on Nusa Lembongan. Four boys from the LST will be competing in this International competition right here at their home break for the first time ever, and the island is ecstatic with energy about this.

I found this to be a heart-warming and inspiring story so I thought I'd share it with all of you.  That's the beauty of travelling; meeting new people, hearing their stories and learning from them.

~ Maggie Verity, Beach Travellers Bali Guide

The offerings in Bali are something rare and unique, unlike anything I had ever seen before I came to Indonesia. When arriving in Bali, they are definitely one of the first things you notice. These offerings are EVERYWHERE! Outside your bedroom door, at the front desk of the hotel, on the streets, outside a food shop, the list goes on...

Made by the women of the household, these offerings contain various items inside a small dish made out of banana leaves. An incense stick, a cookie, some rice, and flower petals are just a few of the contents. The Balinese offer this to their Hindu gods three times a day, expressing gratitude for what has been given to them, and it is so interesting and peaceful to watch the Balinese women undertaking their rituals and carefully placing these offerings in various places.

As you stroll around the streets in the early morning to go grab some tea and banana pancakes, you can't help but notice the lovely aroma of the incense burning from these offerings, and the smell stays engrained in your memory forever. Ask anyone that's ever been to Bali: the smell of incense is a Balinese staple and anytime you smell it afterwards, you're transported back to Bali in your mind.

Don't feel bad if you accidentally step on an offering. They get driven over, walked over and stomped to bits throughout the day. They are meant to rid away evil spirit and bring good fortune to the people in the house or to the shop. Balinese see kneeling down and blessing the offering as a duty and honor of daily life to rid bad spirits and bring good health to the family.

It's hard to describe the magic of Bali with words, and these offerings are one of the many things that make Bali such an amazing place. I guess you'll just have to experience for yourself! Check out Beach Travellers "Bali & Beyond" trip dates here

~Maggie Verity, Beach Travellers Bali guide