Carved like emerald steps into Ubud’s natural amphitheatres, locals say the spirit of the rice goddess still watches over the iconic Tegallalang Rice Terrace, blessing the fields with life and balance. Also known as Ceking, the terraces are a large collection of beautiful verdant rice paddies, carved into the hillside by generations of farmers and shaped by centuries of Balinese ingenuity.

One of the most horrific chapters in Balinese history occurred during the anti-communist purges which swept across Indonesia in the mid 1960's and barely anyone dares talk about it. In the years leading up to the massacre, Bali was already a fractured island, mirroring the deepening political and social divisions across Indonesia.

Established in 1876, Vihara Dharmayana stands as one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Bali and the only one of its kind in Kuta. Known locally as Kongco Kuta, the temple was built to honour Tan Hu Cin Jin, a Chinese nobleman and architect who served the King of Mengwi. The site was famously visited by the 14th Dalai Lama during his tour of the island in 1982.