Five unusual things to do in Bali – Off the Beaten Path Experiences in Indonesia

A majestic phenomenon of nature, the blowhole in Nusa Dua is a must-visit place whenever you're in Bali. Located within a driving distance of many Bali homes for sale by properties such as Anantara Ubud Bali Villas, it can be reached from the Nusa Dua Beach. This blowhole, which is nestled among jagged cliffs, epitomises the sheer power of mother nature as the water is thrown up at the sky with such force with the energy generated by the currents surging below. The best time to visit this natural spectacle is during high tide when the splash of water is at its strongest.

If you visit the Uluwatu temple area in the evening, you can see the wonderful Kecak and Fire Dance that is performed against the majestic backdrop of the sunset. And yes you thought right – it can be seen every evening from an auditorium-like seating area from where one is offered stunning vistas of the entire ocean. A Balinese Hindu dance and drama that was developed in the 1930s, Kecak is based on the story of Ramayana. It is performed in temple premises that are peppered across Bali. The performance in Uluwatu temple premises is recommended by many due to the insanely scenic views it gives you. It is best if you can keep away from the monkeys at this place, who are notorious for stealing anything that they fancy from the tourists.

Statues of Buddha can be found sunken in all its glory when you go diving off the coast of the Nusa Lembongan in Bali. This area, with its magnificent collection of statues, is called the Buddha Point and divers can swim up to 30 metres beneath the water surface to explore some breathtaking ruins. However, these are not submerged remnants of an ancient civilisation, but intentionally placed statues to address concerns of the declining marine population of the area. The statues serve a specific purpose by housing a thriving marine population and acts towards

Trunyan is a small village that has escaped colonialism in the past, thus explaining why they weren't converted to Hinduism like the rest of Indonesia. In this village, there is a peculiar tradition of burying the deceased. The Bali Aga, or the indigenous people of Trunyan, place their dead in triangular-shaped bamboo cages near a Taru Menyan tree, which roughly translates to "fragrant tree." Once the bodies decay, the skulls are placed at the bottom of the tree, creating a shrine in the process. It is believed that this tradition has been continuing from many a year, when four siblings of royal descent were hypnotised by the fragrance of this tree, resulting in the eldest to fall in love with its tree goddess. Later, he has ordered the villagers to remove that scent from the tree so that no one would get hypnotised anymore.

For hitherto unexplained reasons, Bali has several abandoned planes scattered around its landscape. For travellers who've had their share of basking at the scenic beaches of Bali, these aircraft offer splendid opportunities for exploration. These are rumoured to have been purchased with the intention of turning them into tourist attractions but were later abandoned. You can find large commercial aircraft like Boeing 737 lying around the southern part of Kuta and in the Bukit Peninsula.