For years I thought that Bali was one of those places that students went to on gap years to find themselves, searching, in particular, on beach resorts during the day and bars at night.
Oh, how wrong I was! When I visited the small island a few months ago I was blown away at just how different their culture is to the UK, or even mainland Indonesia.
The first day I was there was certainly an eventful one, which took me to a number of fascinating locations across the island.
In the space of a few hours, I could hardly see everything that an island of over 4.3 million residents had to offer but could at least get an idea of the Balinese take on religion, local food and their way of life.
Better yet, the particular tour I was on took us to these destinations in a fleet of Land Rovers dating from the 1960s to the 1990s, which particularly pleased the automotive nerd in me.
Compared to a bus, the 50-year-old Land Rover had its advantages and disadvantages. Its lack of air conditioning was a slight issue, particularly when it is typically around 30 degrees, and its ride quality is not the softest in the world.
However, despite its lack of modern creature comforts, the car was full of charm and came with both a driver and tour guide per four tourists in the vehicle, making it incredibly easy to ask any questions.
The Land Rover was also much better at dodging the sheer number of motorbikes that can be found in the main city of Denpasar, often featuring three or four family members riding through the busy streets.
The first stop of the day was Pura Luhur Batukaru, a Hindu temple located on Mount Batukaru, an inactive volcano around an hour and a half’s drive from the main city of Denpasar.
Eighty-seven percent of residents in Bali are Hindu, meaning temples play a very large part in everyday life. Most houses have their own temple, however, people still visit regularly and will almost always visit before climbing to the top of the mountain.
Many parts of the 11th Century temple are strictly off-limits to visitors, but I was still able to feel the tranquillity of the site and admire its seven-tier shrine to Mahadewa, the God of Mount Batukaru and the large water garden that is inhabited by fish.
Back in the Land Rover, we headed further into the countryside to visit the Bamboo Forest Restaurant, a café that is effectively based inside a large treehouse.
Whilst the restaurant was clearly geared toward tourists, they provided a buffet of Balinese food, including Sop Jagung, a sweetcorn soup, Ayam Bakar, grilled chicken covered in a spicy paste, and Kare Ikan Laut, a seafood curry with coconut milk.
They were all incredibly nice, however, one thing on the menu that really took me by surprise was the black rice pudding. Despite its unappetising sludge-like appearance, it was incredibly sweet.
Bali’s two biggest industries are agriculture, producing mostly rice but also peppers and vegetables, and tourism. However, the real reason that I would recommend Bali is the community spirit that so many have there.
Whilst locals do not make a lot of money, any excess typically goes towards improving local life and helping neighbours out. As my tour guide said, if one person is building a house, everyone in the neighbourhood will help them.
I can absolutely understand why so many people go to Bali, but if I were to offer any advice to tourists, it would be not to spend the entire holiday out on the beach. There are far more fascinating sites, incredibly friendly people, and fewer tourists further inland.