In October 2002, two huge blasts destroyed bars in the heart of Bali’s main tourist zone, Kuta, killing 202. Overnight, tourism plummeted, as governments worldwide slapped travel warnings on Indonesia, advising against all nonessential travel. Most tour operators shelved Bali completely; those that didn’t saw demand slump spectacularly.

Last Tuesday came the first big sign that things are changing, with the British government downgrading its travel warning. Although still concerned about further attacks, the Foreign Office no longer advises against holiday travel. As a result, companies will insure people to go and tour operators will actively promote the island again.

This is good news for travellers. Bali is one of the most incredible and diverse tropical islands in the world. Beaches, of course; top-class resorts, clearly; restaurants and bars, in abundance. But all with so much more: a volcano more, picturesque rice paddies more; culture, shopping, cuisine, monkeys — more, more, more, more.

Above all, though, on Bali that paradise comes with a unique authenticity. The difference between it and many of the pretenders — Phuket, Ko Samui and the like — is that tourism is nothing new: it’s been around since the 1930s and the island has grown up catering to the needs of outsiders. Rather than superseding all around it, tourism has run in parallel, as part of the island’s culture rather than a replacement for it.

This is a large island — bigger than all the Balearics combined — and can handle tourists with ease. As the island slowly resumes its rightful place in the spotlight, it is sure to do so with class. It’s in the genes.

Start on the beach: because that’s why you’re here. But choose your beach carefully. Kuta is the famous one, but unless you’re (a) on a rugby tour, (b) a surfer who likes frighteningly big waves, or (c) an Australian who loves other (often drunk) Australians, it’s probably best avoided. Instead, decide what you want and take your pick from the following.

If you want a no-messing, all-sunbathing, scrupulously clean beach, head for Nusa Dua, a centre of gated resorts. Better is Jimbaran, which has less of a paradise-compound feel and the advantage of being west-facing — for those sunsets over the sea.

If you’re with young kids, head for Sanur, a quiet beach that comes without the surf or the surf dudes. Further afield, the black volcanic sands of Lovina attract those after a base in the quieter north of the island. The resort is famous for the schools of dolphins that play offshore (boat tours to see them cost £5).

Or, for a beach you’re only going to cross en route to the dive boat, head for Tulamben, close to the wreck of the US cargo ship Liberty and a host of other underwater sites.

Shopping: give the counterfeit clutter of Kuta a miss and head for Bali’s cultural heart, Ubud, in the cool of the central highlands. It’s an enchanting town where shops, studios and galleries merge into one. Every road is lined with boutiques full of paintings, ornaments, jewellery and clothes; open verandas full of artwork spill out onto streets that buzz with the sound of barter. Men can go for a scenic stroll about town, women can go shopping, and they need never leave each other’s side. Best of all, it’s not only lovely stuff — it’s cheap lovely stuff. And when you’re all shopped out, Ubud’s an excellent place to eat. Which brings us neatly to...

Food: oh, I like this bit. Not because it’s easy to write; how do you summarise such imaginative cookery in just a few sentences? No, because it lets me write the words sambal udang bunci (spicy wok-fried prawns), blimbing (starfruit), even nasi goreng (the ubiquitous fried rice), and remember how good they taste. You can eat anywhere, any time, and the fish will be fresh from the sea, the vegetables fresh from the fields and rice fresh from the paddies.

Temples: there are 20,000 on the island — one for every 150 people. Yes, Hinduism’s big on Bali. They vary tremendously. Some are tiny little affairs — a quaint shrine and some burning incense sticks — others much more spectacular. Two are unmissable. Perched on its own rocky islet with waves crashing around, Tanah Lot at sunset is so dramatic that it’s worth enduring the commercialism that surrounds it. A complete contrast is Luhur Batukau, a quiet, garden temple in the foothills of Ganung Batukau. The air is heavy with scent, moisture and humidity from the encroaching forest, and the statues are mossy to the point of being overgrown. Exquisite.

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