When Kuta was still a small fisherman village guys like Ketut Jati, Wayan Swenda, Gede Narmada, Nyoman Radiasa, Ketut (KingKong) Kasih, Wayan Surdika, Wayan Badra were breaking centuries of Balinese tradition, venturing into (evil waters). Rough, wave pounded places, we re traditionally considered (Mystiscally Charged) locations called (Ends of the World) or (Nether worlds) which were populated by Demonic Deities and Fickle Spirits. Places definitely considered too dangerous to play with.

• Indonesia has 80.000 km of coastline and is the most volcanically active place on earth.
  
• Indonesian language (Bahasa Indonesia) was created in 1929 as a mean to unify the archipelago , more than 13.000 islands using over 300 languages, and is based on Malay, the original language of sea traders of this region. Bahasa Indonesia uses many foreign words, indicating the long history of contacts.
  
• Social and religious duty has, over time, been refined to form a cultural behaviour called ( adat ) or traditional law.
  
• Borobudur in Java is the largest Buddhist monument in the world .
  
• Rice is the basis of each meal, eaten as a soup or with an assortment of hot and spicy side dishes. The variety of tropical fruits grown would make a greengrocer nuts.
  
• at 250 plus million people, 100 only in the island of Java, Indonesia is today the world's largest Islamic nation, while Bali remain 95% Hindu.
  
• Kuta Beach first western hotel is dated 1936.
  
• Bali today see some 30 aeroplanes landing everyday, as you sometimes smell when you surf the Kuta reefs!

• Indonesia's strategic position and its waterways between Indian and Pacific Oceans has led to rich and complex cultural, religious, political and economic history. Trade contracts with India, China and the mainland of Southeast Asia brought many influences.
  
• Early (Java Man), or (Homo erectus), lived here half a million years ago. 4000 BC see the ancestors of the modern-day Malays and Javanese, who now make up the bulk of Indonesia's population.
  
• Major migration movements to the Indonesian archipelago began about 3000 years ago as the Dongson Culture of Vietnam and southern China spread south, bringing with them new Stone, Bronze and Iron Age Cultures. Their techniques of irrigated rice cultivation, ikat weaving, ritual sacrifice, stone megaliths are still here today.
  
• Early Hindu-Javanese Majapahit Peoples once controlled much of the archipelago . Hinduism and Buddhism were predominant. Islam began spreading in Indonesia in the 700/800 AC brought by Indian traders . Java Majapahit kingdom collapsed around 1400 and many of its intelligentsia moved to Bali. Javanese artists, dancers, musicians and key priests made (the Island of Gods ) experiencing an explosion of cultural activity.
  
• In 1292 , Marco Polo became one of the first Europeans to set foot on Indonesian islands . Around 1500 the Portuguese arrived in pursuit of spices. By the early 1600s the Dutch had established trade treaties with Javanese Princes and had wrestled control of the spice trade from the Portuguese. They were, however, more interested in profit than culture and hardly gave Bali a second glance. In the early 18th century , as local rule in Bali began to fracture, the Dutch began using the tried&tested divide-and-rule policy. 1906 sees Dutch troops reaching the outskirts of Denpasar. Surrounded by superior forces, Balinese Royalty and Religious Leaders decided to take the Honourable Path of a suicidal Puputan, a fight to death, rather than surrender. Bali became a part of the Dutch East Indies. There was little development of exploitative plantation economy on Bali, and most of the Common People and villages noticed very little difference between rule by the Dutch and rule by the Rajahs. Despite the long prelude to colonisation, Dutch rule over Bali was short-lived. Indonesia soon fell to the Japanese in WWII .
  
• At the end of WWII , the Indonesian leader Soekarno proclaimed independence, but only in 1949 the Dutch recognised Indonesia's independence. In 1965 , the (Year Of Living Dangerously), an attempted coup led to Soekarno's downfall. General Suharto suppressed the coup and emerged as a major political figure. Under his government Indonesia looked to the West for alliances and investments. On Bali, economic growth and dramatic improvements in infrastructure were achieved by hugely expanding tourism industry. This also resulted in the displacement of local populations and disruption of many traditional communities.
  
• By may 1998 Soeharto is out of office and the Vice-President, Habibie, is installed. 1999 see General Wiranto, head of the Indonesian Army dismissed and the first elected president: Wahid. The rupiah is in critical condition . On July 2001 , the People's Consultative Assembly elects Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri in his place. With Indonesia at the forefront of numerous crises Megawati has a huge job ahead of her.