The mere mention of Bali invokes the image of its varied landscape of lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, making it one of the world’s best known paradises on earth.

Bali Symbol - Bali is famous for being the "Island of Gods" because of its special spiritual culture, mainly based on Balinese Hinduism. This mix of beliefs, including honoring ancestors and Buddhist figures, is a big part of daily life and traditions in Bali.

Balinese people show their spirituality through ceremonies at beautiful temples and by making thoughtful offerings. This deep connection to their beliefs has been passed down through generations and shapes how Bali looks and feels - making it a unique and spiritual place to explore.

Hence, no wonder you’ll find so many Bali symbols with an amazing story behind them. If you plan to go to Bali, it's better that you explore the popular symbol in Bali meaning. Read more to learn each Bali symbol you’ll find when you stroll in the island, having the best time of your life!

You can find Canang Sari as symbols in daily life when you’re in Bali. It is part of the Hindu religion, often found in temples, shrines, praying rooms at home, and even on the street. The symbol means to seek sublimity from God.

Most of the time, these small offerings are accompanied by a tiny portion of food, even if it’s just a pinch of vegetable or meat, and sprinkled with salt. Some devotees add specific elements to their offerings, for example, a bakery might add some bread crumbs and a warung would put rice and chicken as part of their offering.

In temples, the Canang Sari is placed on the shrines for the higher deities and on the ground for the lower spirits.

The locals believe that it’s bad luck if you accidentally step on one. So, watch your step!

There are many worship ceremonies conducted every day in Bali and at the end of the ceremony, you’ll receive the bija.

What is bija, you ask? It’s a grain of rice that has been washed with holy water and sometimes mixed with turmeric. It’s usually placed in three places and the placements also have different meanings.

When it’s placed on the forehead between the eyebrows, it is believed to give wisdom rays to the person. When it’s on the neck area, it symbolizes happiness. If one swallows the rice grain, it is believed that your life will be filled with prosperity.

Unlike Canang Sari, you will only find Bija as a part of a prayer of ceremony. To be short, Bija is applied to gain the purity of the mind and soul.

Some of you might already be familiar with gebogan, as there are many signature Bali documentations of women carrying gebogan. Gebogan is the stacks of fruits, placed on several decorated crocks named “dulang”. The dulang is getting smaller and smaller as they go up.

The fruits are varied, from apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, and often breads too. On the top of it is “janur”, made by coconut leaves that are decorated beautifully. Women will carry gebogan on the top of their heads.

Gebogan is often found when it’s the time of “piodalan” or the birthday of a temple. Each family will bring a gebogan, so you will find so many gebogan during piodalan.

Another common sight (well, common for the locals!) when you drive through the roads in Bali is the black and white checkered fabric which the locals called kain poleng. It’s normally found wrapped around tree trunks, statues and temples.

The black and white fabric is not for aesthetics, but it’s actually a symbol of “Rwa Bhineda”, which refers to the balance of nature. There is also kain poleng colored black-gray-white named “Sudhamala” and colored black-white-red named “Tridartu.”

It will be easy to find kain poleng in Bali since it is used as decoration on trees, statues, gates, or even used by “petugas adat” or traditional officers tasked with maintaining security. When there’s kain poleng on it, it means that the place has magical powers that must be respected and protected.

So, whenever you see kain poleng in Bali, remember to create harmony within yourself and with others, as well as nature and the unseen spirits.

During festival season in Bali, you’ll see many penjor bamboo poles lining the street. These towering bamboo poles are decorated with young coconut leaf ornaments as well as local produce such as rice stalks, fruits and coconuts — just like a Christmas tree!

They might be a pretty sight, but they’re more than just beautiful decorations. While it’s usually used during the time of Galungan and Kuningan (a 10-day festival to celebrate the triumph of Dharma over Adharma, or good against evil), it’s also a common feature during weddings, art performances and temple festivals.

Each pole has a small woven bamboo shrine where offerings are placed for deities who descend from the heavens for the celebrations. Once the festival is over, the poles are pulled out, burned and their ashes are buried inside the compound in a final endeavor at producing fertility and prosperity.

While the swastika has been closely linked to Nazism in recent years, it is actually the oldest religious symbol (all the way from 10,000 BCE) that represents good fortune. In fact, the name is derived from the Sanskrit word “svastika”, which literally means “auspicious object”.

Balinese used the swastika symbol to enhance their belief in the Almighty and you can often find this sign painted on the baskets, trays or prayer accessories that are used during religious ceremonies. Sometimes it’s also painted on doorways, buildings, and temples! They believe the swastika is to guard against negativity.

So, if you’re a Western visitor and may not be familiar with the positive meaning of the swastika, fret not, there is no rise of pro-Nazi movement here. In fact, Balinese may be the most friendly and peaceful people you’ll ever meet!

Candi Bentar must be the biggest symbol in Bali. It is two similar temples shaped as a gate without connection at the top. It looks like a mountain divided as two, a symbol of Kailash mountain where Lord Shiva meditated. You will often find Candi Bentar in Bali as a gate to some places, like traditional homes, and it is actually a very aesthetic object for photographs.

Not only did it increase the beauty of places, it also symbolized the harmonious relationships between humans and God, the environment, and also with other people. So, the next time you see Candi Bentar, it can be a little reminder for us all to be more in harmony with everything around us.

Now that you know more about Bali symbols, your trip will be even more meaningful. Don’t forget, as a tourist, you need to respect cultures and symbols wherever you travel. Last but not least, have a wonderful time in Bali!