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The telephone directory for Pengosekan, Bali, is short but confusing. Of 200 listings, almost all contain a Dewa, the name of the person I'm looking for. Dewa is a much used Balinese caste name, and while not everyone chooses to be called by their caste name, that's still a lot of Dewas. "Better you just go there," says a waiter at my hotel, in the neighboring town of Ubud. I mention that the Dewa I am seeking is a gamelan musician. "Walk down the street and listen," says the waiter. "You are sure to find him." The advice is astute: Bali is an island best navigated by the s...

Some time ago, say in the 1930s and 1940s, the very mention of "Borneo" conjured up the world of jungle, orangutans, and adventurers such as "Bring 'em Back Alive Frank Buck". And in many ways, the island still lives up to the billing of one of the "last best places" for adventure. Geographically, the northern part of the island includes the tiny (but very wealthy) kingdom of Brunei, sandwiched between two, much larger Malaysian states – Sabah and Sarawak – while an Indonesian province, Kalimantan, fills the map of central and southern Borneo. Most visitors these days head for the "eco...

Bali, a tropical island in the Indonesian archipelago, is so picturesque and immaculate it could almost be a painted backdrop. It has rice paddies tripping down hillsides like giant steps, volcanoes soaring up through the clouds, dense tropical jungle, long sandy beaches, warm blue water, crashing surf and friendly people who don't just have a culture but actually live it. In Bali spirits come out to play in the moonlight, every night is a festival and even a funeral is an opportunity to have a good time. Bali Island, the perfect holiday destination for all ages offers something for eve...