True there are still some animal sacrifices in some parts of Bali -- but they happen too in remote villages of the Kumaon Himalayas -- and you find a lot of daemons and a few elements of tantrism. But so do you in modern Tibetan Buddhism, which is today so fashionable amongst western intellectuals and their media.

What Balinese practice in effect is a form of Vaishnava Tantra, whereas the guest is God, hence their openness to outsiders.

There are Brahmins in Bali, but no real castes, only caste names. The quality of the Hindu tradition transmitted orally in Bali from generation to generation, is amazing.

The Kecak Ramayana, sometimes known as the 'Monkey dance', for instance, is an extraordinary ballet, which reflects faithfully the ideals of the Ramayana, with a touch of Buddhism and Tantrism. It is a dance, which may be performed for the benefits of the tourists, but watching it, one feels that the Balinese still practice it for themselves and get caught up in the trance-like ethereal beauty of the women dancers who incarnate feminity at its best.

Image: Balinese dancers perform the Kecak dance during the opening session of Ubud art festival, a special few days when the rich arts of this island is showcased. Image: Sonny Tumbelaka/AFP/Getty Images