The coming of people from India marked the onset of a new era and the end of the prehistorical period in Bali. There are many Hindu artifacts that can be highlighted that date back to first century. One later finds that by 500 AD Buddhism also became a primary religion. Traveler like Yi- Tsing refer (670 AD) to Buddhism in Bali.
The history of Bali by 11th century was deeply influenced by Hindu and Javanese culture. The medieval history of Bali highlights the several phases of Bali and Java conquering each other till Bali was occupied by the Dutch. .
During the 16th century as Islam was spreading in the archipelago and the Majapahit kingdom started to fall, Bali became a safe haven for the aristocrats, priests and the artists, thereby ushering the golden period in the history of Bali. The coming of the Dutch in 1597 is an important period and marked the onset of Bali becoming a colony. In the 19th century the Dutch due to geo political and economic reasons made Bali a colony.
During the Second World War Bali was occupied by Japan and after the war Bali became a province of Indonesia. But the unique history and culture of Bali has been maintained as the majority in Indonesia follow Islam but in Bali one will find temples.
The history and culture of Bali and the scenic beauty has made it a popular spot for vacation in South East Asia.
