HistoryThe ProfessorBeginner
The Magic of Bali, a free history course on Tomo

The Magic of Bali

Like Duolingo, but for The Magic of Bali. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.

For the part of you with thirty open tabs that never became anything.

170 levels across 8 sections, about 340 minutes end to end, roughly 68 days at five minutes a day. It moves through Living Like a Local Today, The Art of Water and Rice, The Era of Great Kings, A Unique Spiritual Path, The Struggle for Independence, Becoming a Global Destination, Deep Roots: The First Balinese, and The Science of the Island. It starts from scratch.

170 bite-size levelsAbout 5 minutes each

Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android

Barong Barry, the guide who teaches the The Magic of Bali course
The Magic of Bali
with Barong Barry
170
Levels
8
Sections
5
Min/day
What you'll learn

Key ideas in The Magic of Bali

  • Spirituality is embedded in physical objects like trees and rocks
  • Tri Hita Karana is the core philosophy of Balinese life
  • Offerings are a way to show respect to the spirits residing within nature
  • Each pillar represents a specific relationship that must be balanced
  • The belief that spirits inhabit physical objects
  • The three pillars of Tri Hita Karana
  • Sekala refers to the tangible, visible world
  • Niskala refers to the spiritual realm that influences daily life
  • Village temples (Pura Desa) address the relationship with God
  • The relationship between the seen and unseen worlds
  • Communal meeting halls (Bale Banjar) address the relationship with people
  • Subak irrigation systems address the relationship with nature
  • How Tri Hita Karana influences village infrastructure
  • Intersections are spiritually active
  • Shrines as spiritual anchors
  • Sekala and Niskala
Why not just Google it

You've tried the other tabs

Wikipedia

Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.

YouTube

You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.

ChatGPT

One answer, then back to scrolling.

Online courses

Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.

Tomo gives The Magic of Bali the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.

Try a question

Here's what playing it feels like

A real question from this course. Take your best guess.

Spirits in the Everyday

What is the name of the core philosophy that governs the balance of life in Bali?

Get it right to open this lesson and 169 more in the app.

Course map

Where The Magic of Bali takes you

Go beyond the beaches to discover the soul of the Island of the Gods. Learn how ancient kings, unique traditions, and a resilient spirit shaped this tropical paradise.

  1. 1

    Living Like a Local Today

    • Why Bali is the Island of the Gods
    • The Meaning Behind Daily Offerings
    • Decoding the Balinese Calendar
    • What Makes a Balinese Village Tick
  2. 2

    The Art of Water and Rice

    • How Farmers Share Water Fairly
    • The Secret Life of Rice Terraces
    • Goddesses of the Lake
    • Engineering Paradise Without Machines
    • The Subak: A UNESCO Treasure
  3. 3

    The Era of Great Kings

    • The Rise of the Majapahit Empire
    • How Java Influenced Balinese Royalty
    • Life Inside the Royal Palace
  4. 4

    A Unique Spiritual Path

    • How Hinduism Found a Home in Bali
    • The Role of High Priests
    • Temples: From the Sea to the Mountains
    • Festivals That Stop Traffic
    • The Battle Between Good and Evil Spirits
    • Cremation Ceremonies: A Celebration of Life
  5. 5

    The Struggle for Independence

    • When the Dutch Arrived
    • The Tragic Story of the Puputan
    • World War II and the Japanese Occupation
    • The Fight to Join Modern Indonesia
  6. 6

    Becoming a Global Destination

    • The First Artists to Discover Bali
    • How Surfing Changed the Coastline
    • The Boom of Modern Tourism
    • Protecting Culture in a Changing World
    • Bali's Future: Green and Sustainable
  7. 7

    Deep Roots: The First Balinese

    • The Mystery of the Bali Aga People
    • Ancient Stone Tools and Burial Jars
    • The Giant Bronze Drums of Pejeng
  8. 8

    The Science of the Island

    • Volcanoes: The Givers of Life
    • The Wallace Line: Bali's Unique Nature
    • How the Landscape Shaped the History
    • Earthquakes and Ancient Architecture

8 sections · 34 units · 170 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.

How it's taught

You pick the voice

This course
The Professor

The Magic of Bali is taught in the The Professor style: clear, structured, thorough. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.

Keep going

More History on Tomo

Germany: From Many to One course icon

Germany: From Many to One

Professor

Discover how a collection of scattered kingdoms became a modern powerhouse. Explore the stories of emperors, thinkers, and ordinary people who rebuilt a nation from the ground up.

88 levels2h 56mBeginner
Unlock the Heart of Korea course icon

Unlock the Heart of Korea

Professor

Go beyond the screen and understand the real Korea. Learn to read the clever alphabet, navigate a Seoul street, and discover the ancient stories that shaped modern K-culture.

30 levels1hBeginner
The Persian Tapestry: A Journey Through Iran course icon

The Persian Tapestry: A Journey Through Iran

Storyteller

Move beyond the headlines to explore the deep cultural roots and shifting power dynamics of the Iranian plateau. Discover how a crossroads of civilizations shaped modern identity through poetry, politics, and persistence.

220 levels7h 20mIntermediate
The Age of Global Connections course icon

The Age of Global Connections

Professor

Discover how the modern world was born through daring voyages, revolutionary ideas, and the first global trade networks. Learn how different cultures collided and changed each other forever.

170 levels5h 40mBeginner
Athena: The Goddess of Wisdom course icon

Athena: The Goddess of Wisdom

Bestie

Step into the sandals of the most powerful goddess in Olympus. Learn how to think like a strategist, win your battles with brains over brawn, and discover why Athena is still the ultimate symbol of wisdom today.

170 levels5h 40mBeginner
Secrets of the Pharaohs and Pyramids course icon

Secrets of the Pharaohs and Pyramids

Bestie

Step into the sandals of an explorer to uncover how the pyramids were built and what life was like for the powerful kings and queens of the Nile. Master the mysteries of the desert and learn to read the stories left behind in stone.

180 levels6hBeginner
Start free

Start The Magic of Bali today.

Download Tomo, search The Magic of Bali, and play your first lesson in under a minute.