The principal mountains are Gunung Agung, Gunung Batukau, and Gunung Batur. It is the sacred mountain of the whole island. Volcanic ash makes the island's soil rich and fertile. The main agricultural product is rice. Balinese craftworkers make wooden, horn, bone, and ivory carvings, and shadow play puppets.
Balinese paintings use both traditional and modern forms.
They often have Hindu themes. The Balinese also show their artistic talents in dance-dramas and in literature, traditionally written on narrow strips of palm leaf. Music and dance are an integral part of the Balinese way of life. Each village also has its own group of dancers. Popular dance themes are taken from the Ramayana, a Hindu epic poem.