Whats the issue with Bali?

[Newhouse1]

Sorry I couldnt find a travel section so put this in AIBU

There's been a lot of faff about Bali in the news lately, but has anyone from here been there that could tell me what it's actually like? Is it as bad as they say?
Whats the controversy about?

TIA

Asian Magaluf. Say no more.

The volcanoes erupting?

It’s where Australians party, my friends went to Hawaii and it was full of drunk Americans. Basically paradise islands have been wrecked

It was coping 20 years ago in most places although Kuta was already pretty grotty. Instagram has seen Bali and surrounding island completely overcrowded and the infrastructure cannot cope, in terms of traffic and waste. The existing traditional buildings are being flattened to make way for luxury hotels with the land owners being kicked off, and the whole place is imploding. It's very sad.

I don't understand anyone who says 'Bali' for a dream destination. It was nice enough but wouldn't return. I was fortunate to go to the north away from the crowds and a good European mix. The marine park snorkeling was the best day I've had...but a totally different experience to the south where I honestly thought someone was going to get killed by the boats.
If I go that way again I'd spend more time on Java.

It's because some wannabe noone decided it didn't look insta perfect so bitched about it. Thanks to the joys of influencers, people are brainwashed into thinking the pictures on the internet are Actual Life and are then gutted when third world countries don't live up to air brushed fantasy. I've never been to Bali, but I'd stake my vital organs on guessing that what happens on Instagram isn't necessarily reflective of real life most of the time.

I went in the 90s. Avoided Kuta hung out in Ubud and the North and loved it. If you are travelling it’s easier. If you are talking about a 2 week vacation there’s better places tbh. Mick Jagger married Jerry Hall there.

It’s where bogans in Australia go to holiday 😂. It’s seen as a party place where you would go to party drink and surf. Unlike Fiji which is more like a family holiday destination.

particularly noteworthy events however, earlier this year or maybe last year a snorkel boat carrying a bunch of tourists went out in a storm (all the other boats bar this one turned back). It capsized and flipped. One Australian died and several others were injured badly. They were rescued but then dropped off as some remote location and told to swim to shore. Nothing happened to the tour operator, the captain of the boat or the owner. The boat was patched up and renamed and is back out there.

there is also a surge in rabies cases too in the crowded parts so there is a big vaccination drive. Rabies has only been in Bali since early 2000s and it got out of control due to the extremely poor response from the government who basically pretended it didn’t exist for over a year despite people dying from rabies.

people are now being warned to get a rabies shot prior to going - I’m not sure if you need to or just if you get bitten. But inevitably then the antivaxxers jumped on that 🙄. I’d love to see someone try cure rabies with some vitamin C.

I have never been there and have no interest in going.

My SIL got amoebic dysentery there recently…

Not somewhere that’s on my wish list tbh.

Bali used to be stunning. Small and accessible, as in lots to see within easy reach. But that was 25 years ago. So beautiful. I’m sad to hear things have changed.

Lots of places that feature beautiful resorts, paridise islands… are actually very poor countries where everyone is working to give “you” a good time. It’s a very thin veneer, in reality.

We went in middle age. We were out of place too old and not Australian. The beaches were dirty. The packs of dogs were scary and lots of the people very much on the make. The hotel was great, the food was fabulous but I definitely wouldn't want to go again.

And poor tourist behaviour. Which has resulted in local backlash. Not like you see in Spain but various ways to say we can't take this sh** any more

Neighbouring Lombok Island is much nicer, but when I went, both islands had been ruined by the fact that people just throw rubbish wherever they like.

I went there 20 years ago and hated it so left after a few days. It just wasn’t particularly nice

Actually I went 25 years ago

Kinda interesting thread, thanks to everyone who posted. I met a South American girl recently, who waxed lyrical about how amazing Bali was! So have been tempted.

So as winter approaches in the UK, I wondered, would it be a nice destination? It’s been very useful looking at this thread, to see more of a glimpse of the reality. It’s a long way to travel to, and the thought of spending 2K ++ on something that wasn’t so great, would be something I’d want to avoid. I have been to a couple of countries in the third and developing world that have proved disappointing, for similar reasons. Interestingly, re. both these countries I have met people in the UK saying how amazing they are. It seems people are turned on and off by very different things. (Perhaps if I had money and time to burn, I would consider it, but as I haven’t, it is now off my list!)

Asian version of Blackpool

In the memorable words of a friend, it's a "sex pond".

It’s the Lanzarote of Indonesia. Though I think that’s probably slightly insulting to Lanzarote which on one hand is less exotic but on the other hand cleaner. Bali has wild extremes, from interesting culture and feed and some super luxurious hotels to the absolute opposite.

While it is some far off destination for us Brits, which should bring with it some promise of amazingness, it is marred by:

• Being a very close package holiday destination for Aussies in all their colour
• Having filthy beaches and waterways full of plastic. Even back in the 90s there were signs in the alleyways saying ‘don’t shit here’
• Being a place where poor Javanese flock to make money from tourists, so it was always the place in Indonesia where you were most likely to be subject to petty crime
• Polluting and excessive traffic

Hard agree with all the above.

I wouldn't go again. I was in a small hotel in a small resort, which was lovely, but the rest was fairly awful including the treatment of animals.

I wouldn’t go back.

Some wealthy friends went to Lombok recently. They mainly spoke about the plastic pollution that is ubiquitous. Their 5* had the beach swept every morning, but 100m away plastic bottles everywhere.

Sometimes it must be said that, generally, MN can get on my nerves.

But there are positives. Thanks to this thread, I’ve provably saved myself significant dosh 💰 and even misery 😵‍💫.

🙏

So, thanks very much.