Bali losing its appeal to tourists big time

Not really

https://en.antaranews.com/news/302016/b … ssociation

Back to 88% of pre-pandemic levels and inline with predictions

Bali is packed full ,the roads are impassible in the tourist areas ,more than iv ever seen in 15 years , luckily im i nusa dua which is normal 

you  are   seriously complaining about paying  $50  for  a  visa  when  going  on  vacation,  can’t be serious ?? I  would   suggest a staycation at home instead as i don’t believe these are the kind of tourists Bali is looking for.

No problem here in Karangasem..

“People are getting more aggressive towards tourists”?? Are you kidding?

Have you ever seriously looked into how these ”tourists” are behaving? And how they treat the people, who are trying to make some money to send back to their families?

I used to visit Bali almost every year, but the behaviour of certain groups of people is one of the main reasons why I stopped going there.

I used to visit Bali almost every year, but the behaviour of certain groups of people is one of the main reasons why I stopped going there.
   
    -@Erik_S

That and the low life people low life tourists attract is why I hated the place.

I like to idea of a visa fee as most of the people it will put off are exactly the sort of cheap cretins that ruined Bali.

Even over this past couple of years I see Bali becoming less attractive for myself. They are setting up attractions all over the place, but they are also ruining the original beauty of many places. Tegallalang is pretty much destroyed, over built and and they even put up a big swing. The coffee plantation place where they sell coffee to tourists is fake, the real plantation is is a different location. That little hot spring on Lake Batur looks more like a big modern resort. The new buildings at Kuta and Legian beaches with those massive statues on top and the new beach path are way over the top. Well some people do like the new path. The Kuta Art Market which everyone liked is now a big building. They did the same with Sukawati Market some years ago too. Such a shame.

People used to love the way Bali was unspoilt but rather quickly it seems that it is disappearing.

I just flew from Perth to Bali for $200 in the holiday season, booking at the last minute (3 days before). I’m not sure what you’re talking about.

@bennl

I live here and to you $50 bucks might not sound a lot you are obviously rolling in money but i go to Aus quite a few times a year

and it annoys me the visa cost

@jimmyindo

Lucky boy i dont live in Perth i fly into Brisbane $ 700 on the cheap a lot for a pensioner you obviously are a mine worker so the money doesn't worry you

@wyngrove60

I agree but that's not what i was trying to get over to everybody i live in Lovina but travel frequently to AUS for medical reasons

what i was trying to get the point on was everybody i talk to doesn't want to go to Bali because its lost its gloss and is now not a cheap holiday with hotels putting there prices up, and airfares increasing, everything is correct what you said but we all love it, but people i talk to now say keep away from Bali there's cheaper places to visit, that is the point i was trying to make, sure ya still going to get the miners from Perth coming but that's not the tourism Bali wants

Yeah I know what you meant, I was just adding a few things that have happened over the past couple of years that in my opinion is making Bali become less attractive for people who liked it as it was.

I would like to bet Bali was stunning .. then came the march of the bogans

https://youtu.be/2Ip06rMTsf4

https://youtu.be/ZsWbChq8sGM?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/8O3LYMAujkE?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/iFyP72v_Rrw?feature=shared

@Fred

Yep

https://thebalisun.com/indonesia-touris … tect-bali/

An explanation of the tourist levy.

KITAS KITAP holders and ,any other people are exempt

@wyngrove60

Japan is were all the tourists are now going, its the biggest thing that has happened in years its cheaper to fly to Japan than

Indonesia that's why i say  Bali is no longer no1 oh still for the west coast miners cheap holiday and the opportunity to play

up big time eg bogans there ya go

Yes Japan is getting really crowded these days with tourists from everywhere including Indonesia. It's my favourite place to visit for many reasons. But accommodation in Japan is expensive and anything at the cheaper end is usually sold out much in advance. But in anycase, Japan has 4 seasons so it's a different kind of holiday to what people generally go to Bali for.

    @wyngrove60
Japan is were all the tourists are now going, its the biggest thing that has happened in years its cheaper to fly to Japan than
Indonesia that's why i say  Bali is no longer no1 oh still for the west coast miners cheap holiday and the opportunity to play
up big time eg bogans there ya go
   

    -@cdaryl

Maybe

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/10 … vertourism

https://thebalisun.com/bali-lovers-feel … stination/

I laughed to the point I fell off the bed.

Water at 30,000 in Alfamart - Who writes this crap?

However, people often believe total rubbish.

As for the bill, it's clearly from  a place that caters for, and really knows how to charge, clueless idiots.

5 plus million for drinks - OUCH!!!!

Yes, the prices are rip offs, but you'd have to be a total moron to order when you see the menu prices.

This bill is like an unwanted pregnancy- 2 people are to blame.

It does show what is wrong with at least the south of Bali. Stupid tourists without a clue are being exploited. Sadly, as we see in threads here, the same twits rent at mad prices that force locals out of the housing market.

Perhaps, instead of a tourist tax, an IQ test would be a good idea.

Hear hear

Certainly there seemed to be no shortage of foreign tourists in Ubud yesterday.

About the extra tourist tax - It's very small. If there was a way to donate another 150,000 specifically to contribute towards having the beaches cleaned up, then I'd pay that happily (and voluntarily).

In terms of cost, I've been eating both at Ubud restaurants - 260,000 for two with just soft drinks. But, I can buy a simple meal with rice for take-out at places near to my hotel for maybe 20,000 each and then add another 15,000 for two drinks from an Indomaret or similar. These are very different products however, but the options seem to be there, including extra-cheap eating if that is what someone wants.

The new buses in Bali would, I would think, be attractive to those on a shoestring, but I haven't yet seen another 'bule' on one.

Bali was the biggest attraction to Australians to travel for many years but now it looks like failing numbers of tourists will affect
its tourism industry, and we all ask why ?

Options to travel elsewhere are cheaper, flights are going up to Bali as well as the reinstatement of the visitors visa $ 50 bucks your

kidding, but going down to other destinations, hotels on Bali island are now over priced, food and entertainment are all going that

way, as well as the people have changed in general getting far more aggressive towards tourists, I'm afraid to announce that the bogans will still holiday there but the options have changed for general tourism.

With the so called pension taxes about to be introduced in Thailand, i wonder how long it will be for retirees get slammed in

Indonesia ?

More to come i love Bali but its becoming more difficult to live there nowadays. - @cdaryl

I know what you mean. The feel of Bali has changed significantly throughout the years. It's more expensive and less relaxed than it was in the past. Although it's still a lovely location, I can understand why more people are beginning to consider other options.

I agree with all the statements above and if they introduce a pension tax i will ret back to my homeland and at least i dont have to pay a tax on my money again, ive already contributed enough tax in my working years dont need now to be taxed on my pension also.

I believe this for many will be the straw that breakes the camels back and they will loose many retired expats and the money they bring in to spend in indonesia will be gone, why do they have to follow Thailands rules it will be a political nightmare for many.

I have every confidence Bali is as nice as anywhere else in Indonesia BUT Bali has a low end tourist infestation that, like rats and cockroaches, pretty much drag a place down to sewer level.

@dollyartasia

way, as well as the people have changed in general getting far more aggressive towards tourists, I'm afraid to announce that the bogans will still holiday there but the options have changed for general tourism.

This is a sweeping statement to which from my experience does not encapsulate the entire island. I have only visited Bali twice and on both occasions my location was Ubud. Have just returned to Jakarta from my 2nd trip, the first being in 2018 pre covid. This time I stayed for a longer period of about 9 days. I was able to do more exploration and appreciated the town even more than on my first visit. The locals were just as friendly, the international and indigenous cuisine mouth watering with excellent service. Admittedly it was low season which I would recommend as a time to visit.

I had heard about the tourist tax but was not asked to pay this on arrival unless its incorporated in the flight (domestic) ticket. If this is the case then how do they differentiate it from Indonesian citizens 🤔

Yes I have read the stories on Kuta and have no doubt that the place is as described by contributors on this Forum and elsewhere in the media at large. However this is the same for most of the popular tourist destinations in SE Asia. Pattaya which in the 70's was the 'darling' resort in Thailand is I suggest now analogous with Kuta.

Ironically all the whinging thats being played out about Bali on this Forum is the same on the Philippines Forum . Tourism down yah di yah etc. No doubt we will have the 'grass is greener brigade' waving to each other from their aircraft windows  as they fly past each other over the Makassar straight 🙄

I feel I should add a footnote here to a bad experience I encountered on the Batik Air return flight from Bali as a warning to expats travelling within Indonesia on domestic flights . With the forbearance of the Forum moderator have attached my insurance claim which succinctly sums up my experience:

Airline Overhead Cabin Theft.

Date of incident 4 February 2026

Airline: Batik Air. Flight number ID6509. Bali to Jakarta.

I would like to report a theft while travelling on the above flight. The theft came to light when I arrived at my destination hotel in Jakarta. I received an email from American Express (attached) that there had been an attempted fraudulent purchase on my card that day and had been declined. I then checked my travel wallet which is kept zipped and secured in my Carry on bag which is also zipped and secured. I noticed that my Amex card had gone along with US$200 and £90 cash. Strangely my HSBC Debit card was not taken or indeed my passport.

I subsequently cancelled my Amex card online.

Background information:

On the flight out to Bali with the same airline (Flight number: ID 6050) on 26th January there was an incident on the aircraft at the gate after boarding. Flight crew were quite agitated and questioning a passenger a few seats back from myself. The gentleman seated in front of me was asked to check his bag in the overhead locker where mine was. The locker was in front of me and I was in the aisle seat. Much discussion took place but the language was Indonesian so I was unaware of what exactly was going on.

On arrival at the airport the Indonesian business lady seated by me at the window politely asked me my reason for my visit. We chatted and I then asked her what all the kerfuffle was in Jakarta at the gate. She explained that the cabin crew had noticed some suspicious activity with another passenger going into other passengers overhead locker bags.

It got more bizarre. The coach that we deboarded onto at Bali airport was just about to drop us off at the arrivals terminal but carried on, turned around, and went back to the aircraft where security staff along with two members of the cabin crew were waiting. More discussions took place with a couple of Indonesian passengers on the coach. After about 10 minutes we were allowed finally to debark at the terminal.

After cancelling my Amex card I emailed Batik customer services (attached) and received a response with a ticket number 544959 stating they aim to respond in 24 hours. I’ve heard nothing. I googled the airline customer services reviews (appalling). However to be fair to Batik Air I have always enjoyed their in flight service and time keeping.

Mindful of Indonesian bureaucracy I paid a visit to the Lion Air headquaters in Jakarta. Lion Air is the parent company. I was ushered into a customer service reps office and explained my above experience. She to put it lightly was not very helpful. I stated I am merely alerting her airline as to what has happened on two flights within a week and for her to send me email confirmation of what happened. She obfuscated. I said I need this for my insurance claim. She said the security people at Bali airport are not employed by us. I stated in fairly firm terms that the cabin crew are and surely this must have been put on the record!

This has been an unsettling experience for me as I have never had a theft before when travelling. Never made a claim on my HSBC travel (or any other) policy before and hope that this will be dealt with sympathetically given that my belongings were stored within my travel bag with lots of secret compartments ( its an Italian Mandarina Duck) specialist business bag (pic attached). Ironically this might have drawn attention to it!