While Bali may seem like the perfect destination to many on social media and through narratives, where locals and visitors enjoy nothing but sunshine, beautiful beaches, and a laid-back lifestyle, there are some things people don't like about Bali and see as its main flaws. We've compiled some of these least favorite features of Bali into this blog post, revealing to many a side of the island they hadn't the slightest idea about.
Unreasonable Housing Prices
Bali is not nearly as cheap a destination as it is still presented in many places. While the term "cheap" is very relative, and everyone perceives prices differently, rental property prices have indeed skyrocketed. This is mainly due to Bali's high popularity not only among young Russians who have chosen the island as a refuge away from their own war-torn country. The hand of the market is relentless, and demand outstripping supply has inevitably sent rental prices to about three times what was common before Covid-19.
The Ubiquitous Constructions
Closely related to the previous point is another unpopular feature of Bali. High demand for investment and rental properties has led to an unstoppable boom in constructing new buildings. As a result, it is almost impossible to come across accommodation in the island's main tourist areas that do not have ongoing construction or renovation nearby, which can be a very uncomfortable experience for many visitors.
Infrastructure
With Bali's growing popularity with tourists and the increasing number of accommodation establishments, more and more pressure is being placed on the local infrastructure, which is unfortunately undersized in many places and cannot cope with the high volume of scooter travelers, transport services, and supply vehicles. In addition, road congestion is leading to faster wear and tear, and the condition of the roads is deteriorating steadily.
Traffic Jams
The undersized infrastructure and increasing tourism already give you a hint of what the equation results in. Yes, the frequent traffic jams are one of the many annoying features of the island. Especially in tourist areas such as Canggu, Pecatu/Uluwatu, Jimbaran, and downtown Ubud, for example. Distances that could be driven in 30 minutes during the Covid-19 pandemic can nowadays be driven in three hours—a reality to be reckoned with when planning a holiday. In many cases, even traveling on a rented scooter will not help.
Air Pollution
High concentrations of vehicles in certain areas are very often the result of poor air quality. The absence of exhaust emission standards for vehicles sold certainly does not help the situation. Often, in the areas of Canggu, Denpasar, and the Denpasar - Gilimanuk route, you will encounter air pollution at the level of Jakarta. These are pollution levels where it is not even recommended to be outdoors.
Burning of Waste
A significant contributor to air pollution is locals' constant burning of waste and plastics—a hated thing among tourists. However, the locals are not going to stop burning, although they endanger not only themselves but also their children and everyone else in the area - including tourists - with toxic fumes. We explain what leads locals to burn waste in our Cleanliness Guide.
Waste Management
Although most villages offer municipal waste collection for a minimal fee of about USD 2 per month, most locals still prefer to burn it or throw it over the fence as "what I don't see is not my concern". The lack of education of residents and their unwillingness to pay for waste collection play a significant role in this respect. Another big issue is what happens to the waste that is taken away. Ideally, it ends up in substantial central landfills. You won't find environmentally friendly disposal or recycling on a large scale in Bali.
E.coli Bacteria in the Water
Tap water in Bali is not drinkable. In addition to many bacteria, the dangerous fecal bacteria E.coli is very common here and causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. The bacteria enters the groundwater exclusively from human and animal feces. Contamination is most common if infected water is consumed or improper hand hygiene is practiced, for example, when the seller puts on Nasi Campur with bare hands that have previously touched money or visited the toilet. Treatment is with antibiotics.
Food Poisoning
In addition to the E.coli mentioned above, food poisoning can occur from other causes, such as other bacteria or parasites. All of these causes lead to the so-called "popular" Bali belly, which is typical of a visit to Bali. We recommend visiting a doctor to rule out severe bacterial or parasitic disease for all cases.
Unreliability
The unreliability of local people, products, or work is a frequently mentioned characteristic that expats usually do not like. For example, local people will promise you that they will come (for whatever purpose) the following day, only to hear from them the next morning via WhatsApp that they have a ceremony and won't come. Products in Bali are usually cheaper than in Europe, but their quality and durability typically reflect that. Of course, there are exceptions. The same situation occurs with the work done, where you cannot expect European standards or the slightest hint of pro-customer attitude. Moreover, as soon as you express your dissatisfaction with the work done by a local worker, you will be shown the flip side of a smile, or you will be told that you do not appreciate his work and that you are "rude or impolite."
Stray Dogs
Stray Dogs are a very often discussed problem in Bali. There are many stray dogs on the streets. Fortunately, in most cases, they are harmless, but they often have various diseases that cause visitors to worry due to the widespread rabies. The cause of the large number of dogs on the street is the need for more education of locals who get dogs for guarding purposes (dogs bark at strangers) but refuse to take care of them in most cases, let alone have them sterilized. Dogs are thus breeding uncontrollably and getting their food in the garbage.
The Dog Meat Market
Yes, they eat dogs in Bali, even if the locals will tell you otherwise. BAWA (Bali Animal Welfare Association) even estimates that up to 70,000 dogs are killed for consumption in Bali every year (about 200 a day). Dog meat is usually sold under the abbreviation "RW," which comes from the island of Sulawesi and means "Rintek Wuuk" or "soft fur." Unfortunately, dog meat is not always labeled as dog meat, so it can happen that your favorite chicken satay is not always made from chicken...
Illegal Animal Market
Apart from dogs, almost all animals are illegally traded in Bali, captured in the wild by traffickers, and offered for sale across Asia. Among the most commonly sold are exotic birds, fruit bats, snakes, and monkeys. These animals, among others, can also be bought directly in Bali at the infamous Satria Bird Market, which PETA (the largest animal rights NGO) has spoken out against.
Greed
With tourism on the rise and the phenomenon of the white tourists often being seen as walking ATMs, which we wrote about in this article, visitors perceive the greed of the locals as another unpleasant feature of Bali. They often encounter it in local vendors demanding absurd prices, in the property rentals mentioned above, in vehicle rentals, etc. We have also often heard the opinion that greed has displaced humility in Bali. In our opinion, it depends on the individual, and we perceive that Bali is still full of good-hearted, humble people.
Discrimination
One final feature of Bali that visitors from Europe, Australia, and the US mostly dislike is discrimination against tourists. For example, double pricing is illegal in Europe, but in Bali, on the other hand, it is absolutely common. Local prices are often several times lower, and tourists must pay extra. So the locals take advantage of the fact that tourists "can afford it, so why not charge them more" and are not ashamed of it. It's as if the boat used more gasoline to carry the tourist, or the temple required more maintenance after the tourist visited.
✍🏻 Is there anything that bothers you about Bali that we forgot to mention? Please share it with us and others in the comments below the article.
Make sure to check FREE Guides below. Subscribe to our newsletter from Bali and the latest Blog posts.
Comments