Bali is perceived as a dreamy paradise, but with all the hype around it, is Bali overrated? We think so! Here are 5 bad things about Bali.
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5 bad things about Bali
Bali! A place rich in stunning nature, full of waterfalls and rice paddies, and luxury villas. An Instagrammer’s and digital nomad’s paradise. But, is it all fairy tales and beauty? Is Bali overrated? We hear time and time again how Bali is everyone’s dream destination and how they would give an arm and a leg to go. With all the hype surrounding this well-trodden backpacker hot spot, it goes without saying we were expecting big things from the paradise island. Unfortunately, after arriving we soon realised that Bali was not our cup of tea. That may come as a surprise to many of you, so here is why we think Bali is overrated.
1. Way too touristy
Number one on this list of bad things about Bali is the sheer amount of tourism. Bali has to be the most tourist-populated destination we’ve ever been to in our lives; even more so than the popular islands in Thailand. I have to say, for such a small island, it’s quite shocking the amount of tourism the island generates; from backpackers, 2-week holiday-makers, to digital nomads alike. It’s safe to say, Bali sadly suffers from over-tourism.
As much as we enjoy the company of our own countrymen, we didn’t have many chances to interact with locals as often as we hoped. The high volume number of international tourists in Bali has made locals desensitized to our culture and made it impossible to have those unique foreign/local encounters (you know what we mean). We feel this small island wins the award for the “Magaluf of Asia”. If you love culture and interacting with locals, Bali probably isn’t for you. Hop over to the other side of Southeast Asia for a trip to Myanmar for a more authentic feel.
2. Traffic traffic traffic
Due to the heavy tourism demand, especially from nearby Australia, the island is bursting with people. So much so, the roads cannot withstand the population boom. The traffic is horrendous! As the roads are very narrow, the mass amount of motorbikes and cars clog up the roads. It can take forever to get out of the town areas.
All we wanted to do was get close to the beautiful nature, but this was quite frustrating when we were spending so much time stuck in traffic. After being among the millions of motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh City constantly for the last 6 months, the last thing we wanted to do was sit in traffic on our trip to Bali. But one thing is for sure, once you crawl your way out of the tourist hot spots of Ubud, Seminyak, and Kuta, the open roads are yours to enjoy.
3. Too far to travel to everything & false representations
Not even we can deny that Bali has some truly beautiful scenic spots. However, it can take a few hours to drive from one end of the island to the other. It became quite stressful trying to tick off all the hotspots, as it just took too long. Whilst cruising around on the scooter is one of our favourite things to do, it became quite tedious when we are on it for 5 hours a day, every day. If you’re on a tight schedule like we were, we recommend choosing a few places to see rather than running around like madmen trying to see it all.
Make sure to do your research as to which attractions are the best to visit. It’s important to remember, images of pretty ladies wearing long flowy dresses in peaceful settings, gazing out at stunning sunrises over the mountains, or nestled among the rice paddies, are simply not a true representation of the situation. In fact, there are crowds galore. Locals are even renting dresses and other props to help people create deceiving photos. The Gate of Heaven Temple is a perfect example of fakeness. So fake in fact, that the reflection you see on photos that looks like water, is created by a man holding a mirror.
4. It is not cheap
Indonesia was one of the last remaining places for us to visit in Southeast Asia. After travelling through Asia for the past 2 years, we came with the expectation of prices of products and services being similar to Thailand and Vietnam. Whilst Yogyakarta was similar and relatively cheap, Bali was NOT. Everywhere we went there was some tourist tax. At times it felt like we were being charged to just breathe the air!
Furthermore, prices at local markets and taxis are highly inflated. Even with hard bargaining skills, you may still end up over-paying. We spent way longer than we should have, trying to get a taxi from the airport because of the outrageous prices. In the end, we ordered a Grab which was 1/4 of the cost we were being quoted by the street taxis.
5. Local food is not accessible for local rates
After tucking into some delicious dishes, such as nasi goreng, bakso, and gudek in Yogyakarta, we arrived in Bali excited to try some more authentic Indonesian cuisine. You can’t imagine the disappointment we felt when we realised that more Western food was served in restaurants than Indonesian food. Even when Indonesian food was being served, it was still the same price as a juicy burger and fries. Given the choice between local and Western food at the same price, it was easy for us to get trapped into a cycle of eating the more familiar taste of Western food.
Essential resources for travelling in Indonesia
Travel Insurance – No matter where you’re travelling to, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re covered for any accidents or losses. We spent days and weeks searching for insurance, but most insurers would not allow us to take out a policy as we were already abroad. Our personal choice is Safteywing. You can opt for automatic monthly payments, just like a subscription. More importantly, it is available in 180 countries and can be purchased whilst already travelling. There is no cap on the duration of travel.
Visa – Before you travel to any country, make sure to check if you need a visa. iVisa is a fantastic website that is super easy and quick to use. Just type in where you are from. and where you are going. to check if you need a visa. If you do, you can quickly make an application online.
Accommodation – Booking.com is our go-to when looking to pre-book accommodation online. Booking.com tend to almost always have the best rates and a FREE cancellation policy for most properties.
Overland transport – Our go-to website for overland transport is Bookaway. Bookaway offers multiple forms of transport, from buses, mini-vans, trains, and ferries. The routes on offer are extensive and certainly cover most of the backpacker trails. Bookaway works a little like Skyscanner but for overland transport. You will find plenty of transport options from a range of companies. All you simply need to do is book online and receive your ticket by email. The email will contain essential information, such as where the bus leaves from and departure and arrival times.
Tours & Activities – If you want to book tours and activities online, make sure to check out Get Your Guide. Get Your Guide takes the stress out of booking activities abroad. You will also find a range of benefits, such as skip-the-line passes, lunch included in your tours, and so much more.
Travel tips ebook -Before you head off on your adventure, make sure to download our free ebook. It has a whopping 109 budget travel tips to help you make your hard-earned cash go further. Click here to download your FREE ebook.
All in all, mass tourism and the lack of authentic experiences in Bali are the main factors why we think Bali is way too overrated. Maybe we need to go back one day to spend more time at a relaxed pace and see other parts of Bali. What do you think? Is Bali overrated?
Looking to go to other places in Indonesia? Check out our 2-week Indonesia backpacking itinerary.
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I agree.
Bali can fascinate you but at the same time can disappoint you.You can enjoy nature of Bali but Kuta can distract you.Kuta is Hell in Bali .
Yeah, it definitely isn’t like what social media portrays. It is completely overrun with “influencers” hyping it up with over-edited pictures. Then when you get there it just isn’t that at all sadly.
I just came back from Indonesia a week ago. I loved Bali, sure its expensive, but got a driver instead of going on a bike and enjoyed the views with AC while in traffic. Only ate their food, no use eating what i can get at home. Lombok was not as tousity, food was more authentic and again friendly helpfull locals. Gili T was the best for me with everything within walking distance😉. Will always go back to Indonesia
Yeah we agree Lombok was quite nice. We also loved Gili T it was so relaxed and beautiful. Bali is just not for us. Maybe we need to try it again with more time. We would also love to go back to Indonesia and explore more islands. We was really fond of Yogyakrta and could have spent a lot longer than we did there.
Unfortunately, Bali isn’t what it used to be. Yes, it’s too touristy, getting quite expensive, and being overrun with mass tourism that are also exploiting the locals. I’ve been 2 times, but probably won’t be returning.
Yeah it is a shame. Lombok is much quieter and near by too 🙂
I guess it’s the opposite, locals tried to force you and exploit your money to buy their products
Great honesty in this! I would find it very frustrating to be around that many tourists. It sounds like Cancun!
Thanks for your comment 🙂 yeah we have never been to Cancun but we can imagine the same too.
Eh I would disagree with most of these. Kuta, Seminyak, and that area are pretty trafficky and touristy but aside from that, large parts of Bali are still very untouched by tourism. Like you said, Bali’s a big island! Depending where you stay, everything can still be super cheap and local.
We did stay in the Seminyak area. I suppsoe we all have different travel styles. Maybe we will go back one day when we have more time 🙂 I heard some people say they didn’t like it too much either but when they went back a second time, they loved it.
Not really, especially if you are Westerner or they said “Bule”, they would scam you, because they thought that every Westerner or Bule are rich
I like your perspective. I had a similar experience in Cambodia – especially Angkor Wat and i have since giving my side of the story to friends. Your points are quite valid but i think i’ll still visit Bali for its pristine beaches and relaxing spas 🙂
Thanks for your comment. Yes I think Bali is perfect for beach people 🙂 but we are definitely more culture and nature people. We do like a beach but not for long at all.
We never been in Bali. This destination is for our bucket list. How many day you recommend stay there for first timers? 2 weeks is enough?
I think it depends on your interests. We had only 5 days there as this wasn’t so much a backpacking trip but a 2 week holiday and we wanted to see other places in Indonesia. I wish we had a little longer to see more things and to spread out the driving.
I’ve always been told by friends that Bali is nothing more than beach vacations and lazing around. Being more of the kind to explore foreign places and learn more about culture, I was thus not very interested in Bali, even though it’s really near to my country. Thanks for sharing more about this place beyond just all the good things people have to say about it!
Thank you for your comment. Yes, I think it is important to share the downs as well as the ups because that is just reality. If you love to learn about culture I would highly recommend Yogyakarta on the Java island. We totally wish we had more time there.
I have never been to Bali especially due to those reasons. However, I think I’d still want to go and experience it for myself.
Yes, I get what you mean. It is certainly worth checking out, particularly as so many people LOVE it.
Dang. People usually can’t get enough of Bali. It’s great to hear a bit more realness from a Bali trip! It does seem like it’s gotten a little too popular…
Yes, we were very surprised. We heard so many good things but when we arrived back and admitted that we weren’t all that keen, a few other people said the same thing too.