13 things we DON´T like about Bali

It might be hard to believe after all those positive Bali articles, but Bali can also suck a big fat one from time to time. It might be paradise, but that doesn´t mean it´s perfect by any stretch of the imagination.

We like to keep our travel inspiration realistic, so here goes: the 13 things we DON´T like about Bali!

Sidenote: we are gonna use some profanity because in this case, it´s appropriate 😉

Street dogs

Bali has a serious issue with street dogs. You find them anywhere and everywhere. Dozens of them walk in the streets, they shit everywhere, and they can be quite aggressive at times. They are NOT per se friendly, so keep your naive hand away from their mouth when encountering them.

And damn, can these dogs get the F* away from the beaches?! They keep shitting everywhere, goddammit. Ugh!

The Bali Struggle: no money in ATM´s

Jesus friggin Christ, can somebody fill up these ATM machines?! And why can we only withdrawal 3 million IDR?! That´s just about 200 dollars, which translates into you going to the ATM multiple times a week. Ugh!

Ridiculous expensive gyms

This is so stupid, and it feels like a total ripoff. The gyms, that westerners visit to stay in shape, ask for a ridiculously high fee. Basic fitness gyms dare to ask double to triple what I paid in Holland, and the high-end gyms like The Body Factory dare to ask 7 times the amount I paid for a similar gym. To put that in perspective: I paid about 20 dollars for my month-long gym membership in a pretty awesome gym, but the same membership would could me about 150 dollars per four weeks at The Body Factory.

Crossfit gyms, MMA gyms, yoga classes, etc… you pay 5 to 15 dollars for one single class. Damn, that´s so expensive! And it´s crazy expensive if you compare it to the costs of accommodation, transport, and the amount you pay for food. Ugh!

Plastics on the beaches

I don´t know who and why, but they keep throwing massive amounts of plastics in the rivers. In the rain season, these rivers overflow into the ocean, which translates into dirty ass oceans and beaches. Clean that sh*t up Bali government! Ugh!

It can be quite hot!

For heaven's sake, can we sometimes turn down the heat here?! The humidity can turn Bali into a sauna, especially in the rainy season. This is from +- November till April, which makes Bali not really a paradise location to stay in during these months… Ugh!

Corrupt cops

It´s always heartbreaking when you encounter a human that has bad intentions, especially if they have power over regular folk like us. Policemen in Bali can be helpful sweethearts, but also crooks who scam tourists out of money with nasty tricks. Be very aware of the rules, so they don´t pick you out of the crowd. They will try all the tricks in the book to force you to pay them money. And that money is going in their pockets, not the government and to the people of Bali.

Indonesia is known for corruption all across the board, and you as a fun-loving tourist will encounter this harsh reality. I would really hope the government would fix low-level corruption because tourists bring so much money and prosperity to the country. You wouldn´t want to discourage them to come to places like Bali because of some asshole cops. Ugh!

Now that we know how evil things can be, we don´t know if I would advise tourists and free birds to come to Bali… – And because of this corruption/bureacracy, we will not invest into Bali, which means if many investors think like this, they are fcking it up for themselves in the long run.

Insider tip: the main crossing in Ubud, don´t go there! These demons in police outfits will rip you off!

Pro-tip: Get the right insurance for your travels. You might encounter some crazy stuff along the way and it can save you thousands if you have the right insurance!

Annoying vendors who don´t take no for an answer

If you look like a westerner, a tourist, or just have a white-ish skin color, then I will guarantee you these street vendors keep harassing you to buy touristy shit. Thank them friendly, and keep walking away! But that´s not an option if you´re chilling on the beach… Ugh!

So, now you know that Bali isn´t always a picture-perfect paradise. But don´t let us discourage you to go to this lush green paradise bucket list location, it´s awesome here!

Scooter-Mania

Friggin hell, there must be as many scooters as there are people in Bali. Driving around on a scooter is a lot of fun, but it can be quite hectic in traffic, especially in the urban areas like Seminyak and Denpasar. And this traffic stinks! Ugh!

Shitty sidewalks

Some streets have the worst sidewalks we´ve ever seen, especially in Canggu. You will encounter big holes in the horrible pavement and will have to endure many dangerous situations with the already hysterical traffic.

A scooter is a must-have in Bali! Walking/hiking is not an option. Ugh!

Bali Belly

If your gut is not used to these spices and bacteria, you might end up with a long date with the toilet for 2-3 days. We evaded the most ugly/simple/dirty-looking local restaurants and food stalls. They might be cheaper, but we don´t wanna risk our health. We only went to restaurants who looked proper. And we didn´t have Bali-belly at all!

Pro-tip: buy yourself Yakult! It´s very cheap in Bali and you can find them everywhere. This pro-biotic helps with your rumble in the jungle 😉

Racisme is alive here

We saw girls covered from head to toe, while it being quite hot, so that they won´t become more brown. This makes their social status lower than whiter Indonesian girls. WHAT THE FCK PEOPLE?!

They even buying whitening creme to look more white, making them more valuable in the eyes of absolute racists. Wow, didn´t think racism would be so harsh on this side on the planet, but it´s very alive here. I wish the girls (and men) would embrace their beautiful brown skincolor. You people are beautiful (!)

Also, there is some subtle racism against tourists/western visitors. They call us ´bule´. And you will encounter some unfriendly local people who just don´t like foreigners at all (speaking the language a little bit and acting like a kind person who has respect for the culture changes that by the way!).

A layer of ugly

The epic nature, the beautiful rice fields, the kind people, the gorgeous temples, and the millennia-old habits and traditions are all amazing things you´ll see on Bali, but there is something ugly about it as well…

While scooting around the island, you´ll encounter many ugly shops, ugly houses, ugly streets, and ugly sidewalks… It´s just not very appealing to the eye. You might be in paradise, but paradise also has a bunch of people who don´t have any money and still have to make things work. Ugh!

The Canggu Shortcut suckssss

Can somebody please fix this extremely overused little shortcut in the heart of Canggu?! Put some bricks in these holes, sjeez! Thousands of people use this road every day, and not fixing this problem as soon as possible is just waiting for someone to fall into the ricefield. Again. Ugh!

We shared so many Stories on Instagram of our adventures in Canggu. Must-visit beach clubs, cafes, temples, coworking spaces and so much more. Check it out free birds!

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Bloody mosquitos!

It´s a tropical paradise here, that´s for sure, but that also means you´ll have to deal with a whole bunch of pesky mosquitoes, especially at night. These dangerous little buggers could potentially infect you with dengue, which can make you really sick. We´ve heard young thirty-somethings get hospitalized because of it. Use mosquito nets, leave a fan on, and always do a thorough search before going to bed. Ugh!

Conclusion: Broken Paradise

So, yeah, Bali is great. It´s a paradise, but a broken one. If you are a tourist passing by Bali for 1-2 weeks, you´ll have a blast. But if you stay longer, you´ll see the uglier sides of this paradise island…

Don´t let this list discourage you to not go. We wrote many enthusiastic articles about how awesome Bali is. You will love it here, but you do know now what to expect as well!

And last but not least, get yourself the right travel insurance before going to Bali. Little chance something happens, but things do happen on this wild island!

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