“Is Bali overrated ?” is a question I often face whenever I mention that I live here. This, or the unenthusiastic “Oh, you live in Bali ? Isn’t it just a bunch of instagrammers posing in beach clubs ?”. As a girl who has been in love with this island for years (and being half Indonesian), you can imagine my frustration.
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But at the same time… can you blame them for thinking that ? Some aspects of this destination can indeed be highly disappointing for the inexperienced traveler whose whole idea of Bali was built on social media. Of course, it’s never black or white. But after having spent so much time here, I do have an opinion on this. So is Bali as nice as it looks ? Is Bali worth the hype ? Let’s discover it now with this honest, unbiased article 😉
Why do people like Bali so much
Let me kick things off with the positive in all of that, shall I ? If you’ve never been to Bali or even Asia in general, you might wonder why this word has been on everyone’s mouths for years. What’s so special about Bali ? I believe the destination’s so popular for these reasons.
1. It's a tropical paradise
The first and most obvious reason why tourists love Bali so much is that the island’s a true Garden of Eden. However you picture a dreamy exotic island in your mind, Bali is exactly that. Even after spending more than a year here, all accumulated, sometimes I still have to pause and pinch myself because the beauty of this insular nature just seems straight out of a dream. And the best is that you’ve got it all : lush jungle filled with the most stunning waterfalls, endless terraced ricefields, mighty volcanoes and of course, majestic beaches of all kinds…
2. It's tourist-friendly
“Can I travel to Bali as a (female) solo traveller ? As an inexperienced traveller ? As someone who’s never been to Asia before ?“. The answer to all these questions is YES. Bali is indeed a destination that’s adapted to pretty much… anyone. The reason being that the touristic accomodations are extremely developped, everywhere feels super safe and most Balinese people speak good English. Ah, and they’re also the nicest people on Earth and will always come help you if you need it 😉
Another thing to note is that this tiny island, especially in its touristy spots, has been quite “westernized” over the years and so even inexperienced travellers won’t feel too homesick or overwhelmed with the culture shock. Is that a good or a bad thing ? I’ll let you be the judge of that. But anyways, this won’t be the case in the rest of the country. Because no, Bali is NOT a country – it’s a tiny part of a giant nation called Indonesia 🙃
3. The culture's completely unique and preserved
Another reason why people come to Bali is that Balinese hinduism has been captivating foreigners for years (since the first American tourists who set foot on the island in the 1920s !). Whether you’re usually interested in religion and culture or not, there’s no way you can remain indifferent to the bewitching presence of tradition in the everyday life here. There’s a reason why we call it “the island of gods” : spirituality is everywhere you look in Bali, whether it be a gathering for a ceremony on the beach, a whole village on their way to the temple in their finest clothes, or the many offerings on the ground.
Of course, many tourists get a pretty “stereotyped” image of this religion (because of pop culture and films like “Eat, Pray, Love“) and it remains very complex to understand as a non-Balinese… but overall we can’t deny that this fascination attracts very large numbers of tourists to Bali every year.
4. It's cheap
The last reason why Bali is a heaven for foreigners lies in the fact that life here is incredibly cheaper than in Western countries. If you’re not too picky, you can sleep for under 10€, eat for 2€, rent a scooter for 4€/day, get a 1h massage for 7€ – and the list goes on…
Reasons not to go to Bali, according to some tourists
When I read online posts about Bali being overrated, I noticed that the same arguments were used most of the time. In this second part of the article, I’d like to share my reactions to each of them.
1. "It's crowdy everywhere"
One common criticism I hear about Bali is that it’s absolutely swarming with tourists. When it comes to the island’s hot spots, like Canggu and Ubud just to name a couple, it is absolutely true. Driving through the centers of these towns during rush hours means getting stuck in traffic without moving for hours if you’re in a car, famous touristic spots are packed with Aussies, Europeans, Chinese, Indians hustling for that perfect Instagram shot and new hotels/resorts are getting built everywhere where nature used to dominate. And the fact that our infrastuctures are really bad exacerbates the issue. Has Bali become too touristy ? Yes, there’s no way I can deny it.
My opinion on that
Allow me to ask you a question. If you know (or you quickly realise) that the place you’re visiting is overwhelmingly crowded… why not moving somewhere else ? Imagine if you went to Paris, only to see the Eiffel tower and the Champs Elysées and then complaining that there were too many tourists there. Bali, in essence, isn’t overrated. Places like Canggu or Seminyak are. Ubud’s a bit different, since it’s full of cultural/natural/architectural gems, but Canggu…? Unless you’re living there long term to enjoy surfing and mingling with the expat community, there is absolutely nothing worth seeing there. As we say in French, “fais pas ton mouton !” = don’t blindly follow the herd, just because everyone goes there doesn’t mean it’s worth it 🐏
I’ve visited loads of places on the island where most tourists don’t go. It was quiet, more enjoyable and still very much worth the journey. So no, Bali’s far from being crowded everywhere.
Verdict 👉 true only for extremely popular towns
2. "Prices are higher than you'd think"
Prices in Bali have indeed increased since Covid. But hearing tourists or mostly, long termers, say that they “expected prices to be lower” always confuses me. The fact is, you can live a comfy life here with $600/month. “Yeeeah but Thailand was cheaper”. Well, Bali’s not Thailand. It’s another government, economy, level of development, geographical configuration. Locals heavily depend on tourism to survive (contribution of tourism to the economy = around 65%), so they need your money. And for those foreigners who live here long term : no, you won’t find any villa for $500/month ! Fancy accomodations with western amenities and high standards are built specifically for foreigners : it makes sense that they’re much more expensive than your average local house.
My opinion on that
It is undeniable that some services are expensive here. Knowing the average standard of living, I am shocked when I see a 500 000 rupiah (around $32) guided tour for a hike that you can easily tackle on your own, a 150 000 rp ($10) entrance fee for a beach club located on a free-access beach or 700 000 rp ($45) car ride for an itinerary that costs under 25 000 rp ($1,60) in gas on a scooter. Those prices might not seem excessive if you’re from a Western country, but they’re ridiculously high when you compare it to the actual value of goods and services in Indonesia. You get where i’m going : all those services were created for “lazy” tourists or just people who don’t care about spending money.
But if you do travel on a budget, are resourceful or just prefer a simple life like me, it is actually SO easy to find very low prices for everything.
Verdict 👉 wrong !
3. "Bali's traffic is crazy"
Yes, as mentioned earlier every touristy spot on the island is always super crowded and, as Bali has no public transportation and very poor infrastructure, navigating the traffic can be a real hassle (I mentioned this in my “Living in Bali” post). When you live here, you quickly start avoiding rush hours and overcrowded roads, but as a tourist it’s not easy to navigate all of this. If you don’t drive a scooter, you’ll also face the dilemma of having to rent a car + driver each time you want to go somewhere. Which means spending hours inside the car (scooters can overtake other vehicules. Cars rarely can.) AND spending a lot of money on transports.
My opinion on that
Or at least, my piece of advice. Pleeeease plan your trip wisely. I’ve heard tourists saying things like “Oh, today we visited Besakih temple, Tegallalang rice terraces and Pura Ulun Danu Beratan“. Which are like, 3 parts of the island located hours away of each other. Why ?? 🥲 Just because a tour guide offers it doesn’t mean it’s a great idea ! First, you won’t have time to fully enjoy each spot. And second, you’ll spend most of your day stuck in the car.
I’m aware that some of you don’t have a lot of time in your hands… But if you came all the way to Bali, you might as well plan things ahead. Make a list of the things you absolutely want to see and the optimum itinerary to do it. It’s the bare minimum. And don’t plan too much, or you’ll regret it.
When it comes to moving around town, if it’s a busy one YES, you do have to be prepared to face insane traffic. Now if you’ve mastered the art of handling a scooter, congrats, you’ll save a lot of time here ! But of course, drive safely and be aware of the dangers on the road. There’s a reason why Indonesians drop a casual “hati hati di jalan” (= be careful on the road) when saying goodbye : it’s no joke, the roads can be pretty risky !
Verdict 👉 true for extremely touristy spots + if you don’t plan your trip ahead
4. "There's no authenticity left"
The above picture is only a project from a real estate company – thank god ! But for real, some parts of the island have definitely lost their charm. But it all goes back to the “sheep following the herd” issue (I really like that French metaphor haha). Don’t expect to see authenticity in places with mass tourism !
Locals joke that the South of Bali isn’t even part of Indonesia anymore, since Australians and more recently, Russians have taken over the spots. The same goes with the temples or waterfalls that are all over Instagram. Yes, there will be tons of people queueing in their best outfits, waiting to have their picture taken by their Balinese guide. Those same people usually don’t give a damn about what the place actually is about. And the worst of them won’t even care if their behavior’s bothering the locals who came there to pray.
My opinion on that
You’ll see these atmospheres and behaviors in the super popular spots of the island. The ones that are all over Instagram – who we should really thank for brain washing the tourists. But this is just one aspect of Bali. One of the Balinese’s greatest attribute is that, despite the Westernization of their home island, they do their best to keep their culture and traditions alive. This is actually quite rare in Indonesia. Coming from a Javanese family from my mom’s side, I can tell you that the country’s main island (Java) is gradually losing its original identity at the expense of Western and Middle-Eastern influences – the latter even more.
In Bali, each house has its family temple. Everyone starts their day by doing offerings for the gods and the demons. Students must wear sarong, the traditional outfit, every Thursday at school. Many elements of nature, like the volcanoes or some trees, are considered highly sacred. Balinese culture is mysterious, it’s bewitching, sometimes it’s puzzling. But if you want to witness it, you must venture off the beaten path. Let me give you some ideas of where to go in the next section.
Verdict 👉 soo wrong
Underrated places in Bali
Amed
Amed’s one of my favourite places on the island. This fisherman’s village located on the North-Eastern coast of Bali is the ideal spot to relax, enjoy incredible sunsets over the Agung volcano, go for drinks in local bars on the beach and have great snorkelling or diving sessions. If you’re not convinced yet, go check out my post about Amed 😉
Why it’s great 🌟 diving, super chill atmosphere, stunning views on Agung volcano
Pemuteran and Menjangan island
Pemuteran is one of Bali’s top spots for scuba diving and we were not disappointed with its underwater world ! It turned out the nature there was also super pretty and very different from the rest of the island. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to visit the island of Menjangan located off the coast of Pemuteran, but I’ve heard it’s a little paradise on Earth (don’t miss the dears chilling on the beach !). If you’re a diver, there’s no way you can come to Bali without checking out this place !
Why it’s great 🌟 diving, beautiful nature (feels like Africa !), great temples to visit
Sidemen
To me, Sidemen has to be the number 1 most underrated place in Bali. Located halfway between Ubud and Amed, this quiet village surrounded by valleys of jungle and oceans of ricefields is the true essence of Bali. Coming here is stepping into the real Bali, with its craftmen creating wonders, its temples hidden on top of hills, its quiet nature, its children bathing in rivers… To know more about Sidemen, go have a look at this post.
Why it’s great 🌟 dreamy ricefields, true authentic village, unique accomodations
Munduk
Munduk is a true paradise for all of the nature lovers among you. Located right next to the 3 lakes of Tamblingan, Buyan and Beratan, this region’s full of stunning waterfalls, quiet ricefields and jaw dropping views of the lakes from above. It’s the perfect spot for hiking or even camping ! People usually rush to this region to see the floating temple (Pura Ulun Danu Bratan) or the Handara gate that are all over Instagram, but let me share a spoiler : none of them are worth the visit. The temple’s quite beautiful but absolutely packed with buses of tourists and the gate, well… you can find tons of stunning gates in Bali, just look around. And you won’t have to pay and wait in line to take a picture of those ones.
Why it’s great 🌟 hikes, waterfalls, temples
Medewi
Medewi is another underrated gem in Bali. If you’re a surfer you probably know about it already, but Medewi’s notably famous for having one of the greatest waves of the island. Even if you’re not really into surfing, this fisherman’s village located on the North-Eastern coast of the island is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the stunning nature : ricefields along the ocean, black sand beaches and super quiet waterfalls…
Why it’s great 🌟 good surfing, an authentic, raw version of Canggu
The rest of Indonesia !
And if you have enough time in your hands, why not leaving the island to go explore the rest of this giant country called Indonesia ? The vast majority of the tourists who come to Bali don’t even consider visiting another one of the 17 000 islands that make up the country, and yet as you can imagine there’s SO MUCH to see. Some islands are easy to reach from Bali by ferry (Lombok, Java), for others you might have to jump on a plane. But one thing’s for sure : the rest of Indonesia will live up to your craziest expectations 😁
Conclusion : is Bali worth the hype ? My honest opinion
To conclude this article on “Is Bali overrated ?“, let’s say that undeniably, many tourists who come here experience a very superficial, “quickly consumed” holiday, fuelled by this preconceived idea they got from social media. If you expect a tropical paradise but spend your whole vacation in Canggu, you’ll probably feel like you’ve been fooled. But there are so many ways to experience Bali and if you’re into authentic travels, culture, nature and stepping out of your comfort zone, I bet you won’t be disappointed.
You can come to Bali to stay inside an all-included resort packed with foreigners – although it’d be much cheaper, much friendlier for the environment and it won’t make a big difference if you do that exact same thing at home. But you can also make this a trip that will change your life. Which one will you choose ? The answers lies in your hands 😉
