ipernity: Bali, its landscape and its old sovereign culture by Wolfgang

Normally I avoid traveling in tourist groups because every bodies interests are so much different that there always are heavy differences of opinions between the participators. Not so with Thai groups as they are educated to give more tolerance.

In May 2001 we booked and arranged a 4 day journey to Bali with a Thai tour organization and we were very satisfied with the company. But on the island Bali we were guided by the Indonesian (not Balinese indeed) Tour group company called BMW (not to confuse with the famouse Bavarian car manufacturer) who three times every day forced us into "Balinese Handicraft" Tourist shops for about 1 1/2 hours each shop. So we lost about 4 1/2 hours each day to see the paradisiacal island Bali.

Just short time before our return to Bangkok my wife and I decided to stay a week longer on Bali although our return flight ticket wasn't refundable. Some telephone calls to postpone important appointment made it possible to arrange our great idea.

Outside the airport we met a Balinese taxi driver who directly was ready to drive for us the whole week for a fair fixed price and to show us beautiful and interesting Balinese places, away from crowded tourist centers with their over charged tourist prizes - and a starting horror trip became a dream journey.

The best and very reasonable way to stay on Bali is to live in a Balinese private house. Many houses display a sign with "Home Stay". When I came to Bali first time 1978 I stayed their 6 weeks in a gorgeous Balinese house for 1 Dollar 80 each day (incl. a simple but delicious breakfast, but no electricity power).

Bali is one of the world's magical places. Even though it has been overrun by tourism development and population growth, somehow it has been able to maintain its unique character, though some parts of the island—Denpasar, Kuta Beach—are now incredibly degraded and depressing for those of us who knew Bali in the good old days.

Yes, Kuta and Nusa Dua represent the ugly faces of crass commercialism—but if they are developed as specific mass tourism enclaves and generate income, and if development in the rest of the island is more restrained, Bali will still be worth visiting. The flowers are still colorful, the smiles still warm, the rice fields still mesmerizing, and the gamelan music still a calming, soothing backdrop—after 30 years of rampant development.

Bali is a mixed bag of tourism projects that represent the absolute worst (Kuta) in sustainable travel and some of the best (Ubud).

In spite of the recent terrorist events, Bali is still an excellent destination. Magnificent rice terraced landscapes. Gentle, warm people. The culture is strong, vivid, and vibrant. Facilities are varied, catering to many tastes. However, beaches are not good, and the environment is under threat from destruction of reefs and mangroves, linear development, salt water intrusion, etc.