(Note: I was planning to spend some time in Thailand over the next two months but my plans have suddenly changed for a few reasons that I won’t go into now. After making a quick stop in Bali, I’m now actually headed back to the US. More to come about this change soon.)
Warning: This post contains strong and potentially offensive language.
Appalling.Appalling. Appalling. Appalling.
Never before in my life have I come across such a disgraceful scene of tourism gone wrong as what I encountered during my stay in the Kuta area of Bali this past week.
From the moment I arrived, I suspected that the Bali I had envisioned for so many years was not exactly the reality. Picture this: Drunken foreigners everywhere stumbling around half-naked while tossing trash on the ground and screaming out profanities to everyone they passed on the street. This is pretty much what I observed non-stop while staring out the taxi window during the 20 minute drive from the airport into Kuta. Combine this with a never-ending collection of western fast-food chains and clothing shops as well as tourist bars offering $1 tequila shots, and the beautiful, fantasy destination that is supposedly Bali was nowhere to be found.
And while I have nothing against tourism, or even the intense form of it that you find in many parts of the world, I have a problem with Kuta. To see the Balinese people, who are such friendly, gentle people by nature, become so corrupted by the influx of selfish, disrespectful tourists proved more than disturbing to me.
I can’t even describe what it was like to watch these kind, constantly smiling people be reduced to street vendors selling t-shirts that state “Do It Up the Bum, Avoid Kids” and “F**k You Bitch” and bumper stickers that read, “Mark is Gay”, “You’re a Homo” and “You’re Fat But I’ll F**k You Anyway”. This embarrassing byproduct of tourism was present everywhere I turned. Even the housekeeper in the hotel I stayed at pushed around a cart full of cleaning products that had a big sticker on it that read, “I Shit Fat People”.
And she had no idea what that even means, just as the t-shirt vendors had no idea what they were truly saying when they yelled out “Suck It Or Leave t-shirt for you, cheap price!” to every tourist that walked by. That’s the problem when tourism goes so terribly wrong. The local people are sometimes unknowingly forced to stoop down to the shockingly infantile level of a breed of tourists who should never be allowed to leave their home countries.
I firmly believe that the locals are not to blame at all. I blame each and every one of the oblivious tourists who show not an ounce of respect for Kuta, for Bali, for Indonesia or for any of the people they come into contact with. I have never seen such full-on disrespectful tourism in all of my years on the road, with such a concentration of people in one area who thought it perfectly acceptable to turn a foreign island into their own personal booze, drugs and sex playground.
And this leaves the local Balinese with no choice. If they want to earn some money to feed their children, their only option is to accept the nonsense and fill their shops with the “Damn Those Bitches Are Fine” t-shirts that the naked, constantly cursing tourists demand. After all, the locals wouldn’t be selling this crap if people weren’t buying it. The fact is, few visitors to Kuta are interested in buying traditional Balinese wood carvings. Actually, visitors seemed to be incredibly interested in buying wood carvings of penises instead (which were for sale in almost every shop). So you can’t blame a local for selling those penises in order to put food on the table.
Some might argue that similar transformations have taken place in other parts of the world such as Khao San Road in Bangkok or Cancun, Mexico. But I beg to differ. Having spent a good amount of time in both of these other locations, I find that, despite the heavy tourism, the corruption of the local people and way of life has been held in check in comparison to Kuta. Khao San Road, as unappealing as it may be to some travelers, retains a bit of Thai charm which seems to force western culture to adapt to Thai culture, not the other way around.
And as for Cancun, it is definitely an Americanized city, but it is also one that is quite pleasant to visit and if I may say, is full of tourists that show much more respect than what I found in Bali. And maybe I’ve just missed it but I have never seen anyone selling t-shirts and stickers that say “Want More Grunt, F**k Like A Pig” in Cancun.
The point is, while in Kuta, I felt absolutely ashamed to be a traveler. Ashamed is not even strong enough a word to describe what went through my head as I watched inebriated tourists bark out their demands for yet another bottle of Bintang beer while engaging in lewd conduct that simply has no place at all on Bali. Of course, each time, the young local waitress would simply take the order and smile, unable to react in any other way, even in the face of such blatant disrespect.
I know I’m not the only traveler to feel so strongly about this. In fact, my good friend Jodi from LegalNomads.com summed it up quite well when she wrote to me that during her time in Kuta, all she wanted to do was walk around with a big sign that said ‘cover your tits’ while tapping a few people on the shoulder and saying “I mean – you’re in the AIRPORT in a bikini…how is that ok?! (It’s not).”
To me, so much of what I saw in Kuta is not ok.
THE REST OF BALI
One important thing I need to mention is that this was a rant only about the Kuta area of Bali. During the time I spent away from Kuta, exploring the temples, volcanoes, lakes and other regions of this island, I did in fact discover the Bali that I originally hoped to find. The rest of Bali really is a treasure of a destination, one that maintains its local culture and in turn, offers interested travelers a very real glimpse into the Balinese way of life.
But as for Kuta, never again. And as a result of this visit, I will forever be even more conscious about how I act and how I present myself when interacting with a foreign culture. I certainly challenge you to do the same as well.
Have you been to Kuta? Any thoughts to share?
Back in 1999, I left home for a 3 month trip to Asia that has still yet to end.
What a shame to see this. Kuta/what you saw there sounds awful.
I’m strongly considering a trip to Bali/Indonesia, so I’ll keep what you’ve written about in mind. I’ll definitely check out the other areas. Glad to hear that the rest of Bali is still wonderful!
Hey Lisa – Trust me, avoid Kuta and your trip to Bali will be perfect! I also highly recommend Sumatra as my trip there a few years ago was one of the most rewarding I’ve ever had. It’s such a beautiful, fascinating island where you can dive right into Indonesian culture without having to watch out for stumbling foreigners everywhere you go!
I was there in 2010– two unhappy nights tolerating Kuta, then two weeks based in and around Ubud with a rented scooter taking us around the island for day trips (which was marvellous). Kuta was…noisy and frustrating, sleepless due to an all night dance party on the beach, so close to our hotel that our bed shook. We had come in by public bus from the ferry terminal from east Java (forget the town) after a week hiking around Bromo and Ijen and so the culture shock was huge. Couldn’t wait to get out.
Hey MaryAnne – That seems to be the general consensus here. Kuta offers little more than an un-enjoyable night or two before moving on to more rewarding areas of the island. I will say that my hotel in Kuta was quite decent and surprisingly quiet, but the moment I stepped outside, I immediately tensed up.
I’m happy to hear the rest of your stay on Bali was marvelous!
I think that kind of behavior is abysmal anywhere in the world but, yes, even worse in a foreign country. As travelers, or holidayers, or vacationers, or anyone outside of their homeland, we are ambassadors for our countries and have a responsibility to respect the land we visit. I was just as saddened in Vang Vieng, Laos as I watched ‘tubers’ wander around in drug and alcohol induced hazes in bikinis…or less. It is undignified; for those that do it, for those of us who cringe at it, and for those who live there and must tolerate it.
Hey Gillian – I can’t believe that’s another mention of Vang Vieng following the same route of Kuta. I really had no idea the situation was so bad over there these days. The lack of respect that some of these tourists show just blows my mind. How can anyone think it’s acceptable to walk around half-naked as if they have a right to behave however they want. Do they not see the culture around them? Sadly they don’t, leaving the rest of us to continue cringing.
This is so sad. Your anger and frustration comes through, and I can appreciate that. Thanks for reminding the rest of us sane people to be responsible, considerate travelers and not ruin it for everyone else (especially the locals.)
Thanks for the comment Grace! I’m not sure I’ve ever been as frustrated about a particular destination as I am about Kuta. On one hand, I guess that’s a good thing because it means that such negative tourism is not too common around the world…
Lucky for you you feel ashamed to be a tourist, I’m Australian and it’s no secret we make up a strong portion of visitors to Bali and the bogans who travel there are the ones responsible for the proliferation of these things.
Sadly Bali was my first place I ever visited overseas, I never saw Bali beyond Kuta and Legian, I was so disgusted by it I took the first flight I could to Yogyakarta where I had a fantastic time. I promise myself I will go back to Bali and skip Kuta althogether.
Hey Dan – Yeah, I can understand how it feels to have your fellow countrymen and women representing your country in such a negative way. It reminded me of some spots in the Caribbean where Americans tend to visit with the sole purpose of embarrassing themselves.
Bali itself is definitely worth another visit but it seems like your quick departure last time was a wise decision. It’s amazing how many people have said they left Kuta after only a day or two and then as soon as they did leave, ended up enjoying the rest of their time in Indonesia!
I went to Bali in 2009 and I loved it. However I was in Kuta for only one day and I felt that icky-gross feeling of being surrounded by completely trashy, nasty people without morals. I’m pretty tuned in because I had my 2 small kids with me, they were 4 and 1 at the time. I agree that Kuta is a sad sad part of Bali.
Nusa Dua was a beautiful beach and we rented a car and had a great time in Ubud.
As an expat in Laos, I feel the same kind of “kuta feelings” when I am in Vang Vieng, Laos. It is a beautiful place but being corrupted by trashy tourists who just want cheap beer and weed. And who knows what other substances.
Hey CanCan – That seems to be the general feeling….people love Bali but only spent a day in Kuta (which makes perfect sense). Every other place on the island was well worth a visit as you already experienced
And I can’t imagine being in Kuta with children. No wonder why you got out of there so quickly.
And you’re now the second person to mention this happening to Vang Vieng, which is quite disturbing to hear. Once it begins it’s a hard process to reverse, especially given all of the money that tourists must now be pouring into the town. Hopefully, like Bali, the rest of Laos still remains it’s charm and avoids the same fate.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Wow Earl. I had a really tough time in Cancun. I can’t imagine how it would get much worse and yet it does.
I have so much to say and yet I’m not sure why to say.
I’m about at a year of traveling and I feel like I’ve become hyper sensitive to this. The idea of people using a country as their playground really bothers me. I find it most often happens in beach towns and for that reason I’ve been avoiding them.
In fact the only reason I went to Mollendo in Peru last week was that I was told no tourists would be there. It’s not because I hate other tourists but I need to protect myself from being so negative toward others.
Hey Ayngelina – As I was walking around Kuta, I kept thinking, “I will never say a bad word about Cancun ever again!” What I saw in Kuta put Cancun into perspective for me and made me realize that there is a huge difference between the two. Cancun has adjusted to tourism much better than Kuta.
And I think what you are going through is bound to happen every now and then, especially for travelers who make it a point to be conscious of the impression they leave on the places they visit. Over the years I have found myself running off to isolated, completely non-touristy places every couple of years simply because I need a break from being around other travelers. And like you, I don’t dislike them, it’s just exhausting sometimes being around other tourists while trying to process all of the thoughts and questions that enter our minds.
earl, mate, i couldn’t agree more – this place is the gutter of the backpacking world. Khao San has it’s flaws (http://onestep4ward.com/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-khao-san-road-bangkok/) which i won’t deny but this is a different level. I planned to stay for a week, made it 36 hours and headed to Lombok – much less brash.
Hope you made it out safely and if u make it to KL or BKK hit me up
take it easy mate and safe travels…
Hey Johnny – I just read your post and it is spot on. There still seems to be some charm, some appeal to Khao San Road, no matter what type of traveler we happen to be. But in Kuta, to most of us, there is nothing but that ‘ugly’ side of things.
Given my change in plans I now need to head back to the US for awhile so it looks like I won’t be passing through KL or Bangkok. Hopefully we’ll have a chance to meet up again at some point but in the meantime, enjoy your studies and life in Thailand!
We have some of the same behaviour in Turkey but from the sounds of it not as bad as that. I am sorry but I do believe the problem lies with the governor of that town. Promoting yourself as a tourist town involves a lot of planning and careful thinking as to what kind of tourist you want to attract. Spain in the 90′s should be a perfect example for everyone.
The authorities have to take a stance and send the message out. Last year there was one tourist here in Turkey who urinated on the statue of a very important person. He was arrested and deported. It was in the papers world wide and the message was there for all to see.
Hey Natalie – I think that Indonesia simply doesn’t have the structure in place to deal with such a problem. Due to corruption, government officials are willing to turn the other way in order to pocket money themselves. It is a third-world country in the end and one with a long list of issues.
It’s a tricky situation. I don’t think that Turkey will lose tourists after arresting that guy who urinated on the statue because that’s generally not the type of tourist that Turkey attracts. But when Kuta relies solely on the money brought in from drunken tourists, the government doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that income. And so the situation sadly continues unchecked.
I stayed in Kuta for 4 days about two years ago and I didn’t notice these shirts and stickers. I didn’t spend too much time in town though. I just used it as a place to sleep and traveled around the rest of the time. I’m a little shocked. I agree that Kuta is not the best place to visit in Bali. I was a little confused when I arrived there and felt like this wasn’t the Bali I had imagined. It wasn’t until I went exploring and found a hotel in the Bukit Peninsula that I saw the Bali that people rave about.
Hey Christy – Perhaps the t-shirts are a new thing as a couple of people have mentioned that they didn’t see them on their visits. But they are now being sold in the majority of shops on every street. And I agree with you that once you leave the Kuta area, it’s quite easy to discover that Bali that everyone speaks so highly about. When Kuta is the first stop upon arrival, it sure can be a disappointment.
This post absolutely breaks my heart, this is definitely the ugly side of traveling that rarely gets talked about. I’m anxious to find out why you’re coming back to the US. Hope everything is ok?
Hey Andi – Things are ok, just a couple of personal situations going on at the moment. Everything will be alright in the end once I get re-organized. Thank you for asking
Kuta was my first time being in a completely different country, and at that time I wasn’t so aware of this aspect of tourism. I loved Kuta actually, not because of the westernization but because I found it really easy to meet local people, and made a lot of friends there. The aspect of Kuta that bothered me the most is the high level of prostitution. To me, this is even uglier than profane t-shirts…
The behavior of the visitors there is what really appalls me. I studied my phrasebook beforehand and on the plane, without realizing the proliferation of English. Still, I was interested in learning the language and after a month in Indonesia I knew the basics and a bit more. Then I met an expat who had been living there 2 years and couldn’t even tell me how to say thank you.
The truth is, tourism ruins a lot of places. I’m not sure what the solution is, but on my part I know that I can be respectful of the local culture and avoid those who do whatever they want without thinking of the home country and its residents.
Hey Jasmine – I will say that it was easy to meet locals in Kuta. That is definitely true. On the other hand, I didn’t even notice the prostitution, probably because I didn’t really go out too much at night. Had I seen that as well I would have been even more disturbed so perhaps it was a good thing I missed that.
Tourism does have it’s negative effects and I think that the best way for us to solve, or at least slow down those effects, is to do exactly what you said, to make sure that we are respectful. We can control our behavior when overseas and the more conscious we are about how we interact with a culture, the more positive the experience for everyone.
Insightful post Earl. We haven’t been to Kuta but you are certainly not the first person to have such a negative impression. It’s a shame really.
Challenge accepted!
Hey Cam – I’d heard others negative views of Kuta before as well but I still was not even close to being prepared for the reality. And thank you for accepting the challenge, although I’m quite sure you guys are quite conscious of how you travel already
Wow. Appalling doesn’t even really being to cover it. What a shame!
Omg, this is heartbreaking
We just went to Bali 3 years ago and even though we spent the majority of our time in Ubud and the northern par to the island, we did make a trip to Kuta and even though they weren’t yet any of those tshirts (or we didn’t notice them – I wonder if they’re recent phenomenon) I remember thinking, ‘ Can’t believe this is the same island. Take me out of here.’
Hey Jill – I’m not sure how recently those shirts arrived but I do know that almost every shop was selling them. And “take me out of here” is exactly what went through my head as well and it’s probably the same thing that goes through the head of any traveler who travels with respect for the places they visit. Glad you spent most of your time in Ubud
Wow. Never been there and you certainly dont make me want to go. The thing that comes to mind for me tho is that we, as travellers, have an effect on the places we go. We dont just dip in and out. Just by being there we change these places permanently. Sadly, we create places like this in some way. All the more reason to chose wisely when traveling and spending money.
Hey Jim – Very true. We do leave a lasting impression each time we visit somewhere. Hopefully, however, most of the travelers to a particular destination respect the local people and culture and so the changes happen much more slowly than if we all showed up naked, drunk and cursing all day long such as the scene in Kuta.
There are always going to be those places in the world that turn us off. One place for example is Cairo, the Egyptians are one of the most fascinating cultures in history and tourism to Egypt is massive. But it is a shet hole.. I will be sure to be on the lookout when traveling there
Hey Marcello – Kuta definitely isn’t the only place affected in this manner, that’s for sure. As for Cairo, luckily it is a big enough city so it’s not too difficult for a traveler to find a part of it they enjoy. If not, I could easily spend three days just inside the Egyptian Museum and away from the chaos outside!
I make a concerted effort not to judge other people for how they live their lives, even if I don’t always understand or agree with their choices.
But this is such a horrendous display of classless behavior, I’m appalled. I’m not a fan of it when it’s a product of locals and when it’s brought in and encouraged by travelers, it’s really awful.
To some extent, this is the same way I felt about Patong Beach. There was virtually nothing left that was Thai.
Hey Joel – I know what you’re saying because it is hard for me to actually talk negatively about how other people choose to travel as well. But I think it would be hard to argue that such behavior as what I witnessed in Kuta is beneficial in any way. If people want to spend their holidays completely drunk, that’s fine with me, but to show such blatant disrespect is simply unacceptable.
I’ve never been to Patong Beach but I’m sure it’s quite similar. At least now I know to stay away from there and you know to stay away from Kuta
Ugh, that’s the worst. Your top photo was incredibly jarring but set the mood for the rest of your post.
Anyway, those people there, they aren’t really representatives of North Americans, are they? I hope not. So embarrassing. There’s a difference being travel and taking a vacation; that crew you saw are definitely in the latter camp.
Hey Jennifer – Thank you for the comment! And no, those tourists are not great representatives of their home countries, however, their behavior affects us all unfortunately. From what they see, it would be easy to think that everyone from Australia or America or Europe walks around drunk all day and without any manners or respect for other people. Hopefully they don’t think this way but I can’t blame them if they do.
I completely agree – Kuta is a hell hole. We spent far too long there as it’s a good place to get surf lessons. I remember seeing far too many people having beer at breakfast.
Curious about why your plans have changed and hope everything is OK.
Hey Erin – ‘Hell hole’ pretty much sums it up! And funny you mentioned the beer for breakfast thing as one morning as I sat in a small restaurant, I noticed that at the tourist cafe across the street, almost every tourist inside was downing beer. And it was 9am.
My plans have changed due to a couple of personal situations that suddenly came up but basically I now need to return home and spend a couple of months getting re-organized. All will be well in the end I’m sure
This pretty much sums up my feelings for Vang Vieng in Laos! Talk about backpackers acting stupid! Wandering half naked at all hours being totally wasted. And, much like here, there was pretty much none of the town left that didn’t cater to tourism with their shops and those incessant TV-blaring restaurants!
It’s always a real big shame when tourism causes places to cater strictly to them. Thanks for the heads up on Kuta!
Hey Aaron – Oh no, not Vang Vieng! I visited that town back in 2001 and there were only a handful of guesthouses and a maybe two tourist cafes. When I strolled around the local market, people would talk to me for a long time, surprised to have foreigners visiting their sleepy town.
And the half-naked, wearing no shirt thing drives me crazy. Unless a person is on a beach, there is no good reason (being hot is not a good reason) to walk around with no shirt on. It completely baffles me as to what goes through travelers’ heads when they stroll around shirtless in places like Vang Vieng!
I’ve avoided Bali like the plague so far precisely because of the reputation it has in this part of the world of being a playground for drunken Australian idiots who should never have been granted the privilege of a passport. The proliferation of cheap flights there in recent years has just made things worse – it’s often cheaper to get to Bali than to take a domestic flight to somewhere else in Australia, and obviously it’s much cheaper once you’re there.
Quite honestly, your post makes me feel sick. I still intend to go to Indonesia in the next few years, and possibly even Bali, but I’ll be spending less than no time in Kuta or anywhere else that the dribbling hordes have taken over by then.
Hey Dave – It is much cheaper in fact to fly to Bali than to fly within Australia. When I was looking at flights to all destinations in Southeast Asia from Oz, I came across flights as cheap as $75 AUD to Bali. That’s as cheap as it gets.
I’m sure your experience will be much different when you make it to Indonesia though and I’m not surprised you’re the kind of guy that will give Kuta a miss! My trip to Sumatra several years ago still ranks as one of my favorite trips over the past 11 years, mainly because there were practically no tourists and a rich, completely uncorrupted culture. I’ve always found it surprising that everyone flocks to Bali when such a magical place as Sumatra gets completely left behind. No drunken idiots on that island!
Firstly, I hope that everything is ok. Secondly, this story breaks my heart. I am disgusted by the behavior of those westerners. I can see why you felt ashamed.
Hey Elle – Thank you for your concern! Everything is ok. I just need some time to re-organize
I was in Bali a couple years ago. I had heard similar stories about Kuta, so I showed up intent on staying away. Instead I spent half a week in sleepy Sanur and half a week in Ubud. I had a perfectly pleasant time hanging out with lots of Dutch retirees — definitely no one in body paint and “Mark is Gay” t-shirts (Like, really? People are still using the word “gay” as an insult? REALLY? Come on.)
You have to admit that these places do have a purpose — not just for the annoying drunken party travelers but also for those of us who actually travel to foreign countries to experience a foreign country (and not, say, to experience an episode of “Girls Gone Wild.”) You see, we can’t prevent these people from leaving their home countries. But these places seem to do a good job of corralling them into one location and then serving them enough beer/drugs/mushroom shakes to make them incapable of leaving. That way, hopefully, they won’t get to the rest of the country and start demanding vendors sell more “Mark is Gay” t-shirts (Like, seriously? I don’t even GET that.) So, ummm, silver lining?
Hey Sally – You are right, such places do have a purpose in a weird way. I know that in 11+ years of traveling I’ve never seen anything like it so all of these kind of tourists clearly aren’t spreading all over the world (luckily). If there’s just a couple of places to avoid (the worst of the worst), then I can handle that, although it still is a shame for the local people of Kuta.
As for the “___ is Gay” t-shirts, I saw tourists holding them up in shops and yelling out to their friends, “You’re gay, man. I wish they had one with your name on it.” I don’t get it either but in Kuta, in sort of fit in with all of the other acts of infantile behavior I witnessed.
Horrifying. We were in Kuta 12 years ago as part of our RTW trip. Even then, it was bad, and we couldn’t wait to get out, but it was nothing like you describe.
I’m not sure I’d be able to hold my tongue for long when confronted with offensive t-shirts like that.
Hey Kristina – It was definitely tough not to walk up to some people and say something. If it was a couple of people acting inappropriately then maybe I would have said something but since I was the minority, it wasn’t so easy!
Vile. Just…vile.
I’ve seen fellow Brits abroad acting in such a way, although not as bad as the tourists you see. And…it’s infuriating. They’re relinquishing their right to even be there.
Frankly, I really hate the way tourism and alcohol are so intertwined. I really do. For some people, “going abroad” equates to “sense of moderation, out the window”. The ultimate hellraising bender. The ultimate selfish act for a visitor to another country – get so plastered you’re not yourself, then wreak havoc without being aware or (arguably) fully culpable.
Makes me angry. Angry enough to intervene, frankly. I hope I don’t do that, because I’d lose my temper and that would be just as disruptive. Eeesh.
Hey Mike – I feel the exact same way and have always found it disturbing as well that alcohol seems to play such an important role when traveling. I guess it’s that whole idea that many people only have a couple of weeks vacation per year and sadly, they feel the best use of their time is to get drunk 24 hours a day and forget about their life back home. Of course, when people have that frame of mind, they sure aren’t going to give a damn about the people or places where they are spending their vacation.
If you think you’d lose your temper in such a place, I don’t recommend visiting Kuta any time soon!
Thanks for the comment Mike.
You weren’t kidding when you asked if you could quote me, eh?
I stand by it 100% – I was only in Kuta for a few days and it was absolutely appalling, especially in light of the kindness and gentleness of spirit so integral to Balinese culture.
To Dave (Mr. Kiwi that Drifts) – so much of the island remains quiet and away from the Kuta hordes. I’m happy to send you some more info about where to go that is off tourist trail, because the Balinese way of living and the ceremonies that go into it, is a fascinating thing to experience.
Glad you posted this and also that many of your commenters agree.
Thanks Jodi – I’ll probably take you up on that offer. Thanks! I’d heard from Christine and others that there were still lovely spots in Bali that hadn’t been ruined as yet, so I’d love to hear more about them. I’ll drop you a line, or just have a chat to you in June!
Definitely! Feel free to email questions any time.
Hey Jodi – Seeing this ugly behavior contrasted with that kindness of the Balinese people made the situation even more appalling to me. They deserve much better than to be treated like this by visitors to this island. Luckily, as you mentioned to Dave, much of the island has not been affected in this manner and remains a rewarding destination to spend some time.
And thanks for the quote!
Yikes, glad I avoided Kuta when I was there. The only upside is that you can avoid it by going to other parts of the island. There are some of the most beautiful daily ceremonies and the people are just wonderful. Next time you go to Bali, try Ubud and then motorbike around the island a bit. Totally different experience.
Hey Christine – I had actually read your post about your first night in Bali just before I went, so I knew that such peaceful areas existed. Unfortunately this was a very quick visit for me but you can bet that next time around, I’ll be heading far, far away from Kuta. Thanks for the comment!
I can’t even begin to tell you how difficult this post was for me to read. The tears are pricking at my eyes and I am absolutely mortified and ashamed.
I went to Kuta for my first trip overseas in 1996 and then again in 97. It was nothing like that then. Although a party place, there still seemed to be a lot of respect for Balinese people who are absolutely beautiful.
My devastation in reading this comes from knowing that this is my culture who has destroyed Kuta in this way. The way they are behaving is utterly appalling. I don’t know what to say. I wish I could defend my culture but I can’t.
Craig and I have really struggled since returning to Australia as we see this kind of behaviour everywhere. I watch the children in schools have total disrespect for anyone, the youth on the streets, and the way adults will scream out in rages to anyone who will listen- yet no one wants to. The drunken louts that are in force on our streets are dangerous and embarrassing. You cannot go out to a club or bar in Australia without a fight breaking out. Craig and I always comment how we lived in the US for four years, in a college town, where lots of people were getting drunk, and we never once saw a fight.
I don’t know what is wrong with my culture but it is full of angry young men and women who have no respect for themselves- they get rolling drunk, swear their heads off, are really loud and disrespectful and fight with one another.
Craig and I recently decided that our future does not lie in Australia. We cannot raise our daughter here. Reading this further confirmed this for me. It is devastating. Why we think disgusting statements such as these printed on T-shirts and stickers is acceptable or funny I have no idea.
What must the rest of the world think of us?
I am embarrassed. My heart aches for Kuta and the people of Bali, and for anywhere else in the world we have destroyed in this way. It is sad to hear of the comments about Vang Vieng as well, as we loved it when we were there and never experienced any behaviour like this.
What on earth can we do to raise the moral standard of our youth and our society?
Hey Caz – I wish I had an answer to that question. It was very interesting for me to read your comment because I actually commented to my friends in Australia on several occasions during my recent visit that I was shocked at how much things had changed. Walking through the streets of Melbourne at night was actually quite frightening because of all the aggressive drunks that seemed to be everywhere, shouting out to everyone. I really felt scared and wondered why everyone did seem so angry. For such a multi-cultural destination, I noticed a lot more intolerance this time around than during previous visits unfortunately.
So I can perfectly understand your reasoning for not wanting to raise children there given this shift in youth culture.
As for Bali, just as is the case with many spring break destination that Americans flock to, it is quite troubling to think of how we (foreigners) represent ourselves. How others perceive our countries is often a direct reflection of how we act as tourists and even those travelers who don’t partake in such disrespectful behavior are affected. And I too wonder what local people think of the foreigners they see stumbling around and cursing all day long. We must seem like wild animals at times.
This is a most difficult aspect of tourism. At least I can say that this is the first time in my life I have seen negative tourism on such a disturbing scale.
That is really interesting to hear you say that Earl. Sometimes I think I feel this way because I have been away so long and I’ve just forgotten what its like, but if you can see a big change too then it is obvious something is going wrong.
I, too have noticed the intolerance. It has been quite shocking to me as for some reason I thought we were really accepting. Again- I think I have been a foreign traveller for too long. When you develop tolerance and compassion for others, I think it becomes even more glaringly obvious and more shocking when you see others who aren’t.
I was only thinking a couple of weeks ago how I’ve travelled through countries that might be considered dangerous, like Africa, yet the only place I’ve every felt afraid is in my own country. The anger people hold here is frightening and unpredictable. Gone are the days when we could claim to be the laid back country.
I guess all we can do is continue to do our bit, no matter how small to somehow make a difference and raise people’s standards to a higher level and code of behaviour. What an overwhelming task.
I hope everything is okay with you. Take some time out to do what you need to do, we’ll hold the fort down.
Thinking of you.
i havent been to bali yet and im planning to visit this year.. i agree with you that we should all be consciously aware in presenting ourselves to other cultures…
Hey Flip – I’m sure your visit will be wonderful, as long as you spend your time in other parts of the island!
I know before the bombings a few years ago it was like this in Kuta, but it seemed to have disappeared in the years following as a lot of the offending individuals stayed away due to fear of further terrorist attacks. It’s such a shame it’s returned to this, but as you say it’s not the locals fault – they must adapt to survive.
I’m glad to hear the rest of the country is ‘unspoilt’ so look forward to visiting there sometime soon.
@WomanSeeksWorld: The offending individuals are definitely back and in full force unfortunately. Let’s just hope it remains in that one area and doesn’t begin to spread to other parts of the island!
I will never be able to understand the people who travel outside of their country just to feel like they never left at all. Westernized restaurants, t-shirts in English, tacky souvenirs…it’s all so sad to see. Add lewd people into the mix and you’re more than right to not want to contribute another cent to this ugly side of traveling.
Hey Christine – I’ve never understood it either. While I do understand wanting to get away for a week or two to relax, it often seems that some tourists would be much better off if they chose a destination within their own country. This would prevent them from ruining it all for other tourists who are actually interested in learning!
I haven’t been to Bali, but you sum up really well what I’ve been struggling to put into words about Phuket, Koh Phi Phi and several other places in SE Asia that seem to act solely as a playground for drunken westerners. I try really hard not to judge other people’s travel styles (and lord knows I love wild night on occasion myself) but at some point these places no long represent travel, just a cheap and permanent spring break. It’s degrading to the locals, to travelers, to the environment, to everyone involved.
Hey Stephanie – I’ve always wondered what it was truly like on those Thai islands as, despite 9 visits to Thailand, I’ve always avoided those places. Of course, what you described is generally what I expected. And I also don’t want to judge anyone’s travel style, but sometimes the damage done as a result is simply too much. Just because people decide to travel doesn’t mean they are entitled to behave so selfishly. I simply can’t imagine how some people find it acceptable to take on that ‘playground’ mentality when overseas.
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Reading this post made me almost not wanting to go to Bali anymore – thanks for putting in the last paragraph and not ruining it completely for me. I hope the rest of Bali stays as it is and doesn’t become what Kuta has become.
I hate when beautiful places are run over by tourists who just want to get drunk every day for their 2-week vacation and think bumper stickers & t-shirts like the ones you mentioned are funny. There are so many places in the world where this happened, and during our travels through Central America we’ve come across quite a few places where we were thinking ‘hopefully this won’t turn into a tourist destination’… but once a place makes it into the Lonely Planet, chances are good that it goes down that exact road…
Hey Dani – It is indeed difficult for any place to be left untouched for long but the effect of being discovered varies widely depending on how travelers interact with the local culture. Many touristy places are full of respectful travelers who are interested in more than getting trashed every night. The problem is when those visiting are interested in nothing else at all apart from getting trashed.
With that said, and knowing the two of you, your time in Bali will be wonderful
Just avoid Kuta and you won’t even believe that what I described in this post is even possible!
I never been there myself, but I heard many mixed things about Bali. I don’t really understand those people that do nothing else but being drunk the whole day, just stay home if thats the only thing you are interested in… Kuta sounds like place to avoid at all costs.
Hey Tijmen – I don’t understand that kind of travel either and agree that such people would be much better off (as would the places they visit) if they simply remained at home!
I’m sorry you had to go through that mate. I lived in Germany for 5 months in 2002 and completely loved it BUT when tourism got ugly it got REALLY ugly.
If I had to be completely honest-most of it was because of my fellow Natives (British). This saddens me still to this day. I hope everything is alright in the US Earl, safe travels and take care.
Thanks for the comment and concern Anthony. Everything will be alright, but I just need to spend some time back home at the moment.
And I do think it’s much worse when we find ourselves surrounded by ‘ugly tourists’ from our own countries. I’m not sure there’s anything more embarrassing than that!
Earl, thanks for posting this, and it’s really difficult for me to read, since I’m an Indonesian. My memory of Kuta goes back to my childhood, before 1990, when I and my big family (9 families!) went to Kuta together. I only remember happiness, gorgeous and clean white sand beaches, playing in the big waves with my cousins, and watching sunsets with my mom and aunts.
It’s heartbreaking to hear about the ways that Bali has been corrupted, at least around Kuta. But please keep in mind that it’s not just foreign tourists at fault. Many people involved in the tourist businesses are from other parts of Indonesia, like from Java for example. Or maybe some expats are involved too here?
In many ways, these people are just as responsible for the exploitation of Bali as foreign tourists. They flock there to make a quick buck, and pander to the basest tourists they can attract.
As you have pointed out as well, seems like many of the locals don’t even understand what those phrases on the t-shirts mean. I suspect they can do the literal translation, however yes, you are correct, they probably don’t understand the actual meaning and the cultural references behind it. They probably have no idea how harsh/crude/insulting it is. Even though shorts are not accepted in temples, but they tolerate bikinis, or even toplessness in beaches. They are trying to be welcoming of people with different values and standards who they don’t fully understand. How far this does freedom of expression go for Westerners? How do Balinese people know where the limit is?
Most of the people selling these ugly souvenirs think that they are appropriate in Western countries – and this leaves them with a very low opinion of the standards and people who live there.
Thanks for the great, thought-provoking post.
Thank you Dina for your valuable input, although I can imagine how difficult it would be for you to read this. I didn’t even mention the beaches but let’s just say that I stood on the sand once and that was more than enough given the amount of trash everywhere.
And you do make a valid point that the tourists are not the only ones to blame as clearly, there are plenty of local and expat ‘business people’ who have also flocked to Kuta in order to take their share of the tourist dollars. It’s a vicious cycle, especially when there are so many people who are willing to help destroy a culture simply to put money in their own pockets.
As for the freedom of expression, I think that it is the complete responsibility of every traveler to adhere to the customs and standards of the destinations they visit. If they are unable to offer that much respect then they shouldn’t be traveling at all. The local Balinese really should not have to put up with bikinis or public drunkenness at all.
Sorry about the change in Kuta but at least you are one of the lucky ones to have some wonderful memories of a Kuta that seemed so perfect!
Similar observation I have about the trash, Earl. It was clean and gorgeous when I was a small kid. Beautiful memory about the place, so I was so enthusiastic to show this beach to Ryan during our honeymoon. Poor Ryan, he only saw garbage everywhere. The amount of thin plastic bags were saddening. We didn’t stay long at all around there.
Hey Dina – As I walked around Kuta I kept thinking how the area could use a few dozen large garbage bins along with some signs that encourage people to throw their trash away properly. Something as easy as that would probably make a huge difference and make the beach a lot more attractive once again.
I was in Kuta for a week or so in Feb, and I agree with your points, so I don’t have anything negative to say about it – you covered it well.
There’s one positive I can think of, though. If you’re looking to learn to surf, Kuta Beach is really good. I had a great time *trying* to surf there!
I have to agree with you. One of the biggest turn offs for me in terms of travel is arriving somewhere and having it overrun with obnoxious drunks running around like it’s Spring Break in Las Vegas. In fact, that’s enough for me to turn right around and go somewhere else. I’m here on holiday, whether to relax, learn local culture or explore on my own. I don’t need some red-faced guy yelling into my face “Show me your tits!” If I wanted that, I would have headed to Las Vegas.
Hey Connie – That’s the thing, it’s perfectly acceptable to travel somewhere simply to relax or enjoy yourself, but deciding to be drunk every day all day while showing nothing but disrespect to everyone around you, is never acceptable. The good news with Kuta is that it is only a short distance to get away from this terrible scene and find yourself in a much more peaceful and enjoyable part of the island.
I can’t imagine such a scene. How can foreigners think it’s all right to just knock the locals out of the way, take over their town and then crap all over it? That’s horrible. I’ve never heard of Kuta before this post. I hope some day these type of tourists get kicked out.
Hey Sabina – That’s the thing. I spent most of my time in Kuta wondering exactly how those around me could possibly think it was acceptable to behave in such a manner. Everywhere I looked I was left shaking my head in disbelief. Unfortunately, as long as they keep spending money, nobody is going to kick them out.
Gross, gross, gross! What a shame. I’m pretty sure most of those people wouldn’t behave like that (or wear a t-shirt like that) in their own country.
Hey Rebecca – I’d hope they wouldn’t wear it at home but sadly, I don’t think those buying this stuff in Kuta cared how offensive the words were. These were not your normal tourists at all!
I highly recommend Chris Taylor’s, (former Lonely Planet guidebook writer), new novel “Harvest Season” about just such a situation, but in an imagined Yunnan village. Just heard him talk at the Beijing Bookworm Intl Literary Festival and he mentioned Kuta, saying that it was a completely ravaged town that will never recover.
Interesting post.I now know what to avoid when I visit Bali.
How would you compare Kutu to Pattaya? Is it much worse?
Why were you considering going to Chiang Mai in March? This is the time of the year when there is smog because of burning. In addition, it is starting to get real warm and humid at that time of the year.
Hey Richard – I’ve never been to Pattaya so I’m unable to compare the two. As for Chiang Mai, I personally love warm and humid weather so that was something I was actually looking forward to. But I also wanted to go in March because of the great group of other travelers currently living there and because I was planning on spending another Songkran up there as well. There is nothing like Songkran in Chiang Mai!
I’ve heard of this disgusting part of Bali for many years as an Australian (making me ashamed of my people), but I naively thought that it had evolved/changed since then, with the onset of more ‘serious’ travellers, wanting to cycle around Bali to meet the locals, learn about Balinese culture and also ‘have a spiritual experience’/meditate (especially since the ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ phenomenon). But this clearly hasn’t changed the distasteful nature of Kuta and the kinds of people who still go there for the same reasons, the Aussies of whom almost treating Kuta as an outer suburb of Darwin…which is devastating.
But I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself and had a more authentic experience when you travelled around Bali to meet its people and see its landscapes, and it’s especially wonderful that you said the Balinese were friendly and kind to you (you’d think they’d have licence to be very curt/angry with foreigners, considering the disrespectful tourists who come there in droves)…it’s heartening that this Bali still exists!
By the way, Earl, I wish you a hassle-free entry into the US…I’m worried about your chances of having another crazy interrogation session, what with Lebanese, Syrian and Iraqi stamps in your passport! Best of luck, man! (But even if they do give you a hard time at the airport, I’m sure you’ll have a riveting story to post about it!
Hey Sharni – I’ll admit, it was surprising that the local Balinese people still kept their smiles and were still so friendly and kind despite the lack of respect shown to them on a daily basis. They are just such warm people and the ones I met seemed especially happy to speak with a sober traveler who wasn’t simply demanding things from them.
As for my re-entry back into the US, it could be an interesting experience….again. Let’s hope not but either way, there will be a post about it I’m sure
i was in kuta for few days last year, in the beginning it felt good until i got fed up with those young restless travelers. i moved to ubud and felt totally different. i think kuta is good for 1-2 days, not more than that
I visited Bali a few months ago and completely avoided Kuta for fear that I would be too uncomfortable for the very reasons you described. While I don’t have a problem with people walking around shirtless and in bikinis in Miami, I found it disgusting the way visitors would present themselves to such a gentle, kind, and reserved people. I was really upset that the Balinese viewed me only as someone who wants to be sold to and doesn’t want to engage on a human-to-human level. It’s as if they’ve been convinced to act only as servants to visitors. Even in Sanur, it just made me feel awful that it was visitors that originally got the Balinese to act this way and now I was doing my best to avoid anyone that even gave a hint that they might try to sell something to me. I did manage to have a good conversation with a guy on Gili Trawangan about his janitorial job and how he’s saving money for a house.
Hey Erin – Luckily, all it takes is one conversation like the one you head on Gili Trawangan to make a trip worthwhile! It is difficult to spend time in a place where the tourist/local relationship has been reduced to nothing but buyer/seller as every conversation, no matter how genuine it may appear to be at first, tends to lead right back to money at some point. I think that it was a good idea to give Kuta a skip during your trip to Bali!
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A heartbreaking post about the dark side of tourism. Considered Kuta a few weeks ago but went to KL – Cameron Highlands – Langkawi instead, glad I didn’t go! Think your post is a great reminder for that we all have a responsibility to show respect when visiting other cultures. Travel is about learning and experiencing new cultures not to forcefeed them our own. Thank you for a great post, a good reminder and hope your trip back to the US isn’t because of something too serious
Hey Olov – I appreciate the comment and hopefully your trip to Malaysia was well worth it in the end? Those places you visited are thankfully much different than Kuta
And things for me will be alright, just need to take care of some personal stuff over the next couple of months. Thank you for concern.
I would like to know at Kuta in Bali if their is any police rounding up people who are disorderly? I would never wear such shirts with offensive messages as described. Besides, I don’t like being a walking bill board for any kind of messages. One more thing is behave yourself in public and pull up your pants. I would think that any parent would want to be a good role model for their kids.
Hey Jack – I didn’t really see any police during my stay in Kuta. And I certainly didn’t see anyone rounding up disorderly tourists. For the most part, they were just left alone to continue stumbling down the road…