Bali

Ubud, Bali.

You find yourself having to re-learn things that you thought you’d mastered years ago in Bali. For example, crossing roads is no longer a case of ‘Stop, look and listen’, but the skilled analysis of whether those blokes on scooters are skilled enough to dodge you if you walk now. Usually, yes,  but it took me a little while to stop feeling like I was staring death in the face whenever I wanted to explore the other side of the street.

It is a crazy place, with so many people it becomes a little dizzying at times. But, so long as you aren’t looking for winter, there is something for everyone here. Surfing, beautiful scenery, culture, history, food, trekking, partying, ANYTHING. Whatever you want, you’ll find it in Bali.

This is both a beautiful thing, and really very scary. I heard many people making jokes about the sex and drug tourism which is prevalent, which frankly horrified me. When tourists and local people alike can make jokes about the horrific suffering of some of the people who live in the area there is something severely wrong with the way the industry is functioning.

Eco-tourism isn’t prevalent in many parts of Bali, but I feel that a push towards this could improve the situation greatly.  I don’t think that the areas with a strong party reputation like Kuta will become eco-tourism hubs, but the well-established tourist industry wouldn’t need to change too much in order to become much healthier. The answer seems to be in educating visitors about how to behave responsibly before they arrive. Whilst some people actively seek the grungier side available, a lot have accidentally stumbled across it, and these people are very much in the majority and therefore have the power to alter the way the system is functioning.

Local market at 5.30am

A wider push in Australia and the countries of Europe, who provide most of the travellers in Bali, to educate people about where to stay, buy souvenirs and what activities to do in order to protect the local people could really improve the lives of so many who are exploited. For example, buying handicrafts in Ubud that have been made locally is a sustainable way to get souvenirs, as opposed to the sweat-shop factory souvenirs also available. When you party, staying away from the local alcohol Arak is a good idea for your health, but also you will support bars and clubs that make enough money to properly support their staff and behave responsibly. They are only the smallest changes to a tourist’s experience, but it could have a drastic effect on the industry as a whole.

Music Teacher, Tour Operator and General Good Egg