Is Bali too dangerous to visit these days?
Jun 17th, 2005, 07:45 PM
#61
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I am writing this email from Bali at a hotel in Jimbaran bay. this is my honeymoon and my thrid trip to Bali. The country is perfectly safe. I don't know what you all are talking about. Yes there are travel advisories to Bali but there are travel advisories to lots of countries that I would not hesitate to visit. we have been here for 16 days with my husband's two teenagers. We have stayed 5 days in Nusa Dua, 8 days in Ubud and now back in the south again. We took a rental car and drove all over Bail including east to Candasisa and norht to Lovina. My husband and his daugheter climbed Mount batur to see the sunrise. We have been trekking and rafting on the Ayung River. we have had an incredible time including going to Kuta and downtown Ubud for shopping and dance performances. I was first in Bali in 1976 and again in 1987. the culture remains strong and the people incredibly peaceful and friendly. Many speak good english and everyone speaks a little. In the past 20 years there has been incredible development which I personally regret since the cities are crowded with traffic now. But the people have prospered and there is safe water and indoor toilets in the outskirts and high literacy rates and healthy children. so all this is good.
We see police everywhere and were even stopped on the road and had our international driver's license and car registration checked. What is sad is that tourism is way down because of all the warnings adn the people are suffering. It also means great bargains in the markets and upscale stores and at the hotels including the luxury hotels. We have a villa at the Four Seasons at half price. They told us that before the bombing in 2002, most of the guests were American, now there are few Americans and most guests are Japanese. Asian travelers are still coming in large numbers but not Americans. that is a shame. As one Balinese told me, "we are not Mulims, we like America".
So if you let fear control what you do, you will be missing out on a wonderful experience in a tropical paradise that is unique and even very affordable. In case you think that we are some wide eyed naive kids, my husband and I are both physicians in our 50's who are well traveled. so come to Bali-- you will not regret it.
We see police everywhere and were even stopped on the road and had our international driver's license and car registration checked. What is sad is that tourism is way down because of all the warnings adn the people are suffering. It also means great bargains in the markets and upscale stores and at the hotels including the luxury hotels. We have a villa at the Four Seasons at half price. They told us that before the bombing in 2002, most of the guests were American, now there are few Americans and most guests are Japanese. Asian travelers are still coming in large numbers but not Americans. that is a shame. As one Balinese told me, "we are not Mulims, we like America".
So if you let fear control what you do, you will be missing out on a wonderful experience in a tropical paradise that is unique and even very affordable. In case you think that we are some wide eyed naive kids, my husband and I are both physicians in our 50's who are well traveled. so come to Bali-- you will not regret it.
Jun 17th, 2005, 08:14 PM
#62
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lOnonrato, I'm an American that lives in Jakarta and travels frequently to Bali. I appreciate and agree with the substance of your post, but just want to clarify one point.
The great majority more than 200 million Indonesian Muslims who live on Java and elsewhere also like America and Americans! The people here practice a moderate form of Islam. Although Islamic extremism exists it is found in only a tiny percentage of the population and is heavily influenced by non-Indonesian sources.
The great majority more than 200 million Indonesian Muslims who live on Java and elsewhere also like America and Americans! The people here practice a moderate form of Islam. Although Islamic extremism exists it is found in only a tiny percentage of the population and is heavily influenced by non-Indonesian sources.
Jun 17th, 2005, 09:44 PM
#63
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It seeems to me that it is a perception of risks and not real risk that tends to drive much behaviour.
Life is full of risks and many take these risks for granted. People ride motorcycles, smoke, become overweight etc which are far more risky than other behaviours they avoid as being dangerous. When we travel the risks we take on include health issues, nonviolent crime, violent crime, natural disasters, accidents and terror related violence. Everywhere we can go there is some measure of all the risks above and probably more that I cannot think of now.
Kimjapan is correct in that many people outside the US perceive violent crime as being high in the US especially in comparison to most if not all developed countries. Some will not visit the US because of these concerns. I do not understand the comment about Kimjapan being culturally asian as it strikes me as quite ignorant. Asia is not a monolithic block of people and the people vary tremendously in culture, language, religion and in every way possible. To suggest that kimjapan living in Japan makes it more likely she would travel to Bali because she is more asian is absurd as Japan and Bali have little in common in culture, language, religion etc. The USA and Colombia have more in common than Japan and Bali yet one would be hard pressed to say that Americans would be more comfortable traveling to Colombia because we both live in the same general area.
Bali is a third world country and as such has some higher risks for health and politics among other things but probably has less violent crime than most American cities.
There is also probably more terror risk than in the US but I suggest these terror risks are quite small. After all, considering the high level of tourism in Bali, what are the chances of one being caught in a terror incident?
Now if fear of terror is what drives you most I would suggest traveling only to places like Canada and New Zealand. If you do so however you will find yourself quite limited in your worldly experiences in my opinion.
We were in Bali last year with our children and would return again. We were in Spain the year before and would also return there. I have been in New York city 5 times over the last five years and would return again.
The American fear of terror in Bali certainly seems established as we met no other Americans in Bali while we were there but plenty of Europeans. We found Bali just as IOnorata did and I suspect that DLK would too.
Life is full of risks and many take these risks for granted. People ride motorcycles, smoke, become overweight etc which are far more risky than other behaviours they avoid as being dangerous. When we travel the risks we take on include health issues, nonviolent crime, violent crime, natural disasters, accidents and terror related violence. Everywhere we can go there is some measure of all the risks above and probably more that I cannot think of now.
Kimjapan is correct in that many people outside the US perceive violent crime as being high in the US especially in comparison to most if not all developed countries. Some will not visit the US because of these concerns. I do not understand the comment about Kimjapan being culturally asian as it strikes me as quite ignorant. Asia is not a monolithic block of people and the people vary tremendously in culture, language, religion and in every way possible. To suggest that kimjapan living in Japan makes it more likely she would travel to Bali because she is more asian is absurd as Japan and Bali have little in common in culture, language, religion etc. The USA and Colombia have more in common than Japan and Bali yet one would be hard pressed to say that Americans would be more comfortable traveling to Colombia because we both live in the same general area.
Bali is a third world country and as such has some higher risks for health and politics among other things but probably has less violent crime than most American cities.
There is also probably more terror risk than in the US but I suggest these terror risks are quite small. After all, considering the high level of tourism in Bali, what are the chances of one being caught in a terror incident?
Now if fear of terror is what drives you most I would suggest traveling only to places like Canada and New Zealand. If you do so however you will find yourself quite limited in your worldly experiences in my opinion.
We were in Bali last year with our children and would return again. We were in Spain the year before and would also return there. I have been in New York city 5 times over the last five years and would return again.
The American fear of terror in Bali certainly seems established as we met no other Americans in Bali while we were there but plenty of Europeans. We found Bali just as IOnorata did and I suspect that DLK would too.
Jul 3rd, 2005, 11:46 AM
#64
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DLK - I am curious what you decided to do about Bali. We (a gay couple as well) are planning a trip to Malaysia and Bali in August. We only have 10 days so we are leaning towards leaving Bali out of the plan because of time limitations (we don't care so much about the safety issue). We are thinking of KL and deciding between Malacca, Penang and Langwaki. Perhaps if our plans overlap we could meet up for a drink?
