Jess

I am tired of reading posts from people who tell potential visitors to Bali not to stay in the Nusa Dua area. They are just plain wrong. Nusa Dua is the best area to stay in Bali!!<BR><BR>Why, you are mostly protected from the touts, beggers and con men that populate the rest of the island. When we traveled to areas in the rest of the island, every time we got out of the van we were approached by dozens of people who wanted our money. They would grab ahold of our arm, and follow us for blocks. They tried to sell us old postcards, warm bottled water and junky trinkets. It was just terrible. They would not take NO for an answer! (Of course we felt sorry for them)<BR><BR>In peaceful Nusa Dua there are security guards that stop the Bali residents who are not working in the area, or plan to beg from the tourists, from coming in. The most beautiful, intelligent and friendly people the island has to offer, has jobs at the BEAUTIFUL 5 star hotels in Nusa Dua.<BR><BR>We stayed at the Hilton. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and the cost was very reasonable, about $80.00 a night via the internet. If you want to see the other side of Bali, there are many tours.<BR><BR>My advice, stick with Nusa Dua when in Bali!

Ed & Gloria

Jess is right on. When making a hotel reservation also checked the price with the hotels 800 reservation line where lower prices may be found!<BR><BR>

Les

I generally agree that Nusa Dua is the most comfortable place to return to in the evening. We spent our days touring the rest of the island, which is beautiful and unique, and it was no less interesting simply because we chose to sleep in Nusa Dua. It's a common misconception that you can't get a feel for the local way of life if you choose to spend your nights at a comfortable hotel. When we're out and about, we're indistinguishable from the other tourists who feel that they're "assimilating the local culture" by sleeping in a flea bag hotel when their sightseeing is done. We see and experience the same things, and meet the same people, then return to our hotel to relax, sleep in luxurious comfort.<BR>I did find the beaches at Nusa Dua disappointing, and I would never go there (or go to Bali at all) if all I wanted was a beach-side vacation.

x

God forbid you go to Bali and have to deal with the Balinease. Sorry, but why fly all the way to Bali to stay in, what effectively is Hawaii?<BR><BR>When approached in Bali and polite no thank you usually sufficed for us.

Claire

X the poster above did not really go to Bali. While the average person who lives in Bali is great, there is an incredible number of people that whose only goal in life is to try to pester tourists. THEY WILL NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!!! Staying in Nusa Dua will protect you from Bali's professional beggers and touts.

frank

little x<BR>have you heard of the word "holiday" before?You can see the real Bali AND relax in nice surroundings as well you know! I suspect that there is a little of the green eyed monster there!

x

Quite an assumption that I didn't stay in Bali. You'll be happy to know that I did spend 10 days there in 2000. <BR><BR>While we stayed at the Four Seasons in Jimbaran Bay, we did visit several of the hotels in Nusa Dua. They were fine and I'm sure several were nice. I saw them, and the little strip mall there, I felt like I was in Hawaii. Although, the authentic Balinease band playing "Una Paloma Blanca" in the lobby of one of the Nusa Dua hotels was a nice touch. <BR><BR>In Kuta and in Ubud, I was never followed, I was never grabbed, and I never felt overwhelmed by locals. Sure, the touts in the market were annoying, but again, a polite no thank you and a continuation of my walk usually sufficed.<BR><BR>As I was there in 2000, I'll grant that perhaps the economic situation has worsened for them and there has been an increase in the numbers and persistence.<BR><BR>However, you obviously don't realize that foreigners perceive that all US tourists have this mentality of not wanting to be bothered by locals. These kind of comments, such as the one about security guards keeping out the locals from every entering the area, add to it.<BR><BR>It is, after-all, their island.

frank

I didn't mean that you hadn't stayed in Bali,I meant that your accomodation may not have been of the standard of those in Nusa Dua! however it was just a bot of flippancy! It seems however that the opposite is the case and the hotels were not up to your standard!! <BR>On a serious note, do you not agree that you can get to know the real Bali without living in the same conditions as the locals?<BR>I wholeheartedly back your view on the posts on security guards! How dare holidaymakers assume they have the right to keep locals away from their town!!!!!

x

I don't disagree with your point that you don't need to live like a local to enjoy the culture. Of course, respecting their culture is a different issue. <BR><BR>In the case of Bali, I did find it disturbing that the culture has so clearly been changed by tourism. More than any place I've visted, you can see the negative impact that tourism has had on their way of life. <BR><BR>In regards to Nusa Dua, I'm personally not a big fan of these mega-development tourist areas. But, that's just me. (Well, my wife also.)

frank

x<BR>why in particular in Bali do you think tourism has had such a negative impact?Is it due to how the locals have reacted or how tourists have treated the island and its locals?<BR>This is going to sound dreadful but I avoid places that have mainly US tourists as for some reason they also seem to demand their culture comes with them! If you go to a place where the tourists are mainly european (or at least there is more of a mix) you still get the big hotels but the local culture can still flourish.<BR>I'm sure that most Americans do not even realise this is happening and also there are "good" and "unthinking" tourists of all nationalities. But i do avoid US dominated tourist destinations( unless its in the US!!!)

Kathie

As one of the people who routinely recommends that people not stay in Nusa Dua, let me say why. Nusa Dua was developed as a tourist enclave. That means there was no pre-existing Balinese village at the site (at least anything that remains) and so the place does feel like Hawaii rather than Bali. I go to Bali to experience not just a nice beach, but the unique culture of Bali. If you are only looking for a beach, then Nusa Dua might be just fine for you. If you want to go to Bali, however, Nusa Dua will be disappointing. <BR><BR>I always stay at Sanur, and very much enjoy it. Are there touts? Yes, there are some, but I have to say that I've never really been bothered by them in Sanur, and certainly not at the hotel I stay in. There are some places in Bali where the touts are bothersome, but this is not everywhere. For the most part, I find the Balinese people to be warm, friendly and helpful.<BR><BR>If you want to be protected from the Balinese , please don't go to Bali!

fee

Not to get in a debate about tourism, but aren't the primary tourists in Bali Australian?

frank

fee<BR>may well be- I was just assuming that it was mainly Americans. Anyone?

Made

According to immigration tallies, #1 tourist to Bali is Australian, followed by several European countries, other Asian countries, and I believe # 7 is America. <BR><BR>Not to add too much to the debate about Nusa Dua but it was developed by the government in the 70's strictly to lure the higher end tourists who don't want to mingle with Balinese or other Indonesians. The reason Nusa Dua is not recommended by people who like me either live in Bali or who have spent a lot of time is that it is very sanitized and other reasons which we won't go into here as space is limited. However, Nusa Dua is by far not the only place in Bali where you can sleep in air-conditioned comfort. There are many other 5-star hotels throughout the island. <BR><BR>For those people who stay in Nusa Dua and take "tours" around the island, you are NOT mingling with locals or experiencing local culture at all. Jumping in a van or tour bus and driving by or spending a few hours at a temple is NOT a cultural experience. I have stayed in Nusa Dua when I was paid to, and it was a nice experience, but again like staying in a hotel in Hawii, where I'm from. <BR><BR>OF course if you are jumping in a tour van they will take you to the most touristy places where the hawkers congregate. If you stayed in a place like Ubud you wouldn't have that problem. As some of the above posters mentioned, a polite no is usually sufficient. The really crazy hawkers usually reserve their pushiest behavior for people on tour busses. They are less than .001 of 1 percent of the population of 3 million people in Bali.

Made

By the way, none of the top hotels in Bali are located in Nusa Dua. They're located in Jimbaran, Sanur and Ubud.

Guy

To the last poster: Many of the top hotels in Bali are in Nusa Dua. Have you seen the Hyatt and Hilton??, fancy beyond words. Sure some even nicer ones may be found in other areas.<BR><BR>The beggers in Bali will not take a simple and polite no for an answer, they will keep asking and asking AND ASKING!!! They will follow you for blocks. It is very hard to mix with the people when you are followed by gangs of beggers and touts.<BR><BR>Bali is very interesting but best seen from the protection of a locked sealed van going 50 MPH, as soon as you will slow down the touts and beggers can smell you coming!<BR><BR>Stay in protected Nusa Dua it is beautiful and safe. (and much less expensive than Hawaii!)

x

Yes, the Hyatt and Hilton were nice, I would not put either of them in the same league as the Aman Resort in Ubud, either one of the Four Seasons, or the Ritz Carlton.<BR><BR>Sure they were fancy, but in the same way that a hotel in Las Vegas is fancy.