I love Bali

Blowin started the topic in Thursday, 19 Mar 2015 at 06:55 pm

I love Bali.

You wouldn't think that such a thought could be controversial . But it is.
Many people don't love Bali, in fact they proclaim to hate it. Bemoan what it has become, it's lack of purity, it's lost innocence.

Sure, I can see their point. I can't imagine anywhere on Earth that has been transformed as radically as Bali over the last thirty years. From rice paddies and coconut groves to six story discotheques . It's totally unrecognisable in the most built up areas.

But that's not what this post is about. It's about why I LOVE Bali.

I love Bali because ...

- it's still the home of an intense cluster of world class waves. Roping lefts : Uluwatu, freight train right barrels : Sanur, backlit mega tubes : Padang Padang. Rip able reefs, fun beachies. Short , slabby pits and long mellow points. River mouths and bombies. It's got the lot.

- it's still possible to get uncrowded quality waves in 2015 when it seems as though the entire planet has discovered surfing. I was trading crystal clear , rolling right walls with only two other surfers just this morning.

- it's still freaking beautiful. Watching the mist reveal Mt Agung in that unique Bali morning light from a black sand beach as the sun comes up is still special.

- the food is amazing. Walking around town building up a hunger and knowing that at any given time you are within shouting distance of fresh, exotic and delicious meals with enough variety to make your head spin is priceless.

- the Balinese are legends. Friendly, happy and always keen for a joke. Unfailingly polite and welcoming. Healthy, spiritual and decent.

- the Balinese surfers rip their waves and they still own them. A visiting Brazilian would not think twice to drop in on an Aussie local at Kirra. But you won't see the same in Bali. The Balinese surfers are treated with the respect they deserve. Because as everyone knows, if they are not treated with respect there is consequences.

- the water is so warm it's like swimming in silken angels tears.

- telling people that you are going to Bali will often elicit a response along the lines of ......"why would you go to that traffic ridden, noisy shithole ?" And then as you're kicking back with a Bintang watching the sunset over Uluwatu you can imagine them sitting at lights in their car on their way home from work in Perth. Which , for those that have never been , is a noisy , traffic ridden shithole. And this makes me laugh. Which is something I enjoy doing.

- The fruit is incredible.

- despite the millions of tourists, the fast food franchises and the Aussie over familiarity with the joint it's still exotic. The smell of clove cigarettes, the ogo ogos of Nyepi, the Buddhist offerings , monkeys , food and language are all enticingly foreign.

- there is no overreaching nanny state. You want to ride your motorbike with all four of your children and the missus on the back...whilst texting. Go for it.

- you can live like a king on a regular Aussie income. Maybe not such a great benefit for the Balinese themselves though.

- it's close to Oz. Twenty hour plane ride and a shot at developing deep vein thrombosis.....ummm no thanks. It's actually faster to fly to Bali from Perth than it is to drive to Albany. You can fly from Port Hedland in less than two hours.

- you get an opportunity to regularly witness some of the most foolhardy behaviour imaginable on a daily basis. You ever seen a man being doubled on a motorbike through traffic whilst holding a large pane of glass ? What about seeing someone hold a nail between his bare fingers while his mate tries to grind the tip off it ? It's all there folks.

- you can see people making do with not much and making it work. An exhaust system held on with a T Shirt ? An outboard motor attached to a boat with no anchoring system, just held on with a man's brute force ? Why not ? It might not work forever but it'll usually get em over the line.

- the winds can blow offshore for months at a time and when they blow onshore, well , that just makes it offshore somewhere else. It's an island !

- you haven't seen glassy oceanic conditions till you've seen Indonesian sheet glass. It's like an oil slick. And if you're ever near Benoa Harbour that could well be what it is.

- old people are accorded the respect they deserve.

- it's exciting. It's a melting pot of the world. Wide eyed villages from remote Asia, jaded techno princesses from Russia, sleek surfy chicks from Canada , your next door neighbour from Ipswich....it's a party and everyone is invited.

Including YOU. I'll see you there. You can't miss me.

I'll be the sun burnt drunk in a head to toe Bintang ensemble with hair braids and a fresh tattoo of a unicorn across my back . Don't be shy. Come and say hello.

thermalben Monday, 12 May 2025 at 09:05 am

What's with these floating warungs?

I was on NL recently, and the Bali Hai one out behind Lacerations was devoid of activity for all but one day. As far as I could find out, the only way you can only gain access is through a ticket (and charter boat) from Bali.

udo Monday, 12 May 2025 at 09:07 am

Lots Going On :
Dalton Thomas
@DaltonLThomas
·
Feb 17, 2024

In a few weeks we’re launching a growing fleet of vessels into the Indian Ocean that’ll be used for (1) floating surfing/diving villas off the coast of Bali, (2) remote surf and deep water spear fishing expeditions across Indonesia where there are no airports or roads, and (3) at-sea retreats and intensives for men wanting to make serious changes and get healthy in every area of their lives.

At the same time we’re launching a number of related businesses that will be connected in various ways (SALTWATER COWBOYS).

Supafreak Monday, 12 May 2025 at 09:51 am

thermalben wrote:

What's with these floating warungs?

I was on NL recently, and the Bali Hai one out behind Lacerations was devoid of activity for all but one day. As far as I could find out, the only way you can only gain access is through a ticket (and charter boat) from Bali.

The bali hai boat used to come daily, seats around 300 for lunch but this year has been very quiet . They run snorkeling and para sailing from there and used to have a submarine looking vessel that had glass bottom observatory. I would be extremely happy if they pissed it off to nusa penida as there is a flat water spot and it wouldn’t be in the path of lacerations . It snapped 3 chains one year in a big swell . The bounty also had a large pontoon which sunk during covid I think ??? And there large cat also no longer comes . IMG-1465

thermalben Monday, 12 May 2025 at 09:58 am

Crikey that is big Lacerations! And your photos from Razors the other day... wow.

Supafreak Monday, 12 May 2025 at 10:20 am

First group of photo’s is from 2014 same swell that snapped 3 chains. Next 2 photos are from 2013 , the old glass bottom boat ( submarine looking vessel) that used to cruise around muntigs . We would piss ourselves laughing watching this thing going over huge waves at muntigs , the captain sitting up high , unfazed , with tourists down below looking through the glass bottom. Third photo was the yellow bounty pontoon that sunk but was eventually relocated. IMG-1466
IMG-1467
IMG-1468

AlfredWallace Monday, 12 May 2025 at 10:33 am

Supafreak wrote:

First group of photo’s is from 2014 same swell that snapped 3 chains. Next 2 photos are from 2013 , the old glass bottom boat ( submarine looking vessel) that used to cruise around muntigs . We would piss ourselves laughing watching this thing going over huge waves at muntigs , the captain sitting up high , unfazed , with tourists down below looking through the glass bottom. Third photo was the yellow bounty pontoon that sunk but was eventually relocated. IMG-1466

IMG-1467

IMG-1468

How’s the barrel in the background of the second last photo , one with the submarine in the foreground. Sure packing some punch. AW

Moonah Monday, 12 May 2025 at 12:32 pm

udo wrote:

Lots Going On :

Dalton Thomas

@DaltonLThomas

·

Feb 17, 2024

In a few weeks we’re launching a growing fleet of vessels into the Indian Ocean that’ll be used for (1) floating surfing/diving villas off the coast of Bali, (2) remote surf and deep water spear fishing expeditions across Indonesia where there are no airports or roads, and (3) at-sea retreats and intensives for men wanting to make serious changes and get healthy in every area of their lives.

At the same time we’re launching a number of related businesses that will be connected in various ways (SALTWATER COWBOYS).

Sometimes I wish Indo was more like Hawaii, not a chance foreigners would be getting away with this shit.
Are they Euro’s? Russian?

udo Monday, 12 May 2025 at 12:46 pm

Seppo .

udo Monday, 12 May 2025 at 12:50 pm

Saltwater Cowboy Owner is American..... And not a Surfer i Think ?
Plenty of Links on Previous Page....Start with his X Page .

soggydog Monday, 12 May 2025 at 01:14 pm

Yerp, another parasite on surfing. Just what Bali needs

dandandan Monday, 12 May 2025 at 01:57 pm

Agreed soggy.

Given everything the last two decades has shown us, I feel like I could mount a convincing argument that the collapse of almost all surf-adjacent business would be an overall net positive for Indonesia, for surfing, and for the world at large.

soggydog Monday, 12 May 2025 at 02:34 pm

udo wrote:

Saltwater Cowboy Owner is American..... And not a Surfer i Think ?

Plenty of Links on Previous Page....Start with his X Page .

X page reveals an opportunistic parasite with almost zero historical links to surfing.

Bnkref Monday, 12 May 2025 at 02:54 pm

Yep, agree with everything above about that Saltwater Cowboy snake-oil salesman. He's no good. Hopefully gets run out of town.

udo Tuesday, 13 May 2025 at 05:00 pm

~ Piter is a Good Man ~

Supafreak Tuesday, 20 May 2025 at 06:21 am

Got off lightly with deportation , no doubt lost all their Indonesian assets.

seaslug Tuesday, 20 May 2025 at 08:02 am

Very very lightly, maybe the prosecutor and judge were previous clients haha but more likely an "agreement was reached", foreigners involved in prostitution in SEA normally go down just look at the cases in Thailand.

Supafreak Thursday, 22 May 2025 at 10:26 am
Supafreak Saturday, 24 May 2025 at 10:05 am
Supafreak Monday, 26 May 2025 at 09:40 pm

A bloke from the UK got sentenced to death by firing squad a few weeks ago but it doesn’t seem to deter some. This guy’s life is in for a dramatic change of scenery .

More tubes please Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 01:54 pm

Anyone applied for the Indo Visa On Arrival online? Or is it just easier to get it at the airport once you land as was the standard operating procedure since forever? First trip back to indo since 2019 for me, seems like there’s been quite a few changes…

burleigh Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 01:57 pm

More tubes please wrote:

Anyone applied for the Indo Visa On Arrival online? Or is it just easier to get it at the airport once you land as was the standard operating procedure since forever? First trip back to indo since 2019 for me, seems like there’s been quite a few changes…

If you've only got carry on, the online visa is great, if you've got boards you'll most likely be waiting either way, but IMO its better to wait for your boards than wait in those slow as fuck visa lines.

So get the online visa.

You will also need to fill your entry form online and have the QR code ready for a quick exit.

Supafreak Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 02:11 pm

With online visa and smart passport you can clear immigration in about 30 seconds. As burleigh pointed out, you will always wait for boards . Customs declaration 3 days before flight along with tourist tax . Just make sure you have the correct link for your visa, there are some scam websites apparently .

fitzroy-21 Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 02:27 pm

Agree with the above, so much easier having done it all online prior. Don't forget the Health declaration too.

burleigh Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 02:56 pm

Supafreak wrote:

With online visa and smart passport you can clear immigration in about 30 seconds. As burleigh pointed out, you will always wait for boards . Customs declaration 3 days before flight along with tourist tax . Just make sure you have the correct link for your visa, there are some scam websites apparently .

You pay the tourist tax?

andy-mac Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 02:57 pm

Went last April, and the online visa was not working, wouldn't let me upload photo's. Previous trip had used it no worries.
Did on arrival, no dramas, just a bit of a wait but then again had to wait for boards anyway.
Health app SatuSehat was not checked at all even though had done it online.

fitzroy-21 Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 03:08 pm

burleigh wrote:

With online visa and smart passport you can clear immigration in about 30 seconds. As burleigh pointed out, you will always wait for boards . Customs declaration 3 days before flight along with tourist tax . Just make sure you have the correct link for your visa, there are some scam websites apparently .

You pay the tourist tax?

I've never paid it (3 trips in the last 12 months) and never been asked for it.

More tubes please Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 04:12 pm

Thanks all, tried to apply for the visa online but they wanted a passport photo uploaded, which means a trip to the post office with the missus and son, so we’ll just get the visa at the airport.

I’ve done the health Dec and customs forms online, so hopefully won’t have too long of a wait.

Forecast is looking fun, can’t wait!

Supafreak Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 04:39 pm

fitzroy-21 wrote:

With online visa and smart passport you can clear immigration in about 30 seconds. As burleigh pointed out, you will always wait for boards . Customs declaration 3 days before flight along with tourist tax . Just make sure you have the correct link for your visa, there are some scam websites apparently .

You pay the tourist tax?

I've never paid it (3 trips in the last 12 months) and never been asked for it.

I don’t pay it as have temporary residency but have known people that were checked at toll road and given a hard time, they didn’t get fined just had to pay the 150,000 rp tax , some pay it some don’t.

fitzroy-21 Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 05:19 pm

More tubes please wrote:

Thanks all, tried to apply for the visa online but they wanted a passport photo uploaded, which means a trip to the post office with the missus and son, so we’ll just get the visa at the airport.

I’ve done the health Dec and customs forms online, so hopefully won’t have too long of a wait.

Forecast is looking fun, can’t wait!

You only need a photo of your passport and a photo of yourself. It doesn't have to be a proper passport photo, just a phone photo like the example shown on the application.

andy-mac Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 05:46 pm

More tubes please wrote:

Thanks all, tried to apply for the visa online but they wanted a passport photo uploaded, which means a trip to the post office with the missus and son, so we’ll just get the visa at the airport.

I’ve done the health Dec and customs forms online, so hopefully won’t have too long of a wait.

Forecast is looking fun, can’t wait!

Just a photo of your passport.
Mine wouldn't upload when I tried, a few of us couldn't, sites must have had issues at time.

More tubes please Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 09:21 pm

fitzroy-21 wrote:

Thanks all, tried to apply for the visa online but they wanted a passport photo uploaded, which means a trip to the post office with the missus and son, so we’ll just get the visa at the airport.

I’ve done the health Dec and customs forms online, so hopefully won’t have too long of a wait.

Forecast is looking fun, can’t wait!

You only need a photo of your passport and a photo of yourself. It doesn't have to be a proper passport photo, just a phone photo like the example shown on the application.

Yep that worked, visas approved straight away! Cheers Fitzy

Supafreak Friday, 30 May 2025 at 01:30 pm

This monkey is having a fun day at the zoo .

seeds Thursday, 5 Jun 2025 at 08:20 am

I’ve taken this boat before. Lucky it happened close in.
https://7news.com.au/news/bali-tourist-boat-carrying-dozens-of-travelle…

blackers Thursday, 5 Jun 2025 at 08:36 am

seeds wrote:

I’ve taken this boat before. Lucky it happened close in.

https://7news.com.au/news/bali-tourist-boat-carrying-dozens-of-travelle…

It would have been very scary. Wonder what happened. Do you have any intel, Supa?

caj Thursday, 5 Jun 2025 at 02:05 pm

blackers wrote:

I’ve taken this boat before. Lucky it happened close in.

https://7news.com.au/news/bali-tourist-boat-carrying-dozens-of-travelle…

It would have been very scary. Wonder what happened. Do you have any intel, Supa?

I assume the boat was evacuated, not the passengers. Evacuating people who've fallen off a sinking boat seems unnecessary and weird....
"All passengers were evacuated to safety by 6.30pm local time."

Supafreak Thursday, 5 Jun 2025 at 02:31 pm

caj wrote:

I’ve taken this boat before. Lucky it happened close in.

https://7news.com.au/news/bali-tourist-boat-carrying-dozens-of-travelle…

It would have been very scary. Wonder what happened. Do you have any intel, Supa?

I assume the boat was evacuated, not the passengers. Evacuating people who've fallen off a sinking boat seems unnecessary and weird....
"All passengers were evacuated to safety by 6.30pm local time."

Just word of mouth in the surf this morning, boat comes and goes from mushroom beach, apparently was taking in water on arrival, everyone got off ok then boat sunk . In other news 2 guys got washed onto the crane wreck yesterday arvo in large swell and strong current pulling them into it . One guy cut his foot pretty bad and off to hospital . Be careful surfing here when its big, current direction changes throughout the day . IMG-1764

Supafreak Thursday, 5 Jun 2025 at 06:26 pm
Supafreak Thursday, 5 Jun 2025 at 06:32 pm

AI taking the piss or truth telling ?

seeds Thursday, 5 Jun 2025 at 06:36 pm

It’s a shame Ukrainian drones are otherwise indisposed

andy-mac Thursday, 5 Jun 2025 at 06:47 pm

Supafreak wrote:

AI taking the piss or truth telling ? https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKeKiytxkO_/?igsh=MTAyZzlnMWxteDdtZA==

Fark me....
From morning of the earth to fuckwitville.

Real Bali still there, but geez what the hell happened?

Ah ..... give me surfers and Aussie Bogan's anyway...

Supafreak Saturday, 7 Jun 2025 at 12:28 pm

Wet season continues, absolutely pissing down here , thought the rain had ended as was only get some scuds through the night but it’s come in bucketing down at 10.00 am today, should clear up , just wasn’t expecting it. Fun swell running at the moment 4ft & consistent , Sunday afternoon Monday looking bloody good .

tubeshooter Sunday, 8 Jun 2025 at 07:34 pm

Good news for Novacastrians and those in surrounding areas.
Direct flights from Newy to Denpasar coming in October.

Supafreak Tuesday, 10 Jun 2025 at 05:35 am

More Bali truth telling.

Supafreak Saturday, 14 Jun 2025 at 07:21 am

Seems to be plenty of dumb people getting busted lately. Probably thinking it won’t happen to me or that you can buy your way out . The British guy who got sentenced to death by firing squad got 10 months jail on appeal.

Moonah Saturday, 14 Jun 2025 at 08:26 am

Supafreak wrote:

Seems to be plenty of dumb people getting busted lately. Probably thinking it won’t happen to me or that you can buy your way out . The British guy who got sentenced to death by firing squad got 10 months jail on appeal. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DK2Kck9STab/?igsh=MTg5cW5jeGo0dmdz

How brain dead can you be, all for a bag of the most cut coke you’ll ever put up the snozz.
Silly bugger

Supafreak Saturday, 14 Jun 2025 at 08:42 am

Moonah wrote:

Seems to be plenty of dumb people getting busted lately. Probably thinking it won’t happen to me or that you can buy your way out . The British guy who got sentenced to death by firing squad got 10 months jail on appeal. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DK2Kck9STab/?igsh=MTg5cW5jeGo0dmdz

How brain dead can you be, all for a bag of the most cut coke you’ll ever put up the snozz.
Silly bugger

I highly doubt the cops were doing a random search, I would pretty much guarantee his “ girlfriend “ or whoever sold it to him was working with the cops . Thing is , why do it in Bali ? Plenty of destinations around the globe where it’s cheaper, better quality and nobody looks twice at it .

basesix Saturday, 14 Jun 2025 at 08:54 am

it's getting more common for Aussie nationals vacationing in Bali to get deported and banned from Indo for life...

plus you get the honour of having your mug on the internet, hands cable tied, and wearing a high vis top in a lineup, for the rest of your life when someone googles your name..

crazy... what're they thinking..?

they can get you for a few pills:

"...diduga mengandung narkotika golongan I atau dexamfetamina, Atas perbuatan tersebut, Imigrasi menjerat bule Australia itu dengan Pasal 75 Ayat 1 Undang-Undang (UU) Nomor 6 tahun 2011 tentang Keimigrasian."

("For the act of carrying 6 white pills suspected of containing class I narcotics or dexamfetamine, Immigration ensnared the Australian foreigner with Section 75 Paragraph 1 of Law (Law) Number 6 of 2011 on Immigration.")

Moonah Saturday, 14 Jun 2025 at 09:14 am

Spot on supa and base.

sypkan Saturday, 14 Jun 2025 at 11:33 am

times up for bingin?

I'd normally defend the warungs, but there's now so many ugly euro concrete boxes, with all that comes with it, I say good...

until we see what replaces them?

balangan on the radar

https://thebalisun.com/bali-moves-to-demolish-more-than-40-illegal-tour…

chin Saturday, 14 Jun 2025 at 01:36 pm

sypkan wrote:

times up for bingin?

I'd normally defend the warungs, but there's now so many ugly euro concrete boxes, with all that comes with it, I say good...

until we see what replaces them?

balangan on the radar

https://thebalisun.com/bali-moves-to-demolish-more-than-40-illegal-tour…

If I remember right, that already happened to the beachfront warungs at Balangan a few years back. Or they got burned down, or both.