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Generally Bali is a happy go lucky kind of place but like anywhere you travel in this world, hassles occur and stuff can happen. Apart from getting Bali belly from eating a bad plate of prawns or having a crash on your motorbike, there are some other things you should be aware of. Below are some things to avoid so your holiday will be a good one.
Arguments with Customs or Immigration Officers: Being hassled by Customs or Immigration officials at Ngurah Rai International airport upon arrival (or departure) is not the worst thing that could happen to you – entering Australia is generally a lot worse. It is useless to argue with them and will only put you on the wrong foot. Arguing with people in public is not cool anywhere in Indonesia so refusing to comply will only see you losing out. The best thing to do is be polite and comply with their requests.
Taxis that don’t use the Meter: It is very important to ask a driver to use the meter before you even begin your journey. You just can’t win if you try to argue with a taxi driver at the end of your trip over the fare because he hasn’t turned on the meter. Avoid getting into shouting matches with drivers. If you start shouting you will probably soon find yourself surrounded by some of the driver’s ‘friends’.
In fact, to avoid all hassles with dodgy drivers, just use Bluebird taxis. They have a trustworthy reputation throughout Indonesia. They always use the meters when asked and the drivers are generally polite and professional. There are now also other options such as Grab Car, Go Car etc.
To be fair - in some situations it is helpful to look at things from a driver’s perspective. They may have waited for a long time outside your hotel without a fare. If you are asking to go on a short trip, they will get a small fare then have to go to the end of the line to wait for another customer. In this scenario they will often bargain for a price and not use the meter.
Unregistered Money-Changers: Find a good registered moneychanger and stick with it. You can generally tell if a money changer is legit by their exchange rate, as it will be about the same as most of the other moneychangers and close to the ones found on the internet/TV etc.
Any money changer that has an exorbitantly high rate is guaranteed to be a rip off. The high rate is to lure you in. Then usually in pairs, these con artists will be super friendly and engage you in conversation to distract you. They will often change your money using lots of lower valued bills so it will take you a long time to count. This increases the chances of you becoming confused. They’ll often say that you don’t need to count it and portray themselves as very honest. In the end it’s just a scam to short change you.
I personally experienced this once. Finally after counting out the money three times, I said that they had not given me enough. Suddenly, they replied that they’d run out of cash, I quickly took back my 100 dollar note and left. This type of scam has been happening for decades.
Walking Home by Yourself at Night: This never used to be a problem back in the early days of Bali but in modern Bali it is becoming a concern, especially late at night. It is far better to get a recognized taxi back to your hotel. But if you have to walk, then walk back with some friends. There are unscrupulous people out there who would take advantage of a lone person, especially one under the influence of alcohol.
Avoid Flashing Large Sums of Money: Definitely don’t flash large amounts of money in public. Opening your wallet (or purse) and flashing large sums of cash is an invitation for trouble and unwanted attention. There are pickpockets (some quite clever), bag snatchers and thieves in Bali. It is generally not the Balinese but Indonesians from other Islands that do this kind of stuff.
Buying Drugs: This is a no brainer but amazingly people still do buy drugs in Bali. There are many people wasting away in Bali prisons that have succumbed to this stupidity. Many people have bought drugs on the streets only to be set up and arrested. The person selling the drugs often will sell you fake stuff anyhow or they will get a payment from the police after you have been arrested. Never carry drugs into Bali or the rest of Indonesia. There is a high probability that you will be caught and may even be executed.
Hustlers on the Streets: You will often get hassled by hawkers and beggars. Some may be genuine, but a majority are not. Giving money to them often goes to another person who is controlling them. Also, once you have given to one then they will tell their friends and you will be targeted by them. The best advice is to ignore their pleas, don’t talk and keep walking – they won’t be offended. Of course, if you really feel there is a genuine case then go ahead.
Arguments with Customs or Immigration Officers: Being hassled by Customs or Immigration officials at Ngurah Rai International airport upon arrival (or departure) is not the worst thing that could happen to you – entering Australia is generally a lot worse. It is useless to argue with them and will only put you on the wrong foot. Arguing with people in public is not cool anywhere in Indonesia so refusing to comply will only see you losing out. The best thing to do is be polite and comply with their requests.
Taxis that don’t use the Meter: It is very important to ask a driver to use the meter before you even begin your journey. You just can’t win if you try to argue with a taxi driver at the end of your trip over the fare because he hasn’t turned on the meter. Avoid getting into shouting matches with drivers. If you start shouting you will probably soon find yourself surrounded by some of the driver’s ‘friends’.
In fact, to avoid all hassles with dodgy drivers, just use Bluebird taxis. They have a trustworthy reputation throughout Indonesia. They always use the meters when asked and the drivers are generally polite and professional. There are now also other options such as Grab Car, Go Car etc.
To be fair - in some situations it is helpful to look at things from a driver’s perspective. They may have waited for a long time outside your hotel without a fare. If you are asking to go on a short trip, they will get a small fare then have to go to the end of the line to wait for another customer. In this scenario they will often bargain for a price and not use the meter.
Unregistered Money-Changers: Find a good registered moneychanger and stick with it. You can generally tell if a money changer is legit by their exchange rate, as it will be about the same as most of the other moneychangers and close to the ones found on the internet/TV etc.
Any money changer that has an exorbitantly high rate is guaranteed to be a rip off. The high rate is to lure you in. Then usually in pairs, these con artists will be super friendly and engage you in conversation to distract you. They will often change your money using lots of lower valued bills so it will take you a long time to count. This increases the chances of you becoming confused. They’ll often say that you don’t need to count it and portray themselves as very honest. In the end it’s just a scam to short change you.
I personally experienced this once. Finally after counting out the money three times, I said that they had not given me enough. Suddenly, they replied that they’d run out of cash, I quickly took back my 100 dollar note and left. This type of scam has been happening for decades.
Walking Home by Yourself at Night: This never used to be a problem back in the early days of Bali but in modern Bali it is becoming a concern, especially late at night. It is far better to get a recognized taxi back to your hotel. But if you have to walk, then walk back with some friends. There are unscrupulous people out there who would take advantage of a lone person, especially one under the influence of alcohol.
Avoid Flashing Large Sums of Money: Definitely don’t flash large amounts of money in public. Opening your wallet (or purse) and flashing large sums of cash is an invitation for trouble and unwanted attention. There are pickpockets (some quite clever), bag snatchers and thieves in Bali. It is generally not the Balinese but Indonesians from other Islands that do this kind of stuff.
Buying Drugs: This is a no brainer but amazingly people still do buy drugs in Bali. There are many people wasting away in Bali prisons that have succumbed to this stupidity. Many people have bought drugs on the streets only to be set up and arrested. The person selling the drugs often will sell you fake stuff anyhow or they will get a payment from the police after you have been arrested. Never carry drugs into Bali or the rest of Indonesia. There is a high probability that you will be caught and may even be executed.
Hustlers on the Streets: You will often get hassled by hawkers and beggars. Some may be genuine, but a majority are not. Giving money to them often goes to another person who is controlling them. Also, once you have given to one then they will tell their friends and you will be targeted by them. The best advice is to ignore their pleas, don’t talk and keep walking – they won’t be offended. Of course, if you really feel there is a genuine case then go ahead.