Bali – First impressions = totally overrated

I heard such grandiose things about Bali. Everyone who visited the island seemed to have the best time ever.

My first impression of Bali is: how could that be?

Another name for Bali-Kuta, Kuta being the most touristy part of Bali, should be Gigantic Sales Pitch Show. Every 3 meters is someone ready to harass us to buy otherwise useless trash. Countless number of women approach us to offer us manicures or massages. Men specialize in money changing (scams) and “transport”. At night, a drug dealer is on standby on every street corner.

The beach has to be the most disgusting I have ever seen. Every 50 meters is a pile of trash that washed ashore. The ocean is full of plastic objects of all sorts. The beach obviously suffers from a serious case of pollution.

Knowing that Bali-Kuta is a “hot” destination for surfers, I cannot imagine how desperate/crazy/oblivious one needs to be to come to Kuta for surfing. Of course by looking at the number of prostitutes, pimps, and drug dealers, I can imagine why this place may be of some interest for people desperately in need of action.

However, Kuta does have its positives. There are many small temples and numerous offerings to God, which indicate that Balinese people, notwithstanding the craziness brought by mass tourism, remain staunchly traditional. The local architecture is impressive and most hotels present inviting gardens full of scent that reminds me of Indian tradition.

Tomorrow we will rent a scooter for 3 days. We want to flee this tourist trap and hopefully manage to see what Bali is all about. The beautiful temples, mountains, and famous landmarks, all found far away from Kuta, will surely be a redeeming feature for the island.