Indonesia's Troublesome Tourists
Tourists flock to the island of Bali but some leave their good behavior at home.
BALI, Indonesia, Oct. 6, 2008 -- Magnificent shades of orange and purple fill the sky as the sun sets over sandy, white beaches and jade-green rice paddy fields. After dark, the quiet Zen of Bali transforms as tourists flood the streets and push into roaring nightclubs and bars.
A Brit shamelessly dances shirtless and barefoot in a crowded bar with a strip of cloth tied around his head. The good-time scene he has created is one he's doubtful to remember in the morning.
Scantily clad foreigners dash in and out of crowded streets like a game of frogger -- barely missing the taxis, carriages and motorbikes that drive by. The honking and exchange of yells washes away any attempts at detox from earlier in the day.
This is, after all, Kuta and Legian where tourists flock for the night life and guide books issue warnings.
"Immodest tourists -- topless, bottomless, witless, brainless and hopeless," reads LUXE City Guides. "Show some respect, please."
Most understand that travelers come here from around the world to get away from it all and that the tourists drive the economy.
"[Kuta] has everything a tourist looks for, i.e. white, sandy beach, rows of excellent bars and restaurants, discotheques and entertainment spots for an enjoyable night life," reads the Bali Tourism Board Web site. "Rows of kiosks selling souvenirs and everything a tourist need[s] such as garments or latest CDs and cassettes are available along the main road with reasonable prices."
"Tourists are good. Many tourists come to Bali. Make money," said taxi driver Nyoman. "The Australians are always tipping."
This year the number of foreigner visits to the island, population more than 3 million, is on the rise, the majority of them from Japan and Australia.
Travelers from the United Kingdom make up nearly 4 percent of visitors while Americans make up 3.6k percent of the more than 1 million Bali tourists.
Visitor numbers dropped considerably after the 2002 bombing and then again after another explosion in 2005, expanding the heavily populated tourist areas from Kuta and Legian, to Seminyak.
