Bali’s inclusion on a No List for travel in 2025 is causing quite a stir, just as the island is on track to see its busiest year for tourism on record.
Leaders are reflecting on how to balance high-quality experiences and sustainable growth as the destination is starting to see the negative impacts of overtourism and overdevelopment in the island’s most famous resorts.
Last week, Bali came out tops on Fodor’s No List for 2025.
Citing overtourism, poor control over waste management, and struggling infrastructure, Fodor called in travel experts, tourism academics, and local NGO leaders to discuss why travel in Bali in 2025 needs to change.
While neither Fodor nor the interviewees in the article called for a boycott of travel in Bali in 2025, it was clear that stakeholders want and need to see rapid and meaningful change. In truth, tourists do too.
Indonesia’s Deputy Tourism Minister, Bali-born Ni Luh Enik Ermawati, known as Ni Luh Puspa, told reporters, “What is currently happening on the island of Bali is not over-tourism, but rather the uneven distribution of tourists because they are concentrated in the southern part of Bali.”
“Meanwhile, the northern and western parts of Bali have many tourism potentials that are still unknown to tourists.”
She noted that the Ministry of Tourism is actively working to help redistribute tourism more evenly throughout Bali Province for the benefit of tourists and local communities.
Citing the new 3B Tour, which connects North Bali, West Bali, and Banyuwangi in East Java, Ni Luh Puspa said that there are plenty of incurable destinations in Bali Province just waiting to be discovered.
Ni Luh Puspa calls for tourists to explore a wider range of destinations in Bali with a focus on nature, culture, and, specifically, tourism villages.
She explained that “there is Tembok Tourism Village, Les Tourism Village, Lovina, and Pemuteran in North Bali. In Jembrana, there is the West Bali National Park, which is an attraction for the Bali Starling bird.”
“In Banyuwangi, there are many destinations such as Kemiren Tourism Village, G-Land, and Alas Purwo, and no less interesting is the Ijen Crater.”
The Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Tjokorda Bagyus Pemayun, spoke to reporters about the Fodor article and said that the moratorium on tourism development in South Bali is still on the cards.
The ban on the development of new tourist accommodations, restaurants, cafes, and entertainment venues in Badung Regency, Denpasar City, Tabanan Regency, and Gianyar Regency was due to come into effect in October, though the policy has been delayed.
Pemayun told reporters, “Yes, it is true, but we are still discussing it…I also asked about it during the coordination meeting in Jakarta.”
He added that the surge in tourist interest in a post-pandemic world was hard to predict, avoid, and control.
He noted, “After the pandemic, Bali was indeed flooded with tourists; it was indeed that long, two and a half years of longing for Bali to be visited. But in terms of the number of visits, it is still not like before the pandemic, which was 6.2 million [international arrivals].” Bali is on track to surpass 7 million international arrivals by the end of 2025.
Pemayun suggested that he and his teams work to control the number of permits that are being issued for tourism development projects even before the moratorium comes into effect.
He explained, “We still issue permits within the corridor according to OSS requirements, but we really monitor and verify according to regulations. If it is not appropriate, we will postpone it until this moratorium can be implemented.”
Tourists looking for a classic resort-style vacation in Bali in 2025 will find that destinations like Seminyak, Uluwatu, Canggu, Nusa Dua, and Sanur still tick all of the boxes.
For those looking for an authentic travel experience, away from the major resorts will still find plenty to discover in Bali.
Destinations like Sidemen, Muduk, Medewi, Amed, Lovina, Nusa Lembongan, and West Bali National Park have so much to offer and are free from crowds, traffic jams, and big tourism infrastructure that many tourists are seeking to avoid in 2025.
Remove All Ads & Unlock All Articles… Sign up for The Bali Sun Premium
Plan Your Bali Holiday:
Book The Best English Speaking Drivers For Airport Transfers & Tours
Choose From Thousands of Bali Hotels, Resorts, and Hostels with Free Cancellation On Most Properties
Book Cheap Flights To Bali
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance That Covers Medical Expenses In Bali
For the latest Bali News & Debate Join our Facebook Community
SUBSCRIBE TO NEW POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to The Bali Sun’s latest breaking news, straight to your inbox.