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Bali Holidaymakers Are Abandoning Old Favorite Kuta For Trendy Canggu

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Once considered a quiet tropical island paradise, Bali’s Kuta Beach and surrounding inland streets have become holidaymakers’ bright and bustling honeypots. In pre-pandemic years, Kuta was one of the busiest areas of the resort island, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every month.

While Bali’s tourism industry is definitely back on business after the horrors of lockdown, business owners in Kuta are concerned that the tourism masses are starting to favor areas like Canggu over classic Kuta. 

Empty Streets In Central Kuta In Bali

Although the peak season of June, July, and August is firmly over, and there is a natural lull in arrivals from mid-September through to the Christmas holidays, Kuta should still be pumping. Instead, streets are deserted, and nightclubs, bars, and restaurants are far from operating at capacity.

While there are certainly more tourists in the area than in 2020 and 2021, when borders were closed, local business owners and tourism staff have noted a serious decline in visitor numbers since the peak season ended.

@wans05back #kutabeach_bali_indonesia #🏖️⛱️🌊🌴🌞😎 ♬ Saat Di Pantai – Redwine Coolers

There are a number of factors that the tourism sector in Kuta has noted as influencing the situation. Firstly is simply the popularity and novelty of areas like Canggu. Thousands of families will happily return to Kuta year after year. Yet, just as many young families, couples, and groups of party-mad young travelers have been lured in by Canggu’s vibrant nightlife and modern tourism offering. There are dozens of new cafes, restaurants, and beachclubs. As well as Instagrammable shops selling genuinely appealing products to tourists, and heaps of accommodation options that fall into the affordable luxury category. 

@atlasbeachfest Replying to @Citra Bagaskara @Steve Aoki CAKE ME 4 | 📍 ATLAS BEACH FEST, Bali, Indonesia🇮🇩 #steveaoki #atlasbeachfest #atlasbeachclub #bali #indonesia #canggu #neverstopflying #hwgevent #musicatatlas #lifeatatlas #cakeface ♬ original sound – Atlas Beach Fest

Another reason is safety. Business owners in Kuta have told reporters that Kuta is making a bad name for itself after a series of phone thefts in recent months. Sugi, a local guide, chatted with reporters about his experience as a tour guide in Kuta. He openly explained, ‘When I take guests, many ask to go to Canggu. Very few people ask to go to Kuta. Especially for young tourists, they like Canggu…There is a sense of insecurity in Kuta. Theft often occurs. So now when it’s quiet like this, tourism actors tend to [leave]’. 

@itsmeridz_79 Mood Vacay on😅 #fypシ #ticktockmalaysia #kualalumpur #bali #vacation #indonesia ♬ original sound – Ain K.

Sugi’s feelings have been echoed by the Head of the Badung Regency Tourism Office, I Nyoman Rudiarta. He acknowledged that there had been a series of phone thefts in the area and that tourists did not want to be pestered by hawkers and even child beggars. He explained, ‘From our search results, there are indeed some small children who incidentally or what we call gepeng [homeless and beggars]. There is coercion to buy them. Their trade is in the form of tissues and hair ties’.

He said that although the tourism office was aware of these issues and worked to ensure that children don’t end up in these kinds of situations, in recent weeks, incidences of begging tourists on the beaches have been increasing. Previously most incidences were being reported along the surrounding streets.

Entrance-To-Kuta-Beach-In-Bali-CLsoe-To-Bali-Bombing-Site

Efforts are underway to ensure that Kuta remains safe for everyone and that tourists can enjoy the beaches without disturbances from hawkers. Local community leaders are working in partnership with local police to increase patrols on the streets, especially around busy times of night when thieves have been operating. 

View Of Kuta Beach With Tourists Enjoying Sand and Shallow Ocean Water

There are also conversations being held at a local government level to change how Kuta Beach is managed. There are hopes that an entry fee will soon be introduced, requiring international and domestic visitors to pay to use the beach. This way, local leaders hope, they can create designated areas for hawkers to have their own stalls to sell their wares so that, in turn, tourists can enjoy the beach in peace.

Tourists-Relax-On-Kuta-Beach-Bali

Naturally, tourism trends change and evolve, and even the Tourism Minister wants to shift the focus of tourism operations away from Bali’s southern coast. Canggu has indeed undergone its transition from a destination for a few intrepid surfers and backpackers to a digital nomad, indie hotspot to now welcoming more general tourists and holidaymakers.

What this means for areas like Kuta remains to be seen. No doubt, business owners will evolve their offerings to encourage tourists back to Bali’s first major attractions.

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Andrew

Saturday 22nd of October 2022

Kuta is FILTHY and covered in VANDALISM from top to bottom. Since Covid it has crumbled, rusted and decayed and not much has re-opened. The place has lost it's soul.

I'll be going elsewhere in Bali.

I do hope Kuta cleans up but for now it's a dump.

Robert

Monday 10th of October 2022

Charging for beach admission is a sure way to drive people away from Kuta.

bule

Thursday 6th of October 2022

Constant harassments have a long tradition in Bali. I know this since the 80's!

But it's not just in Kuta, it's everywhere where tourists roam around. Every 20 meters you walk on Bali streets or beaches another jerk yells after you “transport?”, bike bike”, “masssaaage” and so on. This SUCKS!

But Indonesians are like this, they will never get it.

John

Thursday 6th of October 2022

Canggu is a euro trash dumping ground. They come over to Bali and buy into the area and have set up their own bars and restaurants and even gyms and have nothing to do with Indonesians. They have basically brought their crappy lifestyles with them and use Indonesia for what they can get out of the locals. It's disgraceful. I would spend my time in Kuta any day over canggu and stay the hell away from these fake horrible people living in Canggu.

Wayan Bo

Saturday 8th of October 2022

@John, colonialism.

Exp

Wednesday 5th of October 2022

Holidaymakers are abandoning Kuta in favour of Canggu??

I like to see at least some attempts of planning and order. After I visited both Kuta and Canggu last year and I did not see many reasons to stay or return.