Bali Tourists Encouraged To Explore West, North And East Of Island As Central South Becomes Busier

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Bali’s Governor Koster is calling for a complete overhaul of the Bali tourism sector as the province looks to the future.

Bali’s Governor Koster, now in his second term in office, has long been vocal about his commitment to creating sustainable tourism that will benefit the Balinese community 100 years from now, and beyond.

As Bali looks to the future, tourists planning visits to the island will see the increasing promotion of lesser-visited destinations.

There are fears that the central south of the island, where the majority of the province’s top travel destinations can be found, is teetering on the edge of overtourism.

With demand for popular destinations like Uluwatu, Canggu, Sanur, Nusa Dua, Seminyak, Legian, and Kuta all continuing to grow, leaders are looking at how spatial planning, tragic business development and supporting the growth of the local talent pool can all be implemented to establish sustainable tourism moving forward. 

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Speaking at the 2025 Bali Jagahita Business Exhibition in Denpasar on Monday, 1st June, Governor Koster shared, “We are actively empowering local resources, both economic, business actors, and human resources to side with local resources.”

According to Governor Koster Bali’s economic development must be rooted in strengthening local culture, and supporting nature. This includes sustainable tourism, as well as the development of superior local exports including traditional sea salt, organic coffee, arts and crafts, and Balinese Arak. 

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Speaking at the exhibition the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Indonesia, Filianingsh Hendarta, shared his insights on how strategic investment must be sought to help more evenly distribute tourism development across the province. He explained, “The potential outside Sabargita (Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, and Tabanan) has not been optimally developed.”

He confirmed that 87% of investment in Bali is concentrated in the central south of the island and within the boundaries of the Sabargita area. Overall, 70% of Bali’s tourism industry can be found within this region too. 

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Hendarta told the press “A study at the Bank of Indonesia shows that there is a very strong correlation between retail sales and the number of tourists. Access to financing for MSMEs also needs to be continuously encouraged considering the limited growth of MSME credit in the first quarter of 2025.”

What this all means for tourists is that greater government and financial support will be given to businesses and communities in the island’s lesser-visited areas. The west, north, and east of the island have so much to offer, and as the central south becomes busier, tourists seeking crowd-free and super-affordable experiences would be wise to look a little off the beaten path. 

In West Bali, the number one destination is, of course, the West Bali National Park. As one of Bali’s only remaining untouched landscapes, this is the perfect hideaway for nature lovers or those seeking complete peace and quiet. 

For the slightly more adventurous, East Bali is calling. From Amed to Tulamben to Candidasa, the beaches of East Bali offer not only spectacular vistas but incredible diving opportunities, too.

For those who prefer to stay on dry land, East Bali can offer yet more adventures since the region is home to the magical Mount Agung, Bali’s largest and most sacred volcano peak.

North Bali sits as a happy middle point between the adventurous options of the east and the wild wonders of the west. It offers tourists the chance to reconnect with nature by roaming the jungles of the central highlands or go thrill-seeking by hopping waterfalls in Munduk and following dolphins at sunrise. While the famous tourism hotspots of south Bali will always hold a dear spot in all our hearts, maybe it is time to get a little further off the path in Bali.