A Locals’ Guide to Bali, Beyond the Tourist Crowds
To some, the Indonesian island has become synonymous with throngs of tourists, but you can still break away from the pack. Here’s how, according to four insiders.
BALI HIGH The daily kecak performance at a temple in the Uluwatu region of Bali is unique in that the musicians use their voices instead of traditional gamelan percussion instruments. Alamy
FEW ISLANDS serve up as varied a grab bag of holiday pursuits as Bali. On a landmass about the size of Delaware, you can seek out tranquility in the DayGlo-green rice paddies around the yogi haven of Ubud and adventure up the slopes of massive volcanoes. Along Bali’s southern beaches, nightclubs attract big-name DJs and ever-more-ambitious restaurants are popping up like mushrooms after a downpour. But the secret is out—and has been for a while. As tourist arrivals return to prepandemic numbers and more transplants put down roots, Bali’s ever-growing traffic and garbage woes have turned it into an overtourism poster child. Luckily there are as many dimensions to the Indonesian island as the number of gods worshiped in its Hindu temples. Know where to look, and you can still experience the island not only as it once was but also as it might be in a more sustainable future. Below, four locals point you in the right direction.
Murni’s Warung has been a staple for local cuisine since it opened in 1974.
The Writer: Radit Mahindro
Author of ‘Paras,’ an upcoming book about Balinese hospitality
Radit Mahindro
REAL DEAL: Murni’s Warung: The nasi campur (rice with meat and vegetables) here is the best on the island. The owner opened this restaurant in 1974, and still occasionally pops in to meet guests and share fascinating stories.
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