Over the last 25 years, I have visited Bali 5 times. On this sixth visit we are staying at the Swiss-Belotel Bay View on the hill overlooking Nusa Dua. The hotel is delightful, nice big rooms and the villa that Alister and Peter have is stunning. Staff are efficient and friendly in the typical Balinese manner.
The stark difference is the remoteness. The cost of taxi / driver is not the issue. You do spend a lot of time in a car though. There's also the lack of spontaneity you find from a hotel located among restaurants and retail with a beach at your doorstep. The significant upside of course is that it is quieter.
Bali used to be the destination to get away from it all. A paradise in the busy world in which we live. Now it is crowded, noisy and over-developed. I suspect that this was bound to happen and in many respects not surprising. I am perhaps selfish in expecting it to have remained as it was. People follow success and have flocked to Bali. The fundamentals of the place as an alternative culture to the rest of the world are hard to find.
What is really noticeable is:
- the traffic volume exacerbated by a tollway that few locals will use
- great and adventurous food at an affordable price
- the cost of goods is no longer that cheap now that local artefacts jostle with global brands for attention