Bali's Dual Reality: Paradise Myth vs. Modern Challenges

Bali: Paradise or Paradox?

The Enduring Myth of a Tropical Paradise

For over 60 years, the tropical Indonesian island of Bali has been portrayed to the outside world as a heavenly paradise, where a strong culture and sense of community protect its inhabitants from the rigours of the modern world. This image is supported by many millions of dollars from the international community, which provides luxury hotel accommodation and facilities for nearly a million foreign visitors traveling annually to the holiday island.

Bali's image as an earthly paradise was first created by writers and artists who visited the island in the 1930s, according to University of New South Wales Lecturer Adrian Vickers in his widely acclaimed book, Bali, A Paradise Created. One 1930s writer, Helen Eva Yates, described the island as 'a forgotten medieval community where sun-bronzed women dress as Eve, a land where nobody hurries, and all is peace.'

The image continues to this day, but the reality is often different. Behind the marketing hype lies another story – one that exists in stark contrast to the sun, sand, and sea 'dream.'

Beneath the Surface: Bali's Hidden Realities

Social Challenges and Economic Disparities

The truth is that the lives of Bali's 2.7 million local inhabitants are often marked by poverty, suffering, and family strife. Prostitution and drug use are also becoming more common in Bali as an increasing number of girls from all over the Indonesian archipelago discover they can make fast money from the island's booming trade in foreign tourists. Once a problem more associated in Asia with Thailand and the Philippines, Bali is now increasingly coming under pressure from a growing trade in sex.

Environmental Impact of Tourism

With the influx of tourists has also come the problem of pollution. One Australian sewage treatment expert estimated that 80 percent of all hotels near Kuta Beach, the island's most popular resort area, disgorge untreated liquid waste directly into the sea. Following an unsubstantiated report in a Japanese newspaper, thousands of tourists from that country boycotted the island for fear of contracting cholera. Many hotels in the luxury resort enclave of Nusa Dua are still suffering from the effects of the cholera rumors.

The Tourist's Perspective and Responsibility

At the end of the day, says one travel industry expert, perhaps we have to blame the tourists for the flaws in the island's magical image: 'Bali is known around the world as a tropical island resort with a stunning local culture. Nobody wants to hear about its problems, especially while they are on holiday.'