In Reply to: Safety Concerns posted by Surf Father on Monday, 15. January 2007 at 17:23 Bali Time:
We are a family of 4 (kids 12 & 13yrs).
We cancelled our last Bali holiday after we were due to fly out just hours after last bomb.
Booked & returned however Dec 06/Jan 07 for holiday with some trepidation but a desire to return. DFAT warnings were as they currenty are.
Went straight to Ubud & spent 5 nights... felt sooo safe.
Then 14nights in Legian.... a culture shock & rather depressing after Ubud's delights.... so much dirtier & different on a variety of levels.
There are security guards on most hotel entries. They check boots of cars/taxi's on entering as well as checking underside of cars with a mirror.
Discovery Mall has security also. Our backpack was checked on entering. Machine gun was obvious on guards outside the Mall.
Security personnel outside of a lot of eateries/bars now too.
On a personal note, I felt this was more of a deterrant than an efficient means of determining a threat eg. a taxi underside would be checked with a mirror on 1 side only, Discovery Mall had an unmanned entry from the beach side.
Having said that, the number of tourists is far less than what might have been expected of the "old Bali". There is no having to push past fellow travellers on the side walk. In particular, after the new year, the streets were very quiet (only busier prior because people from Java were holidaying there). I cannot imagine how most of the restaurants remain viable when there are is so little business.
My views?.... having been in Bali with my family for 19 nights & back for just 4 nights, I would go back in a hearbeat. Ultimately, a very personal decision on whether to travel or not, as you state.
Good-luck.