In Reply to: Bali better now or before ??? posted by Dave on Wednesday, 17. January 2007 at 09:52 Bali Time:
would definitely be my preference or up till about 1993. For various reasons didn't travel again until 2004 and hardly recognised the place, particularly Kuta Square. This area was just started in 1993 and the art markets were still on the beach. 1982, my first visit remains in the memory for how safe it was out at night. We were staying at the Segara Village (before it was enlarged), a great little hotel, and I remember walking back to the hotel in the early hours of the morning from No1 disco, just us 2 girls, no one else around and not a worry in the world. The roads were not paved so you didn't have to worry about broken footpaths. The other tourists staying at the hotel had a different outlook then also. I good go on but won't. I really hated leaving. Bali was still untouched with very little western influence or large hotels, only the Bali Beach and the Hyatt. Yes the shopping is good now but back then you didn't go to Bali for the shopping. Yes, now I shop with the best of them but try to get out in the country and see something that may resemble the old Bali. Very difficult these days.