selling well.

A recent interview with a Finnish newspaper

 

Somewhere in Bali

Why and when did you leave Bali?

I left Bali three years ago, my reasoning was pretty simple. I had spent eight or so years living on the island and I found myself becoming increasingly annoyed by the small stuff, the traffic, the rip offs etc. No matter how beautiful the place, when that starts to happen, it’s probably time to move on.

What did you do for living in Bali?

While I lived in Bali I was involved with a development company. Most of my work was done within the marketing side of the business.

How long did you live there?

Eight or so years, but I travelled back and forth regularly before that.

Are your brothers still living there? How many of them?

My brothers no longer conduct business in Bali; my family visits the island occasionally for holidays.

Where are you living now?

I now live in Thailand, there is a similarity that I’m used to, and I could not give up on South East Asia altogether.

Would you consider Kuta area as a dangerous place to visit?

Like most places in the world Kuta is as dangerous as you want to make it. I would advise any person that is thinking of traveling to a foreign country to keep their wits about them and to understand the environment they are entering into.

Indonesia is a very large country and there are people that travel to Bali seeking vulnerable tourists. That said most high profile tourist destinations seem to attract a criminal element.

How does the criminality in Kuta show on everyday life of an average tourist?

Most of the criminality against tourists is generally small scale, rip offs, over charging, pick pocketing, villa break-ins, etc. However, problems with violence do sometimes occur along the nightclub strip in Kuta.

In your advice, how can tourists avoid the problems?

  
My advice would be to never become in involved with in an altercation with the locals or any nightclub security staff in Bali. I have seen a lot of tourists get hurt this way. I would also only carry small amounts of cash and a cheap phone on any night out.

Is there a lot of criminality in other parts of Bali than Kuta also?

Kuta would be the hub of criminality in Bali, that said it is a small island and most of the bad element lives in the capital Denpasar.  The criminal element then travel to Kuta, Seminyak, Sanur, and other tourist destinations. The distance between these places is relatively short.

Can the police be trusted? Are they only corrupted or also straight involved in criminal activity?

It is always wise to have some money in your wallet if you intend to trust the police.

Can you trust anyone there? Locals or westerners?

Most Indonesians are good people that will do anything to help travellers in their country. Unfortunately there are also a small number of people that cannot be trusted. I guess it comes down to the individual judging the person they are dealing with.

Are all the gangs locals or have the western people formed those too?

A few western motorcycle gangs are moving into Bali, but at the moment the locals have most of the control.

What's the difference between a local and an expat criminal?

The local will generally have relatives or they will know somebody with connections. The local will generally win most disputes. 

How can an average tourist spot a scam? In other words, how not to get screwed?

Do due diligence, check everything twice or three times, and always hire an outside source to go over any paper work before signing. Never accept the lawyer or Notaris that is offered to you in any land deal.  Sometimes it helps to ask someone who has lived in Bali a long time to recommend a trusted lawyer or Notaris.

You've probably seen a lot of other destinies like that? Is it very common?

Bali has its own uniqueness but most places in South East Asia, if not the world, have their problems.

What about the good sides of Kuta / Bali?

I would not have been able to live in Bali for eight years if it didn’t have a good side. When I wrote Bali Raw I had grown weary of all the wonderful things that were being written about Bali. I wanted to level the scales slightly, tell people about the other side of Bali.

What's your upcoming book about?

I have written another book about Bali that will be published soon, I am also close to completing a book about Thailand, but at the moment most of my focus is on screenplays. 

I have completed  two screenplays at present. One script is based in Cambodia and it is titled, ‘No Negotiation No Ransom’ it is the true story of an Australian who was kidnapped by the Khmer Rouge in 1994. 

The other is a horror/comedy titled Dog House that was written for the American market. I have recently started another about the Bali Bombings that is loosely titled, Heroes.

Anything else you'd like to say about Bali?

Not really, I hope I said everything that needed to be said in my two books.

Bali's Islands a Brief History

A friend of mine often raves about the islands off Bali, specifically Nusa Lembongan. He loves the island and if he visits Bali he spend most of his time there relaxing, surfing and generally having a good time. Recently another friend opened a resort on the island at it inspired me to view some of the pictures I had taken on my many visits to Ceningan. I was going through my pictures and I came across a handful of good snaps taken by myself and others. And so putting two and two together I thought I would piece together an all too brief and very much dumbed down history of the islands. When I had finished I realised I could use what I had done for the Bali Raw blog.

It is believed that the three islands once formed their own kingdom centred on Nusa Penida. It is also supposed that this regime was separate from the main rule of the Balinese at the time. However it is also speculated that the regime did have connections with the South of Bali around the Bukit area. This is suggested because there are a number of temples in the area that are positioned and unified with the main temple on Nusa Penida, Dalem Peed. Dalem Peed is also considered somewhat of a Mecca for some castes of the Balinese people.  And it is expected that the Balinese with this this status visit the temple at least once in their lifetimes.

Eventually the Island Kingdom was subjugated by the Balinese. It is thought that the king who ruled from the area around the Dalem Peed was murdered in the last quarter of the seventeenth century. Just how he was killed is unclear. But after his death the islands of Lembongan, Ceningan and Penida were taken over by the rulers of Bali. These rulers then transformed the islands into a penal colony and they often shipped major criminals and political activists to their shores.

 

The isolation of the islands then brought about shift in the traditions and culture of the inhabitants. And eventually they began to cultivate their own unique customs and ceremonies. It is also believed that during this period a powerful black magic was developed and practised by the islanders. Word of this powerful magic soon reached the main island. And overtime the people inhabiting the three islands came to be viewed with a mixture of trepidation and religious reverence. Due to this fear the rulers of Bali soon stopped shipping there prisoners and they stopped sending boats to the islands. Then eventually the islanders were left alone by the rulers of Bali and they were allowed to govern by themselves.

The people of Bali were not the only ones who regarded the Island people with uneasiness and fear. Ancient navigation charts of the time are said to show the three islands marked with a skull and crossbones symbol. This was apparently done to warn sailors that under no circumstances should they harbour their ships close to the shores of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan.

The information supplied above was taken from the internet and I have no way to verify its authenticity. All in all it is a bit of fun and an excuse to show off some pictures. But thankfully true or not all of this has changed. And a trip to Bali would not be complete without at least a visit to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. For the more adventurous it is also becoming possible to visit Nusa Penida.

To view more pictures of Ceningan Island or to learn more about my friends resort please feel free to visit these two sites.

https://www.facebook.com/jettyonceningan?ref=stream

https://www.facebook.com/baliraw?hc_location=timeline

Romantic Interludes Bali

A number of people come to Bali for a short break. And sometimes they make a friend that they want to share their holiday with. There are plenty activities on offer for couples in Bali. A romantic pair may want to fall in love while taking in a Kuta sunset, or they may want to get cosy over a meal in a five star restaurant, they may even want to get hot and sweaty dancing the night away in a Bali nightclub.

The problem with these activities is they are very public and occasionally it is important for newly formed couples to be alone. Bali offers a lot more things to do than hanging around Kuta and Seminyak. Here are a two of my favourite ways to have a romantic interlude while holidaying in Bali.

The love Boat

Sail Bali's Islands

Hiring a fifteen metre yacht may sound like an expensive enterprise. But with a bit of careful planning it can be relatively affordable, especially if you share the expense with a like minded couple.

Most yacht charters are fully catered. And I know one tour company that offers a chartered yacht with full accommodation in private cabins. So right away you save the money you would have spent eating in restaurants and staying in a hotel.  

On our charter we spent the morning lounging on the front of the yacht. Taking in the view and catching a few rays. We then arrived at idyllic Crystal Bay off Nusa Penida were we snorkelled and swam in clean and pristine waters. After a couple of hour’s snorkelling and diving from the yacht, we again set sail for a short journey around to an island called Nusa Ceningan.

Once we were on Ceningan Island we did a bit of sightseeing around a quaint Bali village. And then we made a short journey to the high cliffs that frame stunning Blue Lagoon. Here we went cliff diving into the spectacular waters that surround the island. This is an activity that is thrilling and a must try for anyone visiting Nusa Ceningan. After these activities my friend and I were exhausted. So we spent the afternoon sipping drinks and watching the sun go down on our beautiful yacht. I won’t tell you what happened after that. Suffice to say that love was definitely in the air.

Ceningan Sunset

The next day we set sail for Bali. And we were lucky enough to catch a stunning sunset as we pulled into Benoa Harbour. My friend and I sat on the front of the boat and watched the amazing colours that only a Bali sunset can offer. The boat I used for my romantic getaway is called Sri Tanjung. I will not mention the tour company’s name. But I will say that it offers exclusive Bali island tours at an affordable price.  

 Hire a car and drive around Bali 

This is a great way to get out and about and to be alone. Car rental in Bali is very cheap and Bali is very small. It is quite easy to drive around the island in a few days. There is also less traffic once you get out of the tourist hub. And hotel hire is far cheaper than in in Bali’s tourist areas. I once took a beautiful Indonesian lady traveling around Bali with me and this is the itinerary we used.

We started our journey from Kuta early in the morning and spent three hours driving until we reached Candi Dasa. Once there, we were able to hire a relatively cheap hotel. We then spent the rest of the day lounging around the pool drinking cocktails.

The next morning we continued our journey and we drove three to four hours to arrive at Lovina beach. This is a long drive so it is very important have plenty of good music. Saying that the scenery is nice and there is little traffic. Also the reward of arriving at a lovely hotel in Lovina and again sipping cocktails by the pool was well worth it.

Soka Beach

Next stop beautiful Medewi. This is a shorter drive and there is nice scenery to be taken in on the trip. There are also a few touristy stops that can be made along the way. Once we made it to Medewi we stayed in a charming and relatively cheap hotel right on the beach. I opened my room’s curtains and watched people surfing as the sun went down from my living room. This hotel’s location was very romantic and well worth the price I paid.

The next day we drove from Medewi back to Kuta. This is a dangerous and busy drive but the scenery around Soka Beach definitely makes it worthwhile.

Bali is often touted as an island of love and doing these activities with a new friend fulfills this promise. I should also mention that all the hotels we stayed at during four day trip were empty. And that we were able to book rooms when we arrived.

For more on cliff diving at Nusa Ceningan visit:  www.fb.com/baliraw

Warning:

Do not drink the cocktails in Bali. Recently there has been a spate of methanol poisonings on the island. If I wish to drink cocktails, I buy name brand bottles from a Circle K. Most hotels do not mind if you bring your own alcohol as long as you are staying there and you use their mixers.  


©Malcolm Scott