I have been travelling to Bali since 25 years-4 times-thelast time 10 years ago and now from 20.11.2009 to 20.1.2010.
the difference since the last time was enourmous. Not only that the Kuta area from Kuta unto Seminyak/Legian is completely covered in concrete, the sea is a "toilet"-5 star tourists are lying amongst tons of dirt at the beaches-including hotels like Oberoi and Legian, also the Ku De Ta Beach is full of trash, cannot swimm there since you come out either with a plastic junk on your body or with whats left from the dogs which do their "business" in the water right there.
Balinese people throw away everything just where they are, not consious what they are doing to their island.
even very literate balinese people admit that bali will be dead for tourists in about 10 years.trafic is another topic-at about 7 pm you´ll need for the 3 km track from seminyak to kuta 1 1/2 hours by taxi, if you do not rent a scooter.
the "inside" of bali is somewhat still sort of healthy ( not Ubud ), but destruction starts also there, like in amed area where one after another hotel is constructed, one dive club next to the other.....Ubud is a special case, its grown nearly to a town, dirt everywhere, sales people: massase, transport, come in, etc., getting more and more agressive on tourists, so Ubud has even installed a special tourist-police.
the only Nusa Dua beaches are clean as well as the water there ( it looks clean )
So for me Bali is dead..........
