I love Bali
Island Bay wrote:Great! Happy to help out :-)
No more baubles!
Whatever happened to the Golden Casket shop ? Benny Baubles, Sammy Glitter and Leo The Watch King ?
I’m very sorry, I just crack up every time I see the word baubles. Throw back to the late 70’s and early 80’s, Melbourne retail outlets. AW
Hadn't been to Bali in 15 years. Saw the good forecast couple weeks ago, told my boss I'd be back in 10 days. Stayed at Impossible Cliff House until the hammers came down. The protest was very moving. The waves don't change. New cycle. Incredible surf juggling between Impossibles and Bingin. 3 trips to the local repair magician. Got to surf a 7'6 Outer flextail in proper waves. I love Bali.
I was surprised how rootsy Tuban was last time I was there.
Still get a cheap, cold Bintang coming in off a late surf at Middles.
basesix wrote:Moonah wrote:Wonder how all those kids are going now supafreak.
If that’s late 80’s they’d probably be around my age.yeh, shots like that make you reflect, don't they @moonah? Could Aussies have done a LOT better by the beautiful balinese soul? Growing up, I was around academics that loved Indo, many special grom visits...
the time I went there after the bali bombings I was sooo relieved to see japanese, etc filling the spaces in the hotels left vacant by aussies, who for decades had told Bali to expect aussies to always come and for them to build their dreams around it.
I don't know I'll be back. I wanted to share Bali with my kids. never done it. Couple of times solo in the last years, on my way to UK.. felt odd.. same same, but different. And rapidly declining. More Balinese looked tired than I'd ever seen. Grimy, sweaty and tired. Heartbreaking.
Interesting time for us all to watch a thing like modern-Bali happen. Influencers and white devils need to take their privilege seriously, and make sure they love any place they visit long time. Or not at all. I'll give that one to @indo-dreaming. Blowins are fucked and should carry mild shame and humility with them, until invited to not do so by a local. Standard. Basic. Central Aussie knows it, Indo knows it. Fly-by-night tourism is for the bucket-list, bucket-hat entitled 'takers'.
Sure do base, they made me stop and think for a while.
This from Craigs article above
One local government chair said the buildings "hurt the Balinese architectural philosophy that prioritises harmony with nature, culture, and spirituality".
Ha what a joke that was fukked up years ago just look at the monstrosity at dreamland......gunna be another at Bingin by the looks of it......crime against nature
Conditions update:
Paddled out pre dawn at Bingin and caught two tiny waves, before tide totally swamped it.
Flat now. All good things must end.
You might have to hit Ulus today IB
Thought of it, Flow. Reckon it might be a 2-3ft zoo.
May stick to Cormac McCarthy and Sampoernas.
Yes, Better for the mental health.
And Surfboard Health.
Island Bay wrote:Thought of it, Flow. Reckon it might be a 2-3ft zoo.
May stick to Cormac McCarthy and Sampoernas.
Headhigh to overhead up here this morning, slow then would pulse for 20 minutes, paddling out in dark with AW this morning, nice conditions but wind came up at 8.30 , still only light but left it to the local grommets .
Nice one Supy.
That place is an absolute magnet, especially considering it faces NE
Island Bay wrote:Nice one Supy.
That place is an absolute magnet, especially considering it faces NE
It was different watching an awesome sunrise over sumartra with volcanoes in the distance looking out to sea , yesterday arvo stayed out until dark and sunset over the land behind us, its the other way around on Lembongan .
Finns Club got their eyes on the Bingin Cliff?
Tony Smith bought Mick’s place a couple of years ago
Overcast, light rain, tiny surf. Not exactly dry season stuff :-)
Had coffee with Kong today. Well, not quite, but at the same cafe. Still counts, aye.
Island Bay wrote:Overcast, light rain, tiny surf. Not exactly dry season stuff :-)
Only a few head high single wave sets this morning , mellow land only crowd of 12 , swell coming but going to be bit too much south for here , bright side is boats will go elsewhere. Looks like some rain heading our way also . How much longer do you have IB ?
Sounds pleasant.
We fly home Sunday arvo. Saturday arvo and Sunday morning could be good.
Island Bay wrote:Sounds pleasant.
We fly home Sunday arvo. Saturday arvo and Sunday morning could be good.
Yes I think you will get another fix to hold you over for awhile .
Unexpected super bonus this arvo. Models had a new, small long period swell slowly ramping up this arvo, but I was skeptical.
Paddled out for some mini gliding, but struggled to get 1ft runners at top of reef. Hoping for a bit more luck I drifted to the end section, and fuck me that new swell hit! All of a sudden 3ft drainers, and only me out.
Little super shallow barrels, held up by string trades. Epic!
Nice to have the warm break IB. I'm sure you've seen but we had a 5 or 6 day run at home this week that was quite epic. Bali like on a couple of days too. I got amongst it most days and looked indo like at times
So good to hear you got some poo-man. Yep, saw the photos and videos and it looked all time. Good on you.
This was the best quality Impossibles I’ve ever surfed, if far from proper size. So stoked and grateful.
Awesome. I'm there in 3 weeks too
Enter the Excavators . . .
https://thebalisun.com/bali-leaders-confirm-heavy-machinery-will-be-boug...
On Friday, July 25th, Suryanegara told reporters that the initial demolition work on iconic Bingin Beach tourist hangouts, including Kelly’s Warung, is nearly complete. With the end of the initial demotion in sight, leaders are now working to expedite the arrival of heavy machinery.
plans are in
the concept anyway...
might be my prejudice shining through, and I don't really know about such things...
is that butt ugly russian architecture shining through?
very similar to plans for ones on south coast
apparently the same officials visited balangan yesterday, and I read same happening in lombok
could be all a push from new military prez. who seems to like rules and stuff...
and russian $$$
actually looking closer at cliff, that looks a bit different to bingin, but fb goss said it's bingin
That’s being built as we speak. It’s the big cutout scar just west of Bingin towards Padang.
Was wondering what’s going in there, but now we know. What a monstrosity.
sypkan wrote:plans are in
the concept anyway...
https://www.instagram.com/p/DILgkm0o4ja/?igsh=ejUzOWhya3ZndWg4&fbclid=Iw...
might be my prejudice shining through, and I don't really know about such things...
is that butt ugly russian architecture shining through?
very similar to plans for ones on south coast
apparently the same officials visited balangan yesterday, and I read same happening in lombok
could be all a push from new military prez. who seems to like rules and stuff...
and russian $$$
Ughh yuck. What a shame
^ Wes Anderson could get a bit gritty and make a predictive-future series about this spirited-away fantasy guest-palace.. what an opportunity for topical stylism.. can Mike White write the Prospective Treatment..? (an ironic self-spoof Yann Tiersen 'Amelie' soundtrack with creeping dissonance would work well..) Ugh..
(how un-ironically Mike-White-writing is this dog shit?: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1179286213396675)
Muscle beach , gym’s & beach bars , the new Uluwatu.
Nice Rise in Swell for your last Day I.B. - May have been an Hour Window with no Wind at Dawn to go Right on some 6-8 footers over other Side ?
Hey Udo
Was bigger yesterday arvo/evening, but quite busy.
We returned the scooter yesterday, so just got 10 out the front before a two hour breakfast.
Off to Airport soon. Job done ️
Bingin is just the start , a domino effect is happening that may carry on throughout Indonesia.
udo wrote:Nice Rise in Swell for your last Day I.B. - May have been an Hour Window with no Wind at Dawn to go Right on some 6-8 footers over other Side ?
I was meaning N.D. - But this looked Nice.
https://www.baliwaves.com/2025/07/sunday-power-at-keramas-surf-report-fo...
The tax man went through lembongan recently and audited some local businesses all the way back to 2017 . Some unlicensed premises had their liquor confiscated and fined . Majority of Bule’s were ok as long as their paperwork was in order . There are so many warungs built on government land on the beach all over lembongan and ceningan, all with fabulous views . Not sure what the government intends to do about them and you can see all over bali when driving around that warungs get built on the side of roads in some crazy places with great views . No building permits or plans they just wack them up and try to scratch a living from passing motorists.
Hey Supy.
Where does tax revenue go on Bali? Read an article in the Bali Sun about the Bingin debacle, and a govt spokesman was very keen to stress the need to gather tax revenue. As far as I can see it doesn't go towards roading, infrastructure, health care, etc.
cheers for all you work on this thread @IB, geez we not-in-indo muggles have been spoiled this winter!
Island Bay wrote:Hey Supy.
Where does tax revenue go on Bali? Read an article in the Bali Sun about the Bingin debacle, and a govt spokesman was very keen to stress the need to gather tax revenue. As far as I can see it doesn't go towards roading, infrastructure, health care, etc.
love to know the answer IB, have to admit a lot of tracks have been bituminized so i guess this might an example. What id like to know is all those businesses on Bingin Cliff that have been paying govt taxes in the last 5 years will they get this money back?...of course not, but how can the govt legally tax essentially illegal business's? (as they say "only in Indo")
Island Bay wrote:Hey Supy.
Where does tax revenue go on Bali? Read an article in the Bali Sun about the Bingin debacle, and a govt spokesman was very keen to stress the need to gather tax revenue. As far as I can see it doesn't go towards roading, infrastructure, health care, etc.
I don’t know but if you ask any Balinese their face changes to anger as they mumble “ Jakarta “ which is probably true . My friend where I stay isn’t happy that he has to pay tax and doesn’t see value for money in his area , the roads are crap and schools not great . Prabowo is trying to fight malnutrition in Indonesia and has introduced free meals in government schools. Gets kids to school and certainly helps but is costing billions and so the government is going hard on businesses paying tax . All these ideas about new airports, railways , highways etc are usually funded by outside interests like China . Had some nice waves first light , offshore , well overhead , 10 guys. Then wind & rain became strong from the northwest and chopped up the face so came in after 5 waves. Sitting here now it has glassed off again and rains passed. Another boat just pulled up making it 2 . Quick coffee and back out there .
"Where does tax revenue go on Bali?"
beamers and mercs don't buy themselves you know!
indonesia is famous for its 'informal economy', with academics once spruiking the benefits of 'micro investment' into it over large scale aid programs and projects, that are rife for corruption...
bingin was a prime example of this informal economy - without even needing the micro investment... aside from a few initial bule I guess...
sadly, greed and glamour has cooked all that
were the original warungs even paying tax?
used to see officials in uniforms come around, but much like the formal sector, I imagine 'tax' was often 'negotiated', with essentially nothing making it to the formal collection process
I'm sure bule investors paid their bule tax, most definitely sure... but this also likely wouldn't have made it much past a local level...
indonesia had a recent policy of 'otonomi' (local autonomy) which cynics would say absolved government of it's normal responsibilities... which it did... but it also allowed local areas to manage themselves, which was probably particularly suited to the bali banjar system...
the banjar system cops a lot of flak on social media, due to its propensity to corruption and not dispersing fairly... but at the same time, it serves bali well... I literally cannot think of any other place on earth that could run such a seedy nightclub tourist scene with essentially no presence of police at all...
it works
they do maintain the peace and harmony, overwhelmingly well, which is their central role
having said that though - and having limited knowledge of the 'bar tax' going to banjar etc. from beach clubs etc. around canggu - it's beyond obscene that this obscene amount of revenue hasn't made it to improving local infrastructure... canggu is a fucking mess...
all that and what supa said, jakarta plays a bigger role in bali than most people realise, I guess they didn't care when bingin and the like were providing modest lives for locals, but now with all the glitz, glamour, greed, and influencers... vomit vomit ... the 'opportunities' are now too big to ignore...
a bloody disaster for the original warungs and their families
that marabito building or whatever it's called was crazy!
8 stories tall, pools, restaurant, rooms etc.
I assume a bule investor is involved somewhere... as it was target no.1 for their largely symbolic sledgehammer session...
crazy that people thought they could / would get away with that shit indefinitely
Morabito may have been the proverbial straw. That was the first door that got knocked in, and a lot of people were talking about the over reach of the place. (Which sypkan already noted above - oops)
Fund the "new" capital of Indonesia in Kalimantan which from the rumour mill is on land owned by the Prabowo clan.
seaslug wrote:Fund the "new" capital of Indonesia in Kalimantan which from the rumour mill is on land owned by the Prabowo clan.
SeaSlug. Hi mate.
Fund the new capital, they need it, totally relying on foreign investment, $33billion dollars. Started in 2022.
If you want to see environmental damage, go on Google Earth and look at the clearing , it’s tragic.
Nusantara the new capital is close to Balikpappan.
Having flown in and out of Jakarta over the last few weeks, from the air you see water everywhere, that capital is sinking, hence the new move. AW
I know AW, lived in both Jakarta and Balikpappan, as you say the environmental destruction is immense but not as large as the graft.
sypkan wrote:that marabito building or whatever it's called was crazy!
8 stories tall, pools, restaurant, rooms etc.
I assume a bule investor is involved somewhere... as it was target no.1 for their largely symbolic sledgehammer session...
crazy that people thought they could / would get away with that shit indefinitely
ahhh, if it was 8, that might've been the problem,
7 storeys high is 'bout as high as a building oughta grow'
https://au.news.yahoo.com/sad-theories-emerge-as-popular-bali-tourist-sp...
I love Bali.
You wouldn't think that such a thought could be controversial . But it is.
Many people don't love Bali, in fact they proclaim to hate it. Bemoan what it has become, it's lack of purity, it's lost innocence.
Sure, I can see their point. I can't imagine anywhere on Earth that has been transformed as radically as Bali over the last thirty years. From rice paddies and coconut groves to six story discotheques . It's totally unrecognisable in the most built up areas.
But that's not what this post is about. It's about why I LOVE Bali.
I love Bali because ...
- it's still the home of an intense cluster of world class waves. Roping lefts : Uluwatu, freight train right barrels : Sanur, backlit mega tubes : Padang Padang. Rip able reefs, fun beachies. Short , slabby pits and long mellow points. River mouths and bombies. It's got the lot.
- it's still possible to get uncrowded quality waves in 2015 when it seems as though the entire planet has discovered surfing. I was trading crystal clear , rolling right walls with only two other surfers just this morning.
- it's still freaking beautiful. Watching the mist reveal Mt Agung in that unique Bali morning light from a black sand beach as the sun comes up is still special.
- the food is amazing. Walking around town building up a hunger and knowing that at any given time you are within shouting distance of fresh, exotic and delicious meals with enough variety to make your head spin is priceless.
- the Balinese are legends. Friendly, happy and always keen for a joke. Unfailingly polite and welcoming. Healthy, spiritual and decent.
- the Balinese surfers rip their waves and they still own them. A visiting Brazilian would not think twice to drop in on an Aussie local at Kirra. But you won't see the same in Bali. The Balinese surfers are treated with the respect they deserve. Because as everyone knows, if they are not treated with respect there is consequences.
- the water is so warm it's like swimming in silken angels tears.
- telling people that you are going to Bali will often elicit a response along the lines of ......"why would you go to that traffic ridden, noisy shithole ?" And then as you're kicking back with a Bintang watching the sunset over Uluwatu you can imagine them sitting at lights in their car on their way home from work in Perth. Which , for those that have never been , is a noisy , traffic ridden shithole. And this makes me laugh. Which is something I enjoy doing.
- The fruit is incredible.
- despite the millions of tourists, the fast food franchises and the Aussie over familiarity with the joint it's still exotic. The smell of clove cigarettes, the ogo ogos of Nyepi, the Buddhist offerings , monkeys , food and language are all enticingly foreign.
- there is no overreaching nanny state. You want to ride your motorbike with all four of your children and the missus on the back...whilst texting. Go for it.
- you can live like a king on a regular Aussie income. Maybe not such a great benefit for the Balinese themselves though.
- it's close to Oz. Twenty hour plane ride and a shot at developing deep vein thrombosis.....ummm no thanks. It's actually faster to fly to Bali from Perth than it is to drive to Albany. You can fly from Port Hedland in less than two hours.
- you get an opportunity to regularly witness some of the most foolhardy behaviour imaginable on a daily basis. You ever seen a man being doubled on a motorbike through traffic whilst holding a large pane of glass ? What about seeing someone hold a nail between his bare fingers while his mate tries to grind the tip off it ? It's all there folks.
- you can see people making do with not much and making it work. An exhaust system held on with a T Shirt ? An outboard motor attached to a boat with no anchoring system, just held on with a man's brute force ? Why not ? It might not work forever but it'll usually get em over the line.
- the winds can blow offshore for months at a time and when they blow onshore, well , that just makes it offshore somewhere else. It's an island !
- you haven't seen glassy oceanic conditions till you've seen Indonesian sheet glass. It's like an oil slick. And if you're ever near Benoa Harbour that could well be what it is.
- old people are accorded the respect they deserve.
- it's exciting. It's a melting pot of the world. Wide eyed villages from remote Asia, jaded techno princesses from Russia, sleek surfy chicks from Canada , your next door neighbour from Ipswich....it's a party and everyone is invited.
Including YOU. I'll see you there. You can't miss me.
I'll be the sun burnt drunk in a head to toe Bintang ensemble with hair braids and a fresh tattoo of a unicorn across my back . Don't be shy. Come and say hello.