Kuta tends to pull in a younger, wilder crowd with megaclubs, ultra-cheap drinks, and a musical focus on reggae, top 40, R&B, and mainstream dance music. During high season and particularly “Australian Spring Break” in November in Kuta you will meet more Australians than any other nationality. But Kuta is famous enough to draw in party seekers from far away. The overall atmosphere is a bit more “rough” and drinking seems to be the focus more than style and atmosphere.

Seminyak typically attracts a hipper, more refined group of clubbers than Kuta. But of course any generalisation is difficult and there are exception to the rules. In Seminyak, also most expatriates hang out. The focus is more on beautiful venues with top of the line sound systems and international DJs playing house, techno, dubstep, and other cutting edge sounds. Drinks are of a higher quality, often made by the most skilled bartenders with imported ingredients. Make no mistake though, Seminyak’s clubs can get as wild as they come.

Canggu is young, and feels a bit like Ubud with a beach, and a party scene somewhere between Kuta and Seminyak. Lots of girls from all over the world, single or in groups come to Canggu to celebrate life, yoga, a healthy life style and yes, a bit of partying. The clubbing scene is still young here and more places will open up, some others will close. Canggu is not only for party and nightlife probably the best place to be in Bali these days.

Much further south, at the shore of the Bukit peninsula there are some cliff side clubs and bars that draw in the most amazing acts and DJs and throw parties with 2,000 party goers who all want to have a good time, to see and be seen. A bit of a stretch to get down there…but once you made it…wow.

Like with so many things in Bali, the variety and amount of choices that are available is mind-blowing. Of course there are not as many night venues as there are restaurants and one needs to try out maybe 2 or 3 places sometimes until one finds the place that matches the mood and preference. But whatever your preference for music, atmosphere, budget, crowd…Bali got you covered

Bali is a place very partying hard and wild is part of the deal. People come here for holiday and for adventures. Yeap, that’s Bali.

Bali overall provides great value for money, also when it comes to clubbing and going out the price level is fair. Most venues don’t charge an entrance fee. Going out is not as cheap as maybe a decade ago, since the clubs and venues have also improved quite a bit and invested in good quality alcohol, DJs, sound systems, security, well trained staff, they have to pay taxes now, and much more running cost came up. Things got more professional. But overall a cocktail or long-drink will cost you 7-12USD. Imported alcohol is sometimes more expensive compared to abroad because of import taxes (Muslim country). But nothing compared to the big cities in the region.

Bali has always a great mix of people. Visitors from all over the world, expats and locals, like to go out in Bali and to mingle and have a good time. You will meet super interesting people and believe it or not, Bali changes people. They become more open, more happy, less introvert, and it’s easy to meet new friends.

Also, the new super successful dating apps like TINDER or are very popular in Bali – among tourists and Indonesians. There is always somebody out there ready to meet you for a drink or more.

Bali’s clubs and bars are a great place to meet people. An exciting mix of locals and tourists from around the world head to the discos and clubs to mix and mingle, making it easy to find a friend for the evening or something more long-term. Visitors looking for company don’t need to worry. Wherever you go in Sanur, Kerobokan, Seminyak, Legian and the Kuta area, there are many other single travelers, expats and locals who are looking to meet new people – day and night.

Taking drugs puts you in danger in Bali. Period. Whether you lose control and put yourself into danger or if the police puts you in prison, Both is no good idea. Indonesia has the death penalty for drug trafficking. And they do execute foreigners or put them into a horrible jail for years. you would not be the first

A sentence so often heard, that it lost its affect. But hundreds of tourist have sever accidents in Bali with scooters every year. Many of them fatal. Drunk, under drugs, full of adrenaline and testosterone, hyper and hungry for adventure, naive, flip-flops for sure, over-enthusiastic and under-skilled – or a mixture of it all. To have a bad accident with a scooter in Bali is one of the worse experiences you can make. Avoid it at all cost. it’s dangerous enough to drive sober and handle the traffic, dogs, chickens and other crazy drivers.

Bali is very liberal and the Balinese have an incredible amount of patience with the visitors who often behave worse than the monkeys in the Ubud monkey forest. But they should expect from the visitors a minimum amount of decency. Wear a shirt when you are not on the beach or pool. Don’t scream too loud when passing private houses, don’t race like crazy when you drive a scooter, use toilets use a bike that is as loud as a jet…and try to behave at times more civil – that would hep the Balinese to stay friendly and patient.

With a good level of common sense and some level of maturaty you can still have fun, party hard but not put yourself and others in danger. Then Bali can still show you the sunny side of life – even at 3am in the morning while you enjoy Bali*s famous nightlife. Although it is very tempting in Bali to NOT behave like one would behave at home, we understand – but Bali is not a holiday resort, it’s an island where people live and raise their children.

Bali’s crime rate is low considering that around 5 million foreign tourists and 8 mio domestic tourist hit the island every year. Bali is not Brasil, Mexico, or L.A. and most people feel and are extremely safe here.

But crime does indeed exist. There is theft, scam, even murder and rape like in any other country in the world and there are con-artists who scam you as quickly as you can count to three. Some ATM machines are rigged and cab drivers like to make an extra buck in the night.

For a crime to happen it usually needs a certain condition. Such as careless or confused potential victims, which means the more you are drunk and careless, the more attractive you are as a target. Sometimes there is this unique vibe when adrenaline, alcohol, drugs and prostitution create this crazy mixture that attracts a certain crowd, makes people behave in certain ways.

Law enforcement is not what one would like to see and expect when one is in trouble. Money rules, money talks everywhere, So the best is to not get into trouble at all. Police rarely helps or can help. Kuta. Again. Most crimes happen in Kuta area where very very drunk youngsters who have lost grip can become easy targets and where the general vibe is a bit more crazy, loud and rough so the criminals can easily mingle and make use of the chaos. So hundreds of thousands of Australians come to the south every year with one aim in mind: to party hard. Real hard. The clubs, bars, the Bali girls, the drug market and even the security guards in this area are controlled by gangs who know how to intimidate and use violence if necessary. They are not to fool around with. Back off if you feel things get messy.

Girls going out alone are generally safe one must say, but it’s always good to be alert and to set clear boundaries when guys (of any nationality) with a few Bintang beers too much feel encouraged by reading the signs the wrong way. A drunk single woman is of course more vulnerable than if she stays in a group. Stay with friends as you would in any other big city when you have a glass or two too much. And if you meet new friends, chose them wisely. Sober people – men or women rarely face a problem.

Prostitution? – It’s big in Bali. You can pick up girls (and boys) almost in any place where people gather for drinks and party and “dozens of brothels and massage plus plus joints” can be found all over the place. Sexual diseases and HIV is rather widespread. Travelers should keep in mind that prostitution is a big business in Bali, and that what may seem like innocent fun can sometimes turn into hassling or a demand for cash.

Luckily, things are quite direct, so cautious visitors will easily be able to tell what they are getting themselves into in any situation. Note “Prostitution is illegal in Bali”, however, like in many countries, everyone turns a blind eye, and prostitution is not necessarily a tourism related phenomena. Indonesian men who can afford it like to go to massage places regularly, asking for a massage with what they call: “Happy End” or “Massage Plus Plus”.

Anything you might be tempted to experience or consume in Bali is available. If you can imagine it, it’s out there. People don’t get killed here in the red light district, Bali is not Mexico City, but some tourists wake up without their wallet or watches after their adventures, or with a transmitted disease that is difficult to get rid off and more difficult to explain once they are home.

Bali Girls and Boys

The Bali Girls
In Bali’s discos, clubs, bars and even pubs you’ll meet many young local girls, “kupu kupu malam” (“night butterflies”) also called working girls mostly coming from the poorer rural areas of Java. And nowadays also more often young men who compete with the females. All taxi drivers, security guards, street vendors will know the more “popular” karaoke bars and massage parlours in Kuta, Legian, Sanur, and Denpasar, along with the various “Houses of ill Repute” in narrow back lanes. These “helpful” people want to share their knowledge, whether you want to know or not. A silent but direct “massage?, young girls?, marihuana?” slips the tongue of many taxi drivers you might pass, while walking the streets of Kuta, Legian or Seminyak. 

Bali Beach Boys
The Bali Beach boys that hang out mostly at Kuta Beach and Legian Beach are never too shy to approach foreign women – age and looks don’t matter to them, they look for the willingness for interaction. If they start to bug you, give them a clear feedback that you are not interested. And if you are neither in the mood to talk to a stranger or to accept his all so kind offer to help you put sun-lotion on your body, tell them clearly so. Also here, setting clear boundaries is important. They would never dare asking an Indonesian women, let alone touch one. It’s not appropriate in their culture. Some of the Bali beach boys who start holiday affairs with tourists have actually not just one girlfriend, but many.. Some foreign ladies come to Bali regularly and enjoy a good time as a couple, and pay the bills. Some beach boys are married and have children, while the wives do know about the business that brings in some extra cash. It’s between adults what happens between adults, but many foreign women – young and old – had to realize that nothing is at it seems and that true love between a Balinese Surf Guide and a lady from abroad is not easy to find in that kind of holiday setting.

Even though you can get access to every type of drug – easily – a simple DON’T DO IT! sums it up. Drugs are offered and available quite openly in the streets and clubs of Kuta, Legian, Denpasar and nowadays Seminyak- even during daytime. Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroine, Ecstasy…whatever people are ready to buy – it is available. Most cab drivers and security guards are happy to assist. It’s very very dangerous to become part of that game for many reasons. And don’t get fooled that it is safe to buy and consume drugs just because they are offered openly by a security guard or because you might see many actually taking them without hiding it much! The biggest problem is, that you will simply lose control over your actions and that can be a dangerous thing in Bali. Many party hungry youngsters lost their money, passports, credit cards, sanity, health and even their life in Bali, because of drug abuse. Horrible scooter accidents happen really often, killing tourists and locals alike. Many youngsters drowned after drinking too much or taking some drugs before taking a little dip in the ocean in the night. The currents can be fierce and unpredictable. “Tourist drowned…” is a rather common headline in the local press.

The numerous drug pills that come in fancy colors are, as most people know, very dangerous, causing a lot of damage to the body and mental system. Here in Bali, like in many other places in the world where people have an average daily income of 5 US$, one can never really know what’s in the pill – it could be sugar, it could be some strange chemical. Some party animals are ready to take that risk.

Drug consumption in Indonesia can really get you into trouble. Even though it seems that in some areas, clubs and environments, people are pretty relaxed about it, this can turn out sour in a split second. In Indonesia drug trafficking can come with the death penalty. Judges are not afraid to make use of those strict laws when necessary, as the case of Schapelle Corby and the infamous Bali Nine Group has shown (see below). The police regularly controls some high-end clubs, and not only the dodgy places. Some tourists feel safe when renting a private villa. They throw parties and consume drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy etc. But, at times it happens, that neighbors call the police and the officers have no hesitation to raid the place and take everybody into custody. Something really unpleasant.

If you get caught, with drugs or in bed with a 16year old girl that insisted she was 20 when you met her in a bar, there is no easy way out! You will go to jail in Kerobokan – and that’s a nasty place.

Magic Mushrooms ARE NOW also ILLEGAL.

The Bali Nine is the popular name given to a group of nine Australians arrested on 17 April 2005 in Bali. They got caught in the attempt to to smuggle more than 8 kg (18 lb) of heroin back to Australia at a market value of about A$4 million. All of these Bali Nine were aged between 18 and 28 by the time they got arrested. They faced the death penalty or life in prison if convicted. In February 2006 seven of the nine were sentenced to life imprisonment. The two leaders of the Bali Nine Group, Chan and Sukumaran, were sentenced to death. This was the very first death sentence imposed by the Denpasar District Court in Bali. A couple of months later for 4 their life sentences were reduced to 20-year on appeal.

In January 2015 the new president, Jokowi, turned down Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott together with the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop and denied clemency for the two ring leaders. Jokowi, otherwise known as a moderate democratic leader did not give in, which surprised many observers who had hopes that the new president of Indonesia would no doubt save the lives of Chan and Sukarman.

On 2 February 2015, Indonesia’s Attorney General confirmed that both will face the firing squad in the next round of executions.

On April 28th 2015 eight people were executed by a firing squad, two of them were Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

Before the Bali nine, she was probably the most famous foreigner who got sentenced to a heavy penalty – although she is by far not the only one. Born in 1977 the Australian woman was convicted to 20 years in prison on May 27th 2005 for drug trafficking in Indonesia (importation of 4.2 kg (9.3 lb) cannabis / marijuana). Corby insisted that she is innocent and claims, that the drugs were planted in her body board bag and that she did not know about them at all. Her trial and conviction were a major focus of attention for the Australian and world media at the time. She could have been technically sentenced to death. This did not happen but she still got sentenced to 20-years by the court and imprisoned in Kerobokan Prison Bali.

The prison contains about 1000 male and female prisoners of various nationalities and is famous for not being a 5star resort! It’s hell in paradise to say the least. On appeal her sentence was confirmed by the Indonesian Supreme Court. In 2010, she petitioned the President of Indonesia for clemency on the grounds of mental illness. In 2012, she was granted reduction to 15 years. She was released on parole on 10 February 2014 after serving nine years in prison she was not able to leave Indonesia until 2017.