Bali officials warn tourists about driving at night

If you have visited Bali then chances are you know all too well about this issue and now Bali officials are warning tourists about the dangers.

If you have travelled to Bali then you know very well about its wild traffic conditions.

Tourists have taken to social media to warn fellow travellers about the “rough roads” and to hire a driver where possible.

“Before I say what I’m about to say, there are so many beautiful parts of Bali but we were not prepared for just how dangerous the roads were going to be,” one tourist said in a TikTok.

“Most of the time you had to just walk out and hope for the best.

“There were also HUGE holes in the floor everywhere and hardly any pavements so if you were walking at night you had to keep your eyes on the ground and road ahead for oncoming traffic.

“In the end we used the taxi apps ‘grab’ and ‘gojek’ as they were cheap and much safer than walking (especially at night).”

Bali officials have warned tourists about the hotspots notoriously dangerous roads, especially at night.

Tourists have complained about Bali traffic and road conditions. Picture: TikTok

One tourist claimed they nearly fell into this hold at night. Picture: TikTok

A combination of poor road conditions and street lighting, roaming cattle and drivers not obeying traffic laws, has lead to a recent spate of serious collisions.

Last Wednesday, a foreigner was rushed to hospital after he crashed his bike into a free-roaming cow in the Jimbaran area — a fishing village and coastal resort south of Kuta.

The animal died shortly after the accident while the tourist was treated in emergency at a local hospital. Details of his condition have not yet been released.

According to local media he was not under the influence of alcohol.

Others have warned to hire a driver where possible. Picture: TikTok

Meanwhile, a 56-year-old forgiver from the Czech Republic lost his life after he reportedly lost control of his motorcycle just before 5pm local time while riding in Pemuteran Village, Buleleng.

He collided with an oncoming truck and suffered broken bones, a torn left leg, injuries to the left side of his head and a broken left hand.

“The victim was declared dead by the Buleleng Regional Hospital medical team at around 16.45 WITA,” an officer told The Bali Sun.

Following the tourist’s collision with the cow, the head of the Environmental Agency for Cengiling, Nyoman Sudita, revealed an awareness campaign has been launched to urge local livestock owners to corral or tether their animals at night.

@baliroads_

♬ original sound - Bali Roads

According to The Bali Sun, Mr Sudita said: “The warning letter was issued based on Banjar Cengiling’s regulation which regulates residents’ pets [and livestock].”

“People must be aware and understand the regulations for raising livestock. Considering that our neighbourhood has become a tourist destination, it won’t be a disturbance to social security and order in the future.”

However, he also warned tourists to be more careful on the roads, especially at night.

He said caution and safety should always be the top priority for drivers especially when driving in rural, residential, and densely populated areas such as Jimbaran, Uluwatu, and other developing tourist destinations.

“It is not permissible to release livestock, but on the one hand, you must also be careful when driving, because this area is still rural, where traditional life is still maintained in the village,” Mr Sudita said.

@nessieandbecca #drivinginbali is dangerous! And this is coming from someone who is experienced! Renting scooters in SE Asia is pretty normal but Bali is totally different! Even your most experienced drivers will choose to use taxi services like Grab or Go-jek. #balitraffic is a whole other story - sometimes its actually quicker to walk places. #baliscooter #transportinbali #realbali #balireccomendations #balitip #travelcouple #traveltiktok ♬ Stolen Dance (Instrumental) - Milky Chance

“So we will also co-ordinate with the village regarding future handling steps.”

Tragically, two young men also lost their lives on last Thursday night in the popular tourist resort of Kaja Village, just north of Ubud.

According to the publication, the pair were riding a Honda Beat moped, and neither were wearing helmets.

Police suggest the driver lost control of the motorcycle on the downhill stretch of road leading to the intersection at Jalan Raya Buahan in Kaja Village.

On a recent trip to Australia, Indonesia’s Deputy Tourism Minister Ni Made Ayu Marthini revealed whether a motorbike ban was going to be enforced on tourists following a spate of accidents and unruly behaviour.

She said while there was no flat out ban, stricter rules are being enforced – meaning it will likely become harder for foreigners to rent a motorbike in Bali.

“If you ride a motorbike, just as in Australia, you should have a helmet and a license for your safety as well as that of other motorists,” Mrs Marthini said, referring to the country’s plea for tourists to respect its local laws and customs.

She explained “the laws have always existed, but we [are] just proceeding to push the enforcement of these laws”.

“This is for tourist safety as well as that of our Indonesian community,” she said.

“The laws do not ban tourists from renting scooters, only from renting them from unauthorised rental operators. The Indonesian government has provided a list of authorised rental operators for tourists to select from across Indonesia.”

@baliroads_ This traffic is frustrating From trucks in the right-hand lane and slow people in the left. The traffic here is insanely frustrating. There are many people who help people do illegal u-turns, cut in front of traffic, and just don't know or use common road rules. . . . Follow 👇🏼👇🏼 @bali_roads @bali_roads @bali_roads . . #motorbike #travelbali #travelblogger #motorcycle #vlogindonesia #baliroads #motorcyclelife #motorcycleriding #motorcycletravel #baliindonesia #motorcycletrip #drivingscooterinbali #travelvlogonabike #ridingmotorcycleinbali #gopro4 #bali #dashcam #nearmiss #nearmisses #motorcycleaccident #shortsvideos #reelsinstagram #motorcycle #motovlog #bali #nearmiss #motorcycle #motorbikelife #dashcam ♬ original sound - Bali Roads

Meanwhile, tourism leaders from hotspots such as Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud continue to raise concerns over traffic congestion in Bali.

They are reportedly working to establish new ways to manage traffic in the busy tourist areas to help ease congestion — and in turn accidents.

Locals and tourists alike have taken to social media to also express their frustrations.

“From trucks in the right-hand lane and slow people in the left. The traffic here is insanely frustrating,” one person said in a clip titled ‘Bali roads’.

“There are many people who help people do illegal u-turns, cut in front of traffic, and just don’t know or use common road rules.”

Putu Winastra, on behalf of the Bali Leadership Council of Indonesian Travel Agencies said they are also calling for officers to handle people who are obstructing the flow of traffic.

“For example, selling on the side of the road, then there are people shopping and parking their vehicles, automatically triggering chaos and leading to traffic [jams]” he told The Bali Sun in July.