10 Scams to Avoid in Bali

Bali is one of the popular tourist destination in Indonesia. It is the small island with the wonderful nature that would steal your heart. Once you visit Bali, you will miss to visit this island again and again. It is proven by the large number of the tourists who like to visit Bali regularly.

However, the rate of scams increases rapidly as long with the rate of Bali visitors. Where there is the crowd, there would be some people who take a chance to get the benefits with the illegal ways. Here are the 10 Scams to Avoid in Bali.

1. Airport Scams

When you just arrive at airport in Bali, you would feel so exhausted. It is the time when the scammer works for you. There would be some persons waiting for you in the carousal of airport. They would suddenly bring your luggage as the hospitality. However, nothing is free in Bali. Once they put your luggage at the taxi, they will give a sign for asking the tip.

To avoid this kind of scam, you could reject their service politely. Or, when you want them to carry your luggage, you could give them an amount ranging IDR 10.000 or 20.000 for the standard Tipping Etiquette in Bali.

2. Police Corruption

It will be an effective way for you to rent a car or scooter. You could go around Bali with the affordable price since you don’t need to pay the driver. However, it would take some risk of being caught by the traffic police in Bali. Don’t forget to use the helmet when you go around Bali by the scooter or motorcycle.

The traffic police woud possibly do the regular control for checking the breaking rules by the road user. Make sure to wear helmet when you ride the scooter unless the police would give you the traffic fine. The police would offer to finish the fine by bribing. For bribing a police, you will charge in amount of at least IDR 50.000 until 100.000 for the each breaking rules. (Read also: Business Ethics In Indonesia)

3. Money Changer Scam

In emergency situation, it would be difficult for you to find the official money changer in Bali. When Exchange Money in Bali, be careful of the tricky money changer which offer the low price of Rupiah. This is the way to trap the victim. Once you enter the office, they will act as if the authorized money changer.

They would pretend to calculate the amount rupiah that you will get. They usually will claim they have just 10.000 Rupiahs. You could imagine when you have to count a million rupiah that consists of hundreds 10.000 rupiahs note. It is time wasting. So, they will count the amount of 10.000 rupiahs in front of you, to make you sure that you will get the proper amount rupiahs. However, they will decrease some of your money behind the counter. How to Avoid Scams in Bali, you should choose the proper place to exchange the money.

4. The Scam in Cultural Place

Bali is famous as the various Cultures in Bali that you could see when you choose to travel there. When you visit some historical places such as Buddhist Temple in Bali Indonesia, you would probably find some unknown people who ask you the charge for joining some Balinese ceremony. They would say that the rate of entrance fee to join the Ceremonies in Bali is so high. They will get the personal benefit from it.

Some of the scammers would also offer you the free tour guide once you enter the tourism place. However, they would end up by telling their bad economy condition and asking some amounts of money to help them. It would make you couldn’t refuse them to give money.

5. The scam in Bali Shopping Center

As the famous tourism place, Bali has a lot of some souvenir markets and shopping centers. The shops usually sell some beautiful and cute souvenirs for you to bring home. However, some shops in Bali have been changed as the trap for the visitors. Some of them will put the higher price than the other shops. It would better for you to bargain. Bargaining will get the price down. Get the final deal to the sellers once you want to get the affordable souvenirs.

Read also: Shopping Habits in Indonesia

6. Be careful of sea-transportation scam

Of course when you want to go to Lombok, Gili, and another island in Indonesia, you would need a ferry or speedboat. The scammers would take some benefits when you need to book a ferry or speedboat as the transportation for the full travel. However, they would just end up transit you in the next ship.

Here they would say that the ship has been already full. The next scammer will offer you to join their ships. The speedboat owner will offer you a high price for that. You could be charged at least IDR 500.000 for a route only.

See also: Public Transportation in Indonesia 

7. Scam in Taxi

 Taking a taxi to go out in Bali would be cheap enough for you. You could get a scam by taxi drivers. Don’t forget to choose the taxi with the proper taxi meter. It would limit the cost of taxi when the taxi meter could be properly working.

The taxi driver would possibly cheat you by taking the longer route to reach the destination. It is aimed to raise the total amount kilometers in taximeter. So, they would get the higher price for it. Next, they would say that they have no change. And you should give the rest of your money to him.

See also: Rules When Visiting Temples in Bali

8. Fake drivers

Some people would choose to rent the car for the transportation in Bali. When you choose to rent a car with the driver, make sure to make the deal of the payment. You would probably be cheated by the taxi driver.

The taxi driver will bring you in many places, such as: restaurants, shopping center, and tourism object. The taxi drivers usually have a deal with the owners. He would ask you the additional cost. So it would better for you to rent a driver in an authorized personal driver service.

See also: Lifestyle in Bali Indonesia

9. The scams in Kuta Beach

Based on the History of Kuta Bali Indonesia, Kuta is the first famous beach in Bali. Once you visit Kuta, you would find a lot of aunties who offer their service. They will offer you to do a massage, manicure pedicure, or braid your hair.

The first, they will offer the service with some affordable price, to make you are interested to their service. However, they would end up the difference prize for their product service. They would tell you that the massage is actually just for the body, and you should pay more if you want to be massaged for the other part of body.

10.  Seafood in Jimbaran

It is nice to eat some seafood with the night sky scenery and the wave sound in Jimbaran. It is the famous of fishing village and seafood market in Bali. However, be careful of the scams in Jimbaran.

However, be careful of the scams in Jimbaran. You would be probably cheated of getting ripped. In addition, be careful of having bad seafood by the restaurant. Make sure to choose the good restaurant there. If not, you could try the other Famous Local Foods in Bali with Incredible Taste.

In the end, you should be careful in every situation when you visit Bali. Since you could find the scams everywhere, you should prevent them by being thorough enough. The best way to avoid the bad things in Bali is practicing the good habits and be friendly with locals!