What should you pay attention to when going to Bali? How to avoid being cheated when going to Bali?

Everyone knows that Bali is really beautiful, so many friends will choose to travel to Bali, but today I want to talk to you about some of the pitfalls of Bali, talking about domestic Some scenic spots have pitfalls, but Bali is even more serious. Scam

1. Customs officers asking for tips

First impression of Bali: Customs officers ask for tips from guests, and they will not let you pass if you don’t give tips. Some guides also recommend inserting a $1 tip directly into your passport. Customs officers may even ask you for tips in Chinese!

How to deal with them

For customs officers who have never served you before, insist on not giving them and pretend not to understand English.

If he speaks Chinese and pretends not to understand Chinese, he will not let him go.

2. Kind-hearted guys who help you with your luggage

At the airport, there are always some seemingly kind-hearted guys who want to help you carry your luggage. Remember! You have to pay for carrying your luggage. , otherwise he won’t let you go.

How to deal with it

Never let the guy touch your luggage. If you book a regular airport pick-up and drop-off, you can ask the driver to do this for you!

3. Greedy black car drivers

The most common way to travel in Bali is to charter a car.

Now, chartering a car on Bali costs almost US$50 a day. A half-day charter costs less than $40. In addition to not being cheated by the driver on the price, you should also pay attention to the restaurants and shopping places the driver takes you to. These greedy black drivers will take you to restaurants and shopping stores where they can get rebates. These restaurants and shopping stores taken by the driver are usually more than half the price than if you go by yourself or go to other similar places. , because part of the rebates go into the pockets of the drivers, and the quality of most restaurants and shopping venues is really unsatisfactory.

We must learn to say NO to these greedy black drivers!

How to deal with it

We must make plans and arrangements for travel attractions and restaurants in Bali Plan your day's itinerary, choose the restaurants and shopping stores you want to go to, write down the name of the place, restaurant, etc. in English or record it on your phone. Tell the driver directly where you want to go. Don't expect the driver to arrange your trip. For your itinerary, just don’t consider the places recommended by the driver. If the driver repeatedly recommends the place he wants to take you to, then it is very obvious that he can get a kickback.

Tell the driver your itinerary, and be sure to confirm that the driver is willing to take you where you want to go, because if some drivers are not happy halfway, they will really leave you alone and force you to go. He will also force you to pay when you get off the bus. He is a local, and locals protect locals and bully tourists. If you don't pay, he will call a group of locals to scare you.

In addition, you must keep an eye on your luggage, preferably with a lock. Carry valuables with you and do not leave them in the car. I once encountered a tourist who lost 300 US dollars in his wallet after putting it in the car. Two hundred. Some drivers will be merciful and leave you some money to live on, while others will just take it all.

|Parking fees, tolls, and gas fees are generally paid at your own expense. Generally, the cost of an attraction is 5RMB.

|About tipping for chartered car drivers: Tips are generally based on the car type. The recommended fee for a 7-seater chartered car is US$58 per day.

|Find a regular car charter company in advance. Don’t worry about the 3 points listed above (it is recommended to book online in advance and choose some regular websites)

4. The deceptive Chinese tour guide

The Chinese tour guides on Bali belong to the "Tour Guide Association" on Bali. The tips are high and tipped per head. Each person costs 810 US dollars, which is higher than the tour guide fee; the service quality is poor; there are even The tour guide doesn’t even speak Chinese well.

Coping methods

Find a regular charter driver (Chinese) and arrange your itinerary in advance

5. Corrupt police officers

< p>Corrupt police activities are rampant in popular scenic spots and roads in Bali. The traffic police will pay special attention to foreign tourists riding motorcycles or driving cars. If they are caught, the police will use various reasons to issue fines. The most common reasons are not wearing a helmet and not having a local driver's license.

If you have both a helmet and a local driver’s license, you can mostly escape, but sometimes the police will find various reasons to fine you. For example, there was a male tourist who rode a motorcycle without a shirt on. Some tourists were also fined because they didn't run a red light and the police insisted that they did so, and then they really didn't get a discount. Usually such unreasonable reasons are because the policeman is really short of money recently.

The fine is generally between RP50,000 and RP100,000. Under normal circumstances, it can be kept privately, and the money goes directly into the pockets of the police. But the police usually start a price around RP500,000. At this time, you have to start using the bargaining skills you learned in Bali to start a counteroffer war with the police. If you win, you will almost pay the price I mentioned above. , if you lose, you have to obediently pay more, but no matter what, you have to cut it to RP200,000 before you can feel balanced.

How to deal with it

The road conditions in Bali are not good. It is recommended not to drive a motorcycle as much as possible. We always see many foreigners crashing on motorcycles and missing arms and legs.

If you must ride a motorcycle, please remember:

Remember to stay away from the police in Bali and cherish your life. When you see a policeman, turn around and leave. Never let him see you. If he sees you, you will lose money today.

When riding a motorcycle, you must wear a helmet, bring your international driving license, obey the traffic rules, and never collide with locals. From my personal experience, a local hit me once on a motorcycle. , then he called a group of people and snatched my motorcycle away, asking for my motorcycle as collateral. He would not give me the motorcycle unless he paid his medical bills. Foreigners have no rights in Bali.

When facing the police, you must be obedient and bargain with a joking attitude. Starting from the RP500,000 offered by the police, try to get it within RP200,000. Generally, policemen who are not very short of money can earn points. They were satisfied with pocket money.

*Recommend easy-to-use motorcycle hailing software

The most convenient one in Bali is GoJek. GoJek is an Indonesian motorcycle taxi app. Registration only requires an Indonesian mobile phone number. That's it. Whether it is Kuta, Ubud or even Canggu, you can get motorcycles, and each driver’s name and mobile phone number will be included in the order, which is considered a magic weapon in Bali. The price is 15k Indonesian rupiah for every 25 kilometers

Pay in cash upon arrival. It is very cheap and it is very convenient to call for rides in the area. Especially when there is a traffic jam, motorcycles can shuttle freely without being delayed for too long.

6. Taxis rip off customers

Taxi is easy, convenient and comfortable for tourists. But you must know that Bali is full of taxi drivers who unscrupulously deceive tourists. They take advantage of tourists' unfamiliarity with Bali and ask for prices without using the meter.

For example, if you take a taxi from Kuta to Ubud, it takes more than an hour. At this time, the driver not only has to collect tolls, but also makes up various excuses to charge additional fees, and even asks directly without using the meter. Double the price because if they take you to Ubud and return the empty car to Kuta, they want you to pay for the empty car to return to Kuta.

Countermeasures

* For taxis, only use BlueBird, the phone number is +623617011111. Bluebird cars generally have meters and do not charge extravagantly.

*If you go to a long distance, it is recommended to choose a chartered car

Note:

BlueBird

Group The logo of a taxi company is a blue bird on the roof light. However, because many taxi companies have a very similar appearance to a blue bird, it is best to identify it carefully and confirm before getting on the bus. If you have just arrived in Bali Often admitting mistakes.

Tips: Recognize the bird logo. There are many blue birds in taxi companies in Bali. Some have straight wings, some have gears on their backs, and some have suns on their chests. , these are replica Bluebird taxis. There are also many taxis with Blue Bird logos on their heads, but they are not actually Blue Bird taxis. The key is to recognize that blue

birdgroup is written on the front windshield, which is the same logo and BALITAXI on the door.

7. Be careful about money exchange offices in Bali

Scam 1: The exchange rate on the whiteboard outside the money exchange office is very high, but in fact the exchange rate after you enter the store is extremely low.

Scam 2: They will give you less big tickets when giving you money.

Scam 3: Money exchange places advertise no commission, but in fact they will use a relatively poor exchange rate plus a 510% service fee to deceive you.

Countermeasures

Go to a large money exchange office certified by a government bank, such as BMC. Also remember: Always count money, be sure to count it one by one, and then make sure you get the money after the exchange rate.

8. Tour guides around the Elephant Cave (GOAGAJAH)

Similar to BesakihTemple, there are many locals here who act as tour guides and say they want to introduce the history to you. , and they also say that it is a free introduction, but in fact they will ask you to donate some money to them after the introduction. Donating less is not enough.

How to deal with it

Don’t be fooled when you first enter the elephant cave and ask the tour guide to refuse directly

9. The prices in Bali’s local traditional market are exaggeratedly high

The traditional market in the center of Ubud seems to have become one of the must-see attractions in Ubud when visiting Bali. The prices of things there are exaggerated. If you want to buy something, you have to use your bargaining skills. If the price is RP200,000, you can bargain for RP20,000. If you are good at mathematics, you should be able to understand this bargaining ratio.

How to deal with it

If you really want to experience the local small market and buy some genuine local souvenirs, then I recommend you to go to another market: SukawatiArt

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Market>>. This place has not been largely eroded by tourists. The prices for local small products such as salons here are relatively reasonable, and I can guarantee that you will have a good Taobao experience.

10. The compulsory behavior of tour guides in Busaki Temple

In many temples in Bali, there are many forced consumption behaviors. The locals use various means to steal the money from your pockets. Put it in their pockets, the most typical of which are the tour guides at the entrance of the most sacred and solemn Busaki Temple. They will force tourists to pay an inflated admission fee of $15, which should actually be free for tourists. The reason they forcefully charge is that there are celebrations in the temple that require local tour guides to bring in. In fact, there are memorial ceremonies in this temple every day.

How to deal with it

In situations like this, always remember that the golden rule in Bali is: bargain, bargain, bargain again! You can use the $15 entrance fee The fee is reduced to US$4 or even US$3. As long as you pay, they have no reason to kick you out. Regarding paying the tour guide's separate fee, be sure to tell him the price before asking him, and ask him to show his official tour guide certificate with photo. When paying, you also need to give him a receipt. Be sure to remember!

Another thing to say is that to enter this sacred temple, you need to wear long pants and a top with sleeves, and it is best to bring your own traditional Bali salon to wrap your upper body, because otherwise you need to rent a salon, and renting a salon requires If you were deceived by the inflated price, you might as well buy one yourself for 20 RMB in advance in Kuta or other places. Another thing to note is that Busaki Temple is located a bit high, on the mountain, a bit cold, and it often rains, so you need to bring your own umbrella.

11. Vendors at Kuta Beach

Kuta Beach, one of the most popular attractions, is full of small vendors. This small vendor is a group of "ibus" (approximate age) (an honorific title for a lady), these women will follow you to provide you endless services: help you braid your hair, help you cut your nails, help you paint hand flowers, help you massage, sell you salons, etc.

They tell you a very low price first, and then charge you RP300,000 after cutting your nails, or they charge RP500,000 to draw a hand flower for you. It’s simply a crazy price.

12. Jimbaran’s seafood

Jimbaran was once a small fishing village. The people living here made a living by fishing. Today’s Jimbaran But it has become a must-go place for tourists’ favorite seafood meals. Coupled with Jimbaran’s famous sunset, tourists flock to it in an endless stream.

However, the seafood restaurants in Jimbaran are a bit expensive and often do not provide fresh seafood. Only people living in Bali understand that the seafood in Jimbaran is really too expensive. , and some restaurants in Jimbaran Beach are still dirty.

Coping methods

Make a strategy in advance and choose a more reliable Jimbaran seafood restaurant

13. The 3 most embarrassing itineraries in Bali

1) Bali Golden Coffee Factory/Golden Rabbit Coffee Factory, etc. - not pure civet coffee, but a place dedicated to tourists to buy high-priced coffee beans

2) Bali Latex Experience Center - an empty latex experience bed

3) Bali polo factory store - the so-called polo factory store is not a factory store at all, it is a store specially sold to tourists. The price is expensive, the workmanship is poor, and the leather bags are all imported from China. The leather is also fake, imitating the styles of other brands.

This kind of itinerary will happen with many tour groups. There is basically nothing to see in these three spots. They are specially built for tourists to shop.

How to deal with it

If you want to buy authentic cat poop coffee beans in Bali, then you must definitely go to a simple and interesting civet cat wild coffee called landih in Kindamani. Park>>kopiLuwak

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About purchasing polo shirts: Buy directly at the big shopping malls in Kuta, the prices are cheaper than in China: such as Sun Mall, Beachwalk, Discovery, etc., Noosa Dewar's bali

colletion also has cheap polo shirts. Note

1. It is to enter Indonesia and apply for Indonesian visa exemption: First of all, we need to know that Indonesia’s visa exemption is conditional, that is, Chinese citizens hold Chinese passports from Bali (Denpasar Ngurah Rai Airport) Surabaya Jakarta (Sudiano Hatta Airport) Medan Batam's five international airports are visa-free for entry, and the only purpose is tourism. From other airports, such as Japan, which has become increasingly popular recently You cannot apply for a visa exemption at the airport, but you can get a visa on arrival. Those who meet the above requirements can apply for a visa exemption. The price is free. You need to prepare a return ticket, a passport, a hotel reservation confirmation form, and an English itinerary. In fact, only the return ticket and passport are mandatory requirements, but we must all have heard of the issue of asking for bribes. , this is especially serious at Jakarta Bali Airport. There is no harm in being more prepared. Before traveling, you must know that the English word for visa exemption is VISAEXEMPTION. When the visa officer asks you "where

isyourvisa", you can tell it We need VISAEXEMPTION

If you don’t tell the other party, the opportunity to ask for a bribe will come. And be sure to note that Indonesia still retains the visa on arrival when providing visa exemption, that is, when you get off the plane, you can see There is a counter that says "VISAONARRIVE

35$". Don't wait in line to pay. Just go to the customs directly. You can return to the counter at the customs border without signing a stamp. Once the money is paid, it will not be refunded. , because visa-on-arrival is provided to Chinese citizens who are for work purposes or who need to extend the application after 30 days, and visa-free can only stay for 30 days, cannot be extended, and cannot engage in work or business activities.

But even so, we still felt that the visa officer wanted to ask for a bribe. We spent 17 minutes shaking our heads and sighing there, making some hints, but we ignored them and finally passed the immigration smoothly. For this reason, we I think the following points can help to avoid being asked for bribes 1

The materials must be complete, the more the better. Anyway, it doesn’t cost much to type a few pieces of paper. Just hit him with the materials 2. You must be able to say VISAEXEMPTION. If you can't even speak about visa exemption, you will definitely be cheated3

Prepare relevant English in advance, don't pretend to be stupid and don't understand anywhere4

Be sure to follow the big group and go by yourself We should avoid going with Chinese tour groups. The more European and American people behind us, the better. They are also afraid that the people behind us will be impatient. Anyway, we can spend 5 dollars with them if we are not in a hurry.

If we are asked for a bribe, we will definitely not give it. You can definitely pass the customs, don’t be afraid, the worst case scenario is to call the embassy at 0062-21-5761036

2. Regarding the RMB exchange rate, remember not to trade or exchange RMB in Bali, even the domestic exchange rate is half No, it is a serious discrimination against the RMB. The only solution is to exchange enough Indonesian rupiah at the Bank of China in China. Never go to the local place to exchange it again. Even if you have a tight schedule and cannot exchange it domestically, you must exchange it at the airport, otherwise you will just cry

3. Indonesia sells fake agarwood that specializes in selling Chinese people. Chinese people love to play with bracelets. Well, when these two things are combined, fake agarwood bracelets are sold specifically to Chinese people. I have studied traditional Chinese medicine. Although I don’t understand it very well, I can still tell whether agarwood is real. The ones I buy in Bali, including those sold in stores in Carrefour, are all big honey pills. They are so black that you can’t even see the oil line. Haha, whoever buys them will be fooled, but Indonesia There are still some things worth buying, such as spices, essential oils, and essential oil soaps, which are cheap and of good quality. Don’t miss them. The prices in Carrefour supermarkets are very reasonable.

4. The routine of domestic tourism is happening again. I will take you to visit the cat poop coffee factory. The cocoa factory sells you this and that. Just remember not to buy it. The price is definitely the actual local price. 5 Above, you can buy cat poop coffee from Global Butterfly brand in Carrefour for 70 yuan, ordinary coffee for 10 to 30 yuan per pound, Indonesian coffee is the least valuable, and 300g of cocoa powder only costs about 15 yuan, just buy it in the supermarket

5. Just pretend that you can’t find money. This is too serious, so you must spend more money in supermarkets and convenience stores. Don’t go out with 100,000 yuan, otherwise you will definitely get ripped off

In Bali:

1. The chartered car driver will take you to some very expensive restaurants, spa shops, coffee factories, etc.

2. In Ubud, Tegalalang Rice Terraces are charged at different levels:

a) There will be some simple-looking farmers who will enthusiastically guide you, but it is not free. Yes, if you give less, you will be scolded.

b) There are coconut sellers on the way. They will tell you a very low price at first, 5,000 dong per coconut. After chopping the coconut, you will be charged 50,000 dong for changing hands.

b) If you enter the inside of the terraces, there will be a fee for the first level, and there is a spider viewing platform next to it.

c) On the way back from the terraced fields, a local will block the road privately, so you can only pass through a trail guarded by him. If you don't pay, they will push you away. (After passing the first one, there will be a second person guarding the road toll. I met 2 of them on the return trip.)

3. It is best not to sign up for a one-day tour of Lembongan Island. It is recommended to only Buy a round-trip boat ticket and rent a motorcycle to explore the island on your own. The snorkeling tools didn't feel very clean and disinfected, and it was very irritating to wear them. As a result, I had a fever in the middle of the night.

In Yogyakarta:

1. I made an appointment with the chartered driver for the next day, but the driver temporarily gave up and refused to answer the phone.

2. When buying tickets at the Yogyakarta Palace, the ticket sales staff will deliberately not give change. In other words, he just ignores you.

3. I agreed with the chartered driver about the next day’s itinerary and the price. However, halfway through the second day’s itinerary, the driver kicked me out of the car and asked for more money.