Bali Trip after Terrorist Attack
 

I am planning to go to Bali (Laguna) in 2 weeks - any comments on saftey? Should I go or rebook to Phuket/somewhere else?

Thanks for your help

The safest time to go to a place is after an attack. I would not worry about it has the attacks were in Kuta AGAIN and another area near Kuta I am not fmiliar with.

However I never let these things get in the way of my travel.

I just returned after 4 months in Indonesia including a month in Bali. I feel so bad for the Balanese as tourism was just starting to pick up and they were thinking that by next season things would be almost back to normal. Heck not now.

I agree that it's probably going to be very safe to go to Bali right after things like this happen (since security is going to be tightened up quite a bit and the locals probably appreciate the tourists who show up and help their economy, especially in times of difficulties like these).

If you're going to go you might want to call into reservations and see if the current available rate for your room has adjusted down and then grab that rate if you can.

Life's a gamble - go for it!

Statistically, you are much more likely to die on the road to or from your home airport!

Security is good up at the hotels( Sheraton / Westin and the coward Ter's will go for soft targets. So if you are worried , stay in your resort. , and only visit bars / places with good security ( metal detection searches etc)

I would go myself.

Bali trip
 

It is funny you post this as we had a Bali trip planned for next June. We spent the weekend trying to decide what to do. Our favorite vacation in the world has been to Bali. We have been there 4 times. We have decided that we would not take a chance of it. Right now the Bali gov and the US gov bother feel there may be another attack within the next 30 days. In the end you have to decide what to do but we decided that we would not want to me there is something goes wrong. We were there when the riots broke out with the elections. Not a pretty site. I totally understand how you would want to go but please use caution if you decide to go as the terrorist seem to have decided Bali is an easy hit. We changed our vacation to Koh Samui. We have also been to Thailand about 6 times. We also know that Thailand will probalby be the next place to be hit. Very scary world we live in.

Now would be a good time to go, since hotels and airlines are likely to mark down their prices after the attack.
That said, do exercise reasonable caution. Avoid crowded spots like discos and nightclubs, terrorists prefer attacking these places because of the huge body count they generate.

Not for the first 2-3months after an attack.

Hotel room rates are usually loaded way inadvance and they dont usually reduce their rates immediately after an incident. I remember paying top dollars for my trip to Bali a few weeks after 9/11 eventhough the resort was running at less than 20% occupancy.

Since this isn't really specific to either the Westin or Sheraton in Bali, I'm guessing it will be moved shortly (there are also active threads in TravelBuzz, Newstand, TravelDestinations Asia)... But FWIW, I've not yet seen or heard of anyone who is planning on going with us in late May 2006 (BaliDo2006) changing or cancelling their plans. Those I've talked to are very much in the "it's 8 months away, let's see what happens in the meantime" camp.

As others have said here & in other current threads, if you're going to go, use common sense about where you're going to be. You may also want to check baliforum.com as there are usually posters who are in Bali, and there were some firsthand reports last weekend posted there.

the last time I went to Bali it was 10 days after the Kuta bombing that killed so many Australians. Although friends and family couldn't believe I was going (although it was actually an FTer who suggested the destination to me 2 days before I left :)), I had an amazing time!

My guide was incredible, the people were sooo warm and friendly, the country was just wonderful. It was one of the most interesting trips I've taken. I highly recommend going! May not want to go to Kuta which I pretty much went to place flowers at the "site" of the bombing and didn't spend any time there. Too many other wonderful places to see in that country!

Have a great (and safe) trip!

As cawhite mentioned though, since this really doesn't have anything to do with *wood I'm going to move it to TravelBuzz.

ldsant
*wood Moderator

I am going in two weeks as well. Please cancel because the Laguna is sold out. :)

The Balinise are some of the nicest people in the world. They have been suffering because of the original attack, and they will suffer more because of the recent ones.

I don't believe you have anything to fear (would you not come to NYC?), moreover, show your support to those suffering from terrorism by going there and spending a few dollars.

Plus, I guarantee that everything is going to be dirt cheap. (As if it wasn't before.)


If you're really nervous, stay away from Kuta, and visit some of the more outlying villages. Believe me, the terrorists have no interest in those places.


:-:

Bali will be just as safe as it was one month ago, when thousands of people had a nice and safe trip. How about all the people who canceled their trips to Washington DC and NYC after Sept 11th.

I went to Bali 2 days after the first explosion.Felt really safe.Please do not cancel your reservation as Balenese are the nicest people on earth.They do need our help at this bad time again.If you want you can do as i did,i filled a suitcase with burn medicine,cotton ,etc... and donated it to the local hospital.You should see how gratful those people are.
Enjoy your trip Bali is really the paradise island.

Agreed on all counts. Just last week I booked my parents to Bali in February and have no intention of cancelling. Before anyone comments about sending them off into the combat zone I will be joining them for the weekend.

By all means take advantage of the cheap hotel rates the foreign owned hotels will trot out in due course and then spend all that money you save supporting the local economy.