August 27, 2026 — 5:00am
Despite the odd seasonal dip, Indonesia remains Australia’s number-one overseas destination. But it doesn’t take a travel genius to work out why. We continue to swarm to Bali.
That comes with increasingly intense problems. Overtourism is just the beginning – it gives rise to pressures on infrastructure, waste and local communities as villages and rice paddies are turned over to development.
Bali’s been taking a stand, enforcing rules on bad behaviour as well as the spread of expat businesses squeezing out Balinese operators.
If that’s the stick, the Indonesian government is now using the carrot approach to alleviation.
