Days 6–8: Lazy Days, Reflections, and Our Escape to Amed
Lazy Days – And a Little Politics
The past three days can be summed up in one word: nothing. And honestly, that’s been quite nice. We’ve been lazy, we’re safe, and we’re enjoying the slow pace. Still, I found myself thinking a lot about what’s happening in Indonesia right now.
You may have heard in the news about unrest here. The Indonesian government recently introduced a 50,000,000 IDR (€2,600) monthly housing allowance for politicians, while at the same time cutting health and education budgets. They did, however, add a school meals program…that´s great but 2600€ per month for housing allowance for politicians?!? That number is quite a lot even for us in Germany.
For many Indonesians, this feels unfair. I can understand why, but I don’t believe violence is the solution. It’s easy to see why frustrations are boiling over though. While I don’t claim to be an expert on Indonesian politics, corruption is unfortunately something you often hear about in developing countries. A simple example: tourists riding scooters without helmets. If stopped by police, many report being asked for a “fine” of around 500,000 IDR (€30) to make the issue disappear.
The Flip Side of Paradise
Tourists see Bali’s beauty and show it through social media - the rice terraces, beaches, and temples. But the reality on the ground looks different. Garbage is everywhere: single-use plastics, broken sidewalks, potholes large enough to hide a car, and animal feces from stray dogs and monkeys.
The animals here don’t have it easy. Dogs run across busy streets among scooters and trucks, roosters are still used for illegal cockfights, and farm animals are often kept in poor conditions. It’s the hidden side of a country that only declared its independence on August 17, 1945, after centuries under Dutch and Japanese control.
Denise and I had a long talk about the waste issue. She’s passionate about sustainability, and it’s clear Bali has a huge challenge. While some private companies (often foreign-owned) are trying to help with recycling and waste management, the system here is poorly enforced.
If Bali truly wants to solve this, it needs more than bins on street corners. It requires:
Educating locals about waste and recycling
Banning single-use plastics - That already exists but well…
Stopping supermarkets from wrapping fruits and vegetables individually in plastic
Organizing proper waste collection
Involving the community and showing the benefits
The investment needed is probably massive— I would estimate that you need to invest at least $20–30 billion USD. Due to Bali’s topography, large-scale processing would likely need to happen on nearby Java, meaning organized pickup, transport to harbors, and shipment. It’s a long-term project, but essential for the island’s future—especially as tourism depends on Bali’s natural beauty.
I even remember during the COVID lockdowns, locals used the downtime to clean the island. Sadly, today it looks worse than it did back in 2018.
The Road to Amed
Now, back to the travel side of things. Like in 2018, I wanted to spend a few quiet days in the north. We chose Amed, a coastal town where life slows down. Getting here is an adventure of its own—the roads are rough, filled with massive potholes. Honestly, I wouldn’t dare drive my own car here.
We stayed at Coral View Villas, a three-star resort with charming bungalows. We booked one advertised with two bedrooms—perfect for avoiding my snoring. Instead, we got a two-story bungalow: two beds downstairs and a king-size upstairs. To our surprise, Denise didn’t hear a thing while sleeping upstairs—success!
The bungalow came with mosquito nets (thankfully, since about 20–30 mosquitos shared the room with us) and even an outdoor bathroom under the sky. The sheets weren’t the cleanest, and the doors didn’t fully close, but overall, it was cozy. The pool was great, the gardens lush, and breakfast surprisingly varied—two kinds of bread, two jams, yoghurt, and cereals.
Of course, there were quirks. Every day, locals asked us at least half a dozen times if we wanted to go diving or snorkeling in their boats. It’s charming at first, but a little repetitive.
We even wanted to extend our stay, but Coral View was fully booked. So, we moved just 3 km down the road to another hotel for one more night.
Lazy Island Days
Our time in Amed was all about doing nothing—and it was perfect. I did swim training in the pool, Denise read, and we strolled through the little shops in the village. One day, we even walked for 2–3 hours in the midday sun (not the smartest choice!) and ended up with a slight sunburn—just enough to blend in with the other tourists.
We had originally planned a tour to an ancient village and a funeral site, but in true lazy-day fashion, we canceled it. Instead, we’ll head back to Ubud tomorrow—an 81 km, four-hour drive with our driver Joni.
Our flight back to Germany is on Friday, so there are still a few days left to soak in the island—both the beauty and the challenges. As of tomorrow, I´ll do the blog “live” from the day…a bit later but better late than never.
Good night.