10 Scams & Tourist Traps in Bali [How We Avoid Them!]

We'll preface this article by saying that Bali is a safe place to visit. We feel safer here than in our home country. The Balinese are some of the friendliest and kindest people, with their strong Hindu beliefs and sense of karma playing a big role in this.

However, as with any popular travel destination, a few individuals like to take advantage of tourists who find themselves in an unfamiliar environment.

Many of these scams are not unique to Bali. They can (and do) happen all over the world, especially in developing countries. But with some simple awareness and preparation, you can easily avoid falling victim to them.

That's why we've put together this quick guide in which we'll share some of the main scams and tourist traps in Bali, including a couple that we fell for ourselves early on.

1. Money Changer Scam

The most talked-about scam in Bali is the money changer scam. This is where a currency exchange counts your money in front of you several times, but on the final count, they’ll use sleight of hand to retain a note or two.

To reduce your chances of being scammed, only use legitimate money exchangers. These will be in proper buildings in busy areas with windows and air conditioning. Some reliable ones we recommend are BMC, Mr & Mrs Butler, and those at the airport. Don’t get drawn in by good rates from small streetside shacks.

Most importantly, always be the last person to count your money. Don’t even trust money-counting machines as these can be rigged.

2. Currency Curiosity Scam

This is another sleight-of-hand currency scam, only it takes place on the streets rather than inside an exchange. It's common in Kuta and Legian, where a few Iranians are particularly known for it.

Some friendly strangers will approach you and ask to see your home currency. They'll pretend they are interested and might say things like "Is it true your bills are plastic?”. They might even build trust by showing their own wallets first.

When you show them your currency, they'll steal some notes and might even replace them with fakes. An accomplace might distract you to make the switch easier. Avoiding this one is simple - don't let strangers touch your money.

3. Unofficial Visa Sites

Unfortunately, many tourists fall victim to this scam before even arriving in Bali. When searching online for Bali/Indonesia visas, arrivals card, or the tourist tax, there are many unofficial websites in the search results.

These websites charge significantly more than the official price, but all they do is take your information and copy it into the official form. It's a pointless service that can cost a small fortune.

To help you avoid this, we put together a full checklist of the documents you need to visit Bali, with correct links and pricing. Official government websites in Indonesia will always end with .go.id.

4. Karma Group Free Holiday

We’ll hold our hands up and say that the Karma Group free holiday scam is one we fell for. And while we weren’t scammed out of any money, we did waste a good amount of our day.

Essentially, you'll be offered some freebies in exchange for listening to a sales pitch about a timeshare. However, the freebies are often difficult or impossible to claim.

When it happened to us, we were approached by a hotel sales rep on the street with scratch cards offering a free meal at a Bali restaurant and a holiday at one of their 5-star resorts. To claim the prize, we had to go with the seller and attend a short presentation. He explained that there was no requirement to purchase anything and that we’d be on our way soon after with our prizes in hand.

Dubious but intrigued, we followed his instructions and headed to the presentation. It was not short. We were interviewed and targeted with pushy sales tactics for an expensive holiday membership scheme. When the first opportunity to politely leave came, we took it.

We did receive the free meal voucher, although the restaurant was over an hour's drive from where we were staying and wasn't expensive anyway. The voucher is legitimate, but not worth your time. The free holiday never arrived in our inbox.

This scam has recently started happening online, where couples are targeted with ads for a 'free night safari' or something similar.

5. ATM Card Skimming

Not so much a scam but an outright crime, card skimming can happen in Bali. This is when a device is fitted to ATMs to read your card details.

To avoid this, only use ATMs from reputable Indonesian banks. Ideally, use ATMs located outside banks or in highly visible areas like fuel stations. Find a list of fee-free ATMs we recommend here.

When travelling internationally, it's best to keep a low balance on the card you use daily. We keep a balance below £100 and transfer from a savings pot when we need a top-up. At least if our card gets skimmed (or stolen), the thieves won't walk away with too much.

Remember, card skimming can happen anywhere in the world, not just in Bali. So don't let it put you off using ATMs. You are more likely to recover money from card skimming than if you have cash stolen.

6. ‘Mandatory’ Sarongs or Offerings

Many temples and sacred sites require you to wear a sarong to enter. In the majority of cases, they are provided for free at the entrance.

However, before you reach the entrance, opportunistic vendors might hassle you to buy a sarong. They’ll inform you that it’s essential to enter the temple, although they conveniently forget to mention that complimentary sarongs are provided.

In most cases, the sarongs are only pocket change, so it’s not a big deal. However, we prefer to support honest vendors rather than those who use questionable sales tactics.

Always check at the ticket counter if a sarong is included. The only sacred places we visited that didn't include a sarong were Goa Giri Putri, Peguyangan Waterfall, and Pura Ulun Danu Batur.

At Pura Besakih (Bali's largest temple), a similar scam happens with offerings. At the entrance, local women will try to convince you that it's essential to make an offering - it's not. When visiting this temple, everything you need (sarong, guide, shuttle) is included in the ticket price.

7. Taxi Overcharging

Taxi drivers overcharging tourists is common all over the world, including Bali. We once saw a drunk tourist being charged 100,000 IDR for a journey that should have cost 15,000 IDR at a fair price.

The easiest way to avoid this is by using ride-hailing apps like Grab or Gojek. Prices are shown upfront, there’s no negotiating, and your ride is tracked. They are both cheaper and safer.

That said, these apps are banned from picking up in some areas due to pushback from local drivers. This includes the ports at Sanur and Padangbai, and certain streets in Canggu, Ubud, Uluwatu, and Seminyak. In these places, they can still drop you off, but not pick you up.

If you find yourself in a "no-ojek zone" and walking isn’t an option, you'll have to negotiate with local drivers. A good tactic is to check the Gojek price and use this as a starting point for negotiation.

8. Illegal ‘Gacong’ Guides

Gacong is a Balinese term for an illegal or unlicensed tour guide who will take tourists to an activity or attraction, then pressure the operator into paying them a commission, despite not having any official agreements. As a tourist, you won't feel the impact, but it's unfair to local businesses, so try to avoid supporting them.

One approached us in Nusa Dua while we were driving a scooter. He drove alongside us while shouting a sales pitch for a watersports package across the sound of the engines. Needless to say, his pitch was unsuccessful.

Something similar also happens near the ferry ports, where gacong guides approach you before the official ticket counters to sell tickets at inflated prices. If you agree, they'll walk you to the official counter and pocket the difference.

To avoid these practices, don’t do business with guides who approach you on the street. Always use licensed guides and drivers from reputable sources or purchase online.

9. Booking Site Scams

It's now super simple to find and book accommodation in Bali yourself, with large sites such as Booking.com and Airbnb used widely. But here are some scams to be aware of during the process:

Fake Listings:

Imagine thinking you have a great deal on a brand new Airbnb, only you turn up and it doesn't exist. This happened to a friend of ours in Bali. Of course, Airbnb refunded the money, but booking another place at short notice can be inconvenient and expensive.

Avoid booking properties with no/very few reviews. If you need to, be extra diligent. Check if the host has other properties or try googling the name/address of the property to find it on other booking sites.

Phishing:

A big scam affecting Booking.com right now is phishing (as reported here). A scammer will hack into the Booking.com account of a hotel or guesthouse, then message you asking for payment through a link designed to look like Booking.com.

The only ways you should pay for a hotel are through the platform's own payment system when you make the booking or in person when you arrive.

Some properties have legitimately asked us to pay through a booking link, but we have always declined and paid on arrival. It has never affected our booking.

10. Stolen Scooter Scam

This final Bali scam is extremely rare. We don’t know anyone who it’s happened to personally, just stories we've heard online in our Facebook group.

Essentially, you’ll rent a scooter from a dodgy dealer. They’ll track the scooter, and when you leave it unattended, they’ll steal it using a spare key. It will look like the scooter has been stolen, and the dealer (a.k.a the thief) will charge you a heavy fine.

To avoid this, only hire scooters or motorbikes from reputable rental companies. Use real businesses with physical locations. We always use Bikago - they are very trustworthy with branches all over Bali. They are one of the few rental companies that provide both insurance and breakdown support.

Have you come across any other scams in Bali? Leave a comment below and let us know your experience!