A stroll down Poppies Lane II today confirmed that its the slow season. New Years is over, the Indonesian school kids have gone back to Java and the wind, combined to make this a slack period. Poppies Lane II connects Jl. Legian with Jl. Pantai Kuta (the beach road). Going back 20 years it was just a sandy lane, lined with palm trees and full of pot holes. People used it to access the beach.
Poppies Lane nowadays is wall to wall handicraft and t-shirt shops. Glancing down the lane close to the beach today I’d say business is slow. One vendor told me she made no sales today, only 1 yesterday.
Poppies II can be a great location to stay for surfers and beach lovers. There are budget hotels and guest houses, plenty of warungs handy, 5 minutes to the beach and close to Jl. Legian for the nighlife.
The vendors here are friendly and greatly appreciate it you do your holiday shopping with them.
{ 3 comments }
I can attest to that—I’m staying at Komala Indah on Poppies 1 (be here until 22nd at least).
It’s a great area and the backpacker hostels are reasonably busy but everywhere trade is slow. And it isn’t just the season; there are dark mutterings about people’s fear of terorist attacks. It seems that the Palu bombing is affecting tourism in Bali, even though the event is totally unrelated to the area.
BTW Nick, I’ve been to Sulawesi. Palu and Poso are tense, but the tension is definitely not aimed at Westerners. On the contrary: the locals are more likely to kill you with kindness. When I waved a few of them away, pleading for peace and quiet, one of them said: “but we love foreigners so!” There aren’t many foreigners there.
The rest of central/south Sulawesi is fine and Toraja is stunning (as are the Togean Islands).
nick, if you don’t mind, can you take a picture from “the stairs” in poppies2? it’s a significant place in this street and i would like to know if this place is also empty?? cause normally - especially in the evening - this place is always packed with aussies…
have a nice day!
maja
Hello Nick,
Every no and then I read your interesting articles. I admire your imagination to find a new subject every time.
I want to ask you permission to translate a few articles in Dutch language for my website about Bali. Like this article is very intersesting reading material.
Hope te hear from you
Carla (Kaat)
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