Anyone visiting Kuta Bali right now will notice the massive increase in traffic and the arrival of hoards of domestic tourists.
The reason for this is Idul Fitri which marks the ends of Ramadan. It is a 2 day holiday which signals a weeks of intense tourism from neighboring Java.
I have been visiting many guest houses in Kuta recently and most of them are full with domestic tourists who also bring their SUV. Jl. Legian is choked with traffic and my girlfriend Ika said it took her 2 hours to get to Kuta from Nusa Dua.
The vendors in Kuta have plenty of targets but aren’t too pleased that they are domestic. Javanese tourists know how to bargain and many of them own their own businesses. They know how much stuff costs and how to bargain. An un-educated local handicraft seller has no chance against these people when they know the seller is desperate for a sale.
The strategy most emply is to choose several items and say words to the effect of ‘I’ll take these and give you ‘X’ and you’ll throw in 3 of these other things too’.
Kuta beach will be packed for the rest of the week although wasn’t too bad when I stoped by this afternoon. The tourist spots of Kuta will be slammed (Kuta Square, Jl. Legian, Poppies Lane etc.)
Many of the hotels / guest houses are on high season rates right now so make sure the rates you are looking at reflect that. During my re-checking guest house prices in Kuta I have found that most places are either the same as a year ago or have risen modestly.
Ika was telling me that in Java people will buy ‘ketupat’ during Idul Fitri as a tradition. Ketupat are small pyramids of rice wrapped in leaves. On sunday morning at 6am many muslims went to the soccer field in Tuban for a group prayer at the end of Ramadan. Ika and her relative went. I was invited but Arsenal vs. Spurs on saturday night was more of a highlight for me than prayers on sunday morning.
Steamy temperatures right now. You definately need AC in a car or a hotel room. A fan room right now will be a sweat shop.
Here’s our 10 day forecast.
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Wish Ika happy eid.