Long before US tourists first discovered the enormous crested waves that lash Bali’s lush southern coastline, back in the early 1930s, the soft-sand beach of Kuta belonged entirely to local villagers.
Nearly a century of tourism later, with visitor numbers ramping up in every decade since, Kuta has evolved into Indonesia’s paradise lost, red-flagged as one of the biggest over-tourism hotspots in Southeast Asia.
The swaying palms and golden beach on the Indonesian island remain exactly as they were, only now enveloped by brashness: rowdy bars, tourist shops and monolithic hotels changing the landscape.
Year-round, budget travellers, the lion’s share from Australia, arrive in their droves – contributing to traffic and pollution – to surf and party.
Kuta’s story is an increasingly familiar one across the region, with the mystical backpacker trail that was carved out in the 1970s largely lost to commercialism. If you want a McDonald’s in Kuta at 4am…there’s three of them, all open 24 hours, to choose from.
The next victim in the region overtourism looks set to also claim? The island of Lombok.
Once touted as an alternative beach nirvana off radar for most tourists, it has been ‘Bali-fied’ in recent years, with many of its beach resorts already mini Kutas in the making.
Roughly two hours’ east by boat from Bali, or a two-hour flight from Indonesian capital, Jakarta, Lombok has all the spellbinding natural assets of its near neighbour.
Bali now welcomes 6.3 million travellers to its shores every year – but tourism has come at a price for the island, with resorts such as Kuta crowded year-round, and Bali’s south plagued by traffic congestion
Discovered by US tourists nearly a century ago, Kuta, has become one of Indonesia’s best-known surf spots… but crowd-free scenes like the above are now a rarity
There’s miles of surf-perfect beaches, a verdant interior – featuring 3,726m-high Mount Rinjani, Indonesia’s second-largest volcano – and crystalline waters.
Who made the decision to sell Lombok as ‘the new Bali’? It came from the top, with Indonesia’s government actively seeking out destinations ripe for major tourist development in a bid to bolster the nation’s economy.
Lombok’s tourism figures are soaring, 40 per cent more overseas visitors holidayed on the island in 2024 than they did in the previous year.
Mandalika, a region on Lombok’s south coast, has been a particular focus of investment.
The motorcycle MotoGP Grand Prix took place at the Mandalika International Street Circuit with a record crowd of 142,000 people, many of them from overseas, watching the action live.
The track was completed in 2021 – with local families uprooted to make way for it.
Travel and consumer trends analyst Gary Bowerman, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, says there are several factors contributing to overtourism in the region, including cheaper travel – 60% of all flight seats in Asia are with budget carriers, combined with tourists wanting to tick off ‘obvious’ destinations.
Trips are often short too, he tells the Daily Mail, meaning that people don’t radiate too far from major Asian gateways such as Bangkok, Phuket, Kyoto, Tokyo or Seoul.
The ‘Bali-fication’ of Lombok: Neighbouring Indonesian island Lombok has been encouraged to take the tourism strain from Bali… but now risks its own beaches turning into mini Kutas. The Mandalika MotoGP Circuit (pictured) was built in 2021 – but saw locals ousted from their villages to make way for it
Two hours from Bali by boat, and a two-hour flight from Jakarta, Lombok saw tourist numbers leap by 40 per cent last year (Pictured: The island’s Mount Rinjani volcano)
He explains: ‘If we go back to the 80s and 90s, we were going to Spain, France, Italy, the US… we would visit the obvious places, then would find our feet and go to other destinations.
‘That’s a lot of what is happening in Asia at the moment; tourism there is still a young industry. There’s also a great deal of value consciousness – people want to go where flights are cheap.’
‘Bali, for example, has become a tourist island, particularly in the south. Balinese culture is very strong but it’s being challenged by the volumes of visitors. Travel and tourism to Asia isn’t going to slow down though.’
Bali currently sees 6.3 million overseas visitors descend every year. Plans for a new airport in the island’s north to try and deal with the congestion in the south may just see overtourism play out in a different part of the island, says Bowerman, rather than solving the island’s traffic crisis.
Which destinations should you visit now, before they potentially get the Bali treatment?
Bowerman says: ‘Southeast Asia and Japan and Korea has been pretty well discovered – but there are still areas that are not as congested as destinations such as Lombok and Bali.’
PARADISE BEFORE ITS LOST? THE ASIAN DESTINATIONS TO DISCOVER NOW
Picked by Mattia Valdegamberi, product manager Southeast Asia at Wendy Wu Tours:
Sabah, Borneo: ‘Backed by rainforest and fringed by coral reefs, Borneo’s coastline around Kota Kinabalu offers a wild yet luxurious escape.’
Palawan, Philippines: ‘Home to the crystal lagoons and limestone cliffs of El Nido and Coron, Palawan is every bit as breathtaking as Thailand’s Andaman coast – yet still feels refreshingly undiscovered.’
Take me to the beach: Dreamy Entalula Island in the Palawan province of the Philippines
Komodo and Flores, Indonesia: ‘These untouched islands of Komodo and Flores boast pink-sand beaches, active volcanoes and coral-rich waters. Travellers can witness the legendary Komodo dragon, explore traditional villages and cruise between pristine islets that remain delightfully uncrowded.’
Picked by Janin Leach, Senior Product Executive for Southeast Asia at Audley Travel:
Khanom, Thailand: ‘A quiet fishing town on Thailand’s southeastern coast, with a secluded beach, and a small number of other holidaymakers and local fishermen for company. Don’t miss a boat trip to see rare pink dolphins.’
Just the two of us: Janin Leach, senior product executive for Southeast Asia at Audley Travel, recommends the balmy waters around Koh Lipe (pictured) in Thailand for a quieter stay
Koh Lipe, Thailand: ‘So small that it can be walked across in 30 mins, visitors can relax on the beach, swim in the calm waters, or snorkel among the corals (and sea turtles).’
Sumba, Indonesia: ‘An easy two-hour flight from Bali’s Denpasar, Sumba has tranquility and white sandy beaches. Enjoy traditional tribal culture mixed with a relaxing beach stay and excellent diving.’
‘Indonesia’s a huge country. It has many, many islands, there are parts of Laos, there’s Timor-Leste (East Timor), there’s the highlands of Vietnam, but the challenge [for tourists] with those destinations is the infrastructure…it’s not so easy to get there.’
Experts at tour operators that specialise in Southeast Asia agree there’s still plenty of scope for two weeks of adventure without succumbing to tourist traps.
‘Islands like Komodo and Flores in Indonesia, Sabah in Borneo, and Palawan in the Philippines are stunning examples of places where travellers can still find that raw, unspoilt beauty that’s increasingly rare in the world’s most visited destinations.
‘Each offers the same turquoise waters, world-class diving, and jungle-clad scenery as their more famous neighbours – but without the crowds.
‘For travellers seeking authenticity and connection rather than queues and crowds, these lesser-known shores are the true Southeast Asia of old.’
Janin Leach, senior product executive for Southeast Asia at Audley Travel, told the Daily Mail that both Indonesia and Thailand are both still ideal for holidays away from the madding crowd if you know where to go.
Leach says: ‘With forested hiking trails and cave complexes, Khanom in Thailand is a great option. This quiet fishing town is located on the southeastern coast of the country, about a 90-minute drive from Surat Thani Airport.’
‘Also in Thailand, Koh Lipe is an excellent choice for a lesser-visited island. It is so small that it can be walked across in 30 minutes, and visitors can relax on the beach, swim in the calm waters, or snorkel among the corals (and sea turtles).
‘For an active day, I suggest taking a boat to nearby Koh Adang to hike the trails leading to hidden waterfalls, and to see Koh Lipe from above.’
‘And in Indonesia, Sumba is an easy two-hour flight from Bali’s Denpasar and the island offers tranquillity white sandy beaches, and fewer visitors than the popular alternatives.
‘This is the ideal place to head for traditional tribal culture mixed with a relaxing beach stay and excellent diving.’
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