Thailand, Us, Vietnam Highlight How Indonesia’s Focus On Bali Creates Tourism Overload While Its Most Beautiful Islands Remain Hidden Gems For Future Exploration

Published on August 18, 2025

Thailand, US, and Vietnam observe arsenic Bali grapples pinch overcrowding, postulation jams, and overtourism, while Indonesia’s hidden islands for illustration Seram, Lake Toba, and Raja Ampat stay mostly untouched, offering pristine landscapes and unspoiled earthy beauty. As world visitors proceed flocking to Bali, nan government’s attraction connected nan land leaves distant destinations underdeveloped, highlighting nan stark opposition betwixt bustling tourer hubs and serene paradises waiting to beryllium discovered.

At Ora Beach connected Indonesia’s Seram Island, pristine turquoise waters glisten beneath towering limestone cliffs, while dense tropical greenery surrounds nan shoreline, creating a segment of untouched earthy beauty. There are nary crowds, nary selfies, nary signs of wide tourism—just quality successful its purest form.

Travel immoderate sixteen 100 kilometres westbound to Bali, and nan opposition is striking. Traffic snarls astir temple corners, motorbikes create a changeless din, and integrative discarded clogs gutters. The sheer measurement of visitors has, successful galore areas, overshadowed nan island’s belief heritage, leaving nan once-tranquil oasis struggling to support its essence.

Despite these challenges, Bali remains nan centerpiece of Indonesia’s tourism strategy. As nan country’s astir internationally recognized destination, it was deliberately positioned to thrust post-pandemic betterment for Indonesia’s important tourism sector. Yet, this attraction has exposed cracks: economical maturation successful nan state is slowing, and world visitors are spending less. Meanwhile, different regions crossed Indonesia, rich | successful earthy beauty and taste heritage, are calling for greater finance and attention.

Indonesia, pinch much than 17,000 islands, has yet to afloat regain pre-Covid tourism levels, lagging down location neighbors for illustration Vietnam and Thailand. At nan aforesaid time, Bali faces overtourism, pinch visitant numbers successful 2024 already surpassing 2019 levels. The imbalance highlights a captious issue: while Bali thrives, different destinations stay underdeveloped.

Efforts to broaden tourism beyond Bali person faced obstacles. Coordination betwixt ministries and section governments remains fragmented, slowing nan improvement of infrastructure and connectivity. Efforts to create 10 “new Balis” crossed Indonesia person mostly fizzled, leaving promising destinations underdeveloped, and nan tourism ministry has remained silent connected nan matter.

Bali’s resurgence aft separator reopenings was swift. Its pop-culture fame, amplified by nan 2010 movie Eat, Pray, Love, has made it an world magnet. In 2024, astir half of Indonesia’s 13.9 cardinal overseas visitors came to nan island. The influx has transformed Bali from a quiet, agrarian Hindu enclave into a bustling hotspot that caters to each budgets. Luxury villas tin costs astir US\$3,000 per night, while guesthouses are disposable for arsenic small arsenic US\$20.

Wellness tourism flourishes, and nan authorities is promoting Bali arsenic a aesculapian hub, spanning cosmetic procedures to neonatal care. Estimates propose nan island’s 2 economical zones, including 1 dedicated to aesculapian tourism, could make much than US\$33 cardinal by 2052. Yet, contempt these eager plans, nan economical benefits person not afloat materialized. Bali’s economical description slowed to 5.5% past year, down from 5.7% successful 2023, arsenic world visitors began spending less. Chinese visitors, who historically walk heavily, are still conscionable a 3rd of 2019 numbers.

The occurrence of Bali has besides travel astatine a cost. Streets are crowded, and viral videos of snarling postulation successful statement hubs for illustration Canggu tie comparisons to Jakarta’s infamous jams. Luxury villa building intrudes connected nan terraced atom fields that erstwhile defined Bali’s charm. Local communities look caller pressures: building threatens ineffable Hindu temples, and complete 65% of nan island’s freshwater is diverted to resorts and plunge pools, leaving villages to trust progressively connected groundwater.

Beyond Bali, Indonesia offers countless hidden gems. Seram Island, for example, provides serene earthy landscapes and opportunities to spot dolphins and turtles successful nan wild. Yet accessibility is limited. Reaching Ora Beach requires a three-and-a-half-hour formation from Jakarta to Ambon, a two-hour ferry to Seram, and different hr by car—a travel approaching 7 hours. Ferry services are limited, overcrowded, and sometimes unsafe.

Lake Toba, nan world’s largest volcanic lake, is different underdeveloped treasure. From Samosir Island, visitors tin bask panoramic views of nan reservoir and surrounding hills. While caller hotels person opened and nan F1H2O Powerboat World Championship will beryllium held successful precocious August, world flights are absent, and tourism maturation remains slow. Raja Ampat, pinch much than 1,500 islands and nan world’s astir divers coral reefs, faces akin challenges. Its earthy wonders are globally renowned, yet constricted connectivity restricts visitant numbers.

In comparison, location competitors are moving ahead. Thailand offers aggregate formation destinations, from Phuket to Koh Samui and Krabi, while Vietnam provides bluish attractions for illustration Ha Long Bay and Sapa. Phu Quoc successful Vietnam is undergoing monolithic infrastructure upgrades up of APEC 2027, including an airdrome description tin of handling 50 cardinal passengers by 2050. Indonesia’s lag successful connectivity and infrastructure underscores nan urgent request for finance beyond Bali.

Thailand, US, and Vietnam watch arsenic crowded Bali struggles pinch overtourism, while Indonesia’s hidden islands for illustration Seram, Lake Toba, and Raja Ampat stay serene and mostly undiscovered.

Indonesia’s tourism scenery is 1 of contrasts. Bali thrives arsenic a world marque but struggles nether nan weight of its ain popularity. Meanwhile, a wealthiness of undiscovered destinations pinch bonzer earthy and taste assets stay mostly untapped. To guarantee sustainable growth, nan state must grow infrastructure, amended connectivity, and diversify its tourism strategy—allowing hidden gems for illustration Seram, Lake Toba, and Raja Ampat to radiance alongside Bali.