Nov 29, 2011
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bali
Has anyone else fallen fowl of the Kintamani Tourist Tax?

We went through there the other day and got stopped for 'tourist tax' 160,000!!! 6 of us in the car, made us pay for 5, I didn't have to pay as I was driving. Kitas holders with family. Even if you are just traveling through or not tourists, if you don't want to pay, you can take an alternative route! It seems this has been enforced for about a year and its absolutely outrageous. I then found out that many of our clients have also had to cough up this 'tax' when travelling through the area.

The other alternative we were offered was to pay 100,00 and not take a ticket. Well there's a surprise! So annoyed, who to write to? Like so many others, these punks are damaging tourism, something that most of this island not only survives on, but thrives on and dammed if I was going to put that sort of money in the pocket of these crooks working under the name of the community.
 
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tel522

Active Member
Oct 30, 2015
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yap im afraid this happens in tourist areas with depressing regularity .
 

Markit

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Sep 3, 2007
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The rice terraces at Tegalalang have something similar and many people were equally exercised by the farmers asking walking tourists to pay a small toll to walk the paths. How could the greedy farmers be so avaricious? The guests had to pay at the top to park so that must be enough!

Well fact was that the rice terrace farmers that were responsible for the beauty and attraction of the area were getting not one Rupiah from the ticket collectors at the top.

I usually find there's a couple of levels of "truth" here so don't be quite so quick to judge.

The "no ticket" option is indefensible but part of Asia.
 
Nov 29, 2011
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bali
I think you have a valid point Markit, but surely its down to the Banjar for not regulating the parking etc to ensure all those that partake benefit? When we first went to Batur and Rinjani 20+ years ago, there were no associations as there are now and I remember some mafia characters stopping us at Batur for a donation in order to let some 10 year old escort us. We about turned and went home. It is age old all over Asia that tourists also pay more for entry to attractions.

I have two gripes:
1) The situation is about charging us because we were perceived to be 'tourists' (although we live/have business here) but were just using the road to get solely from A to B. Even then, it is not per vehicle, but per person even. Tell me what they do with the money, why not charge to park? At least it is making those pay who are actually using the facilities.
2) There is no justification regarding 100k without a ticket or 160k with. As much as it stuck in our throats, we paid to get tickets so we didn't line the pocket of some scumbag who thinks the whole world owes him.
 

Markit

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Sep 3, 2007
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I do understand your ire but let me give you one more example: If you travel from Probolingo to Malang in Central Java the road goes right through the middle of the Bromo Caldera. We weren't assed about the caldera so when we got to the top of the mountain and they wanted some serious dosh for us to "view" the volcano we demurred pointing out that we only wanted to get to Malang. Back and forth, we had a native speaker with us thankfully, finally they accepted her KTP (ID card) as proof and let us through gratis. The volcano was super!

IMG_3622.jpg

My somewhat long winded point is it might be worth you talking to the powers on the hill and getting a dispensation document as a "local" cause how else are the simple rice farmers watching the toll supposed to know?

I have to admit to some concern with your level of aggression "we didn't line the pocket of some scumbag who thinks the whole world owes him". You are talking about $12 US here or 2 Starbucks.
 
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hadodi

Member
Nov 8, 2013
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NE Bali
Mata Uang everywhere! What kind of impression GUESTS must take home if this happens?! It is a public road, constructed with tax payers money and does not belong to those pirates. Bali's main income comes from tourism and this is how GUESTS are treated! And I am sorry to say this, Markit, there is absolutely NO excuse for such street robbery. And it is a shame that the Bali government which certainly knows about this scandal is doing NOTHING to stop those ...
 

Steve Rossell

Member
Apr 18, 2015
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I wonder what would happen if you smiled, said 'no thank you' and just drove on through?
:icon_e_wink:
 

Markit

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Sep 3, 2007
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Nothing. I've done it several times. You have to be prepared for them as it's in a blind curve coming up the mountain and they tend to jump in front of the car, foolishly.
 

Mark

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Apr 19, 2004
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There is a fee to park if one is going to the Ceking Rice Terraces in Tegalalang, but for those simply driving on through there is no charge, unlike the bs Kintamani shakedown where all cars with one or more bules in side are deemed to be there for touristic purposes.
 

mrsgabry

Member
Sep 8, 2009
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Vienna/Nusa Dua
I am getting really annoyed by this street robbery. They now want money for everything. Going to the beach, passing through the rice terraces , visiting a temple ... the roads remain horrible though. Where does all that money go? Why do I have to pay for going to a public beach? I am not talking about a parking fee. But 15.000 per person plus parking fee (this is what they charge now for Pandawa Beach) is extortion.
 

geedee

Member
Feb 1, 2014
686
1
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Sydney
So all the tourist attractions in Vienna are free to enter?

Your statement doesn't make sense and has no connection with this at all, are you still sick or what
You don't get the local Austrians standing on public roads, public beaches etc and extorting foreigners to line their own pockets.
or charging you to look at the mountains and valleys, in fact you can yodel for free till your heart is content.
In fact they would be outraged and they would be in Jail
P.S. I'll bet you make sure you never pay this
 

Markit

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I disagree. If it doesn't make sense then you clearly haven't thought about it in your hurry to reply.

If you are going to a tourist area you normally expect to be charged at a premium for things you would normally (at home) either not pay for or pay a normal price.

I'd also love to know how you all know they are lining their own pockets?

Why is it acceptable to pay a premium for your grub in any Ubud/Sanur/Seminyak boutique eatery (with corresponding picture deluge) but not to pay for the road usage to get there? Because the locals don't? Become a fecking local and then you won't either as I mentioned in post 5.
 

hadodi

Member
Nov 8, 2013
154
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NE Bali
No, my dear! But PUBLIC roads are. And this is the point. We are not talking about tourist attractions but public roads. And even churches, equivalent to the temples, are free to enter, because they are houses for praying. In Bali? If you know a temple where you do not get ripped of, you are invited for a beer when you come the next time in our area
 

Markit

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Sep 3, 2007
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Friends just went to Besakih with our recommendation and found they were asked for a fee for a guide but when they firmly said they didn't need one they were left in peace. Things have changed there.
 

geedee

Member
Feb 1, 2014
686
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Sydney
Neither a tourist nor an expat should be extorted.
A tourist comes to enjoy and relax and shouldn't be hassled and charged for going on public roads etc.
They have a CHOICE to eat at boutique eateries in the south or not but its their choice where they spend their money.
They don't really have a choice when the road is blocked except to pay or turn back which leaves a bad taste just like it did for the OP and myself and others reading this.
Pura Goa Lawah(bat temple) has a small entry fee and that's fine its done properly with desks and tickets , not just locals all hassling you.
While I hate seeing the poor families and kids
The tourist and the expat are not responsible for feeding the locals family that's the responsibility of the family.
If they were smart they would give better service for tourists and be friendly to tourists or have a little stall saying" fixed price tours no hassles" or similar and they probably would feed their families better.
and giving the expat better service to gain employment or profit.
As for Besakih , I would never go as the perception is you get ripped off hassled etc etc
and its all over the Internet .
Bule's read this and act accordingly so the locals are doing damage to themselves , families and there community long term
How does this help the locals ..

Get well soon
 
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tel522

Active Member
Oct 30, 2015
572
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I was in besakih a month ago ,after getting ripped off for a sarong "supposedly fixed price like uluwatu " of course it wasnt , no wonder its like a ghost town around there . Pity

I wont be going back .
 

hadodi

Member
Nov 8, 2013
154
23
18
NE Bali
How true!!!
neither a tourist nor an expat should be extorted.
A tourist comes to enjoy and relax and shouldn't be hassled and charged for going on public roads etc.
They have a choice to eat at boutique eateries in the south or not but its their choice where they spend their money.
They don't really have a choice when the road is blocked except to pay or turn back which leaves a bad taste just like it did for the op and myself and others reading this.
Pura goa lawah(bat temple) has a small entry fee and that's fine its done properly with desks and tickets , not just locals all hassling you.
While i hate seeing the poor families and kids
the tourist and the expat are not responsible for feeding the locals family that's the responsibility of the family.
If they were smart they would give better service for tourists and be friendly to tourists or have a little stall saying" fixed price tours no hassles" or similar and they probably would feed their families better.
And giving the expat better service to gain employment or profit.
As for besakih , i would never go as the perception is you get ripped off hassled etc etc
and its all over the internet .
Bule's read this and act accordingly so the locals are doing damage to themselves , families and there community long term
how does this help the locals ..

Get well soon
 

Mark

Well-Known Member
Apr 19, 2004
874
313
63
It's bollocks to charge tourists and expats a fee to use public roads like the one to Kintamani, which as a town itself is not much of a tourist attraction anyway. There is no 'touristic' value added provided - the road was designed and built purely to facilitate transport from one point to another. Denying certain road users but not others the right to use the road unless they pay a fee is extortion, pure and simple. There is absolutely no comparison with legitimate tourist sites that charge an admission fee for visitors who consciously choose to visit the tourist site, whether it be a temple, museum and so on, and where there is an infrastructure to support, e.g., staff, security, upkeep, parking lot etc.
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
9,317
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All of you who are waving your raised fist of indignation about people charging for use of public roads should also understand that many roads here still belong to the banjars. Unless it's been formally turned over and accepted by the central government it will remain the responsibility of the local banjar - upkeep and repair. This can have the effect that on a straight stretch of highway the good tarmac can stop and moon landscape start without any reason.

If it is gov road then no charges should be levied, if it's banjar then they have to pay for its upkeep somehow.