BABY BOOMERS LIVE LIKE MULTIMILLIONAIRES ON BALI:

Discover how you can retire in luxury with housekeepers, drivers and great year-round weather at a cost of living that is up to 70 % less.

Are you one of the 2 Billion Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964?

Do you find that you’re not happy living in a busy Western City or suburb?

Are you concerned about gridlock traffic, rising crime and high cost-of-living?

Now you have an opportunity to retire on the “Island of the Gods” in complete luxury with private maids’ and gardeners for a fraction of what it costs in the West.

Bali’s Retirement Visa:

In the past retiring in Bali was difficult because you had to leave every 30 to 60 days to renew your visa. Now the government of Indonesia is encouraging foreigners to retire in Bali with a retirement visa for anyone over 55 years of age.

This retirement visa is relatively easy to obtain and will allow you to stay in Bali for five years at a time without leaving Bali.
You may renew it every five years. The cost is insignificant.We can assist you obtaining this in a reasonably short time.

What’s it like to retire in Bali?

Small Portion of 14 yr. Old  PT. B.A.L.I. 135 employees

 PT. B.A.L.I. (PT. Bali Affordable Lifestyles International) and it’s 135 staff have been providing accommodations and services to retirees from around the world for the past 14 years.

Approximately 30% of their Villa complexes are already occupied by full-time retirees from countries such as Canada, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and even some Asian countries recently.

As the world’s population of baby boomers, which represents 25% of the population of the world, ages more and more are deciding to leave the busy cities and suburbs to retire in Bali. 

According to one of PT. BA.L.I's longest Villa Owners, "Coming here is choosing a wonderful and enviable lifestyle. I highly recommend a Bali escape for your retirement years."

"Coming here is choosing a wonderful and enviable lifestyle. I highly recommend a Bali escape for your retirement years."

 2018/08 Australian Retiree, 10 Yr Resident In Bali  

One of the Most Sought after Islands & Retirement Designations in the World:

Bali is on everybody’s bucket list. This year it was ranked the fourth most sought after destination after Paris, London and Rome by the readers of the TripAdvisor website, the largest online travel website in the world.

It also was ranked as the number one destination for Asians this year.

Java and Bali were  ranked as the first and second-best Islands in the world.

One must only visit Bali to understand why everybody wants to come back. The beautiful year-round weather, friendly, honest Balinese, $5 to $10 meals, $10 massages and custom-made clothing for up to 70% off Western prices.

The Best location In Bali for Retirees:

Retirees soon find out that the best location in Bali for them is not the hectic, gridlocked, areas of Bali’s S/W Coast which normally have poor infrastructure.

The East Coast communities of Sanur and just North of Sanur off a high quality four-lane road are much more attractive and affordable.

The By-Pass offers rapid transit from rural areas to Sanur in as little as 15 to 20 minutes, Denpasar or Ubud in 20 to 25 min. The recently built world class International Airport is only 45 Min. drive.

Luxury Retirement Villas starting at $196,000:

PT. B.A.L.I., who has already successfully built and marketed villa complexes for those who desire the best in life has now launched ©Bali Luxury Retirement Villas to fill the huge demand of approximately 750 million baby boomers within a 6 ½ hour flight of Bali.

Designed & Built for Baby boomers by a Baby Boomer:

©Bali Luxury Retirement Villas are designed by a Canadian with over 15 years of experience designing and marketing villas in Bali.
He too is a Baby Boomer, born in 1950, and knows what baby boomers want after managing 55 Bali Luxury Villas for the past 14 years.

These new ©Bali Luxury Retirement Villas feature everything a baby boomer always wanted, but perhaps couldn’t afford.

Starting with a quiet community of only retirement villas. 
The owner’s charters, which all owners must sign, rules out any short-term vacation rentals in this community. 
There shall not be any unreasonable noise before 8 AM or after 10 PM each evening. This rules out loud parties and sleepless nights.

Close Proximity to the Beach: 

B.L.R.V. 
Will be built within close proximity to a beautiful beach which will be only a 5 to 10 minute drive or a 15 to 30-minute walk at a leisurely pace. 
The beaches in this area are generally primarily for locals with very few tourists. Making it for a very pleasant experience. There are magical sunrises every day.

Many Restaurants, Stores and Shops. 

There are literally hundreds of restaurants, shops, stores bars etc. within 5 - 20 minutes from your Bali Luxury Retirement Villa.

Inexpensive Transport:

Affordable transport services such as Grab, (like Uber) are available for as little as $3 to $6 each way. 
With costs this low for the equivalent of having a personal driver, most retirees will opt not to have their own car. But if you do want your own car add another $200 a month for your own personal driver as well.

24 hour security:

There is Professional 24-hour security managed by a PT. B.A.L.I. who has 14 years of managing security for 55 villas. 

Single-Story Villas: 

These villas are very baby boomer friendly in that they are all one level with no stairs and wheelchair friendly throughout most of the villa. 

Private Swimming Pool: 

The first thing your friends and relatives will notice as they enter these luxury villas is the stunning private swimming pool. 

It will be a hit when children and grandchildren children visit. 

It’s also great for baby boomers to keep in shape. Water aerobics is by far one of the best exercises for retirees.

Private Lawn and Potential Garden: 

There is an area next to the pool that will be suitable for gardening if you wish to grow your own vegetables fruits etc. So, you can enjoy your own fresh banana’s, papayas, beans tomatoes etc. year-round.

Large Living Area:

The living area was designed after realizing what baby boomers desire.

The windows may be fully closed for the hotter months so that you can turn on your own personal air conditioning or open them during the cooler months to avail Bali’s beautiful breezes and fresh clean air.

There is a high ceiling that makes the space feel even larger than normal.

Dining Area and Large Kitchen:

The dining area has ample room for up to six persons, eight if you squeeze your grandchildren in. The kitchen is designed to provide lots of room for the gourmet cook.

All the areas including Kitchens can be custom-designed during construction for a small additional sum.

Large Master Bedroom:

Since baby boomers will be spending most of the time in the villas by them self is important to have a huge bedroom with a large en-suite bathroom with toilet, two sinks, bathtub plus a stand-up shower.

The guest bedroom is slightly smaller but still has en- suite bathroom which also has a door to the living area so that guests can use this bathroom as well.

Quality Doors & Windows:

Every door and window is built from quality kiln-dried timber to reduce shrinkage and warping and fitted with screen windows and doors complete with brass-like locks. 

Your screen doors and windows will maintain a pest-free environment while allowing you to enjoy the fresh air. Your electric bills for air-conditioning will also be considerably reduced.

Quality Continues Behind the Scenes: 

The quality of materials and workmanship is not only apparent in the finishing but also continues under the surface.

Insulated Bedrooms: 

The bedroom ceilings have a unique woven bamboo covering sandwiched between thick rock wool insulation. This will insure that you enjoy an excellent uninterrupted sleep, even when your relatives and guests are still active. This insulation also reduces the cost of air-conditioning.

Pool Maintenance & Gardening: 

You may opt to take care of your own pool maintenance and gardening to save a little bit of money or share with 4 to 6 other villas the cost of a gardener and a pool man. This should cost as little as $50-$70 a month.

Full or part-time Housekeeping available: 

One of the great features of living in Bali is that housekeepers currently only cost around $200 per month for full-time. No more need for washing dishes, clothes, floors etc.

There is a possibility of sharing your housekeeping with other villas in the complex therefore reducing the costs even further.

Balinese housekeepers are not only very friendly and hard working but extremely honest. Many become like family.
"I have a young woman who works in my villa who has been with me since the start.  She is now a person I consider to be one of my closest and most trusted friends and is more a Personal Assistant. " Ms. E. B. Australian Retiree, 2018

Minuscule Common Area & Security Fees: 

 The common area security fees initially are estimated to be around hundred $195 per month and will only grow at the annual cost of inflation plus any other expenses dictated by government. This will cover the maintenance of the common areas and gardening plus the 24-hour security.

Shared Transportation: 

We anticipate in the future that there will be minibuses with daily schedules going to the major towns close by such as Sanur for shopping and even the local markets which can be very can be a pleasurable shopping experience for those that love to have the freshest fruits, vegetables and spices.

Inexpensive Medical Care: 

In Villa Private $10 per hr. Massage 

Bali medical care has improved dramatically in the last few years. There are three major hospitals within proximity of 15 to 20 minutes or even faster with an ambulance.

This includes a brand-new international hospital which is being managed with the cooperation of an Australian hospital in Darwin.

Costs of Dr. visits are minuscule and can be as little as $50 for one visit.

Most drugs and prescriptions are available without prescriptions in Bali at a fraction of the cost in Western countries. No need to go to a doctor simply for antibiotics that you know work. Just go to the local pharmacy and ask for it. Or have your housekeeper pick it up.

Professional Concierges 24 HRS: 

Professional, helpful concierges will attend to your every need at the main reception on the ground floor of our head office in Sanur.

First class Restaurant & Bar: 

Nearby Sanur has many fine restaurants, including our own EMERALD – Mediterranean Restaurant which provides inexpensive Mediterranean, European and Eastern delights.

Romantic Villa Dining: 

You and your loved ones may enjoy romantic dinners in the privacy of your own luxury villa. 

We can arrange to have a chef, waitress, kitchen staff and even entertainment if you wish to celebrate an important occasion or simply to treat yourself to a luxury usually only available to multimillionaires. 

The Emerald Restaurant can also provide exclusive first-class private theme parties in your villa including weddings, gourmet dinners, and barbecues. All can be arranged for a fraction of what it would cost you at most hotels and restaurants in the world.

Fiber OPTIC Wi-Fi, Television and Telephone: 

You can enjoy modern Fiber Optic cable vision and Wi-Fi so that you may keep in touch with business, friends and relatives from around the world.

Professional Management & Marketing Company: 

When you purchase one of our ©Bali Luxury Retirement Villas you also receive the services of one of Bali’s most successful award winning professional villa management and marketing companies. 

It is owned and operated by a Baby Boomer, Canadian President who has lived in Bali for 22 years and his Indonesian Spouse who is a Licensed Notaris. 

800 m2 Head Office and Restaurant

Together they have successfully owned and managed Bali Hotels, Villas and Restaurants for over 30 yrs. 

Potential Investment Income: 

We anticipate several of our ©Bali Luxury Retirement Villas owners will opt to buy one villa to live in and another one for rental with net cash flows anticipated of 8% to 15% per year for long-term rentals. They should enjoy positive cash flows plus appreciation on these villas with an 80-year lease. All leases may be taken over by your heirs. The beauty of an 80-year lease is that you can live in it 10 to 20 years and still sell your lease to someone else who can still enjoy it for another 60-70 years. So, we believe these ©Bali Luxury Retirement Villas also have excellent appreciation potential.

Pre-Construction Discount: $10,000 Discount:

Don’t miss out on the launch of the first of these ©Bali Luxury Retirement Villas.

They will be constructed and ready for occupancy in late 2019.

As a special incentive to those who know how to make an investment decision we are offering a $10,000 discount on the first two providing the order is placed with a small fully refundable deposit of $1,000 before Oct. 28th. 2018. All orders will be subject to your full approval of all designs an specifications.

The terms of the agreement will be 25% down 25% upon completion of walls 25% and completion of roof 20% upon handover and 5% holdback or 90 days.There will be an unconditional one-year guarantee on all parts and labor.

If you have interest, please send us an email ASAP to mailto:sales@baliluxuryretirementvillas.com

For more information please send your request to mailto:info@baliluxuryretirementvillas.com

Bali Luxury Villas

Alternatively if you do not wish to wait to purchase a © Bali Luxury Retirement Villas you can obtain one of our already built larger, award-winning, Bali Luxury Villas in Sanur starting as low as $158,888 for 10 year lease or $285,004 for a 35 year lease.

Prestigious Area: 

Own a large luxurious villa in one of the most desirable, prestigious, residential areas of Bali.

© Bali Luxury Villas are in the quaint resort area of Sanur which was the first beach resort on Bali decades ago and has developed into a unique community of boutique hotels such as the Bali Hyatt and brand-new Regent five-star resort.

Close to beach: 

From your villa, you may stroll to Sanur’s sparkling white sand, six-kilometer-long beach in a few minutes and enjoy water sports, or romantic strolls in a protected lagoon. 

Sanur Beach

“Voted one of the ten best beaches in Indonesia”Garuda Airlines, In Flight Mag.

Sanur now demands some of the highest residential real-estate prices in Bali due to heavy demand from foreign and local buyers who desire to live in this quality resort community.

Huge Swimming Pool: 

Keep in excellent shape while enjoying long laps in your own huge 9-meter (30 ft.) private pool. Your pool’s infinity overflow design empties into a stone cistern that provides a rich luxurious effect. The steps from the living room appear to disappear into the pool. Only top of the line pumps are utilized to reduce your maintenance costs and provide you with a sparkling clean pool.

Shopping & Entertainment:

You will love the low prices at local restaurants, boutiques, salons, and a large supermarket, which are minutes from your front door. Several four and five-star hotels are nearby which offer golf, bowling, tennis, spas, and fitness centers.

 LIMITED AVAILABILITY: 

Shown below are our current availability and selling prices. There are only a few villas available in these new complexes and they are selling fast. * All villas must be paid in Indonesian Rupiah only. This price is based on Rp 14,000 = one U.S. dollar. Complex Com Villa Bedrm. Baths Sq. Mtr U.S.D. Rupiah Price * Approx. Lease Golden B 10 3.5 3.5 650 $158,888 IDR 2,224,432,000 10 Emerald A 8 2 2.5 350 $290,000 IDR 4,060,000,000 11 Emerald A 3 2 2.5 400 $318,000 IDR 4,452,000,000 36 Golden A 3 2 2.5 450 $310,000 IDR 4,340,000,000 33 Emerald A 10 2 2.5 350 Sold Emerald A 5 2 2.5 350 Sold Emerald A 3 2 2.5 350 $340,000 IDR 4,760,000,000 36 Emerald B 14 2 2.5 350 Sold Jade A 7 3 3.5 450 $388,000 IDR 5,432,000,000 36 Emerald C 5 4 4.5 550 $441,000 IDR 6,174,000,000 37 Golden A 1 3 3 500 $446,000 IDR 6,244,000,000 33 Emerald D 4 4 4.5 550 $570,000 IDR 7,980,000,000 38 Emerald C 1 4 5.5 1200 $888,000 IDR 12,432,000,000 37

PT. BALI AFFORDABLE LIFESTYLES INT. 

doing business as BEST ASIA REAL ESTATE

marketing  © Bali Luxury Retirement Villas 

Sales Office: Jl. Karangsari, # 5. Sanur, Bali, Indonesia, 80228 Tel: 62-361-284069 Fax: 62-361-270143, Mobile-62-8123814014 or Mobile +62-8123632177 

Email InfoBLRV@gmail.com

Web: http://www.bestasiarealestate.com                                                            

Web: http://www.bestasiarealestate.com 

* Disclaimer: Photos include Golden Villas, Emerald Villas and Jade Villas. All information presented above is considered true and reliable to the best of our knowledge at the time that it was produced. Information and prices may change without notice. We accept no responsibility for incorrect information listed herein. Understandably we do not guarantee rental income, increases or profits.

Air pollution is making us dumber, Especially in older. men.study shows,

Bali News and Views Editor's Comments: 

Finally scientists have proven something that many of us have known all along, "Air pollution is making us dumber,  Especially in older. men".

Jakarta air pollution

Beijing air Corp. air pollution dangerous for children and adults

Now proven air pollution makes older men dumber

 Anytime I spend more than a couple days in a heavily polluted city such as Jakarta, Mumbai, Shanghai, Quanzhou, Beijing or even Los Angeles I noticed pretty quickly that my brain starts losing capacity.

Lawrence speaking to 300 Agents in Bejing 

So much so that I would never schedule to go too early to any of those cities before I spoke at a  seminar because after a few days of sucking those noxious fumes I would sound foolish at my seminar.

When you add to that all the other health problems associated with heavy pollution such as respiratory illness and even diabetes frankly I can't see how anybody can feel good about living in a city like that and  especially having their children grow up there.

Lawrence with his family living in clean air of Bali 2017

Most do it of course becauselarger polluted cities offer more financial opportunity. 

But what's the use of making money if you don't have your health.  

"What's the use of making money if you don't have your health".  

To me health is wealth. The healthier I am, the more money I can make.

Lawrence, In Jacuzzi breathing some of the freshest air in the world

Solution: The solution is quite easy. Move out of the polluted cities to areas that are still clean and healthy such Bali, especially on the East Coast where I live.

Each day I wake up every morning to air that I believe is some of the purest in the world.

Bali Luxury Retirement Villas:

Just so happens that this article came out at perfect timing for our launch of our brand-new Bali Luxury Retirement Villas which are attractive to the 2 billion baby boomers around the world.

These boomers not only want to escape heavy pollution but they also want to escape high crime gridlocked traffic and especially high cost of living.

Air pollution is making us dumber,  Especially in older. men.study shows,

See more details about how you can do this with the Bali lecture starting as low as $200,000

(CNN)Air pollution could be more damaging to our health than previously thought, according to a new study, which found that prolonged exposure to dirty air has a significant impact on our cognitive abilities, especially in older men.

According to the study published Tuesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, breathing polluted air causes a "steep reduction" in scores on verbal and math tests.

How to manage the (polluted) air you breathe
Researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) examined data from the national China Family Panel Studies longitudinal survey, mapping the cognitive test scores of nearly 32,000 people over the age of 10 between 2010 and 2014 against their exposure to short- and long-term air pollution.

The team found that both verbal and math scores "decreased with increasing cumulative air pollution exposure," with the decline in verbal scores being particularly pronounced among older, less educated men.

"The damage air pollution has on aging brains likely imposes substantial health and economic cost, considering that cognitive functioning is critical for the elderly to both running daily errands and making high-stakes economic decisions," study author Xiaobo Zhang of Peking University said.

Cognitive decline or impairment, which could be caused by air pollution according to the study, are also potential risk factors in developing Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.


Beijing residents face costly pollution fight 02:32

Pollution exposure was measured using data on air quality, which includes three air pollutants: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter.
Air pollution linked to 3.2 million new diabetes cases in one year

Poor hardest hit:

While the study adds to the already numerous health concerns regarding air pollution, it will be of particular concern to developing nations, whose smoggy cities could be hampering national economic development.
"The damage on cognitive ability by air pollution also likely impedes the development of human capital. Therefore, a narrow focus on the negative effect on health may underestimate the total cost of air pollution," Zhang said. "Our findings on the damaging effect of air pollution on cognition imply that the indirect effect of pollution on social welfare could be much larger than previously thought."

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nine out of every 10 people on the planet breathe air containing a high level of pollutants, with the worst affected regions being Africa and Asia.

Of the world's top 20 most polluted cities, as measured by the WHO, all are in developing countries. Almost all cities in low to middle-income countries with more than a million residents fail to meet minimum WHO guidelines.

City dwellers aren't the only ones breathing in smog either, a study in January found that 75% of deaths related to air pollution in India were in rural areas.
While some countries, including China, are taking measures to address air pollution, this will also potentially effect economic growth.

Meanwhile, the wealthiest city dwellers are able to buy their way out of smog.
In Beijing, the rich are specially designing their homes and buying appliances to filter out pollutants in their air and water, while poorer residents are stuck breathing in the unfiltered smog, affecting not only their health but also, according to the new study, their cognitive abilities.

China's tourism boom prompts fears that Bali is being 'sold cheap'

By James Massola & Amilia Rosa26 August 2018 — 12:15am

Denpasar: Australians have flocked to Bali for decades, drawn by the luxurious accommodation, cheap food and beer and the distinctive cultural experience. Many feel something approaching a sense of ownership of the idyllic island.

But we are far from the only people who enjoy Bali's charms, and the type of tourists travelling to Bali is changing rapidly

Chen Lizhu with her friends at Tanah Lot Temple in 

Bali.Photo: Amilia Rosa

The emergence of so-called "zero-dollar" Chinese tourism is beginning to reshape the market in Bali, and local tourist groups, as well as the Chinese consul on the island, are concerned that dodgy operators and business practices are cutting locals out of a share of the profits from shopping, while also risking the safety of Chinese visitors.

According to statistics from the Bali Tourism Promotion Board, Australia is no longer the number one source for tourists to Bali. For the first time, that honour now belongs to China.

In 2017, 1.09 million Aussies visited Bali, down from 1.14 million in 2016. In the same period, the number of Chinese visitors leapt from 987,000 to 1.39 million.

Zero-dollar tourism works like this. Back in China, would-be tourists are offered heavily discounted, all-inclusive package tours that include accommodation as well as flights, transport, meals and translators.

The trade-off is that, along with the usual trips to the beach and fine restaurants, tourists are also taken to overpriced shops and urged – in some cases, reportedly even intimidated – into buying marked-up goods.

Chinese tourists watch the sunset on Kuta beach.Photo: 

Amilia Rosa

At least some of the time, money from shopping then flows back to the tour operator from the shop owners, to make up for the money lost from the discounted travel package.

The zero-dollar tourism model is already in use in countries including Thailand, Vietnam and Russia.

According to the South China Morning Post, Thai authorities have put the squeeze on zero-dollar tourism. This is, in part at least, because so much of the revenue from the shopping component of the tours flows straight back to China. The shops in Thailand are Chinese-owned and run by Thai proxies.

Agar wood shops in Bali mall, Bali.Photo: Amilia Rosa

Bali Tourism Board chairman Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana estimates the number of zero-dollar Chinese tourists coming to Bali now could be as high as 70 per cent of the nearly 1.4 million people coming to the island, which is "very alarming", though he can't prove the claim.

Locals are losing out when Chinese tour groups are taken to Chinese-owned or backed shops and "payments are made directly to China", Agung tells Fairfax Media.

Unscrupulous operators are "squeezing" tourists to shop while in Bali, he adds, and skipping over the cultural tourism Bali has to offer, taking visitors to "shops owned by the Chinese".

"They pay using WeChat payment [a payment platform in China], so it didn't even go through Indonesia, it went straight back to China," he says.

"Chinese tourists, of course, they benefit Bali. They are staying in Bali's hotels, restaurants; they still pay for the tour packages. [It's] just the shopping that we are missing out [on]. But our image will be bad, it will create an image as if Bali is 'cheap'."

In 2017, 1.09 million Aussies visited Bali, while the number of Chinese visitors was 1.39 million.

The Indonesian government needs to crack down on the number of foreigners working as tour guides for Chinese groups without the appropriate visa, he says.

Hery Sudiarto, the head of the Chinese committee for Asita, the Indonesian tours and travel agents' association, confirms "these [zero-dollar] practices exist in Bali, it is not a secret".

"I can't accurately say how many of the 1.4 million tourists [in 2017] were part of the [zero-dollar] packages, because we don't have the statistics, but it was significant, very significant."

Sudiarto says Chinese tourists used to fit three categories: "Low, middle, high. Now there are maybe seven, there are segments higher than high, below low. Now there's 'very low', special request."

It's that lowest category that is a concern, Sudiarto says, because high volumes of tourists and poor-quality tour packages could drive down Bali's reputation as a high-end tourist destination.

Latex, batik and agar wood products are some of the more popular items being sold to Chinese tourists but, Agung says, sometimes the products being sold aren't actually made in Indonesia.

"Like latex: why would Chinese come all the way here to buy pillows? Because they were informed that Indonesia is a producer of rubber, when the products are really from China. That's one of their sales tricks," he says.

In a car park near Ngurah Rai airport in Bali, a row of buses is lined up outside a shop, though there is little in the way of signs out front to indicate what is for sale inside.

Inside, a sign says that this shop sells latex products, and a locker with hundreds of ID tags stands next to a reception desk and a handful of staff.

An unmarked shop selling latex products. Shoppers arrive on tour buses; the shop is not open to the general public.Photo: Amilia Rosa

When Fairfax Media attempted to join a group of Chinese tourists who had arrived to go shopping, staff in the shop quickly intervened and "guided" us to the reception desk.

The message was blunt. The store only accepted Chinese tourists from Chinese tour groups, and was not open to the public. As this conversation took place, another group of tourists wearing ID tags was taken to the second floor to shop.

It's not just local tourism groups in Bali concerned about the big upswing in tourism from zero-dollar packages.

China's consul in Bali, Gou Haodong, says tourism from his country is booming and "generally speaking, it's going well".

However, he has heard complaints from both sides which need to be addressed, and he is quick to condemn zero-dollar tourism. He is not impressed when told Fairfax Media was refused entry to the latex shop.

"May I suggest the local media investigate if there's anything illegal. Why they are behaving this way? ... What you told me has caused me suspicion."

Gou is so concerned that he has asked that stakeholders including tourism organisations, immigration, police, hotels and restaurant groups and government officials meet to discuss ways to tackle the problem.

"From the Balinese side we have heard complaints about illegal tourist guides coming here. And with the free visa arrangements [between China and Indonesia], they come here and set up business, that's illegal.

Dian Yu (second from left) and her friends in Bali.Photo: Amilia Rosa

"From the Chinese side we have heard complaints ... like poor service. But on this one, actually it's from both sides ... There are these tourists who are recruited to join this kind of [low-profit or zero-dollar] group [who] end up being [in a] very uncomfortable experience."

Local tour operators have informally complained to him about zero-dollar tourism, he says. In turn, he wants scrupulous tour operators in Bali to focus on "high-end tourists, or cultural tourists rather than mass tourists".

And what about the tourists themselves?



Chen Lizhu.Photo: Amilia Rosa

Fairfax Media spoke to half a dozen Chinese tourists, most of whom were on package tours, over the course of a week. Despite the concerns raised, none had been forced to shop, though for all of them, shopping in Bali was a big part of the trip.

At the famous Tanah Lot, a temple by the sea, student Chen Lizhu from Xi'an city, in Shaanxi province, is part of a tour group of 10 people who have come to Bali for six days.

She paid 6000RMB (about $1200) for her trip, and says the hotels and restaurants that are part of the package have been excellent. Shopping, along with trips to the beach, has been a big part of it.

"We will visit a latex company later, we don't have to buy anything, depends on the prices really. But I will likely buy, because my tour guide will get points if we shop. He's nice. But no, we don't have to buy anything."

Luo Rui Jin, from Foshan, who was also visiting Tanah Lot as part of a tour group of 18 people, says shopping has been a major feature of the trip.

"We went to beaches, we went shopping too ... my cousin and her parents bought a mattress and pillows, it was 450RMB [$90]. She paid cash. I didn't buy, because I just bought my mattress a year ago, it's still new. She bought it because the product here is real [not fake], also 20 per cent cheaper than China."

Chinese tourists dominate the scene at Tanah Lot.Photo: Amilia Rosa

It's likely, of course, that most tourists have no idea who owns the shops they are being taken to. Why would they? That's how zero-dollar tourism works.

Agung supplied fliers to Fairfax Media that he suggested were examples of zero-dollar tourism packages.



A flyer pitching cheap holidays in Bali for the Chinese market.Photo: Amilia Rosa

These fliers advertise tours to China with prices that appear to be well below market rates. A luxury package tour that offers three nights at a local five-star hotel, two nights at the luxury Mulia resort or equivalent, flights from China, river rafting and a glass-bottom boat tour for between $997 and $1177.

A search on the Indonesian Traveloka website puts the cost of a room at the Mulia resort in Nusa Dua at between $357 and $517 per night.

Other tour fliers specify "no shopping" and the cost of these tours can run from $1438 to $1557 for six days and five nights. The cost of similar tours that include shopping can run as low as $758, or nearly half the price.

Gou says zero-dollar tourism and unscrupulous operators could ruin "Bali's reputation as a tourist attraction".

And, referring to the recent ferry tragedy in Phuket, Thailand, which claimed the lives of dozens of Chinese tourists, Gou is also worried about safety.

"The zero-dollar groups means poor service, means unsafe facilities. If you use a good bus, you are safe. But if the bus is very poor, [it can be prone to] accidents. Boats as well, if it's very well equipped, you don't have to worry about safety. Some boats, you pay a small amount of money, your boat is unqualified ... it could result in disasters."

Sudiarto met recently with the Chinese consulate and agrees on the need to tackle the problem together. As he put it: "We don't want Bali to be sold cheap, Bali is already marketable, we don't need to sell it cheap. If we play and trade well, no one will get hurt".

Chinese tourists watch the sunset in Kuta.