A Crash Course in Balinese Culture—No Seatbelt Required
It’s a testament to humanity that we can build such varying cities with different traffic laws (sometimes no traffic laws at all!) and still manage to get through the day.
It’s one of those strange things in Bali that makes you realize how adaptable we really are.
In Bali, the main local choice of transportation is motorbike, and Bali traffic laws are… let’s say loose at best.In Bali, motorbikes rule the roads, and Bali traffic rules are… let’s say loose at best. Here are things to do in Bali transportation-wise (especially if you’re asking about Bali culture!) before you reach your hotel:
Here are 6 strange things you’ll notice on the way to your hotel, from the safety of your vehicle; a preview of the quirks you’ll experience when considering things to do in Bali beyond the usual resorts.
- Giant objects careening through traffic. In North America, we feel like we need to own a big vehicle to transport people and large things around town. The Balinese don’t let this stop them! Women who have their own food stalls ride their motorbikes to work, gracefully balancing all their containers of food on their heads. Workmen carry ladders and heavy construction materials propped awkwardly all over their bikes, and mattress salesmen pile their cumbersome wares high and wide, navigating narrow streets and sharp corners. It’s a striking part of Bali culture you witness before you even unpack.
- Creative solutions to traffic jams. When traffic is slow, we North Americans sit obediently in line and grumble, sometimes resorting to honking our horns in frustration. In Bali, you’ll see motorbikes occasionally hop on the sidewalk to get around other vehicles. It’s just one of many improvisations you’ll find in this real-life Bali travel guide moment.
- Country and city colliding on the streets. In Bali, where rice paddies and city buildings are often next door neighbours, you might spot an old Balinese farmer riding down a main downtown street, his creaky bicycle loaded high with bags of grass he cut for his cow. These moments, though small, are part of what makes Bali culture unforgettable.
- No need for traffic lines. In Bali, you’ll never see motorbikes travelling in single file. At stop lights, as many motorbikes as possible squeeze to the front of the line of traffic, between vehicles, waiting for the light to change. It’s chaotic, but it works—just another quirk of everyday Bali traffic.
- Multi-purpose roads. Yes, multi-purpose, not lane. Roads are for transportation, but they are not left out of the nature-based rituals and offerings of Balinese culture. You’ll often see women laying offerings on the ground in the middle of busy intersections with vehicles whizzing chaotically past them.
- The new family Sedan. What do you do when your family is growing, but all you have is a motorbike? Find space for them! Entire families routinely pack onto a single bike to travel across towns and countryside, with all the things they need with them. I don’t know about your city, but if this ever happened in mine, it would be front-page news. And yet here, it’s just part of the ride; something you’ll definitely remember when reflecting on things to do in Bali that are anything but ordinary.
It is not news that the Balinese are not monetarily rich people, and by necessity they make what they have work in a pinch. They are however, rich in generosity, innovation, and gratitude, and this has a deep impact on my own spirit whenever I am there. Watching the traffic alone makes me realize how much I take for granted, and it makes me want to make do with what I have as well, rather than jumping on the latest gadget or item. So often, we already have everything we need.
What is the craziest thing you’ve ever seen in traffic?
