Travel

Is Bali a gay travel hot-spot?

Indonesia remains a problematic destination.

Gareth Johnson

14 Oct 2026 • 3 min read

I've just returned from a trip to Bali. Is this a destination that you should be adding to your travel wish-list?

Let's get into it.

Where is Bali?

Bali is one of the many islands that make up Indonesia.

How do you get to Bali?

If you're coming from the northern hemisphere, the simplest route is probably through the regional hub of Singapore into Bali's international airport at Denpasar.

If you're in Australia, there are direct flights from most major cities.

What makes Bali a travel destination?

If you're wanting to experience life in South East Asia, Bali is a good starting point.

Bali gives you beaches, surfing, tropical weather, and Indonesian food, in a tourist-friendly context where most people that you're interacting with will be able to speak English.

How gay-friendly is Bali?

Although Bali is a majority Hindu island and therefore fairly relaxed about the existence of gays, it’s still a socially conservative community within a Muslim majority country.

There are a couple of gay bars, and there's gay massage parlours offering on-the-quiet happy-endings, but this is not a destination that's actively welcoming queer travellers or promoting itself as a queer-friendly destination.

Is Bali a good option for remote-working?

There's a big expat community in Bali making the most of remote-working opportunities.

If you are basing yourself in Bali for work, it's important to ensure that you've got the right visa - authorities have been cracking down on people coming into the country on a tourist visa and then not following the conditions of that.

Should you visit Bali?

You can have a good time in Bali, but it's a busy, bustling kind of place.

Personally, if I was looking at a South East Asian trip of some kind, I'd be exploring other destinations.