Bali Driver – Can You Trust Them

Bali is a great place to visit.  There is so much to see and do, and the people are extremely friendly.  Unfortunately visitors to Bali are the continual target for con men and scammers.

It is well known that there are some money changers that offer high rates and then by slide of hand, short change you a few notes.  It is common in many situations where the locals will take advantage of the unsuspecting tourist.

It is no different with drivers and tour guides in Bali.  There are some who appear great people on the surface, but are flat out dishonest.

“He was all friendly, nice and helpful initially but all this is nothing but a disguise to con us,” says one dissatisfied tourist.  “He lied to us, and to think that we treated him like a friend is really disappointing.”

How do you avoid getting ripped off?  One experienced Bali traveller suggests,” in Bali its ‘buyer beware, so the best idea when hiring a driver is to hire him for 1 day and pay him. Then if you like the guy get him for longer.”

If you are hiring a driver that works from the hotel you are staying at, chances are the hotel has done all the necessary background checks.  You can usually trust these guys.  The hotels reputation is on the line if they do not perform.  The problem is that you usually pay a premium price if you use the hotel driver.

The best way to find a good driver is to use the Internet before you leave home, and check their testimonials.  The people who are prepared to post their business on the net can ill afford to run a shady operation.

As in any foreign country, the best advice is to be careful.  Do not place all your trust in someone you have only known for 2 hours.  Make sure you are paying a fair market price, and that your driver does know his way around the Island.

For every dishonest Bali Driver there are many, many good ones.  Just don’t let one of the bad ones ruin your holiday.