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The Independent
5 days ago
- The Independent
There is a Bali beyond influencer's Instagram reels – and it's far more beautiful
'It's like the Costa del Sol for Australians. You'll hate it.' The response from my friend who lived in Sydney when I told her I was going to Bali was not positive. And to be honest, I wasn't particularly surprised. While I had once dreamed of surfing Bali's legendary breaks and hiking among the island's breathtaking volcanoes, it had steadily slipped down my list of destinations to visit. And it seems that Bali could be losing its sheen for influencers, too. Molly Mae's sister Zoe Rae left the island after just a couple days because it didn't live up to what she saw on Instagram. This was followed by a series of writers, bloggers and journalists jumping in to say that they too had been shocked to see this island presented behind a sheen of social media filters was not, in fact, just sipping smoothies in chic cafes, swings over rice fields and infinity pools spilling onto glorious golden beaches. But should we really be all that surprised? This is an island overwhelmed by the number of visitors who have poured in, attracted by its staggering natural beauty, spirituality and hospitality. Without an effective plan to control the surge in tourists, the island has struggled to keep up with the sheer volume, putting a strain on infrastructure, including water supply, waste management and roads. While an economic blessing for some, tourism has been a nightmare for others – drawing local people away from their homes to the visitor hotspots and creating a sense of resentment thanks to several high profile incidents of culturally insensitive tourists disrespecting traditional values and religion. This was something I felt as I travelled through Bali myself last November. The heart-aching beauty of watching the sun rise over Mount Batur was somewhat tempered by the hundreds of other tourists who had the same idea that morning; the party-like atmosphere, the plastic bottles that littered the trails, and the buzz of a drone flying overhead. The streets of Ubud were choked with traffic, and during my morning run through Denpasar I kicked aside rusted beer cans and broken flip-flops while tourists ate avocado toast in hotels along the promenade. So I ditched the beaches, and headed up into the hills. I was travelling with the travel company Intrepid, which is working with the local communities in Sibetan Village – a rural region on the east of the island that's home to around 10,000 people – to create a responsible form of tourism. Ravindra Singh Shekhawat, Intrepid's general manager for Indonesia, explains to me that this type of trip allows travellers to see a whole new side of Bali while also supporting those who live there. He explains: 'Bali is a lot more than its beaches and tourist hotspots, and by staying with local families in Sibetan our travellers can really immerse themselves in Balinese culture and life. They're also directly supporting community-based tourism that creates jobs and sustains the local economy. 'It's not only a more meaningful way to experience Bali but has a positive impact on a local community too.' Homestays mean that the village is not encouraged to build hotels or bring in chain restaurants or shops, which allows the community to maintain their way of life. We wound our way through the mountain roads to the small sub village of Banjar Dinas Dukuh in Sibetan, which is best known for farming salak, a fruit with a distinctive snakeskin texture that's both sweet and acidic. Sibetan previously relied solely on farming for an income, and the population declined steeply as young people moved away to seek opportunities in the tourism industry. This was often in hotels on more developed parts of the island, and sometimes on cruise ships. The arrival of Intrepid's community project in 2023 has encouraged more people to stay in the village. They can now find jobs with a sustainable income by hosting, guiding and organising the tours. We arrive at the community hall in the centre of the village. While walking through the streets, dogs trot along beside us, while local people poke their heads out from their homes and greet our small group. The night is spent at the home of Ni Nengah Armini (Nengah) and I Komang Ada Saputra (Komang), along with their teenage daughter and multiple dogs and cats who mill around in the yard as we arrive. The rooms are simple but spotlessly clean, with crisp white sheets, powerful fans and remarkably strong wifi. This is a quiet village, but there's plenty for tourists to do during a short stay. Local tour guides I Wayan Septiawan (Wayan) and I Gede Aditya Permana Putra (Adit) show us around; we see the temple (guests are asked to respect local traditions and not to go inside), receive a lesson on traditional Balinese Gamelon instruments, have a go at basket weaving with some of the local women, and visit the salak plantation, which has been the lifeblood of the community for generations. Food is simple, fresh and prepared by local people: Wayan and Adit gleefully show us the selection of (rather strong) salak fruit wine made in the village. Made Sukman is part of the team who organises these visits to Sibetan. He grew up in the village but tells me that he initially moved away to work in hotels and on cruise ships, before returning to work for Intrepid. He explains how the income generated is shared among the community; although there are just eight host families, there are 121 families in the village, and the project has been designed to benefit them all. Among other things, the tourism revenue has been used to bring a dance teacher to the local school and to set up a plastic recycling programme. That night, after dinner at a local restaurant just outside the village, I stand on Pemukuran Hill and look out over the lush green canopy that stretches to the ocean in the distance. Down there is where you might find the Bali of TikiTok and Instagram – with the infinity pools, yoga studios and beauty salons; where influencers pose by Buddha statues, order iced matcha lattes and film reels of themselves at bougie brunches. But up here in Sibetan Village, it feels a world away. Admittedly, this isn't the sort of travel that would suit everyone. Zoe Rae's sister would undoubtedly baulk at the lack of AC, the steep climb from the house into the village, and the cockerel who acted as a (very) early alarm call. But maybe this is the real beauty of Bali, and it's about time that we start looking at this enchanting island in a different way. Beyond the beaches, there's a whole other Bali worth visiting – and I believe it's far better. Annabel was travelling in Bali as a guest of Intrepid Travel.
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Spoiled Molly-Mae and sister Zoe Rae moaning about their luxury holidays is outrageous. But I believe all may not be as it seems... and they're taking us for fools: FLORA GILL
Pity the poor Hague sisters: Molly-Mae – influencer, entrepreneur and former Love Island runner-up – and her fitness influencer elder sibling Zoe Rae. Both have recently been subjected to 'disastrous' holidays, which they have bemoaned to their combined 2.1 million YouTube followers.
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Daily Mail
The brutal truth about Bali: It looks idyllic - but the glossy pictures conceal a multitude of horrors. For so many like Molly-Mae's sister, their trip will end in tears, writes THEODORA SUTCLIFFE
Having spent a decade in Bali, I was amused to learn that fitness influencer Zoe Rae lasted just 48 hours before skipping town for Dubai – apparently because the island didn't live up to its Instagram image. Now, clearly, if high-rise, sky-rise, manicured Dubai is your dream holiday, then Bali, where even the poshest hotel room rarely escapes a gecko or two and few buildings rise above four storeys, is probably not for you.
The Independent
20-07-2025
- The Independent
Why do TikTok influencers like Molly Mae's sister have to ruin travel for the rest of us?
Before any trip abroad, I turn to TikTok – not so much for inspiration as to gather tips on what not to do. As much as I've been 'influenced' into buying pastel cookware or acrid powders to reduce bloating (spoiler: they don't), the idea that anyone would base their holiday around what vloggers say is faintly abhorrent. And yet, it happens. Call me dramatic – a snob, even – but many influencers, especially those with particularly large followings, tend not to venture outside the confines of their 5-star resort unless it is for something with the crowd-pleasing aesthetic that you could find anywhere in the world. Case in point: the fitness influencer (and Molly-Mae Hague's sister), Zoe Rae, who this week bemoaned the famous Indonesian province, Bali, because it wasn't how it looked on social media. In a YouTube video about the trip, she described the high expectations she and her husband, Danny, had when they visited for their wedding anniversary. 'We had seen on social media that everyone was having such a lovely time. Lovely places to eat and beaches, and lovely gyms and coffee shops. 'But I don't think the reality of Bali is shown much at all, and I do think it is down to a lot of influencers posting the more luxury side of things.' Almost inevitably, the couple left Bali after 48 hours in favour of Dubai. Now, don't get me wrong. Had Rae cited safety concerns, an incident or even a lack of satisfaction with the resort she had (presumably) forked out for, that would be one thing – it was a special occasion, after all. But she didn't. She didn't even expand on what bothered her about the 'reality of Bali', beyond the purported lack of 'lovely cafes'. I don't know about you, but when I fly for 16+ hours, the thing I am most desperate to see is not a coffee shop. What's more, Rae is slating a destination to her hundreds of thousands of followers that not only is part of a developing country, where an estimated four per cent of its people live below the poverty line, but where tourism accounts for 60 to 70 per cent of its regional GDP. It's also pretty tone deaf in this climate, as many people cannot afford to go away, full stop, let alone jet off to another location on a whim two days later. To me, it confirms something I have long feared to be true: that critical thought is dead and, what's more, the art of travel is, too – all because of social media, where having content to share afterwards can seem to matter more than the trip itself. What happened to exploring? Whatever happened to doing research and using more than one source to figure out your plans? As an avid solo traveller, I tend to do a lot of research in advance – mainly because I want to ensure I am safe and I don't get caught out. Unlike travelling with friends or a partner, you only have yourself to rely on. I also have an irrational fear of dining somewhere mediocre or a tourist trap due to a lack of foresight. That said, I don't have a detailed itinerary with set times, and I only book a place if I genuinely would hate to miss it. I certainly don't visit places because of TikTok-induced queues or novelty dishes that will end up in the bin after a mouthful filmed for the 'gram. To go to any country and not experience an iota of its culture is pretty ghastly. I'm not saying recommendations are without their benefits – nor am I saying that giving them is reserved only for journalists, authors or the elite. Before TikTok, there was Instagram. And before Instagram, there were travel blogs, reviews and – stretching back a bit here – almanacs. In some ways, these platforms have made travel far more accessible and community-focused. However, and I believe this to largely be because influencers' experiences are often #gifted, many online recommendations now are not based on authenticity, quality or even value, but rather, aesthetics. It's all about 'the scene'. And even the genuinely good recommendations have been ruined by word of mouth and, therefore, overtourism. That isn't what travel is about. We shouldn't rely on being spoon-fed to figure things out, nor should we travel halfway across the world just to take a photo in some cafe. Can we please go back to independent thinking and, perhaps, even normalise 'gatekeeping'?
Metro
20-07-2025
- Metro
Passengers leap into sea to escape floating inferno of packed ferry
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A packed ferry carrying more than 280 passengers has become a floating inferno off the coast of Indonesia. Dozens of people have been forced to jump into the sea to escape the fast-moving flames engulfing the KM Barcelona VA vessel within minutes. Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE: YouTuber Zoe Rae ditched Bali for Dubai after just 48 hours – but she's missing out MORE: Man found dead inside 28ft python after being crushed and eaten MORE: Fears for survivors trapped on Bali ferry with 29 still missing
