Bali has long been considered one of Australia’s cheapest holiday destinations, but some travellers say those days may be over.
Australian tourist Jimmy Phan told Yahoo Lifestyle he was shocked after being quoted up to $60 for a T-shirt while holidaying in Seminyak, one of Bali’s most popular tourist hotspots.
Jimmy, who has visited Bali multiple times, found himself searching for a quick outfit change after being turned away from a venue for wearing a singlet.
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Spotting a market across the road, he expected to find an affordable replacement.
“I quickly ran across expecting to buy a cheap T-shirt, but the man running the store said it was 600,000 rupiah, which was around $50 or $60 in Australia,” Jimmy told Yahoo Lifestyle.
“I could get a real one here in Australia for the same price, if not cheaper.”
Have you found an affordable holiday destination? Contact claudia.poposki@yahooinc.com with your story
Jimmy is a frequent traveller and said he’s noticed prices in Vietnam to be cheaper than Bali.
(Instagram/_____jimstagram)
Jimmy said he wasn’t specifically looking to buy counterfeit designer clothing, but was surprised to find prices comparable to what he would pay for legitimate brands back home.
Why is Bali getting more expensive?
Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder, said rising prices shouldn’t come as a complete surprise.
“Dubious stores have to source their stock, and costs across supply chains around the world have been impacted by war in the Middle East,” he said.
“Those higher costs were always going to be passed on at some point.”
Kidman said travellers expecting to pay the same prices they saw on previous trips could be caught off guard.
Angus Kidman is a travel expert who focuses on helping ‘consumers get the most value out of their everyday spending’.
(Instagram/anguskidman)
“Prices aren’t going to rise to the level of the designer originals — and neither is the quality.
“Savvy tourists already know that, but if you’re planning a shopping spree based on last year’s prices, you may be in for a nasty surprise.”
Jimmy believes the market’s location in Seminyak likely contributed to the higher prices, but said many other travellers had reached out to share similar experiences.
Australians divided over Bali shopping prices
After posting about the encounter online, Jimmy said he discovered he wasn’t alone.
“I had one girl saying that somebody tried to charge her like $300 for a fake designer bag, but she ended up bartering it down to $50,” he said.
“But in my case, the guy was quite firm, and he would not let me barter, so I kind of gave up and just went home that night.”
The experience left Jimmy feeling that Bali wasn’t as affordable as it used to be.
Many Australians agreed.
Australian tourists may get a ‘nasty shock’ in Bali as prices have risen.
(Getty)
“In Bali, I paid $90 for a Gucci bag (AFTER bartering down from $150), then found the same but better quality in Vietnam for $12,” one person said.
“Finally, someone speaks up,” another added.
Others argued that bartering skills remained the key to getting a good deal.
“Had no issues in Kuta and Legian, bartered like a pro, got everything I wanted for the prices I wanted,” a tourist said.
“A bag I paid $120 for in Phuket was $300 firm in Bali, and that was a smaller one,” another added.
A traveller found the same in Seminyak.
“Ridiculous prices for sneakers compared to Kuta, and even in Kuta, it was hard to get a bargain,” they said.
Jimmy said he noticed a stark contrast when he travelled to Vietnam immediately after Bali.
“All the fake designer goods in Vietnam are significantly cheaper,” he said.
“So, if I were to go buy fake designer goods, it would probably be in Vietnam, because I can justify paying the prices over there for the obviously fake goods.”
Warning for Aussies bringing counterfeit goods home
While some travellers are willing to spend money on counterfeit designer items overseas, bringing those purchases back into Australia comes with risks.
“If a buyer purchases a fake, not only are they losing money on a cheap and bad quality product, but they’re buying something that is potentially dangerous that could cause harm to themselves, family and the wider community,” Australian Border Force told Yahoo Lifestyle.
If Border Force catches travellers attempting to bring counterfeit goods into Australia, the items will likely be seized.
The Australian government introduced a bill earlier this year that could make the importation of counterfeit goods an infringeable offence, with penalties of up to $4,950 for individuals.
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