5/5 Shri S. 1 year ago on Google β’ 2 reviews
WARNING:
If
you
are
going
up
the
Mount
Agung
Besakih
route
without
a
guide,
be
warned
that
you
will
be
extorted
and
threatened
by
the
Balinese
'mafia'.
Currently,
there
is
no
regulation
saying
that
a
guide
is
required
(it
is
being
considered
but
not
a
regulation
yet).
We
have
been
up
the
mountain
a
few
times
before
with
a
guide
and
this
time
we
decided
to
without
a
guide.
As
soon
as
we
started,
we
got
encircled
by
these
Balinese
mafia
with
sticks
saying
that
we
were
thieves
who
came
to
rob
the
temple.
Then
after
checking
our
bags
and
photos,
they
changed
the
tune
and
started
saying
that
we
were
not
following
the
regulations
by
going
without
a
guide.
Despite
us
being
calm,
respectful
and
courteous
throughout,
these
guys
were
aggressive,
threatening
and
rude
throughout.
One
guy
threatened
to
destroy
our
bikes
and
another
pulled
out
a
knife.
All
while
saying
that
we
were
being
disrespectful
to
Balinese
culture.
Is
extorting
people
and
threatening
them
with
sticks
and
knives
part
of
Balinese
culture??
I
repeat
that
we
were
respectful
and
courteous
throughout
and
didn't
raise
our
voices.
The
two
other
guys
who
also
came
without
guides
were
subjected
to
the
same
thing
as
us.
After
wasting
our
time,
the
real
scam
came
out
and
they
asked
for
IDR
1
million
as
a
'fine'
to
let
us
go.
Other
groups
that
came
with
a
guide
were
allowed
to
go
and
we
saw
these
mafia
people
were
only
given
like
IDR
50000
per
person.
So
this
IDR
1
million
'fine'
is
a
pure
extortion
and
scam.
So
do
yourselves
a
huge
favour
-
if
you
want
to
climb
the
Besakih
route,
get
an
online
guide
so
it's
official
and
the
mafia
only
gets
what's
due.
Or
if
you
really
want
to
go
without
a
guide
go
on
the
Pasar
Agung
route
where
there's
an
official
entry
fee
for
going
without
a
guide
and
you
will
not
be
subjected
to
the
Balinese
mafia
who
are
a
black
mark
on
the
otherwise
amazing
Balinese
hospitality.
Otherwise
you
WILL
be
threatened,
extorted
and
scammed
by
the
Besakih
Pos
mafia.
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