After three visits — 2021, 2023 and now April 2026 — I can finally give you an honest answer: Bali is still worth it, but not the Bali you're imagining.
Seminyak is done. Kuta has been done for a decade. But if you know where to look, there are still stretches of coastline that feel like what people moved to Bali for in the first place.
The biggest shift is crowd distribution. Post-pandemic, Bali saw a massive surge in digital nomads concentrated in Canggu. Prices are up roughly 35% since 2022. A villa that cost ₹4,500/night then is ₹6,200–7,000 now. Food at warungs is still reasonable — a full rice meal is ₹180–240.
The hike down is 20–30 minutes and filters out 90% of tourists. Black sand, dramatic cliff backdrop, almost no vendors. I used Klook ↗ affiliate to book a driver who knew the route.
315 steps down. The steps up will remind you that you are not as fit as you think. Water is genuinely turquoise, the reef is intact, natural cave at the far end. Go before 9 AM.
15-minute walk from Padang Bai. Small, quiet, local fishing boats moored offshore. The snorkelling is surprisingly good — I saw two sea turtles on a 40-minute swim.
Bali is not cheap anymore. It's not undiscovered. But it has something most beach destinations don't — a culture that's genuinely worth experiencing beyond the beach itself. If you're going for the stuff in this piece, it's still worth every rupee.