A Bali Story: Ahh stupid tourists!

On my last day in Bali, we had booked a “glass bottom boat, snorkel, Turtle Island” adventure, each segment to take about 1hr per event. Advertised for $20 each, we got it down to $8 (but don’t tell Mary, who offered it for $10 and who we said we’d go with, but she wasn’t there when we wanted to book…). After dancing the night away at Kuta’s foreigner bar, Bounty, we woke up early, applied our sunscreen, raring to go. Our driver was on time, and after about at 20-minute drive we arrived at the beach.

There, it was suggested by the helpful staff that we buy a Kodak underwater disposable camera for $30. (!) We declined (a very wise decision in the end). We were distributed our flippers, masks, and a loaf of bread to lure the fish, climbed into a glass bottom boat and were off. After motoring out a short way, we stopped by some murky mixed up water: our snorkeling destination! Having donned our snorkel apparel, jumped in, and looked at the murky water… we saw murky water and pieces of bread. No fish. This lasted maybe 15-20 minutes.Back into the boat, we managed to get one photo of us in our snorkel gear, and then passed the gear on to another boat. (for another group of lucky snorkelers)

Then it was off to Turtle Island! Which was.. not an island. It was blatant animal rights violations: turtles in dirty water, a snake in a wooden box, a bat in a basket/cage, an iguana thrown into a box, monkeys with chains around their waists. We all felt really dirty for even being there, and while I really wanted to help those animals out, I sincerely doubted that the donations box would use the money to feed the animals as it claimed. We quickly left. Back in the glass bottom boat, back to the initial beach, and then back to the hotel. All in less than 2 hours.

In fairness, we did get what we signed up for. We went in a glass bottom boat. We snorkeled. We went to Turtle Island. Nowhere did it say we would see fish, that Turtle Island was in fact, an island. Maybe not the wisest $8 I’ve ever spent, but at least I didn’t pay $20.

I didn't take any digital photos, too depressing.