Instagram Influencer @missrtii recently shared an unpleasant holiday experience at Tibumana Waterfall. In a video, she detailed an incident where the area manager extorted IDR 200,000 from her before allowing entry.
Miya and friends planned a morning visit to Tibumana Waterfall. As they approached the area, they decided to capture video footage with their phones. Soon after, a local demanded a payment of IDR 200,000, insisting it was necessary for taking photos.
View this post on Instagram
Miya refused payment, citing a lack of prior information and official counters from tourist managers. The incident raises concerns about transparency and ethical practices at Tibumana Waterfall.
Even though, at the same time, there were groups of tourists from abroad taking pictures with professional equipment and teams, they did not receive warnings or demands for payment.
Miya found the incident strange and sought information about these alleged illegal levies. She consulted friends who had visited Tibumana Waterfall, asking if there was a mandatory payment of IDR 200,000 upon entering the tourist area. Their consistent response was that payment should only be made at the official counter, and there are no fees if it’s not for specific purposes like pre-wedding photoshoots or filming.
The video garnered over 195,000 views and sparked negative comments about tourism at Tibumana Waterfall. Many netizens criticized the alleged harassment of tourists, expressing concern that such incidents could tarnish Bali’s tourism reputation.
View this post on Instagram
Following the viral incident, tourism management initiated mediation between the influencer and the man involved. The resolution revealed a miscommunication among tourism managers who mistakenly believed that Miya and her friend were conducting a professional shoot, leading to the imposed IDR 200,000 charge.
The issue was successfully resolved through mediation between the two parties. The hope is that Bali’s tourism managers will exercise greater wisdom to prevent similar incidents in the future.
