The islands in Asia have long been a favorite tourist destination for tourists from various parts of the world. There are two of the world’s most exotic tourist island destinations selected by foreign magazines. The two islands are Phuket in Thailand and Bali in Indonesia.
Why Bali is better than Phuket?
Comparing Phuket and Bali are actually still comparable. Speaking of facilities, both have similarities both in quality and quantity. However, Bali is still leading as a favorite tourist destination for foreign tourists in Southeast Asia. The popularity of the Island of the Gods surpassed Phuket, Thailand, for several years.
All components that world travelers like are available in Bali. Hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions in Bali are in the fantastic category. Bali has always been chosen to be the Best Island because it has the completeness as an extraordinarily inclusive island for a tourist destination. The island is really rich with local culture, many and beautiful beaches, 5-star supporting facilities, amazing jungle and lake tours and a variety of tourist attractions that are hard to find elsewhere.
Beach
Both Bali and Phuket are well-known for their beautiful beaches. Phuket is a hot-selling tourist destination for visitors to enjoy the beautiful beaches and the beauty of the topographic scenery. Moreover, the beautiful small islands near Phuket located in the middle of the Andaman Sea which makes Phuket a favorite tourist destination for tourists and a lot of tourists are head over heels with beach tours.
Phuket only relies on its sea clarity and its clean white beaches. Indeed, the sea there is very beautiful. However, the sea in Bali is not only clean but also has beautiful coral reefs compared to Phuket. For example Tumbalen and Menjangan Island, which are famous for their coral garden or Nusa Lembongan it is a very famous spot its pristine beaches complete with its coarse white sands and crystal clear water along with its stunning reefs.
There are many beaches in Bali, such as the most famous one, of course, Kuta beach, Blue Sundays Beach Club, Geger beach, Green Bowl Beach, Bluepoint beach, Karma Beach, Lovina beach, Padang-Padang beach, and Bingin Beach. All of those amazingly many tourist destinations never fail to mesmerize tourists who visit the Island.
Inclusiveness
Bali with its inclusiveness as an island has always been chosen to be: the most amazing island in the world version of island.com and the island that has the best waves in the world after the Hawaiian Islands. It is unbeatable for tours on the island. Visitors will never get bored with Bali. If the visitors wish to explore other than beaches or island tourism, they can discover the secret waterfall at Batu Belah and Desa Musi, Gerokgak, explore Jatiwulih rice terrace, which is famous for its exotic and dramatic landscapes, or just explore Ubud which is famous for its beautiful landscapes. There are so many tourist destinations on the island of Bali that you can explore for your long vacation. In Phuket, however, there is very little tourism in the island itself. The number of tourist destinations there are limited and when talking about the level of fun, Bali surely rules over Phuket.
Level of Ease
When it comes to the level of ease for the visitors, in terms of transportation, Phuket is not much different from Bali. Neither of them has a good mass transportation system so going around will be easier to rent taxis, motorbike rentals or tuk-tuk rides for short distances. Both small islands surrounded by beautiful beaches.
However, in the term of the easiness of communication, Phuket is still not as ready as Bali and Lombok in accepting international tourists. There is a language barrier. Almost everyone there is not fluent and even cannot even use English properly. The longer you explain in English the more they don’t understand what you mean. You will experience something like “lost in translation”, and a lot of silliness will happen due to the language incomprehension.
Culture
Bali has a well-built cultural identity and cultural heritage in comparison to Phuket. Bali has a culture that is dominated by the Hindus, in contrast to the rest of Muslim-dominated Indonesia. It is very common to see beautiful Hindu temples here and you can definitely feel the cultural vibes. There is always a cultural event that you can enjoy in Bali. The museums and galleries are mainly focused on Ubud, and each of them holds their own uniqueness. The galleries offer a beautiful view of the birth and history of Bali. If you are searching for gifts to take home, various trinkets are available in most of the souvenir shops here.
The interesting cultural environment is conveyed by the Bali Aga or Bali Mula, Balinese, who first people who occupied the island of Bali. These people presently reside in the Karangasem region, the eastern part of the island. They put into practice a tribal life. To witness how these people continue to exist in their own sustained society, you can visit the village of Tenganan Aga located in the East area. This region has very unique handicrafts. Here you can also discover unique textiles, paintings, baskets and many more.
In this cultural category, Phuket has less to offer. A primary itinerary in Phuket is generally full of water activities, massages, partying, or island tour since the island is famously known for its status as a wonderland for tourist. Unlike Bangkok, it is not known to be a spiritual or historical goal.
Places to visit
Bali offers diversity for places to visit compared to Phuket, from the tranquil greens of Ubud to the pubs of Kuta and Seminyak. If you are looking serenity and inner-peace for the first time, Ubud is a perfect choice. However, if you want to drink and dance like a real party, go to Seminyak or Kuta. For a general experience, you can also divide your journey halfway between the two areas and enjoy both types of experiences to the fullest.
Phuket has something of everything for families and people to have fun with. Famous for its peaceful beaches, it also offers many natural attractions, great entertainment and a delicious selection of food.
Restos
Even though both islands are known for a relaxed lifestyle, Phuket and Bali offer a variety of unique remains with international food standards and prices. Phuket’s top stars include the lively Siam Supper Club, the classic Blue Elephant, and the Italian Acqua resto as a hilltop.
Bali, indeed, outweighs the Thai competitors by far due to its diversity of the sensational restaurants. International chefs conjure up luxurious Michelin-starred restaurants and a heavenly atmosphere.
Hotels
The culture of the resorts in Bali and Phuket is similar as both tourist destinations offer prestigious deluxe areas, budget hotels as well as mid-range family resorts.
But what sets the standard for Bali is the availability of abundant large sized villa. Because of the size of the island which is perhaps ten times larger than Phuket, there are many affordable villas available here that makes private pool experience accessible to many tourists.