For tourists and holidaymakers planning trips around the world, the notion of a language barrier is enough of an issue to inform where they do and don’t ever want to travel.
While Indonesia is home to more than 700 languages, there is one unifying language, Bahasa Indonesia, and with a little patience, getting your head around the basics will help make a vacation to Bali even more enjoyable.
Bahasa Indonesia is the official language of Indonesia. Each province and ethnic group also has its own dialects and languages, which is why there are over 700 languages spoken across Indonesia. In Bali, the local language is Balinese, and due to tourism, English is widely spoken across the central and southern parts of the island.
For tourists traveling to Bali for a vacation, it is entirely possible to experience a full 2-week vacation hosted entirely in English. It’s entirely possible to experience no language barrier or moments of lost in translation at all. Hospitality staff working across Bali speak impeccable English and are seldom offended when tourists do not know any Bahasa Indonesia or Balinese.
While no one is going to be offended at a tourist being unable to converse in Bahasa Indonesia or Balinese, it is true that learning a few words and phrases can go a long way in sharing cultural appreciation, showing gratitude for the wonderful hospitality afforded to tourists, and helping create deeper connections with people along the way, too.
Many tourists will find that their accommodation hosts, tour guides, and drivers are all too happy to help them learn the basics of the language during their time together. But for those who want a more formal or detailed dive into the language, there are plenty of options available.
Bahasa Indonesia is a relatively simple language to learn the basics of. Unlike French, Spanish, or Portuguese, it is not a gendered language; tenses and verb congestions are also far simpler than in English.
There are many ways that tourists can learn a little Bahasa Indonesia before their trip to the island. Digital creators and language mentors like @IndonesianWithLauren share daily content helping English speakers to learn the basics of Bahasa Indonesia. Many digital creators share a wealth of content on their social media feeds for free, and offer online courses and 1:1 tutoring for those who want to dive deeper.
While in Bali, it is also possible to take Bahasa Indonesia lessons. This is highly recommended for those who are considering relocating to Bali for extended periods of time, those who are set to work or volunteer in Bali, and those who are retiring to the island.
Language schools like Cinta Bahasa offer short intensive language learning courses ranging from beginner group lessons to private one-to-one mentorship. In just a one-week intensive course, learners can get to grips with the basics of the Indonesian language, including practical phrases for enjoying a vacation and navigating everyday life.
It’s also super helpful to have Google Translate at the ready while in Bali. It’s best to have Bahasa Indonesia downloaded and available offline.
As translations go, the English-Bahasa Indonesia-English translations offered by Google Translate are pretty accurate, especially when translating things like menu items, information signboards, and public notices.
What is evident is that learning a little Bahasa Indonesia is appreciated while visiting Bali; learning a few phrases of Balinese is even more appreciated.
The simple swap from ‘terima kasih’ for thank you in Bahasa Indonesia to the Balinese ‘matur suksuma’ always brings a smile to faces!
To take it one step further, ask those you meet, “kenken kabare?’ Instead of the Indonesian ‘apa kabar’, you’ll have easily made yourself some more local friends.
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