#ThrowbackTuesday: Looking Back at Bali in the 70s (in Photos)

Have you ever wondered or miss how Bali used to look back in the 1970s?

To the much younger generation, the sight of the Island of Gods without exquisite hotels, family resorts, beach clubs, bustling traffic, and crazy bule may seem like an entirely foreign idea, but those who have lived through that period would have seen how Bali transformed throughout the years.

It is safe to say that the paradise island has come a long way since the 1970s.

This fascinating photo series by Sydney-based surfer, Clifford White, reveals what the untouched spot looked like during his visits in 1975 & 1977, with pristine beaches, quiet dirt track roads and no Westerners in sight.

March 1975 – Kuta’s small markets, selling only local products (long before the days of fake products or Bintang t-shirts).

March 1975 – This photo was taken in Kuta. Cockfights took place regularly in the streets back in the 70s. Now, it’s almost illegal.

March 1975 – Kuta was just a fishing village with a nice peaceful unspoiled beach known only to local people.

March 1975 – Unspoiled scenery up near Ubud without bules wearing yoga pants carrying yoga mat in sight.

March 1975 – Sanur Beach, north of the Bali Beach Hotel.

March 1975 – Bali Beach Hotel at Sanur Beach, the only luxury hotel in the 70s and the only place selling hamburgers back then.

March 1975 – One of the smaller side streets with traditional market shops in Denpasar.

April 1977 – A little shop up near Uluwatu Temple. A great place for a cold drink after a hard day surfing and cooling down after the long trek back to the road.

April 1977 – A surfer on the trek to the famous surf spot in Uluwatu taking a photo with a local girl carrying heavy loads of drinks and snacks in the blistering heat. This is long before any buildings or the road appeared at Uluwatu.

April 1977 – This photo was taken in Uluwatu. There were no buildings or structures at all, everything was carried in from the road a few kilometers away by these lovely friendly locals.

March 1975 – Uluwatu, the long walk on the muddy track from the bemo and motorbike parking spot to the surf break. Some of the surfers had to pay a small fee to have their boards carried out by the locals.

March 1975 – No Gojek or Grab, bemo, was the only public transportation during this time. The drivers would wait for hours while the surfers conquering the waves. This spot is next to Peninsula Island and now the site of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Nusa Dua.

March 1975 – Jalan Tegal Wangi, in the heart of Kuta Beach. It was such a nice sleepy small street, today (before the pandemic) it’s one of the busiest parts of Kuta.

March 1975 – Denpasar International Airport surrounded by nothing but fields. In the 1970s, Garuda color scheme consisting of a red and orange “hockey stick” line running along the aircraft’s body.

March 1975 – Poppies Lane leading to Kuta Beach.

March 1975 – Jalan Kartika, Kuta Beach. The road heads east towards the airport with Kuta Beach on the right. Nowadays that would be the Paradiso Hotel on the right.

Bali 1977 – Somewhere on Jalan Pantai Kuta, Clifford White sits to have his photo taken while a small monkey perches on his shoulders.