Bali named world’s second most crowded island – residents aren’t cheering

With more than 60,000 daily visitors arriving on the island, residents have complained about overcrowding and a housing shortage

Indonesia’s Bali is now officially the second most crowded island in the world after neighbouring Java, as residents feel squeezed out by the influx of tourists and even their compatriots in their backyard.

Measuring 5,780 sq km (2,230 square miles) in size, Bali is home to 731 people per sq km, excluding tourists, according to national newspaper Kompas citing data from online market researcher Visual Capitalist.

More than 60,000 daily visitors arrive on the island with a population of 4.2 million on average. Last year, Indonesia’s most visited island welcomed over 6.3 million foreigners.

Bali was also named the world’s most beautiful island in 2025 in a study by travel agency Travelbag, Tempo news magazine reported.

While this popularity is a boon for businesses – over half of Bali’s economy relies on tourists, according to The Jakarta Post newspaper – it is proving a bane for locals, who feel that their quality of life is being adversely affected by overtourism.

Denpasar native Wahyuni said he felt suffocated in his hometown. “The population density in Bali is a big challenge for me as a villager wanting to feel comfortable in my own environment,” the 41-year-old said on Friday, as quoted by Kompas.

Tourism was not the only problem, he said. Other non-Balinese Indonesians coming to the island to work were also increasing the population density.

With more young Balinese heading abroad for work, the local agricultural sector needed workers for the clove, coffee and fruit plantations as well as rice fields. “Who would become pickers? Because of this gap, they ultimately had to rely on outsiders,” Wahyuni said.

The tourism boom and rising presence of non-Balinese Indonesians have also led to a housing shortage, and a jump in land prices on the island. “We are increasingly unable to buy that piece of land that we used to dream of,” Wahyuni lamented.

Bali’s overtourism has been highlighted in international media in recent years. Last year, Fodors Travel Guide placed it at the top of the list of destinations not to visit in 2025, with overtourism being cited as a key reason.

However, Balinese tourism officials have pushed back against such claims.

“We are not saying that Bali has overtourism. If we look at the data on the number of rooms available, let alone the number of tourists at attractions, it can still accommodate tourist visits. The only problem is on the roads, so that there are no traffic jams,” said Tjok Bagus Pemayun, the head of Bali’s tourism office, according to a report by The Bali Sun news portal.

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He conceded, however, that authorities needed to better manage a spike in visitor numbers over peak holiday periods like Christmas and Eid.

“Bali must always be ready, because as a tourist destination, the world does not wait. Bali must be ready at all times, whatever the event. However, when there is a special day, you must be even more prepared.”