Although the Balinese are not very tolerant towards homosexuality within their own culture, the tourist industry has helped to establish Bali as a gay-friendly destination, and gay travelers will encounter few problems on the island especially in the tourist areas around Kuta.Homosexual behavior in Indonesia is not illegal and the age of consent for both gay and heterosexual sex in Indonesia is sixteen years old. Gay and lesbian couples are unlikely to have any difficulties when renting a hotel room and will be welcomed at bars and restaurants.
The Balinese are very tactile and it is common to see couples of the same gender with their arms around each other, or holding hands. However, this most definitely does not mean that they are gay or lesbian, but it does mean that gay western couples will not generally experience any hassle about being seen together in public.
On the whole, gay Balinese men are not open about their sexuality in public or to their families, and lesbians even less so. Most of the openly gay Indonesians who can be found in the bars and nightclubs of Kuta and Seminyak are from other parts of Indonesia and well away from the pressure of their families. Also, because it is a tourist destination, Bali offers gays many opportunities to meet foreign partners.
The expectation within Balinese society is to get married and produce children, which is why there is an aversion to the gay culture. It is not unusual for gay Balinese men to pursue a gay lifestyle for a number of years before they give in to intense social and family pressure and get married and subsequently become fathers. It is also quite common for gay Balinese men to continue to have gay relationships after they have married.
Many gay visitors to the island have relationships with Indonesian men. In many cases the Indonesians are looking to be paid for sex, or at least to be financially looked after in terms of the richer western man paying for food, drink, accommodation and entertainment.
Sadly, some of these ‘rent boys’ are not gay at all, but good-looking guys who are in the business only for the financial rewards. There are also groups of local Indonesian transvestites who hang out in Kuta and can often been seen at Double Six nightclub.
In fact, Indonesia has a long history of transvestite entertainers, hostesses and prostitutes, known as ‘banci’, ‘waria’ or ‘bencong’. The most popular cruising area for gay males is the beach, especially at night HULU CAFÉ, in Jalan Sahadewa (the link road between Jl Padma and Jl Melasti in Legian), opened in 1990. Originally a restaurant and bar it used to host the occasional drag show.
The shows proved to be so popular that, in 1996, the owners decided to devote all their attention to staging professional drag shows six nights a week. It was the first drag club to be established in Bali, and is currently the only drag club in Bali although the theme has been copied many times.
The drag queens and dancers are all Indonesians, mainly from Java. Most of these enterprising ‘girls’ make their own costumes and apply their own make-up. Many of them have entertained audiences in Jakarta and tourists on the Bali Hai Cruises.
The talented Made (well known for his Tina Turner impersonations) and Quilla (another Whitney Houston) have both traveled overseas, performing in Australia, Germany and Switzerland. Indeed this little club, with a capacity for 250 people, has become quite famous as the subject of a number of international documentaries made for Discovery Channel, Foxtel, and other European television companies.
It is the atmosphere and the comedy acts that have made Hulu Café so successful. Guest stars are welcomed, and it is these broad backed, hairy, white-skinned westerners, in laddered tights and sequined mini dresses that entertain the audience with lampoonery and buffoonery. Often using magnificent props depicting the tragic sinking of the Titanic or featuring a life-size ‘Village People’ puppet show performing “YMCA”.
Hulu Café is open every night of the week, except for Mondays, from 6pm until 12.30am. The drag shows start between 10.30 and 11pm and if you want to sit at a table it is wise to get there early.
There are also some gay friendly places around this island where ‘trendy’ people can comfortably hangout. They are La Lucciola Restaurant, Double Six Nightclub and Putra Bar in Ubud presents Live reggae music on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays.
There are also some gay friendly accommodations, including: Losmen Randelli, a boutique hotel in Canggu established exclusively to meet the needs of gay and lesbian travelers, offering privacy and home comfort within its 10 Balinese style bedrooms. Children are not permitted in this hotel. There is also a Gay Apartments on Jl. Padma Utara Gg. Ardika sari No.1C, as well as The Courtyard Hotel, Rum Jungle Road along with the Petitenget Beach known as the ‘Gay Beach’.
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