Rising Crime: Is Bali Still Attractive for Property Investment?

Bali has recently been shocked by the South Korean government’s decision to issue a travel warning for its citizens planning to holiday there from 1 April 2026. This policy follows a series of serious criminal acts involving Foreign Nationals (WNA) in Bali throughout early 2026. According to data from the Bali Regional Police (Polda Bali), the number of crimes involving WNA in Bali, whether as perpetrators or victims, has risen dramatically by 47 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. These cases involve international networks from Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Nigeria. Six suspects are known to have fled abroad. Then, there was the murder of a Dutch national (RP) who died after being attacked by two men armed with sharp weapons wearing online motorcycle taxi attributes in Kerobokan, North Kuta. The perpetrators are now on the Most Wanted List (DPO) and are being hunted with Interpol’s assistance. Furthermore, a drug and indecency case in Gianyar involving a Russian couple, as well as a case of producing indecent films by a Russian-Italian couple. CEO of Leads Property Services Indonesia, Hendra Hartono, believes that investment patterns in Bali are also shifting. People are no longer investing in Bali solely in hopes of land and property price increases (capital gain), but rather heavily dependent on the health of its tourism ecosystem. “People who have invested in property in Bali now need support from the tourism ecosystem,” Hendra told Kompas.com on Friday (10/4/2026). This means that when this ecosystem is disrupted by security issues such as the South Korean travel warning, the entire property business chain is affected. Although Bali’s investment appeal for certain classes remains strong, as evidenced by the long list of pipeline developments for five-star hotels until 2029, it still harbours tangled problems.