appropriate clothing for women in Bali, Indonesia?
I'm going to be in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia for 6 weeks from mid-May to the end of June. Because I'll be there as a student and not a tourist, and I won't be staying in the confines of a resort, I want to know what is appropriate for me, as a young woman, to wear. Are shorts okay? Skirts? How long? Do my shoulders need to be covered? Be as specific as you can! Thanks!
Indonesia - 8 Answers
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1 :
The population there is mainly non-Islam, and you can wear anything. dookes, short skirts, whatever. They don't even care in Islam Indonesia. I'm Indonesian btw.
2 :
Shorts and t-shirts are acceptable. If you visit a family, above-the-knee kind of shorts and a shirt should be appropriate enough.
3 :
If you are planning on bringing clothes from home with you, then bring a variety. To answer your questions: As Bali sees many tourist arrivals, anything goes really. Wearing shorts and skirts (of all lengths) are the norm. Shorts are generally okay for the most part, unless you are visiting a temple then your legs should be covered up (sarongs - traditional wraparound skirts, will be provided where necessary). The same goes for skirts. Sleeveless or short-sleeved is also generally acceptable. If you are there as a student and attending class, you may want to dress in a knee-length skirt and a short sleeved shirt on your first day, observe how the rest are clothed and dress yourself appropriately from there on. If you prefer wearing sleeveless or are a little weary, carry a light wrap/scarf/jacket and put it on if necessary. If you are visiting a local home, you may want to ask a local friend if there are any appropriate ways to dress. Usually anything knee length/sleeved is good. In all, bring a one or two of each (skirts/jeans/shorts) and get the rest of what you need in Bali. Rest assured you will find a good variety of shopping at a reasonable price. Good luck and have fun during your stay in Bali! Hope this helps.
4 :
Dont ever wear short skirts in indonesia, if its 3 cm above your knee still fine , try not to wear tanktop as well . Altough not so many muslim over there , but their culture are bit different . My suggestion is dont look weak in front of stranger , specially indonesian men , be strong , dont fall for tricky invitation . Be alert of any situation, , dont go to nightclub , remember of 2 bomb incidents . Just becareful , and be safe my friend .
5 :
Bali is a very touristic island (kind of special territory of Indonesia) where basically even tanning in nude in the beach are 'allowed'. No one care what you do or what you wear as long as it is within the realm of 'respect'. No drugs and respect the locals. There are dress code if you are entering temple, but you can always borrow/rent a sarong to cover yourself up.
6 :
The Balinese are quite liberal with this issue. Only a very small percentage of the Balinese population are Muslim, and from my experience, Muslims in Bali are tollerant of Balinese and Western culture. Shorts, skirts and singlets are completely fine for girls. As long as the shorts and skirts cover your underwear, you should be fine. My girlfriend wears short shorts there, when she goes to church, she wears a long pants or a longer skirt that covers her knees. Don't worry about covering shoulders. I would probably leave the bikini for the beach, not around the streets. And I'd avoid topless sunbaking. The only negative comment I've heard from an Indonesian about a Westerner's dress was "kurang ajar" (kind of like "fool" or "idiot") about a girl sunbaking topless on the beach. It was a young bloke who said this so beach nudity must be offensive otherwise he would have loved it. Other than that, don't worry! The Balinese are relaxed people and have no problems with a relaxed sense of dress. Selamat belajar!
7 :
Balinese women used to be bare breasted until we sent them missionaries and covered them up, so shoulders bare is ok. Shorts are fine.Skirts ,too. But not too short if you are going to temples. And you feel uncomfortable in a classroom with a skirt you are always having to pull down. A shawl for shoulders for temples is a good idea, too. As a typical student you would wear tee shirts or shirts and shorts or skirts.Clothes are always neat and not revealing. The wonderful thing is clothes are so cheap, especially at night markets that you can outfit yourself if you have arrived with a case of inappropriate wear. Enjoy.
8 :
u can wear anything u want.It's Bali,not Java.I often see tourists wear tank tops and stuff and the natives are okay with it.I even sometimes see nude tourists on the beach.
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