Hell hath no fury like Indonesian netizens scorned.
It all began with an Instagram post uploaded by travel operator Nusa Penida Tour and Travel on their account @visitnusapenida alleging that four travelers did not settle the bill for their trip to Nusa Penida.
The total amount? IDR6.5 million (US$430).
According to the travel operator in their public statement, a group of four women booked a day trip to Nusa Penida over the weekend that included pick-up service, boat tickets, drone and photographer service, and lunch.
While fun was had during the trip (as seen in their picture here), the travel operator owners said it soon became a nightmare for them when the guests allegedly refused to pay after the conclusion of the trip.
“They [complained] about [the sun], about how they walked a little bit far from [the] parking [lot] to the destination,” the company said.
A social media feud between the company and the tourists followed. One of the travelers was identified as Zimasa (IG: @ayzee__m) who, based on her bio, also runs a travel agency based in South Africa named Stamped Travel SSA.
The travel operator then notified social media activist Ni Luh Djelantik about the feud, which triggered hateful comments from Indonesian netizens toward @ayzee__m to the point that she disabled comments on her page.
The whole brouhaha ended earlier today when Ni Luh mediated the conflict at a villa in Ubud where the travelers stayed.
“Basically, the tourists asked for a full-day package but she was also the one who changed the itinerary from 4:30pm to 2:30pm. They mentioned that they received less than 50 percent from what the package offered, while they were only taken to three out of four locations that they requested. They had no intention to pay in full,” Ni Luh said on her Instagram page.
It should be noted that the Klungkung Regency administration recently limited leisure activities at Nusa Penida beaches following the deaths of several tourists this month and last month due to strong waves.
The hour-long mediation was uploaded on Ni Luh’s Instagram.
In the end, the bill was paid in full.
It should be regretfully noted that some trolls did use the N-word when calling out these ladies. Regardless of whether or not people deserve to be called out, it shouldn’t be too much to ask that we refrain from using racial slurs.
You wouldn’t like it when people call us “Indons,” right?
As for the travel operators, hopefully this incident can serve as a lesson for them to provide clear itineraries and ask for money upfront to prevent getting swindled by clients.
Coconuts Bali has contacted the travel operators and the tourists for comment.
Credit goes to Ni Luh for stepping in, as it is not the first time she became the go-to lady for those seeking justice over travel feuds.
When the Sanur-bound Kebo Iwa fast boat capsized on Jan. 3 in Gianyar waters, 29 rescued passengers were seeking compensation from boat operator Maruti Group Fast Boats. Ni Luh became the mediator between the two parties, which ended in each passenger getting IDR5 million (US$331.75) in compensation.
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