The laurel of “first tourist” goes to Dutch parliamentarian Mr. H. van Kol, who visited Bali on his own free will and at his own expenses, first in 1902 and later.
He sought to inform himself and his contemporaries about the conditions in the Dutch Indies at the time. He published his travel impressions in a massive book “Uit onze koloniën” (“From our colonies”) unfortunately only in the Dutch language.
Accompanied by the controleur of Gianjar on his first trip he was lavishly received by the Raja of Karangasem, and lodged in splendid quarters.
To be allowed to travel in Bali, in addition to the full panoply of servants, horses and baggages, a traveller needed a laissez-passer that was only reluctantly given by the Resident. The process was time consuming.
The roads were muddy, the bridges treacherous, lodgings were scarce, dirty and uncomfortable.
After 1908, a trickle of visitors began to arrive from Singaraja in the North, and the Dutch had already established a string of rest houses on the island.
In 1914 the first tourist brochure on Bali appeared.
We know the rest of the story…
