History of Bali
This “Golden Age” would end with the clouds of war and the Japanese Invasion and occupation. With .the Japanese surrender, peace did not immediately return. In the twenty years following the Second World War more problems would come before prosperity as the young Republic of Indonesia was engulfed by a new war against its colonial masters after President Sukarno declared Indonesian independence in 1946.
Even after the Dutch acceded to reality and recognized the new government, political intrigue and instability continued. In the beginning of the 1960s the island would suffer famine, a plague of rats and the first known eruption of the holy mountain Gunung Agung in record ed history. Few outside of the official guests of the half Balinese Sukarno visited the island during this time. All this would change in the late 1960s when a new government in Jakarta realizing the economic potential of tourism would open Ball once again, to foreign visitors leading to the growth of the modem industry that is now on the verge of becoming Indonesia’s largest source of income. After the opening of an international airport arrivals would soar.
In the beginning Sanur and Ubud would remain the main attractions but these would be joined by the newly planned Nusa Dua complex and the unplanned rapid growth of alternative tourists in Kuta Beach pioneered by surfers and backpackers. Today all of Bali is still experiencing rapid growth with numerous major resorts and hotels and plans for more. The quiet island is now one of the most economically dynamic places in Indonesia. While many aspects of this sudden and for the most part haphazard growth are reason for concern, much of the original beauty and culture that has always made Ball more than just another tourist destination still remains. With proper management and planning fit for a new millennium there is good reason to hope for preservations and a bright future.