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…because it is run by a bunch of fraudsters and violent criminals!
Why, you might ask? Here is the whole story:
My fiancee and me had a ball of a time partying the night away with friends on New Year’s Eve in Jalan Dhyana Pura, Bali. After midnight, around 3-4am of the first day of the New Year 2007, we thought it might be a good idea to sway in some chill-out rhythms to one of Kuta’s famous in-places – the music club “MBarGo” in Jalan Legian, Kuta. We’d been there before and usually they play a nice mix of music on 2 floors.
We definitely weren’t aware of the nightmare the 2 of us were about to face within just a few minutes of arriving there!
But step after step: To get a good overview about what was going on, we steadily climbed the stairs to the upper floor and marched staight to the wall bar facing the right side, when seen from the road. I ordered 2 Bintang Beer and a pack of Sampoerna Cigarettes, which promptly appeared in front of me. I handed over a Rp 100.000 bill and waited for my change.
As a beer costs Rp 15.000 in MBarGo and a pack of cigarettes shouldn’t go for more than Rp 10-20.000 (it costs actually only Rp 8.000), I awaited something around Rp 50.000 back in change.
To my surprise I was given only a Rp 10.000 and Rp 5.000 note back.
I really don’t mind giving generous tips, but please let me decide when and how much!
So I enquired for the missing change and was thrown another Rp 5.000 note right at me with a splendid kind of arrogance by the bar man. Great, I thought!
I tried an explanation to the barkeeper, why I expected a bit more change; when I was screamed at, “What you want?”, “Wanna make trouble?” and other nice none-audible remarks. I pulled another Rp 100.000 Bill from my pocket and showed to him, while explaining, what note he had received from me and why I expected some more change.
That was the point, when suddenly 2 or 3 MBarGo Security Staff appeared right behind me, all screaming and yelling at me. I tried to remain calm and explain the situation, but I was grabbed at my clothes, punched in the back and pushed around and yelled at by a growing group of MBargo Security staff!
I screamed back at them; that we just want our money back and leave the place – all while the 2 beer and pack of cigarettes were still standing untouched on the bar.
That’s when they started to kick my legs and even kicking and throwing punches at my fiancee. Imagine a bunch of 4 or 5 Security Guys; wildly yelling and screaming and kicking their boots into a Couple of their customers! Am talking strong men here – punching and kicking at a woman, who wasn’t even involved in the whole discussion!
What was happening here??? Truly Surreal!
We didn’t fight back at all, as this would be completely useless in front of 4 or 5 idiots, ready to break a fight and charge at their own customers! We were more than outnumbered anyway. Instead I grabbed my fiancee and we headed hand-in-hand straight back to the staircase down – basically flushed forward and falling head over heels by punches and kicks by a now out of control bunch of MBarGo Security Staff right into our backs!
The other Guests and Customers of the club were starring at the whole scene in disbelieve.
I couldn’t believe it myself! I was never in a bar fight before, let alone someone wanted to beat me up, who’s customer I was! What is wrong with those guys at MBarGo? Were they drunk, drugged, just plain angry that they had to work? Or that I just didn’t accept to pay their forced tip money? Unbelievable!
Okay, so what was the damage done:
- My fiancee had a small bleeding wound (skin scrapped) at the ankle of her right foot, a bruise on her left knee and a swollen back of the left hand (see pictures)
- I fortunately just have an aching back and legs, no bruises so far
- Some buttons of my shirt were torn off
- My Rp 100.000 were gone of course, hell no – I got Rp 20.000 back. Cheers to that!
- A spoiled start into the New Year 2007, what more can you ask for?
This club/bar truly deserves its name! Is that what Security stands for at MBarGo? To secure their customers from their money in a violent manner and ensure that the customers leave the place beaten up? Beating up women???
Actually those people deserve to be put out of business and behind prison bars; what is what would have actually happened in any other place than Bali.
I never had an experience like this before and am really shocked about their behaviour. I can’t explain it. We are normal, easygoing people – neither arrogant or rude – we weren’t even drunk or making any trouble at all. We were a properly dressed couple, just wanting to chill-out with a few beer in the morning of the first day of the New Year. The only thing we were guilty of, is not wanting to pay a forced tip to the barkeeper.
Okay, that’s it for me. What I will do is to post and tell about this incident to everyone who wants and don’t want to hear it. Hopefully, I can warn a few people and this MBarGo Idiots are losing a few more of their customers and – if only – a small part of their business.
Anyway – enjoy YOUR start into the New Year 2007!
Just try to avoid the following venue, except if you want to train for the Ultimate Fighter Championship:
MBarGo, Jalan Legian Kuta, Bali, Tel.No +62 361 756280
:-(
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January 1st, 2007 at 6:02 pm
That’s horrible!
I’m just glad you and your fiancee were safe in the end. It sounded like a terrible ordeal that could have resulted in much much worse.
It sounds like that sort of place doesn’t get held responsible for that kind of behavior… which is just ridiculous. And on New Year’s, of all times.
I hope the rest of your 2007 is safe and wonderful and… if there really is karma in this world, those people see some of the consequences of their actions.
January 1st, 2007 at 9:04 pm
MBargo is a horrible place and I am not surprised at what you describe. I found the staff rude and aggressive and certainly would never go there again.
Thugs at the door brimming with speed and steroids, waiting to put the boot in, as you describe.
Try Baccio down on the beach near Double 66 a much more pleasant hang-out or other spots in the environs.
Hope your New Year improves..
January 1st, 2007 at 11:27 pm
That really screwed up…We will only go by there and take a complaint to the bouncing baby boys and give them your message in their own way. Sorry bro, hope ya don’t think the whole area is like that. Happy NY
January 1st, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Wow! What a way to start the New Year!
Be safe…
January 2nd, 2007 at 12:08 am
dude, why don’t you call the cops ? i think they should be hanging around, didn’t they ?
bali is great place, these kinda people should be put in jail.
January 2nd, 2007 at 12:54 am
What a dreadful start to your New Year. Maybe you should celebrate in Norway next year:-)
Btw: Thanks for adding me as friends at MyBlogLog and Happy New Year to you!
January 2nd, 2007 at 1:09 am
Have a safe New Year mate!
Mack.
January 2nd, 2007 at 8:38 am
you could report the matter to the police, although it may be worth finding out who actually owns the place beforehand, of course!
Actually a similar trick was recently pulled on me at a petrol station in Jakarta. I gave the guy a Rp100,000 note and he returned change as if I had given him a Rp50,000 note. You have to have eyes like a hawk as the Rp100,000 note is virtually identical to the new Rp10,000 note.
That’s my I refuse to get Rp100,000 notes now. The Rp50,000 notes are much better and you can’t get cheated in the same way. Just ask for them the next time you go to the bank.
cheers
January 2nd, 2007 at 10:20 am
That is a crazy story. Unfortunately, there is a lot of temptation to rip off tourists. A money changer tried to rip me off in Bali ones, but I caught the slight of hand magicians trick with the money.
January 2nd, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Wow, so many comments in so short time! Thanks to you all for the tips and the comfort.
Regarding the question: why didn’t we go to the police?
We had a bad experience once in Vietnam (Phu Quoc Island), where we got robbed in our hotel room. At the police station later we wasted almost 3 days (!) with them, with no outcome at all. Had to write basically our own police report, always someone important wasn’t there, so we had to come back half a dozen times, were laughed at by the cops: why we wanted to file a report, were accused by the cops of trying to cheat our insurance (even though we didn’t have one) and other BS. So, besides the loss, we wasted there more time and effort from our side. Maybe this trauma is still alive.
I don’t want to say, this is what will happen in Bali. But here other problems can arise as well. Just google for “Candi ISP Bali” for an example, on what could happen, if you don’t have the right connections. My experience with Cops in Bali so far is restricted to their permanent traffic holdups/controls. Very often you just end up handing them some Rp 20.000 or spending some more time of your day with them. They are always very friendly!
January 2nd, 2007 at 7:32 pm
MBarGo is rubbish! You should’ve been in Bounty!
January 2nd, 2007 at 9:10 pm
I am pretty sure the owner of the MBARGO is Brent(also owner of the now closed Bali Rock in Melasti st) he is from Karrinyup here in Perth WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
January 3rd, 2007 at 6:39 am
That’s insane.
January 4th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Try the club near the beach , such a Hard Rock Cafe , Center Stage, Kamasutra or Double Six …they have a good standart as night club .
January 7th, 2007 at 2:02 am
well this just confirms some things for me …..NOT to stay in this area again,we are booking Bali this week again and stayed at the Sofitel the last time,hotel was great but had a few strange and unsavoury incidents around this area,stuff Seminyak it’s now Legian or Tuban, and thanks for the warning.
January 30th, 2007 at 4:55 am
that is horrible. i believe you because a similar scam happened to me last year. after ordering, getting my beer, and paying, i had to wait for change since the waiter didn’t have enough on him. after about 20 minutes of not getting anything back i had to go track the guy down, and remind him he owed me. it was a total pain in the ass. i had been living in Bali for a month now and went to mbargo almost every night. i always tipped. i only had this problem at the upstairs bar. anyway after what seemed like the better part of my night had been spent arguing, i finally got my change. i was lucky i guess, no one hit or tried to throw me out. perhaps because some other staff recognized me, but i was completely pissed off.
on a separate occasion i saw the bar backs pouring mansion house whiskey (the cheap local brand) into already opened bottles of jack daniel’s!
also the manager at the time was a total prick, not even a head nod or a hello after all the money and time spent there.
i had had many good nights at mbargo. it was a great place to go with friends and meet other people. the music was always good and well mixed. it was usually the most popular club in the area. i was hoping that the bad things i had experienced had changed, but it sounds like its getting worse. i’m sorry that that happened to you guys.
February 16th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Many people have asked why didnt you call the police. There is an indonesian expression which goes ” If you lose a chicken and call the police, you will lose a cow.” Off-duty police work as security in Indonesian clubs so it was probably the police that beat you up anyway! Youre lucky they didnt plant drugs on and throw you in jail for twenty years.
March 1st, 2007 at 12:28 am
i come from france iv got 18 years old every summer since 2003 i go to bali and da club Bounty/Mbargo/66 and i never had problem with the security staff every member of the security was so nice with me and my friend just in front of mbargo they ask us to come…. they like us, never problem…. but maybe its coz we’re french and we dont go to da club in bali like every autralian guys or american with a short and a ridiculou t-shirt “bintang”…. if you dont wanna have problem in da balinese club do like u have to do in every club in the world: fashionable jeans/ fashion tshirt/ fashion hair cuts… ans aroud 200dollard in your poket…. or be like us…. be the sons of aj hackett …. Stop say that in mgargo da staff is agresive… already 3 summer in bali: july and august and 0 problem so come in da club with a strictly dress code a smile in front of da staff and every moment in all of the club gonna be so sweet in this paradise…..
March 1st, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Huh? Camille are you on French flavoured crack? Best you stay in France with that attitude! Chris had something terrible happen to him and his fiance, he has a god given right to tell others and hopefully it may avoid the same happening to someone else…
Mbargo is owned by Mr Kadek, also owns Double Six club, Bacio, Papparazi, Gado Gado plus many others. He is owner of now bankrupted Paradise Air, though rumoured to be starting up again this year.
Best to boycot all these place because he’s in it for pure revenue, he doesn’t care about a few instances where his staff behave in a very bad manner. They are notorious here for being like this, so sad because Bali is really suffering and this just ads to the down turn. Best go to Thailand next trip…
March 16th, 2007 at 2:47 am
Oh my god…
A very good site! I was out with an balinese friend at MBarGo, coz my boyfriend don’t like diskothek. (Soory for bad english!!!) The balinese guy is a very good guy, I know him really good. At last night in MBarGo someone stole my mobile phone and my camera, my boyfriend was thinking that the balinese friend steel it. We had a lot of trouble. I was going back to MBarGo in the morning with my balinese friend to look for my things, some people have been there to clean the rooms. I told them about what happend, and they were only smiling like: U stupid european girl!! Now, after I read this side, I know that my balinese friend really didn’t stole my things. I had never belived, that there is so much criminal in MBarGo!!! Hopley next time I know better…
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:22 pm
You know what…i know the mbargo guards preety wells they re only start to acting agressively when the coustoumer is rude..or they may assumed you re both are drunken…bcoz most of the time the fault is not the staff but the guest who is looking for trouble…i knows those guys are balinese and also the staff so there will be noting be done..to stop it they just doing theirs jobs…that all guys! dont hold grundge!..they quite nice fellows if ur know them for awhile..ha….ha….but mostlikely they dont trust tourist bcoz full of shit…..ha…ha….
April 7th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
The same ting happened to me at MbarGo they did not give me back the right change did not make ah fuss being a girl and all alone in Bali for the first time. Bali is a place that it dosent matter if it’s day or night theres always someone trying to rip you off that all most of them know to do. Next time have the right denomations of cash for two beers that way you dont have to wait for change. hope you have better luck in Bali next time, Keep safe.
April 15th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Almost the same story as happened to me in March 2007. I was out with my Russian friend in MBarGo… She unfurtnaly got so drunk, we had to carry her to the taxi, with one of the security guards… At that time I wasn’t thinking about my cell phone and cigarettes, which they were left on the table, just next to the security guard, the first table on the left at the entrance… Of course after I came back from the street, they were all gone, including cigarettes… ïŠ Next day I went back and say to the security guy, if he knows anything about the telephone (Nokia E50), and he asked me: What do you want, you want your telephone back? I said, no, no, I just want to give him also the charger ïŠ
Mitch, Slovenia…
April 15th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
I think I like Obsession and La Vida Loca the best, no problems there at all… Just ignore MBarGo, and you will have no problems… ;)
April 15th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Man you really better be careful talking about mbargo that way, and tell me this, how come your main picture with your face shows you as a white guy but the images of the wounds u got from what happend to you are of some one who had very dark skin a local bali boy most likely, i know mbargo security some of them may not be too friendly but thats just because they’re on the job and trying to be professional, i strongly doubt mbargo security would “beat up” people of a foreign origin so basically im calling u a liar or an overly excessive exaggerator, plus if anything did happen im sure i would of heard about it. Btw man u are one fucking poofter u know, as if a bunch of guys hit ur girl and u didnt do anything about it faggot! u deserved to get bashed way worse than u did u pussy!
April 15th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Ahh Pete u think ur a *** **** ay, ouh u know who owns mbargo and what else he owns, we should all take u seriouly! its a fucking business maximizing profits is the general goal for every business so what the fuck is this whole talk about “Best to boycot all these place because he’s in it for pure revenue” do u think using business terms like revenue is gonna make us think u know wat ur talking about? ******! u should really be carefull before talking **** about some one who is highly respected! i bet ur a ****** **** ***** that made a business that just cant compete with these places u say to “boycott”, pathetic ***! or ur just a kid that they wont let into these places, take ur pick!
(**** Personally insulting language replaced with *** by Chris, please refrain from further comments which insult readers on a personal level, as they will be removed!)Â
April 17th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Russle, I read your comments, even so they are quite rude!
Somehow I think you haven’t read the article completely, otherwise you would know, that the pictures don’t show me, but my indonesian fiancee. And even though I don’t mind, if people want to have same-sex relationships, I have to disappoint you: am not available for one. Sure you can call me a liar or faggot or whatever, but just ask yourself: why should I make that story up? Other people seem to have similar experiences in MBargo. And why should I show my face, if I have something to hide?
The reason why I didn’t fight a crowd of 4-5 security guys on steroids alone is maybe not obvious to you; but this way I could protect my fiancee and me better than getting beaten up completely. I’m sure you would have won a fight with them and you are free to defend yourself, should you happen to be beaten up in MBargo.
Anyway, I will have to erase further comments of you, if they contain insulting language to me or readers of this blog.
Regarding your comment to Pete, besides the insulting swear words, I don’t see any substance to it. Business has nothing to do with cheating customers of their money. If that’s the business, then I put it on the same level like gangsters, fraudsters, mafia or else. Is that the business you are talking about?
So if you want to discuss this topic seriously here, please use appropriate language, alternatively e-mail me directly or go somewhere else!
May 1st, 2007 at 3:03 pm
mbargo is the best im mates with the owner (pak kadek)…you possibly deserved it you probably earn more in half a week than they earn in a month you should be greatfull
May 1st, 2007 at 5:04 pm
mbargo is great every things there is great so go to bali go 2 mbargo but also go to bounty // 66 club and bacio!!!!!!!!!!
May 5th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
i think you was drunk. i went to embargo everyday and never have problem, i live in bali 6 mounth every year, never have problem in embargo .
May 8th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Oh my… Poor Russle, not only being in-compassionate, he’s an ignorant homophobic fool. Chris, not to worry, just have comfort in the thought that poor little Russle is scared of words such as revenue but embraces words such as “poofter”, “faggot”, “pussy”, etc in his day to day life.
It’s funny some of the comments so far calling Chris a liar, saying he’s exaggerating, and he deserved it. Ultimately I think Chris just wanted to warn other people in the hope that it doesn’t happen to someone else. I believe Chris’ story and I hope all future comments are of support.
Good luck Chris, just ignore people like Russle.
May 8th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
I just don’t want to censor those comments completely, as everyone should believe what they want to believe. What I can do is only to tell what happened to us and warn other people. If people decide to go there anyway and nothing happens – good for them!
It’s just a matter of perspective and everyone should take his/her own risks in their lives.
May 9th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
I go to Bali for surfing trip twice a year and stay 2 – 3 months a year. I believe this story, I’ve seen it happen many times in the bars in Bali. I’ve seen it happen a few times in mbargo. I have had a few times problems with my money at the upstairs bar in mbargo.
Bong, if you are good mates with mr kadek if he is the owner, maybe it’s better you talk to him about the problem. Can you do that? Or can’t you string more than one sentence together?
May 25th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Hi (first sorry for my bad English), thanks to share this story anyway everyone have free opinion about this. Its kind of good refference to be more aware. Iam Indo girl who just arrive and start work in Bali and this weekend just wanna try to go to Embargo, since a couple friends said it was cool in there and cheaper drinks than others clubs.
I am agree with Maurice †If you lose a chicken and call the police, you will lose a cow.†not all the police just part of them. Then with who we were complain?? this media… aware us to be more aware.
There’s a rule that for local we should pay for entrance & free for foreign. Do you think its fair? Well for the reason that ‘local just get in free & didn’t buy drink & foreign will buy drink, it is ok as long as not racist reason’
I am sorry for you & ur fiancee to having bad start of 2007.
July 31st, 2007 at 4:42 pm
If you want to complain I suggest try to write a letter or e-mail to Indonesia Local Newspaper. For reference :
– Kompas (Bahasa Indonesia)
– Koran Tempo (Bahasa Indonesia)
– The Jakarta Post (English)
Maybe it will more get attention from the club owner or management and warn a lot of people also not cost you a lot of money too
August 1st, 2007 at 9:58 am
I’ve never been fond of Embargo. The music is not my style, the local women there are mostly prostitutes, and on some nights the men outnumber the women. I prefer Bounty.
October 25th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
I know its been nearly a year now since this whole ordeal unfolded; however, I can only tell you that people that have bad karma — “What goes around, comes around”. Also, avoid the rat infested Kama Sutra. Literally; thousands of rats are under the floorboards of Kama Sutra. The stone tiles cover the floorboards so you rarely see them. Once and a while, rats will eat through the wood and tile and make their way onto table tops, or they will been seen running around the dance floor.
November 7th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
iv lived in bali since the age of 8, and been going out to Mbargo since im 13…..NEVER one problem, just nice times with friends in the club….Bouncers are nice, u just have to chill with them and get to know them! waiters are nice….but at nice their stressed,maybe because 50 cheap australians and americans want a bintang at the same time!!!! and no duh the bouncers beet them up and get rippeed of by servers. First their drunk, loud, anoy the girls, and cause problems. Second servers get paid so little that taking of like 10 000 RP from you just made their day, and for u its 1 dollar….so just leave it, or say (i know u took it….but enjoy it! and have a laff with him!
Oh and chris……if u got ur ass kicked thats probably cause u were rude, or flashing the 100 000 RP bill around abit to much…..oh and u said ur girls a local, they probably thought u were the type of guy tht paid the girl to spend the night with u and Indo people had tht…im not saying u did
November 12th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Meanwhile this topic is behind me. It’s been almost a year. You guys gave us a great deal of support and hopefully some more people will be avoiding MBargo and similar kind of venues. Thanks a lot for all the tips as well!
For sure I can’t agree with all people who commented here.
I for myself don’t really see a point of getting to know bouncers and bar staff first, just to be secure, when I just want to have a good night out. And I’m definitely not the arrogant or ‘flashing-money-bills’ type.
So I just have to avoid those places in the future and hope to enjoy my life without security staff on steroids and other trouble-makers.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Wow i can’t believe people like you.
Fair enough you had a shit time there but let people make up there own mind. don’t say ‘try to avoid the following venue’
Your photos are piss weak if thats all you got i wouldn’t be complaining. I got a burn from a scooter
November 29th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
muffler (bali kiss) and it looks a hundred times worse than that. Seriously if any one out there takes your advice they must truely be idiots. If your reading this then go check out MBarGo and make up your own mind. I clubbed there for 17 days without anything going wrong. The staff were great, they gave the correct money and they were even dancing behind the bar. The music is the best hip hop/ house in bali that i have seen to date.
November 29th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
iv been going out since i was 14. mbargo really isnt that bad. but you should be careful. dont create problems. almost all of the bouncers are part of the indonesian Mafia. i know it sounds a bit strange but its true. they have plenty of customers so to them, they dont care wether or not they have your business. i do ask why you would flash 100,000 around. thats probably a bartenders wage for 2 weeks.
November 29th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
It’s up to everyone what to believe or not. For sure it’s up to me to write my experience down and warn other people out there or not. As many other commentators agreed, there are issues in/with MBargo staff. For others there are not. Fine! That’s democracy.
This article was meant to inform and you don’t throw away your Lonely Planet because you don’t agree with some of its findings, or do you?
November 30th, 2007 at 11:30 am
i do agree with some of the article, iv seen it on a few occasion. but it happens to PEOPLE WHO CREATE PROBLEMS. but by writing this article, you’ve kinda ruined it for others. i mean honestly, you do make it sound worse then it is.
i do have to wonder what you were doing down jl. dhyana pura. thats is where all the gay bars are located. “this would be completely useless in front of 4 or 5 idiots“, shows just how nicely you refer to the Balinese bouncers. your trying to be a victim and a savior of other peoples lives at the same time. just a tad stupid. the worlds not relying on you to write this down.
November 30th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Louisiana, like it or not. That’s what I experienced. Nobody has to rely on my opinion – in this point you are 100% right.
I’m a tolerant traveler of many years and a human being who respects other cultures. If bad things happen, I will write about it as well as I write about the positive things. Bad behavior is international and Balinese Bouncers are no different to Bouncers in Sydney or Los Angeles. They are there to ensure security and safety, but not to beat up customers.
How can I ruin someones experience, if I simply write down what happened? If it is ‘Indonesian Mafia’, like you said earlier, people have a right to know, no?
BTW, what is your problem with gay people – are they natural ‘trouble makers’ as well in your eyes? ;)
January 9th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Hey was just browsing the net and came across this forum. Anyway I myself have some words to say about MBARGO club.
My friends and I decided to visit MBARGO Club in Bali on Jan 2, 2008, hoping to enjoy our final night of our three day visit to the beautiful island of Bali. Our group consisted of a mix of local Indonesians including myself as well as my other friends who happened to be foreigners. Upon entering the club I had discovered much to my surprise that MBARGO imposes an entrance policy which precludes foreign nationals to pay an entrance fee but on the other hand charges locals a fee of Rp 50.000,00 which includes a standard first drink.
I was shocked to discover that such a highly discriminatory policy was implemented and there are several issues I would like to address with regards to this matter. In addition to finding that this policy is inherently inequitable, I have found that the inconsistent implementation of this policy has only exacerbated matters. My friend who was there with me that evening is British by nationality but Asian by ethnicity (and did not speak any Indonesian), she was asked to pay for an entrance fee without even asking for her ID to confirm her nationality. As a matter of fact none of us were asked to present our ID in order to confirm our nationalities. On the other hand some of my other friends who were Caucasian entered without any fuss. Admittedly after she complained and was eventually given her money back and allowed in. A full ID check to everyone entering the club therefore is necessary in order to ensure consistency in this offensive policy. After all is it not possible that some Caucasian may possess Indonesian passports? Or that as the case with my friend, Asians or indigenous looking people holding foreign passports? What further puzzles me is the fact that such a policy is not written anywhere at the front entrance or anywhere within the premises of the club.
I have asked members of the staff the reason behind the implementation of such a policy and none have been able to provide me a satisfying answer, merely stating that it has always been the case and is apparently a common policy in some Bali nightclubs. There are many theories on why such a policy is in place but I would like the management of MBARGO in Bali to address the reasons behind this. Until a satisfactory explanation is provided I urge anyone both local and foreign tourists alike to avoid places that implement similar entrance policies as it clearly shows a flagrant disregard to fairness and respect to the Indonesian people.
I think what has been said about MBARGO truly reflects the mentaliy and ethos of the management: a total lack of respect to its customers.
January 16th, 2008 at 7:25 am
I work at MBarGo, also at Ku De Ta, and 66 as a Dj.. I also know most of the security staff.. and I can believe what happened to you, but they wouldnt do any of that unless provoked… did you forget that indonesians wipe their ass with their left hand? and anything handed to them with the left hand is considered an insult?? did you talk to the barman with your left hand raised?? any of these things could of been mistaken for insult!
Be more careful!
January 16th, 2008 at 7:28 am
Also, in regard to Richard’s comment above as to why most bali nightclubs charge locals, but not foreigners, is because they want to keep all the prostitues and drug dealers out of the clubs, which is a good thing for everyone. Prostitues cause trouble. plain and simple.
January 23rd, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I am an expat who has lived in Indonesia for the last 5 years and have no doubts that this actually happened. I saw a far more serious thing
happen to my friend in 66 (same security, these places are all run by the same person, the security are mostly off duty police, and are members a LASKAR, a
5000 member organisation in Bali basically run by the police who collect “tax” on everything).
He was drunk in 66 (i will tell it straight), and a few members of LASKAR were in the bar also. They are all good friends of security. One of them
pushed my friend, and he made the mistake of pushing back. He copped a bar stool over the back of the head, which opened him up and put him in
shock. This all happened while he was on the way to the toilet. When he came back i saw him bleeding, and he gave me the story. I have since talked to
others, and thats how it was.
I work all over the world (usually in politically unstable places, usually under gaurd or security protection) and have a good eye for seeing trouble.
I immediately saw a large group of Balinese guys (NOT javanese) talking, joking and pointing at us (security at the club included). I began to lead my friend out, when they approached and i was punched in the mouth. I saw i was hopelessly outnumbered and my friend was already wounded, i asked (i speak fluent
indo after working here for an engineering company for several years) if i could just take him out, and go home. I was punched again, he was
ripped from me, beaten and kicked by at least 6 guys, while 2 held me and security virtually made a shield , purely to hide the violence from the other
guests.
They never intervined, and he was kicked on the ground (in the head, back, ribs and even up the arse) for at least 3 minutes. This all happened
INSIDE. When we finally got out, he was bottled over the back of the head, right outside the front doors, in front of security.
We got into transport, and finally got home, where i picked glass splinters out of the back of his head for the next half hour.
I personally saw the guy who bottled my friend (my friend is also an expat) talk to security, and go back inside.Both parties smiling.
As far as reporting this to the cops….well we later found half of them were cops…
All you 1 or 2 motnh a year holiday heroes who say why didnt ya fight back…we tried. The hero who says . “Pak Kadek is a mate of
mine”…haha, hes a U.S. dollar billionaire, one of the wealthiest men in all of Indonesia, and you want us to believe hes your “mate”…hahaha, yeah, i
bet yous are real tight! Beers after surfing together , comes round to your place for movies? Your a tosser.
The girl who thiks fashion and carrying 200 bucks is the answer….pffft, you got a lot of living to do
And the homophobe idiot…geez mate, get out of your own back yard and you’ll see there are bigger things to worry about than which guy likes
other guys or not…! who cares, why arent you chasing chicks instead of getting angry about what others are doing. You will forever be restricted to your own back yard if seeing gays makes you mad mate, cause its everywhere if you happen to open your eyes.
.
The girl who says we shouldnt wave 100,000 Rp notes around…..are you 12?
Do you only go out with your pocket money and get drunk on 2 drinks? Some of us spend 700,00Rp a night, you want us to carry around 20,000 Rp notes!
And Yoan, who says, its OK to let them take an extra $1 or 10,000 Rp out of your change, it might be okay for you on your little 1 week holiday here to Bali, but believe me, when you are a westerner, and youlive in bali full time, do you let this happen every single day.? Oh yeah, thats right, its only a dollar. Id like to see you hand over a dollar a few times a day, EVERY day, for a few years. By you letting them get away with it, and not having the balls to stand up for yourself, you help them think they can do it all the time, and this is what actually leads to what happened to Chris, it sounds like they thought he was another stupid tourist like you Yoan, who allows herself to be had by others, and when he asked for his correct change, they didnt appreciate it. Thanks for all the good work your doing hereYoan. Would you allow the person in your local bar at home to take an extra dollar every time you had a drink?
I can sympathize with what happened, im not telling anyone not to go anywhere…..but be warned….DO NOT get on the wrong side of these
people, you will NOT win. And unfortunately, some people are just in the wrong place in the wrong time. Bad luck Chris, sorry about your girl (remember
though, your in Bali, and its common here for women to be given a smack in the mouth when they are even suspected of falling out of line!)
I love Bali….but theres a few realities that some people who only come here on holidays (yes, 2 or 3 months a year is only a holiday!) will only get to see once you’s get your shit together enough to work hard, get an international job and relocate and live in a foreign country as a RESIDENT. Then you will truly see the dark side if places like Bali, and will learn how to avoid situations like this.
Come on Huey!
January 24th, 2008 at 4:46 am
i have never been to this club as i never hang out in kuta, i prefer sanur, kuta is full of dodgy people, waiting to rip you off , i have never been to this mbargo night club but i married a decent balinese girl a few years ago and she warns me to stay away from there , seems the people who work in that place are arrogant because they are so busy, if they throw you out another customer will soon walk in, when i first visited bali the first few times i was always paying police fines for my motorcycle , after explaing i have partly funded the indonesian police force i am now a owner of a indonesian police badge, i bought it off the officers shirt .
i once refused to pay the fine and told the officer to arrest me and take me to court, my wife/girlfriend at time suggested i pay up but i never , i just aid imwas tired of it and had been fined so many times the police gave me there badge as a reminder , i then gave my wife $2 to give to him but he just let us go and refused to take the bribe …..some idiots of bali make it a bad experiance but dont let it spoil your holiday , stay away from mbargo and stay away from kuta .
If you want to go to a club with a girl stay away , if you want to go to a club for a girl and a beating i hear this si the best place , and drugs too
January 24th, 2008 at 5:03 am
I think you are forgetting the security beat up a girl who wasnt even hurting anybody, if they ever hurt my wife or family i would kill them , i have never laid a finger on a girl in my life not even when they have made so angry, so what do these animals think they are doing, and if the owner of these clubs is the owner of paradise air he didnt care about either of his customers
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Already 5 year i am in Bali and MBargo is my favourite club for its R&B Music.
Never one problem there, because as an expat i start to know how to deal with Indonesians. But there are many stories out there about the bad behavior of the security. I saw myself a drunk man not only throw out from the bar but only punched very hard by the security (he didnt try to fight as he coulnt). I was choked this time and i asked after to the security guy who punched the guy why did he do that, why he didnt just put him out side and thats it? He didnt say a word but give me a big smile as Balinese has the secret.
The fact is tha a couple of those guys just like to fight as gangsters… they even fight between each other! so many stories!
I think all the problems start because just a couple of them are really crazy and should go to jail. (i think some of them are already there).
I believe things will change.
ps:i dont think to use the left hand is a problem because people working in mBargo are Balinese/Hindu not Javanese/muslim. Also it is no problem to use the left hand in touristic area even with muslims – they do understand. Just dont use left hand in private or remote area. As left hand myself i know the problem
February 20th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
That is quite bad man.
However, I don’t agree with you fully. I live in Indonesia, 16 years old i go to Mbargo pretty often. NEVER had any trouble. not with change or any of the security guards. And honestly, i don’t believe the fact you were explaining things calmly, otherwise they wouldn’t have done anything. and another thing, I know that the fact they took money from you is unfair, but it’s Bali, Things like these happen. The security guards obviously thought or misunderstood the way you said things.
In bali, all you have to do is be friendly and NOTHING will happen to you. I promise. If you are a stuck-up tourist, then problems start to come. Mbargo is a fun place to party, and i don’t think you should bitch about not going to the place based on only YOUR experience. It RARELY happens. You were unfortunate. I’ve been partying for 3 years now, to Mbargo, never had ANY problems (Except they wouldn’t let me in at first cause’ i looked too young lol) But that’s about it.
So take it easy.
Lucas
March 13th, 2008 at 5:07 am
Hi Chris sorry to hear that happened to you.
Seems that no more such friendliness of Balinese people or people who live in Bali,
little bit just like my post.
March 22nd, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Aaron you are spot on. I too am an expat who has lived in Indonesia for the last 18 years, Jakarta, Lombok and the last 8 years in Bali.
I have seen countless number of times exactly what you describe, the Balinese Laskar members doing what they do best, intimidate, assault and even murder people. Kadek the owner of 66 club, Mbargo, Hook, Bounty, Gado Gado, partner in Kudeta, etc, actually condones their brutal behaviour and at times even pays them money to do his bidding.
Shame on Mr Kadek who’s Paddy’s Bar was blown up by terrorists on 12 October 2002. He himself is a terrorist allowing these murderous thugs to operate in his establishments. Those of us who know Mr Kadek for who he is and how his humble beginnings has grown to that of what they are today, know full well he is a man of very low character.
How can the youth of Bali be expected to be a peaceful caring lot when they have such a man as an example? Animals are more caring and humane than the arrogant, murderous, cheating, lying, thieving criminals the Laskar youth of Bali are, second only to the proud Balinese hate mongering, extortionist, corrupt police force.
There will never be a solution to such behaviour in Bali until their people admit the problems of the disenfranchised youth that think all outsiders owe them and fuelled be alcohol and hate a wrong look or an accidental bump will see yourself in hospital with severe injuries caused by cowards that only cause such trouble when in large groups.
I just thank god for the wonderful Balinese people in my life who give me such hope, but sadly they are few and far between. The honest, hard working ones with pure hearts are why I am still here.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
hi philippe…. this is a coincident. I am the friend of myrthe. We lived a year on Bali but if uou are who I think you are then you will recongnise her name. Do you still live at Bali. Myrthe is coming back in april and i am in july. Hope you are oke.
P.S in one year I saw two fightings at Bali. I think there are some bad guys but it is also bad luck if this happens to you.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
I understand how what they did to you was horrible, and i agree, if it were anywhere else BUT bali, they would’ve been arrested. But I also think it is a tiny bit unfair to MBARGO to demonize it. Hundreds of people pour into that place every night! there are there rare, horrible occasions, but if you think about it rationaly, the chances of one of these horrible incidents happening to you is slim to none. But dont get me wrong, i kind of hate the security at that place too.
June 20th, 2008 at 5:10 am
Sorry to hear that, I have been to MBargGO many times and refused to go again after my Indonesians were turned away for being, well Indonseian I guess!!
June 21st, 2008 at 5:32 pm
speechless!!
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I don’t doubt what happened to you for a moment. Thanks for the heads up on the MbarGo.
I had to laugh when I read some of the clueless responses you’ve had. They either come from people who work in the bar or people who have no idea how things work in the third world.
Bali is great but let’s face it though, Kuta is the pits. I thought it was ruined when I first went there in 1974. On my last trip to Bali I just went straight up to Candi Dasa and had a really laid back time.
A word of warning, life is very cheap in South East Asia and people can get very badly hurt by rich powerful people over there.
Keep safe.
June 25th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Alvarez, I think you’re ****.
1st of all, “Mr. Kadek” (Who isnt the owner of Mbargo) is not the owner of Mbargo, I know his nephew Calvin, get your facts right.
2nd of all, The Indos do not “intimidate, assault and even murder people” that’s what you Americans do.
If you dont like Mbargo, Then dont go there.
Stop bitching about it online.
To Budget Man: I know, it happens. Local residents are not allowed in most clubs around Kuta. Be it Bounty, Mbargo, Hook etc.
I never know why though.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Come on Lucas, let’s keep it objective here without trading insults. I’m always for a fruitful discussion, but have to censor further indignities.
The charges for locals in pubs exist everywhere around Kuta and are simply racism. Sure, if they want to keep the ‘kupu kupu malam’ out; one could argue in favor of it, but then – it simply doesn’t work. There are plenty of them in any venue, which collect cover charges from locals.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Sorry,
I just get irritated when people talk bad about something, without knowing the REAL truth.
But yeah, Clubbing in Bali isnt bad.
You just gotta keep an eye out on things and be aware of whats happening
June 26th, 2008 at 1:52 am
Lucas, have I personally insulted you? Perhaps you find comfort in insulting someone you don’t know. This is testament to your personality. If you don’t like my comments that’s fine, you are allowed to have your own opinions. This in an open forum discussion and I have posted facts that I know to be true. Again if you don’t like it or believe it so be it, but no need to trade insults…
August 1st, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Yep the exact same things happened to us with the rip off drinks scam. Sly little pricks who think the world owes them omething trying to steal from you. Not really the best response from myself but I pissed all over the bar, got turfed out but boy it made me feel better. haha. Fuck em, I dont care if you are Indo, American, Aussie, Swedish, Italian etc etc doesnt give you a right to steal and lie about it. To the people who say oh its part of their culture…. Well me pissing on their bar is part of mine and how I deal with that kind of shit. If they think they are not in the wrong doing that to people then nobody can tell me that is wrong me pissing all over their bar. Pretty funny really.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Haha Hey Sam I saw a dude do that like 2 years ago. I wonder if it was you?? I saw two guys arguing with the barman who had taken their money. One guy was big and he was telling the bouncers that they were not big enough to kick him out and he wanted his money back. Me and my girlfriend were laughing but thought it was wrong that they stole the guys money. Next thing the other guy pulled out his wang and sprayed the bar. the bouncers carried him out and he was still pissing haha a grown man pissing everywhere. One of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life. If it was you then your my hero. I always wonder if those guys ever went back into the club after that!!!
August 14th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Well i’ve been living and partying in Bali for 9 years….
I hate the place!
I haven’t had any bad experiences, my sister-in-law had a glass smashed in her face by a jealous hooker. The music is 10 years old( house of pain mean anything to you?)
Better venues are popping up everywhere.
Try sky garden which is close by…. they are expanding their club and hope it will keep the same atmosphere!
Cheers,
Poindexter
August 19th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Hey Frank, yeah dude that sounds like us. My mate is a big fella and it was lucky I started pissing because he was about to lay some carnage down on the tryhard thieves. Funny hearing these wankers trying to stand up for theives and making out they are legends by trying to sound epic and say they are friends with all the Balinese as if they are epic hardcore surfers because they live there etc etc normally those guys saying that are the ones slinking around trying to get sex and they have fat bellies now because all they do is smash piss and try to make out they are heroes as they couldnt succed in anything their whole life up till they lived in Bali and had a power trip over poor Indo’s because they have more money than them. I see them in Indo all the time it’s so funny, stupid expats who have nothing in life. Most Balinese are beautiful awesome people, I dont tolerate thieves or wankers that try and justify theft of my money. So I pissed on them, all over them to show my disrespect of them.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Did you know that 2 locals were murdered on New Years Day apparently by the LASKAR
August 24th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
People try to rip you off anywhere..
Not just Bali dude..
And honestly, pissing all over the bar just because they probably took 10 thousand rupiah from you, cuz you’re white.
Indos believe that the white man is always the one who has money.
That’s why you gotta keep an eye out..
And no Alvarez,
You didn’t personally insult me.
But the fact that you are telling these people things about my island that you don’t even know, pisses me off.
For example, this Mr. Kadek guy..
Which you obviously made up.
I bet you just thought of a name that’s common to balinese people.
Kadek, Wayan, Made etc..
I just don’t like you.
The way you think pisses me off.
You can have your own opinon, i don’t give a rat’s ass.
Mbargo is a club mostly for the younger generation 16-22 years old.
Hip music
New from the charts etc.
I don’t think most adults like that.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Lucas is it your right to decide if I should be offended by losing 10,000 rupiah? Just so you get your facts straight it wasn’t it was a lot more than that. But just because for example you dont think losing 10,000 is not much doesnt mean that I abide by your way of thinking. In my mind stealing is stealing and thats how I react to it. So before you try and jump on a forum and sound like a hero by saying ‘my’ island hahaha you tryhard maybe dont make assumptions e.g that I am white because I am a Pacific Islander you uneducated $%#^, anyone with half a brain wouldnt just make the assumption that you did but from your comments it seems you like to make uninformed/uneducated comments.
As for me pissing on the bar well as you say, and to use your words….. ‘But it’s Bali, things like this happen’
“2nd of all, The Indos do not “intimidate, assault and even murder people†that’s what you Americans do.”….. I rest my case. Pretty sure a few Indonesians might have done some killing in oh say the last 10-15 years you idiot. You dumb stupid idiot.
August 28th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Guys, please refrain from personally insulting each other using swear words, as I have to otherwise delete those comments, which would be a pity.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
its shizophren in bali, the party in those clubs are always little druggybitchy, but on the other hand everyone knows how hard it will be in jail there or how corrupt one has to be to get with moto thrue the town.the gap between the nontourist infected locals seems to get bigger. illcome2bali next week and i just want to be a little more safer than you chris, but this is not possible.means,shit happens, and none can be safe…this thrills much. i hate the bintangtshirt guys, but so superficial elements are part of the business.nevertheless they keep business going on. stms id rather be one of them, so life would be easier. ifone get kicked as a bintang boy it is forvieable, but if one is not even like them and not a gangster and cannot order a drink…this sukx more then evrything
September 15th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Hi Sam.
That was nice of you.
I didnt insult you at ALL.
I just said you were white.
I apologize for calling Australians a Caucasian race.
I guess I was wrong.
You nob.
I’m the uneducated one?
HAHAHAHA
I don’t piss on bars, dude.
If that’s you idea of education.
I didn’t LITERALLY mean MY island.
I was saying that I live here, and I don’t like it when people diss.
I love this place.
If I started dissing your country you’d react the same, now wouldn’t you?
They couldn’t have ripped you off THAT much dude.
Not enough to piss on the bar!
They wouldn’t of fucked you over that much.
If they do, I’m assuming it would be around 10-25 thou TOPS.
I said these things happen, because they do!
Keep an eye out and be reasonable.
I was talking about how they don’t do it CONSTANTLY.
Most Indonesians are the friendliest people in the world.
Nowhere in the world will you find so many friendly people.
They do try to fuck you over.
But they do it secretly.
So that you don’t notice.
Grow up.
September 25th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
No you said I got ripped cause I was white, thats reverse racism idiot.
September 29th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Hey Lucas
I dont think anyone here is making a comment about the balinese people in general. I think everyone would agree they are beautiful people. This blog however is about MBARGO in particular being a cesspool of corruption and violence. Get with the program and you might realise what people are saying on here. you dont need to defend the island, and by doing that here you look stupid because 90% of the comments are about how bad MBARGO is and trying to warn the general tourist not to go there. I was back in bali last week, i didnt visit MBARGO but I heard some new horror stories first hand. One of a bouncer going crazy on a couple and causing enough harm for hospitalisation, the guy already had his arm in plaster from a reef accident and wasnt looking for trouble and the security started king hitting his girlfriend for no reason. Another was about an all in brawl between MBARGO security and a group of brazillians. Smell the cheese lucas you are fighting a losing battle!!
September 30th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Hey Frank, yeah we were over there when the drugged fuelled bouncer bashed that poor guy with the busted arm, we saw the whole thing unfold. He was with two girls and the girls were pretty good looking so the brain fried bouncers started picking on the poor dude for no reason and wouldnt let him in after they had let the girls in (so they could hopefully get into the girls etc). They tried to leave and two of the weak dogs started bashing him and when the girls tried to pick him up and get away the bouncer bashed on of the girls around the face with her scooter helmet. It was one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen, the guy was such a mellow dude and nobody was even remotely rude to the bouncers. Nobody who goes to Kuta even wants to go there anymore because of all the trouble the people who work there cause. I feel sorry for the beautiful Balinese people when thugs like that unfortunately bring them down with them.
September 30th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
And Lucas I read all the above comments and nobody ‘dissed your country’ they dissed Mbargo. Nobody ever burned the beautiful Balinese people. There is clearly a problem at this place.
October 13th, 2008 at 1:56 am
Not really Sam,
White tourist people are always making more money than the locals.
And the locals realise that..
It’s a fact.
I mean, you can afford a trip to bali, accomodation, restaurant dining.
The people who work at Mbargo don’t really get a high salary.
I’m not saying it’s right that they stiffed you, but it’s why they did it in the first place.
Am I wrong?
But frank, to be honest..
I’ve lived here for many years, and been going out for 3 of those years..
And I have never seen any of these things happen between bouncers and such.
I’m not calling you a liar, this is just based on my experience.
I think it’s pretty safe, all you gotta do is keep an eye out.
Yeah Jackson, you’re right…
I took it too off the topic..
Thanks for setting me straight.
October 13th, 2008 at 5:59 am
LUCAS!! are you kidding me mate!! you say you have never heard any of these things happening at MBARGO? well I say that means one of two things.
1) You have you head so far up your ar$e that you have no idea what is actually happening on the island where you apparently live????
2) You are the owner or have some kind of relationship with the owner of MBARGO that motivates you to blog on a site that is specifically created so that people can tell others about their bad experiences at the establishment. Sure your not calling me a liar but your making conflicting statements to every other person that has written on this site. I ask myself what motivates you to do this and a big light bulb tells me you have a conflict of interest here. That’s just me and your obviously more educated than I am haha. You twit.
October 19th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
I have HEARD..
Never SEEN.
You can hear lots of shit going on that isn’t true you know..
But it isn’t because of Mbargo man..
These things happen in the WHOLE world.
In some places, even worse than this.
Other places people get mugged, raped, killed.
I think its you who needs to take his “head out of his ar$e” and look at the world you live in.
What I’m saying is..That it doesnt happen very often.
I dont have any relationship with the owner.
I don;t think he even knows me.
Haha, but I like the club, and I’m giving my point of view here,
Is that wrong?
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:59 am
Well I have seen one incident first hand, and I have met 2 other people that have witnessed 2 other incidents first hand. That’s enough proof to me that most if not all the other stories on this blog are true. MBARGO is a poor club to start with, added to the fact that the security are a threat to tourists, I would suggest they stay away. I wouldn’t want my holiday to include an attack from a bouncer would you???.
So Lucas you can live by the rule that if you haven’t seen something then it isn’t true but someday you will get blind sided and I hope you remember my warning!!!
I’m pretty sure there are plenty of other things you have not seen or witnessed in your life that you agree are true (ie if you jump from a plane without a parachute your going to die). So I guess you must realize that these things do happen at MBARGO but you have some personal reason for telling tourists that every other person in this site is telling lies and that you are the only one that knows the truth about the club. Get real buddy!!!
Go and live in your pretend world where MBARGO is a safe and fun place to be haha and let the others that live in reality warn the tourists.
October 26th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
They’re not going to attack you for doing nothing.
There’s gotta be a reason, must have done SOMETHING wrong..
Disrespected their way of life or something..
I never said Mbargo was safe!
When did I say that?
All clubs are dangerous, Not just mbargo.
At night bad things CAN happen..
That’s why you gotta keep an eye out.
And respect people.
You cant just walk around wasted and insult people.
Why would they attack you for no reason?
That’s makes no sense.
October 27th, 2008 at 6:20 am
The only thing people on this blog have done wrong is to go into a club that hires security with shady backgrounds. They obviously use steroids and ice. It doesn’t make sense but that’s exactly why people should boycott MBARGO and hope it loses business and closes down. There are plenty of other places in Kuta with a much better vibe where you don’t have to keep and eye out for random attacks. Best go there and ovoid this all together. Lucas you should go there as much as possible and find out for yourself, your obviously lacking life experience so go knock yourself out buddy.
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:01 am
I guess you’re right, I’m lacking experience even though I live here and you don’t.
Dude..Chill the fuck out.. You’re talking about boycotting and stuff..If you don’t like it, good for you..
You sound as if MBarGo has killed your family or someshit.
For example?
Where would be a place to be ‘safe’
I been to mbargo more times than you.
For SURE.
I’ve never gotten into ANY trouble.
Or seen any, except drunk people shouting and starting fights.
But that’s IT.
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Hmm… Thanks for this article, at least I know which places to avoid if I am planning to travel to Bali. I am Asian, but I am always treated well (never paid for entrance fees) when clubbing or travelling in Singapore, Shanghai, Manila, and Korea.
In Manila, at the top club there – Embassy – a few months ago, some security guards and a dj beat up a customer. The result? The city hall cut down party time in that particular area with cops always stationed outside. Embassy used to close at 6-7AM, now they have to close at 230AM.
November 4th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Lucas you sound like your going to lose business if people boycott MBARGO??
I’m thinking you must be a bali banchong (transvestite). I wouldn’t worry too much dude, I’m pretty sure you will find somewhere else to smoke other guys poles. Have fun hanging in your seedy club, you will never see me there again and you know the reasons why. On another note I think I would have a pretty good idea about what happens there seeing as I lived in bali for 9 months last year and that was my 6th time in Bali. Bali rules, MBARGO doesnt fit the vide at all, I hope it dies. See Ryan above is just one more person to avoid the club, there will be plenty more I’m sure. As word gets around and revenue drops so too will MBARGO. Peace travellers and have fun in Bali.
November 4th, 2008 at 8:51 am
To quote Lucas:
‘You cant just walk around wasted and insult people.
Why would they attack you for no reason?
That’s makes no sense’
That is one of the most close minded comments coming from someone who clearly cannot see past his own ego and opinion I have ever heard.
I saw what happens there with my own eyes, nobody was ‘wasted and insulting people’, that is just your poor effort at concealing the truth about his place. You are wrong, give it up and let it go. Some hideous things have happened here and it is a dangerous place with the drugged up bouncers.
No other nightclub or pub in the WHOLE OF BALI has these problems, nobody ever complains about any other pub or venue there only this one so YES I THINK THERE IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM AT EMBARGO!!!!
You sound like the kind of guy who says ‘Oh those hundreds of people that got killed in Bali with the bombings (Indo’s included) must have been wasted and insulting people because nobody attacks you for no reason, that just doesnt make sense’ good logic on your behalf mate, good logic. God wake up and see reality.
November 4th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Hi Frank, I think Lucas’ reaction is very typical- I’ve noticed that kind of reactions to people closely associated with their embattled establishments. MBargo seemed to mirror Embassy on some levels. After the incident, Embassy was shut down for about a week and a lot of people never really mind (for seasoned clubbers- it was time to move on to another club- as there are plenty of good clubs to choose from). Embassy was the hotbed of a high profile society scandal in March that rocked the entire Manila society crowd (including a death of a commercial pilot in the carpark). Plenty of fights break out in this club, touted as the Philippines’ first superclub. Whilst I dont wish ill for people who owned the club – the general attitude for seasoned clubbers in my circle was more like “serves you right.”
I guess Balinese authorities really have to do something about the Mbargo incident. Even if a customer is rude and drunk (and who isnt in a club anyway?), that doesnt give anyone excuse for assault and battery. I am planning to go to Indonesia next year (Jakarta, Djogjakarta and Bali) after my Thailand and Burma trips. Any recommendations for places to chill (similar to Cafe Del Mar in Ibiza?) without the big crowds? No offense to other travellers, but I dont wanna be around screaming children, prostitutes (although this is moot and academic in Thailand), pesky locals trying to sell you things, and rowdy college beer bong crowds…I would love to come to Bali to enjoy the scenery, the food and the culture (and maybe a bottle of Bintang – first time of which I had in Korea.)
November 4th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Hey Ryan – i suggest you go to… MBargo :-) Just to make an oppinion by yourself.
By living in Bali since 6 years this club is still for me the best!
Good R&B sound, friendly people ( as long as not too many drunk australians ), and cheap.
Every thing we say about the security was true but they changed.
I saw worst situation in other club (Bounty, La vida Loca, DejaVu, Baccio, ..) , MBargo is nothing compared to them.
Finally MBargo is still on of the only club where there is people, unless you prefer to go to empty clubs…
November 4th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Hi Philippe, Yeah I guess so… but hmm… I am actually more or less over the club scene now although I wouldnt mind going out for a bit..but I am kinda more interested now in just lounge places… like having my mai tais with soft chillout music playing in the background and smelling the ocean air…with people none too obtrusive… I live in a megacity now so I’d love a more chill and relaxed vacation.. But one thing I cant wait to do in Indonesia is eat a lot. I am a big fan of Southeast Asian cuisine (except Thai), Malay/Indonesian and Vietnamese rank way up there, and Filipino food comes next.
November 5th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Hi Ryan
I would suggest you go to the Gili Islands. Gili Trawangan to be speciffic. If you love ibiza you will go nuts over Gili T. Its a small group of islands off Lombok which is a 2 hour fast boat from Bali. It is a dive island so all the euro’s go there and the locals are so laid back and cool it blows your mind. the island has lots of little lounge bars and eateries. Each night the clubs and bars take it in turns to hold the island party. Im pretty sure from what you are saying on here you wont want to leave. In Kuta go to Sky Garden and maybe lookup where the full moon party will be held during your time in bali. The Cafe Karaoki bar is also fun on the main strip and I would go to the Bounty over MBARGO anyday but you can see why from my comments above. Have fun dude. Oh and the message from Ryan above is a lie. MBARGO doesnt have many patrons anymore which you will probably see for yourslef the other clubs like bounty and skybar are packed everynight. There are some cool clubs down near the beach now too so have a look around. catcha
November 5th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Hey Ryan correction on the above … “Oh and the message from Ryan above is a lie. MBARGO ” I meant Philippe is lying not you haha give the MBARGO a miss if you dont support patrons being bashed and ripped off.
November 5th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Thanks for the tip Frank. (oh yeah, just one more thing- is Lombok in general safe? I read Christians were chased by Muslims over there..) I will be getting my dive license very soon so Gili Trawangan sounds awesome.
November 5th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Lombok is fairly safe. I wouldnt worry too much about the locals they are pretty keen to have tourists. In general they look after you very well but follow the $$$ hard and dont let up on any opportunity to provide a service or do something for you. I guess with limited opportunities when a tourist comes along they jump at the chance. Gili Island isnt like Lombok at all its more like a caribbean island than an indonesian one. They play reggae music all day and cruise along with no worries in the world.
November 5th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Sounds awesome! Thanks!
November 14th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Ha Ha! Lucas signed in and made out he was someone else called ‘Phillipe’ how sad. Lucas thats pretty immature and lame???
Lucas, you are the only person on this whole site saying it doesn’t happen!! Contrary to people who have no reason to lie about it telling you what they have seen with their own eyes! hahaha god man let it go you sound like a total fool and it’s pretty obvious what you are in it for. So get a life and accept it, people SAW it happen mate, many times and on different occasions! It happened!!!!! Even to the guy who created this site you raging close minded twit. He put photos up there proving it, and his story.
If you think the place is so good and wholesome and popular, go create a PRO-MBARGO site and write what you want supporting the craphole on your site and see how much support it gets (I am tiping 3 page hits per year… max), this site is to warn people about the risk of the place and is trying to HELP PEOPLE and save them from potenial harm, it is a site for a good cause, not for idiots like you who clearly have a share in the place or work there. This site is looking out for people’s best interests and you are the only person on here making up lies and trying to get people hurt and put them unnecessarily at risk for some unknown reason.
Remembering here everybody that nobody has ever! EVER told horror stories about any club in Bali at all, it does not happen anywhere else apart from here so dodge the place. Everywhere else the staff and bar people are wonderful to deal with and all our trips there nobody has ever told a bad story about any place apart from MCrappo.
To anybody who has read the hideous stories of this place and reads all these comments I think it is pretty clear what large number of people are telling the truth and what ONE SOLITARY person is not.
Cheers guys and girls.
November 14th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
And you gave yourself away there Lucas by signing in as ‘Phillipe’….
Unless he has really really changed his tune from when he posted a message on Feb 3rd (comment #52) ?????
You really didn’t think that one through did you (you didn’t read the full comment before you faked) haha, the real Phillipe didn’t like the people there either…..
Cheers all….
November 14th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
come on Jackson – that’s all you got?
Yes the 2 philippe there are the same (include this one) and no Lucas has nothing to do with that.
I am honestly happy that finally people like you dont go to Mbargo – you better stay in the sea – surfing – and punch each other to catch a wave.
Sometimes when i see how some foreigners acting in front of the local Indonesian population, this really wants me to stand up and shout.
No education – No respect – No attitude.
And this is not “My Island”, not my “skin color” so i can easily imagine how Lucas can feel.
All the hate and violance from some locals against some foreigners is not born by itself. Tourism made it.
If some shit happens in Mbargo it is alsot because it is very popular. I can tell you my story when i almost go to jail by doing nothing in the club Dejavu!
If Mbargo doesnt exist i really dont know where i would go…
Anyway there a place for any kind of person in this world so if you dont like the club dont go there but leave the others make their own opinion.
November 17th, 2008 at 6:16 am
I dont want them to go there cause they may get hurt, thats what this site is all about. Stop playing the race card too, you sound very racist bringing up skin colours and pointing the finger at different cultures for apparently causing trouble. Thats racism man, no wonder you like mbargo…. Well done you showed your true colours, it was only a matter of time.
November 17th, 2008 at 6:27 am
PEOPLE READ ALL OF THE ABOVE HORROR STORIES ABOUT THIS PLACE FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD AND MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND IF IT IS WORTH GOING THERE AND RISKING BEING HURT FOR NO REASON………
November 17th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Thanks for the warning people. I am going to Bali next week and was surfing the web for good clubs in Kuta. After reading this I wont be stepping one foot in MBARGO. Its amazing that a place that sounds this bad is still open. Thanks … I cant wait for Bali xxoo
November 17th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Gangsters and thugs, pimps and their drugs, clubs and their henchmen. Floosies, fleas and rat fink pokongs. Kingpins, no matter how nasty will always fall prey to their own people.
Machiavelli: The thickest castle walls wont save a king from his own people, though the king who is loved doesn’t need castle walls.
The Kadek dynasty continues…
November 24th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Frank, In response to your comment:
Fuck you.
3 things, first, it’s not ‘bali banchong’, it’s bencong, Mr ‘I-know-everything-about Bali-because-i’ve-been-there-once-in-my-life’ and no, I’m not a bencong. But if I was, I know you’d hate me. You sexist fuck.
Second, If you don’t like it, fair enough, but I dont think people should boycott, Bali is a calm place, why would you wanna cause disturbance like this, is what I dont understand.. Go boycott in your own country, about the 84 billion dollar porn filter they got in Australia or something.
Third, I think it’s something to do with youth, the club Mbargo is for the younger generation, I wouldn’t expect a 60 year old man like yourself to enjoy it, except the part where you can score cheap hoes to felate your wrinkly penis.
Jackson, Chill out.
I’m not that Phillip guy.
But I think you need to relax buddy.
I’ve been there more times than you have,
I can GUARANTEE you.
The only reason I’m saying it’s safe, it’s because none of these things have ever happened to me, nor my friends, because we follow the rules.
You just have to follow the rules.
‘Every action, has a reaction’
Am I right?
You must have done to agitate the people against you.
I just can’t see a local beating somebody up for no particular reason.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Lucas, maybe you were responding to frank in your colorful email. I am fr4nk.
I love Bali and have been coming here for years.
It is the same in any place in any time, eventually a bigger fish comes along.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
my mistake, I meant to write the word bokong, sounds like pokong to me…
November 25th, 2008 at 7:45 am
PEOPLE READ ALL OF THE ABOVE HORROR STORIES ABOUT THIS PLACE FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD AND MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND IF IT IS WORTH GOING THERE AND RISKING BEING HURT FOR NO REASON………
CLEARLY LUCAS IS IN THE MINORITY ON THIS SITE…. READ THE STORIES AND DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSION…..
November 25th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Hi Lucas
Christian Skoda will block you from the site now. Sucked in you idiot.Thanks for correcting me on the spelling of Bencong, although you followed it up with a bunch of spelling mistakes and bad grammar, you buffoon!!!
You miss quoted Newtons law of motion which is every action has an equal and opposite reaction. You obviously failed grade 7 science and English. I love dumb dickheads trying to correct me, its very funny, I’m laughing at you right now very loudly.
In response to how many times I have been to Bali, well I don’t know how you could even attempt to guess this. I have been 3 times with a total of 9 months stay. I think that’s enough to know the place pretty well.
Maybe your right about Mbargo being for the youth, I’m 29 so I am getting on a bit, but maybe that makes me wise to the fact that MBARGO is a dangerous club and that the 18 year old’s don’t know any better.
You need to understand that all the things written above are an indication on the state of the club and that even though you haven’t witnessed it yourself it does happen very frequently.
At the same time you should get a little more education. You should also go to another club in Bali to see that they are so much better. This might help you give up on your holy crusade to defend Mbargo. Nobody is listening to you. This site is turning people away all the time. Your beloved Mbargo might not last as long as you think.
Have fun in a club in decline. I hope for your sake you don’t have a run in with security or fall victim to a horny Bencong.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Lucas (the white caucasian wannabe Indo with the english name),
You are a massive tool mate, stop trying to put peoples comments into a different context. Nobody ever said aything about boycotting Bali, the place is epic. People are going to boycott Mbargo, thats what this site is all about NOT BALI!!! The more you rant your crap on here the better it makes it for everyone as it proves the type of person you are and the type of people you support.
I bet everyone laughs at you when they read what you write, your logic that because it hasn’t happened to you that it cant have happened or was caused by the victim provoking it. Mate the real world doesn’t always work like that, pull your head out of your Mbargo bouncers mates pants and go rot away being the tryhard ‘local’ you are hahaha. Nobody cares if you live there, you are the one that seems to think it’s a badge of honour and you are a legend for living there.
The place is dying as many people have noted…. I am so happy this site is here and warning travelleres whenever they google bali nightclubs etc etc and shows them where not to go.
The issue is Mbargo, nowhere else in Bali. Stay away from Mbargo people and do not run the risk other people found out too late about….
Cheers all.
PEOPLE READ ALL OF THE ABOVE HORROR STORIES ABOUT THIS PLACE FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD AND MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND IF IT IS WORTH GOING THERE AND RISKING BEING HURT FOR NO REASON………
CLEARLY LUCAS IS IN THE MINORITY ON THIS SITE…. READ THE STORIES AND DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSION…..
November 26th, 2008 at 12:53 am
Lucas, Jackson, Frank, Fr4nk Banana – as much as I appreciate a heated and fruitful discussion, I think we reached a dead end here.
The article was initially meant to warn people of MBargo practices and I guess it fulfilled that goal. Some people won’t visit the place, while others don’t mind at all and maybe even NOW want to see for themselves. Fair enough!
It clearly wasn’t meant to boycott Bali or talk it down, as this could happen anywhere in the world. The incident happened now almost 2 years ago, so for us it was enough time to let it go. You and all the commentators before gave us a great deal of comfort and contributed to a healthy discussion. For that I want to thank you and recommend that we all turn our attention to new topics.
The discussion is running in circles and reminds me a bit of religious discussions, where believers try to convert the infidels or vice versa. Sometimes if we can’t change them, we just have to accept different opinions, no?
I won’t of course take the article down, because this isn’t how blogs work, it should stand here for the “test of time”, or the lifetime of this site. The only thing I probably have to do in the future, is closing the comments for this articles, if these turn more into racist or hurting slurs.
So I want to ask you guys, please – let’s stay civilized or better move on, as beating a dead horse isn’t so exciting. Okay? Thank you!!
November 27th, 2008 at 5:59 am
Yeah I agree, some people were trying to take peples comments out of context. My overall point is that there is a lot of stories confirming this behaviour happens there. And very very little to confirm it doesn’t happen there.
Blogging and administrator ethics normally do not delete comments that are not offensive or hurtful, so I am not sure why you went down this path Chris??? Clearly the ‘horse is not dead’ as these things are still happening today (two years on from your very own experience). So the reason I assume you created this site is to actually warn people of the risks of being in this establishment. Which is what all the people supporting your stories and providing their own experiences is actually doing.
So to my point on the debate, I say read all the above comments and stories that people have experienced first hand for yourself people and I think you can make an informed decision….. I know I and many other people have.
I’m glad you made this page, people travelling to Bali need it.
Cheers and I think that is a fairly well explained and civilized point.
November 27th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Jackson, yes, I deleted 2 of your comments because they were exactly the same as you posted already twice before, the ones with everything in capital letters. I don’t argue with the rest of your comments, as they are usually well formulated.
I deleted other people’s comments as well, which only had swear words, personal insults and racist slurps in them. That’s what I said I will do earlier, that’s what I unfortunately have to do every day (you don’t want to know how much and what kind of garbage comes through here) and I will continue to do so.
November 29th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
I have read this entire blog with my boyfriend reading over my shoulder for over an hour…. this is some good reading. We are trying to decide if we should move to bali (we are both seasoned expats living currently in hong kong and whom have lived on small islands like hawaii & several years in europe – and we are on local packages = not even close to wealthy) … well this is our take away (chris there will be no swearing
– We love Bali and still do
– Chris your story and the other stories about this bar are horrific (including the peeing on the bar – although i must say we laughed pretty hard when we read that, i wouldnt have done it, but when your being bullied, its nice to see someone stand up to the bully)
We still would consider Bali as a potential home, however, mbargo would not be a choice for us and I promise that as we sit around swapping travel stories online and with friends (which we often do), i would mention to people to read this blog. This the beauty of the internet. Freedom of information. Thanks Chris, this has been very helpful for us and we will keep the information as part of research.
November 30th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Okay, I’m sorry Frank.
And Jackson.
I guess you can have your point of view about the place.
There’s really no right or wrong.
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:04 pm
sounds like the same people urijah faber met!
it might cheer you up to hear his story on youtube called “urijah faber”
faber is about the best fighter in the world.
January 4th, 2009 at 12:52 am
anon, although I can’t watch the video (very limited bandwidth here), this is a short report I found in text form via Google:
Or here, he describes the incident in his own words.
So yeah, things like that happen in Bali, but as most people above also concluded, they could happen anywhere else as well. Seems like aggressive people patronize clubs around the world to stir up trouble and bouncers are unfortunately sometimes no exceptions. The difference I see here, is that he agreed to fight that one guy who pissed him off, which is never a good idea, as he will fight the whole mob eventually.
January 4th, 2009 at 6:32 am
i’m sorry you were attacked, it must have been very scary. Faber says the people who attacked him were the club security/bouncers/criminals. he described the club as having two stairways that both lead up to the second floor. does that sound like the same place?
he said he was very scared and feared for his life. the first guy that started the fight, Faber broke his collarbone. it sounds like he gave as good as he got, even though they all had weapons, but i suppose you’d expect that from a great fighter.
it’s awful you were both attacked for no reason, the only good thing is faber did manage to hurt them i suppose.
January 4th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
anon, there are countless of places like that in Bali and yeah, MBargo is similar as well. As I read, the incident of Mr Faber was in 2005, ours was New Year 2006/2007; but as I had to learn while living in Bali, these bar fights by bouncers are common and there are even killings by the Bali Mafia and competing clubs/bars. There were several incidents in 2007 and 2008, which made it into Bali media. So yep, I’m happy, that we didn’t have any serious injuries and the lesson learned is that we will definitely check the reputation of places like this beforehand and keep even more low profile. Thanks for the comfort, though!
April 5th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Wow…
Just came across this blog. Very interesting how it’s provoked such debate.
I was in Bali back in February. I am not a night time person but I did join some friends for one night out, we had a nice dinner then went to a few bars. Our last stop we ended up at Mbargo and what I witnessed still horrifies me to this moment.
We never actually made it inside Mbargo, but as we walked up to the front of the place we saw one of the security people start pushing a girl. I looked at my friends to see their reaction and in that time the whole thing escalated to horror and disbelief.
The Mbargo security man started punching and kicking the girl until she fell down the few steps at the front. She managed to stumble to her feet to only have another Mbargo security man join in with the first one to punch and kick the girl. I couldn’t move, I didn’t know what to do. One of my friends grabbed me and moved me to the side.
The poor girl was on the ground screaming and crying and obviously in much pain. It’s then I noticed a big stain of blood developing on the front of the girls pants. I wanted to help her but was scared the security people might attack me too. I felt so hopeless and useless as I was unable to help.
My other friend said it’s best we go home now as we were just 3 girls and strangers in Bali and we thought it best to get ourselves to the safety of our hotel.
Oh my god! I still see that poor girl’s face and hear her painful cries. I feel guilty non of us could help her and still don’t understand why everyone just stood around with blank expressions on their faces doing nothing?
I stayed in my hotel room the next 2 days. I felt sick. I felt disgusted. I then heard from one of the hotel staff about the girl who was attacked as one of my friends had mentioned the story to them. The girl had been in the hospital since that night, she had a miscarriage. YES… She was 3 months pregnant.
Oh my god! I think I lost my Bali sun tan in 2 seconds and felt my legs go weak. I had to sit down. I saw this attack and it’s stuck in my mind. Those Mbargo security men are animals, they are evil, they murdered a helpless unborn baby. I still have trouble believing that it was all so real.
From what I’ve read so far in this forum I can believe all the horrible stories of Bali security people. After seeing all this with my own two eyes how can anyone defend these people and blame others if they get attacked?
Vanessa
April 5th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Vanessa, oh my gosh, I’m stunned by the experience you describe here. Don’t know what to say, but that is truly horrible! That’s a complete different level than what we experienced – we had just a few scratches. I hope that woman finds the courage to report the attack as others said. Best to start with the tourist police and ask them how to proceed from here.
Do you know, if it was a foreign or local girl? I know that shouldn’t be an issue, but it could make all the difference, when it comes to following through with the police or even suing those people.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Hello Chris,
I believe the girl was from Indonesia but I’m not sure. I have heard stories how some men treat the local women so I understand your question.
I’m now back in my home country so have no idea what has happened to the girl and if she did report it to the police or not?
Vanessa
April 7th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Dear Vanessa,
Your story is terrible but unfortunatly i really DON’T BELIEVE IT !
I think this is lie but anyway, every body can think as they want…
April 19th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Just read about a similar incident in the Bounty Club last week. A New Zealander was beaten up by 6 people (including bouncers) and died later that night from internal injuries. It looks like he started the fight, speculations are surely abound, but we’ll probably never know the whole truth.
Anyway – my point is – these incidents do happen! So, if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, don’t try to be a hero. You can’t win a bar fight with a handful of determined bouncers eager to beat you up merciless. You can’t argue with them either, they won’t listen. Learn your lesson, walk (run) out of the place and find yourself a better venue to party. Respect the local customs and culture and prepare to keep a low profile, even if you feel you were in the right. Leave them their pride and walk away the moral victor.
April 21st, 2009 at 9:49 am
Anyone who does not believe the horror stories only needs to read about the poor (dead) New Zealand man, brutally attacked by Bounty staff. Hmmm? Same owner as Mbargo?
Disgusting that some of the ignorant people who have given their worthless comments actually still blame the victim and side with the violent criminal security staff of these place.
July 20th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Philippe!! please stop slandering tourists on this site that are only trying to get the message to potential visitors that the security and certain clubs in Kuta are dangerous. I know they are because I have seen it firsthand. I have a permanent limp from a broken leg that I attained when trying to leave Mbargo and accidently bumped into one of the bouncers. They pulled out a baseball bat and hit me 3 times in the right leg and twice in my back while I lay on the ground. I had 2 compound fractures in the leg and a ruptured spleen. I hope others can read this and be very careful while visiting these places in Bali.
September 17th, 2009 at 2:38 am
me and my girlfriend visited kuta sept 2008 and it was just an amazing place. we are hoping to go back may 2010. i found all the people everywhere extreamly friendly and kind. im sorry for what happened you were very unlucky. you get good and bad everywhere on this earth unfortunatly. take care mate
October 1st, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I have another take on this story.
No offense Chris; women who drink and smoke in Asia are very often prostitutes. My guess here is that the nightclub had in house girls and staff guessed your girlfriend was uninvited competition. I know this is not a pleasant cliche but it’s a very common assumption. My wife doesn’t drink or smoke and when we go out she always makes sure we both have our rings on and introduces me as her Asawa.
October 1st, 2009 at 3:13 pm
“women who drink and smoke in Asia are very often prostitutes”
hahaha – thats the most stupid thing i ever read since a long time lol
October 1st, 2009 at 3:17 pm
“women who drink and smoke in Asia are very often prostitutes†–> whoa. well if you go to prostitution clubs mate. It is either you are a misguided Christian fundamentalist or Islamists, just really dense or you just didn’t mean that at all.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:00 am
I know not much about Bali, I do know a lot about Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam. In rural areas particularly a girl smoking and drinking is generally seen as a prostitute. If you who know Bali well can verify thyis is not the case in Bali then I accept that. If you have been there once or twice for a holiday in Kuta you really know nothing about Asia and it’s you who is being stupid.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:10 am
Chris Simpson,
I have lived in the Philippines for the past 28 years – I think I have more street cred than you will ever have when talking about my country. Easy on the comments mate.
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:50 pm
In the Philippines as in? Manila? Angeles? Ever lived in the provinces?
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Having read the entire article and comments, Chris is the 1st one to give a possible explaination other than these people are crazy or on bad drugs.
It is correct that in many parts of Asia “Good girls don’t drink or smoke.” It’s also common for in house prostitution to be going on whether subtle or not.
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Chris,
I lived in Rizal (1 year), Aklan (16 years), Iloilo (5 years) and now in Makati (7 years). Also fairly traveled the country, been to almost half of the entire Philippines from Northern Luzon to Mindanao. Hope that clears up things. I was in Lanao del Norte 2 weeks ago and women go out and clubbing and they were not branded as hookers.
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Martin Hartmann and Chris Simpson, sure, there is a point of women in Asia, who drink and smoke, getting a bad reputation, deserved or undeserved.
But we are talking about Bali, specifically Kuta – “Party Central” here of all places and not rural Thailand or Sumatra. Kuta is the place with the most hardened employees of Asia, if not the planet. With countless similar attacks, frauds and even murders happening there, I think it is useless to search for ‘normal’ explanations. Things like that happen in other heavily touristy places also, just think about Phuket, Pattaya, Mallorca, Ibiza or also Goa. My lesson learned is to not waste too much thought about criminals in shady places and avoid those locations in the future. And that’s hopefully my final 50 Cents about it.
Putting the victim of a crime at fault is in my view the wrong start for a discussion, but if that’s how your thinking goes, please go ahead – thoughts are free and you can think what you want. I will do that also about those commentators. :D
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I think the comment was very short-sighted. I’ve encountered women in Singapore, China, Korea, Malaysia and Brunei who drinks and smokes but are not prostitutes. I guess if you use what the Taliban would define a good woman then probably most women in Asia and the Western Word are prostitutes.Why can’t women go out and drink and smoke without being labeled as such? That is just a very chauvinistic view of gender roles- I thought we are already living in the 21st century. Let’s be responsible with comments.
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I meant western *world* typo. sorry. Thanks Chris, you still in the Philippines right??
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
True words Ryan in comment 136. Are we living in a modern world or what?
And yes, I’m still in the Philippines, currently Panglao/Alona Beach on Bohol to be exact and staying most likely at least until end of October in the country. After that we’ll see further…
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:55 pm
aww, heading out to the Cordilleras end of October and Batanes end of November. Hopefully this pesky weather goes away. Bohol is a pretty pretty place.
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:55 pm
I’m not saying what happened was right, just trying to see a possible alternative reason for it happening. I spend most of my time in rural Asia for almost a decade, I find the attitude I described extremely common. The only city I spend any time in is Singapore and the same attitude prevails there. So there may well be lots of places where such doesn’t go on , but I am very aware that it does go on in many others.
I am also married to a very religious provincial Filipina; therefore I am very aware of how the vast majority of rural people see foreigners in bars with girls.
I have no attraction to Bali or any other ‘party zones’
I find that living in provincial areas I am very safe; I don’t go out of my way to upset anyone, I play the ‘game’. Part of the game is recognising things like the fact that Bali is effectively a rebel province tolerated by it’s Muslim host nation because of $$$. I don’t drink in Muslim countries. Even if the locals are I don’t because I stick out.
I have a very close friend who lives in Bali and tells me the provincial attitude towards women is still common outside of Kuta.
With my somewhat cautious approach at least I don’t have to worry about getting blown up or bashed for ignoring the dominant culture of the region or country I am in.
I am not trying to offend anyone, just stating facts.
.
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:08 pm
I will add: in my extended family in the Philippines are a few Muslims a lot of Catholics and my 1st family who are Baptists. All in all I have about 20 adult women in my family. Not 1 of them drinks or smokes. All of the men do at least 1 of these 2 things.
I live in a rural provincial town of 30,000 people. There are about 30 nightspots here, most are Karaoke bars. Only 1 does not have prostitutes working there.
If I take my wife to these places (the other 29) I have to make sure she is known or there will be trouble.
I find it a bit funny/ weird that something which is so obvious has taken over 120 replies to appear and all but 1 poster has tried to shoot it down.
Chris, you can believe as you wish about what happened; no doubt it was an evil act by a group of thugs. I just recommend excersizing extreme caution.
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Test to see if I can get through without a proxy. I am actually in the Philippines.
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Why do you have to use a proxy server when you are in the Philippines? We don’t have that great firewall here like in China unless you are trying to access this from your workstation and this website is not allowed in your company. Otherwise, it is pretty strange. Where in the Philippines are you? I am in the Philippines now myself in Makati but my PLDT connection reads that I am accessing this from an Australian site.
First, I do not have a problem if you would have said that it is possible that some people still think that a woman who drink and smoke were considered hookers. But to generalize everything, that is where I am having a problem of.
You said – “No offense Chris; women who drink and smoke in Asia are very often prostitutes.”
That was very offensive. No matter how you say it. You have to phrase your statements better so as not to be misinterpreted. I for one doesn’t have a problem if your wife chooses to be a conservative one, that is her choice. But people who otherwise does not choose to practice to what your wife and her family believes should not be branded with offensive non-sequiturs. That is unfair to Asian women anywhere in the world.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Ummmm?
1st/ when a page or site is slow as hell (as this one is on my long term fixed line home computer in Zam) I try a proxy; even more so if I can’t post anything. (as is the case here with no proxy).
If you know anyone with any political history and regularly using the net; you ill find that they use proxies a lot because so much hacking goes on it ruins the whole experience.
2nd, I’m sorry if my blunt style has offended you Ryan. I just find it hard to believe that nobody here is acknowleging this possible partial explaination of the story; when I am very aware of this being a problem in many places in Asia.
As for unfairness, I have friends who are prostitutes; I don’t judge them even though they ALL DRINK and SMOKE. I was making a value judgement but a common everyday assesment from a provincial Asian point of view (As far as I can tell, living here and being married here.) I find it hard to believe that anyone in provincial Asia is shocked by my expressing these ideas; more the opposite.
October 6th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
1- I used to use proxies but that was when I was working for companies that block websites like this blog. However, I never used any of them at all outside of the office. I do use the net regularly, in fact I write for a travel website on the side as well as use Social Media heavily on my current profession and virtually online for most of my waking hours. I did not have to use proxies for that. But of course that is your choice.
2 – I think I am not the one that you should really apologise to but to the millions of Asian women out there who smokes and drinks but are NOT necessarily prostitutes. I do not judge you if you hang out with the prostitutes, but I think it is already quite a non-argument that most of the prostitutes drink, smoke or do drugs or a combination of any these so-called “vices” anywhere in the world – however, I hope it did occur to you that a sample of the population of women who drinks/smokes/do drugs but are not whores doesn’t necessarily hold truth for the entire population. I think your earlier comment was uncalled for. I do not have any problem if the people where you live or associate with considers Asian women who indulge in such vices as of the “loose” kind – however, you cannot speak for the entire population and make such sweeping judgement call. I wouldn’t have had any problem if you have phrased your comment – “Asian women who drink and smoke were considered prostitutes by my immediate family, relatives, close friends (and by myself)” – although that statement was still disagreeable, nonetheless that was your opinion, self-limiting and at least provable. However, saying “..women who drink and smoke in Asia are very often prostitutes.†– now that was some undeserving wallop mate. I hate to go into semantics and I think this discussion is too much of an off-topic conversation already.
Hope that should shed some new light why I (and some other people as well as the owner of this thread) raised hackles about that earlier comment otherwise there is no more use of prolonging this conversation altogether.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:01 am
OK Ryan, I get your point.
1st I can’t get this site to work properly through my smart server; the proxy makes it work fine.
Secondly, we have very different views about what social networking sites are for. I don’t join or post on a site to confirm the points of view of posters there or to display my superior political correctness.
If and when I see a bunch of people all patting each other on the back, confirming their groupthink; I have 2 experiences. 1/ boredom. 2/ Looking for something in my experience to add which may break the pattern of discussion.
That is what I did in writing my original post on this thread.
So far you are the only poster here to react so negatively. Chris mentioned he finds that attitude offensive; I am not arguing that it is otherwise. It’s not my attitude it’s a learned FACT about provincial Asian attitudes to women.
Denying that does not change it.
Ignoring it does not make ignoring it safe.
I respect Chris for all he has done and is doing. None of us has a perfect understanding of a country we are not from. Sites like this should help readers and posters build their awareness of the area of interest, that’s it. It’s not about my attitude is better than yours.
My suggestion to any expat or serious traveller in provincial Asia is the same and I extend this principal to cities also to be on the safe side.
If I am going into a venue where I am not known.
1st/ I make sure I am sober enough to make sense of the situation.
2nd/ I always talk to the bouncers or greeters at the door; not just say hi but try to converse with them a little; make light conversation.
3rd/ If I am from the area, I introduce myself as my name followed by what connections I have here; then I introduce my companion/s.
4th/ If I am out of my comfort zone, I will not go inside any venue without someone who knows the place and who I know. I expect the same courtesy from friends taking me out as I give when I take them out.
Regardless of the labelling of women based on behaviour in public; which is rife in Asia whether you like it or not. The above principles apply.
Manners are very important in Asia and I’m sorry if mine online are not what they might be in ‘real’.
October 7th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Well, Chris, I may be the only poster who reacted so negatively, because I see that I need to defend my many Asian women friends (from the different parts of Asia that I have traveled to as well as at least half of the Philippines where I have traveled extensively) who smokes and drinks but are not prostitutes. What counts as your immediate personal experience does not necessarily count as universal for everyone else. Like I said before, the sweeping generalization that you made was a form of fallacious statement in any book of logic and philosophy in the world. I do however understand in a way partly why your wife withdrawn to the conservative side – if you keep friendships with the prostitutes, naturally your wife would be very sensitive about these vices commonly associated with the trade and therefore influence hers and your views- whether justified or not. I really do not intend to question whatever your underlying reasons of posting were- you are entitled as everyone else to hold your own and I do not have the right to question that.
On topic, what you were doing was a good thing I guess (although me and my companions consciously avoid places known to be places where prostitutes hang out). Common courtesy is always expected wherever you go (in or out of Asia), and gladly for us, the places we hang out with was good enough (we always get VIP treatments- he he he).
October 7th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Hi Ryan again…
1st my wife told me all this before we ever got involved. She was working for me as a business consultant in the Philippines.
2nd I am a foreigner here not a Pinoy. I have great respect for the Pinoy. At the top of this respect I put the same people who the local Pinoy put as respected; although I treatr all the same. I go anywhere I like to go in the Philippines because I know how to be safe here. Every country has it’s games and it’s rules of play. I have always played by the rules and I am always treated vey well; better than I have ever been treated any where in the world. The shit Chris described would not happen in the Philippines because some gentle Pinoy would explain the situation in a nice way. That is why I am in the Philippines despite having lived in Indonesia and speaking Bahasa and Indo being 1/3 the distance to Australia.
To be honest Indonesia scares me. It has all of the worst aspects of Asia and not all the good ones.
The Philippines is for me THE place; as it turns out Chris is taking a liking to it also (no surprise there!). In the Philippines before somebody is going to bash you, you will have received several warnings. People make things clear here.
Then they bash you. If that doesn’t work they shoot you.
Same deal as Indo except WITH warning.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
While I see where you are coming from, Chris Simpson – I don’t agree, that Pinoys always give you a warning before acting violently towards you. Stories about violence towards foreigners in the Philippines – or all around Asia for that matter – are legend but that doesn’t mean, we have to condemn one country or the other. Also, Bali is NOT typically Indonesia.
It all depends as well on the situations and in this regard, the Philippines can be a much more violent country than Indonesia, if only because firearms are so readily available here. Of course I have a liking in both Philippines and Indonesia, and having the above situation happening to me, doesn’t mean necessarily that I don’t know how to avoid dangerous situations and that they always happen to me. If you read that out of the above article, please read again.
The thing what worries me, is that you (and others above) think it is okay, normal or necessary to stay friends and mingle with bouncers, prostitutes and local criminals just to enjoy a good night out in a tourist destination. This sounds like a wrong development to me and I won’t stop putting my finger on situations like that, be it in Bali, Manila, Thailand, Ibiza, Sydney or wherever it might happen….
October 8th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Hi Chris,
I hear the stories here too; very few of them don’t have an explaination.
It seems we have a very different world view.
1 thing is that Bali is in Indonesia, it is the scum magnet for the whole country; this is probably 1 reason the Muslim Government puts up with it.
On the topic of “Staying friends and mingling with bouncers, prostitutes and criminals…” I think you just gave away something you did not tell in the article.
You think disdainfully of these people.
They are the people of the night. If you go out anywhere in the world to party, you will find that the people who know what’s going on are these people. I would consider it very dangerous to go out at night anywhere with that attitude.
To me they are just people who are doing whatever they can to survive. Very few of them are outright evil.
Maybe the Netherlands is so very civilisied that it’s safe to go out at night with a pompous attitude? I don’t know, I haven’t been there for 20 years and I always try to see others as my equal.
December 25th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
How to get in trouble for 3 dollars……
You have to know your limits.
Although you’re (probably) right this was not the time nor the place to fight injustice. He asked you the first time: Wanna make trouble ? At that that point you should’ve walked away.
December 30th, 2009 at 12:13 am
Sorry, Chris Simpson, it’s been a while…but I just re-read your comment #150 and while I initially not wanted to answer again, it is still upsetting me.
Now: for me it is just the biggest hypocrisy ever commented on this site. Look, I mean in one comment you picture Bali as the biggest scum magnet (who is that scum?), but show solidarity and align yourself with ‘bouncers, prostitutes, criminals as your equals‘ , while condemning the Netherlands (what was that for?) and also saying that the Muslim Government of Indonesia has to put up with Bali because of all the scum (not because the 4 Mio. people of Bali operate their Gold mine with 70% of all tourist income in a nation of 250 Mio. people).
I mean, what arguments at all are valid in your eyes, if you put victims at their own fault while erecting statues for criminals as people who just try to make a living? You are running around in circles faster than a hurricane…it’s simply pathetic! L-)
And cc, it’s not about the 3 Dollars, it’s about the principle of letting yourself getting cheated or not.
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:22 am
how common! who in their right mind would want to hang out in a place like Kuta anyway. Grow up and get a little self respect.
March 23rd, 2010 at 4:44 pm
This is no surprise. The Laskar gang run security around a lot of clubs and bars in the Kuta area. There are at least 60,000 people involved in this gang. The gang is in cahoots with anyone willing to pay. They control the drugs trade. They many businesses. The gang take meth and other drugs, they aren’t educated, they fight in packs rather than alone. They are dangerous.
September 5th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Mbargo employees attack Australian tourist, 31 August 2010.
September 6th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Here is an article about that incident, mentioned by Kate.
Said tourist ‘suffered a torn lip, a bruise on his left cheek, and an abrasion below his eye’.
They never learn.
September 9th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
well i think Mbargo is really nice so far so good. I like the dance floor, music,,,, yeah not too bad…
January 30th, 2011 at 2:12 pm
MBARGO is not a safe place, A few years ago, 2008 Myself and my 2 brothers got jumped for no reason, I mean absolutely no reason. We were dancing on our own having a good time where out of no where. We got attacked (hit punched kicked jewlery ripped off) the security stood there and didnt do a thing but only laugh. This whole situation got covered up by the then manager, a french guy. It got covered up because we got hold of the Security Vidieo from the office before they had a chance to erase it. From then on we were giving cash free drinks free anything we wanted as long as we didnt take it further. We were very lucky to have some high up contacts at the time
March 23rd, 2011 at 10:00 pm
The reason for the experience is that bar is just one of the bars controlled by gangsters working with corrupt police (90% all the top level) Laskar Bali is the gang’s name. As for Lucas, your an idiot and probably a try hard friend of the gangsters, I have lived here for over 10 years and it is all true. Frank hasn’t lived here that long but he is closer to the truth. And camille you are an arrogant French wanker, no wonder so many people hate the French, a Balinese security guard sells you some drugs pats you on the back and you think they are wonderful while they think you are a french wanker while smiling at you.
I speak the language, have lived here for over 10 years and trust me Bali sucks big time and is dangerous. Luckily most people have a good time, but trust me there are some black hearted bastards out there who don’t give a shit because a new plane load fly in everyday ( no comeback) go to Lombok gilli air
March 24th, 2011 at 11:54 am
Oh my god,
I have no idea where you came from Martin.
I literally posted that shit 2 years ago.
You people need to get over it, seriously.
Wow, 10 years! Good for you bro! I’m sure everybody is proud of you.
If you think it sucks so much why dont you just leave? And dude, bali is NOT dangerous. Compare it to Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa. Read the horror stories there, and compare them to the ones in Bali. Pfft.
Its hilarious how so many people were insulting a 16 year old. Bahahhahahah.
I was making assumptions, but so were you guys, and the funny thing is, you were probably older than me at the time.
For real though, reading all this stuff is hilarious, some of mine and Jackson’s comments are so funny:
“Christian Skoda will block you from the site now. Sucked in you idiot.Thanks for correcting me on the spelling of Bencong, although you followed it up with a bunch of spelling mistakes and bad grammar, you buffoon!!!”
He thought he was being so badass telling a child off. Lol. =))
Anyway, back to the topic..
You guys can have your opinions, I guess I’ll never look at it that way cause I’ve never experienced it.
Maybe it takes a personal experience to feel that way.
I’ve never seen the security do that to anybody.
Only tourists getting into massive fights with everybody, so I’m only talking about my experiences.
My apologies if I hurt peoples feelings over the computer, I really was just having fun arguing with Jackson, Sam and Alvarez. I was immature, and still am. (but slightly less) I don’t know the level of maturity you guys expected from a 16 year old, seriously. Bhahahahahaa.
Peace to the middle east.
March 31st, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Laksar Bali are thugs for hire. Most of them are not Balinese, but from Sumatra, Java and other islands. Pure Mafia scum. How do I know? My husband knows several of the ring leaders. And they have always been trouble even before Laksar was thought of,
Scum bags who give Bali a bad name
August 6th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
This is so funny. Iʻve been going to Bali for 20 years and Iʻve had the best times Iʻve ever had at Mbargo and Iʻm sure Iʻm speaking for thousands and thousands of other people. You come to a place and have the time of your life (not just talking about Mbargo) but Bali itself. Something happens in a fun club you go to where thereʻs thousands of people and your crying and whining about less than $5 US dollars. Sounds like someoneʻs a little petty to me. Mbargo rules from the Hawaiians that have been running that spot since the day it was started.
October 10th, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Please read:
Do people forget the same security (Bounty) murdered a NZ man? If you have not seen this kind of thing happen even if you have been going to Bali for 20 years, do you honestly think it never happens?