No current warnings. Be respectful and be safe.

You arrived in Tanjung Setia late in the evening and your now ready for your first morning on the coast of South Sumatra. You don your bikini that was so poular in Bali and do a quick inspection in the mirror ... l-o-o-k-i-n-g good. Outside your boyfriend waits on his motorcycle, a bare chested and bronzed surf warrior. Everything is new and exhilarating.

First stop refuel your scooter. Arriving at a small wooden stall selling fuel a young women greats you in traditional, long dress and hadjib. She asks where you are from USA, Australia, France? Smiles as she takes your money. You drive away feeling good and ready to explore.

What you are completely unaware of is. Your very first interaction with the local people has reinforced the systemic belief amongst the locals that foreigners are disrespectful, arrogant, self centered and probably sexually permissive. Maybe your a European prostitue from Bali?

There are now 2 young guys on a motorcycle following you and making obscene hand guestures. You suddenly don't feel safe turning onto that dirt track to the beach.

What went wrong?

Violence and death threats change Krui forever

For a long time local expats and surfers visiting Krui showed little if any concern for the local populations customs and religion. Believing that the financial trickledown effect would keep the locals happy with their lot. This marginalization led to shockingly violent events in June 2024 which destroyed the illusion of a happy tourist friendly local population forever.

So if your visiting Krui make yourself aquainted with some local customs, etiquette, social norms, laws and social realities.

Basic etiquettes to follow:

If you are unprepared to respect the local culture and etiquette it's probably best you don't visit this area. At the least your disrespect would increase local hostility towards tourists and at the worst endanger yourself.

For Women

Always wear a shirt that covers your shoulders and chest. Wear longer shorts that cover your knees. Never wear a swimsuit, bikini or g-string when out on your scooter, in local villages or in front of local families at the beach. On rare occasions you may see an Indonesian woman in the area wearing very short shorts. In almost every case they are a prostitue.

For Men

Always wear a T-shirt. If you have longer shorts wear those. You might see local men with no shirt on, this is usually because they are working and don't want to damage their cloths.

  Don't even think your 90kg ripped and inked cage fighting body makes you a tough guy in South Sumatra. A pack of local kids could dice you up for dessert and leave you on the side of a jungle road without a seconds thought.

Alcohol

Do not drive around on your scooter drinking alcohol. Do not take alcohol to the beach or into any local villages.