Dubai Could Learn Two Significant Lessons From Bali

I was lucky enough to go to Bali last month. It was magical. 

It’s a beautiful place – lush and green with gorgeous crystal-clear water. 

But I’m not here to advertise how beautiful Bali is (it can do that itself, but while I’ve got you, the Monkey Forest in Ubud is absolute gags, definitely one for the bucketlist). 

I noticed something in Bali, or two things rather, that I think Dubai needs – and soon. 

1. In nine days in Bali, I did not drink out of one plastic straw 

I love a straw, but I loathe the unnecessary plastic they create, but in Bali, everywhere serves straws made of either paper (still not ideal) or more often – bamboo. 

Bamboo straws like thick tubes were served with every coconut drink, green juice and anything we ordered that could be sucked down a straw. 

Dubai has taken steps towards this, with the removal of plastic straws by brands including Freedom Pizza, and the entire Jumeirah Restaurant Group – but is it enough? 

There needs to be a cultural shift, like there is in Bali – where even the smallest hole-in-the-wall eateries are getting involved. If Bali can do it, Dubai definitely can. 

2. And hipster vegan cafes 

Bear with me here. 

I know this statement might get scoffs and eye-rolls, but listen – Dubai has a few cool cafes but it ain’t got nothing on the stunning (instagrammable) cafes scattered across every town. 

And they’re cheap, healthy, vegan-friendly and have damn good coffee. 

Pachamama in both Ubud and Gili Air, and Earth Organic Cafe in Seminyak and Ubud, as well as The Onion Collective are all great examples – good hearty vegan foods, reasonably priced, and with creative flavoursome dishes that are fresh…and dirt cheap. 

In fact, everywhere I went in Bali, had vegetarian-friendly food options, that put Dubai to shame. 

Too many places are blasé with vegan and vegetarian options – and you end up with a bowl of what can only be described as dirty lettuce leaves. 

But not Bali – the menus had the meaty options for our co-diners but for us veggies, we were happy at every resto, cafe and outing. 

Step up Dubai.