Best Toilet

Sep 28th, 2007, in Travel, by

Bali has the cleanest toilets.

Bali’s Ngurah Rai international airport has won the Cleanest Toilets Award from the National Clean Public Toilets Movement. The coveted award was handed over at the Department of Tourism office in Jakarta on 27th September by the minister, Jero Wacik, although it is not clear who actually accepted the award on behalf of Ngurah Rai.

These are listings for the airports surveyed for the award, with Polonia airport in Medan disgracing itself in last position:

  • 1. Ngurah Rai, Bali
  • 2. Sultan Syarif Kasim II, Pekanbaru
  • 3. Hang Nadim Otorita, Batam
  • 4. Soekarno-Hatta, Jakarta
  • 5. Sepinggan, Balikpapan
  • 6. Hasanudin, Makassar
  • 7. Juanda, Surabaya
  • 8. Sam Ratulangi, Manado
  • 9. Minangkabau, Padang
  • 10. Supadio, Pontianak
  • 11. Polonia, Medan

El-Tari airport in Kupang, NTT, was also surveyed and won a special encouragement award because it had made great efforts towards cleanliness despite not having easy access to running water.

Jero Wacik
Jero Wacik, happy to use Ngurah Rai’s facilities.

Public restroom standards were an important matter in tourism, said Jero Wacik, because studies had shown that 70% of passengers were intent on relieving themselves once getting off their plane, and thus one of their first impressions of a country was its toilets.

Toilets are an initial “welcoming space” and tourists will evaluate Indonesia by the quality of these “welcoming spaces”.

There were big plans for the National Clean Toilets Movement: antara

At the end of 2007 we will bring the clean toilets movement to other airports and national tourist attractions.

This story is continued at Best Airport Toilets 2009.


15 Comments on “Best Toilet”

  1. Arema says:

    First impression… “what? toilet award..?” laughable. But actually it’s not.

    The cleanliness of toilets is often underestimated, but it is very important in giving the overall impression, well, at least to me. I know Japanese pay a lot of attention to the toilets, so much so that I even heard that they judge the owner of the house based on how good is their toilet.

    So yeah, sounds silly, but National Clean Toilet Movement is actually a good move to give a better first impression to incoming tourists / visitors.

  2. Dimp says:

    So Bali is number 1 for number 1 and 2…..

  3. iamisaid says:

    As usual, some more frivolous programs when more than half the population of Indonesia are without basic essentials.

    “Toilets are an initial “welcoming space” and tourists will evaluate Indonesia by the quality of these “welcoming spaces”, said Jero Wacik.

    NO! Tourists do not evaluate Indonesia by the quality of the toilets. What is the use of having clean toilets when the tourist walks the gauntlet of corrupt Immigration and Customs officials, taxi hecklers, welcoming party of peddlars, free lance tour operators and pick pocket artists before he can even reach the hotel?

  4. Janma says:

    quote: “What is the use of having clean toilets when the tourist walks the gauntlet of corrupt Immigration and Customs officials, taxi hecklers, welcoming party of peddlars, free lance tour operators and pick pocket artists before he can even reach the hotel?” unquote

    Well at least if all that is going to happen to you on your trip to indonesia, clean toilets are a plus…. you know… like it’s good… gotta start somewhere. 😉

  5. Putu Alberto Lee says:

    I agree with Janma, get that dildo out of your arse and cheer up a bit.
    Clean toilet is always a good thing.
    Cleanliness in general is always a good thing.
    I know that for sure; I’m currently living in china. 🙂

  6. iamisaid says:

    Putu…like anyone else, you have a right to make your point.

    However, that does not include making obnoxious personal statements.

  7. iamisaid says:

    Janma….

    Obviously.

    Given the benefit of the doubt, I would rather believe that you get the gist of what I posted.

    I am not an Indonesian. For the past 7 years I have been doing a bit of humanitarian work in that country.

    Admittedly, although the entire archipelago is huge, diversified and in many cases remote, the post Independence self governance has left the well being of the population impoverished.

    In many instances as in this case of clean toilets, (too many to be quoted in this text), it is always habitual that those in power place the cart before the horse in whatever they think is benefitial for their people.

    Clean toilets per se has nothing to do with having to spend money on Award presentations and the like. Clean toilets is purely a discipline and a management issue. There is more cleaning to do outside of toilets and this has a much greater significance to the benefit to both the citizens and foreign tourists.

    With all respect to your point/s, I hope you see mine too.

  8. Putu Alberto Lee says:

    Hi IamIsaid,

    I’m sorry about the dildo part. I didn’t know you’re a lady; I thought you’re a guy.

    My point was: why do we have to handle this kind of thing so seriously. We’re talking about toilets, right? What do people talk about in toilets? Religion? Corruption? Politics? I don’t think so. The answer is: toilet jokes.

  9. Jakartass says:

    I applaud the Clean Toilets Movement, and I have promoted their cause for nigh on three years. It’s good to know that the government is taking some interest, albeit minimal and on behalf of tourists. Remember, too, that they’ll have further opportunities to ‘go’ whilst they’re going somewhere aloft.

    It’s the rest of us down here who have problems if we’re not near malls or hotels.

    Or rivers.

  10. Peter says:

    I’m planning on visiting Yogya next summer, and toilets are definitely a concern for me. Of course so is pick-pocketing etc., but I feel that with caution and common sense things like that can be avoided for the most part. Toilets, however, cannot be avoided. So I hope not to have to tip-toe around Indonesian sh*t and piss every time nature calls.

    Food is a second concern. Trust me – if visitors can eat clean food and use clean toilets, that will go a long way to making their stay enjoyable.

  11. iamisaid says:

    Peter,

    Believe me, for whatever my 7 years of travel and stay Indonesia is worth this mention, the hype from this Article, about clean toilets or the lack of cleaniless in places such as Airports is blown out of proportion.

    Indonesians are generally particular about cleanliness.

    However, when it comes to certain public services, for example drinking water, there is much left to be desired. For that matter, there have been cases reported about unidentifiable insects in bottled mineral water. This is not the fault of the citizen but the powers-that-be do not consider this basic amenity as being of any paramount interest for the health care of the population.

    Food, unless eaten at notable fast food centers or at restaurants is not to be taken lightly. A good hint is to eat where there are many diners because it would suggest that the food served has a higher turnover and therefore is freshly cooked.

    As regards the other issues of crime, it would be an error to believe that common sense is a good enough protection. I will not relate my personal experiences or that of other Indonesians because it would not be giving Indonesian law and order to make a headstart.

    Nonetheless, despite whatever is said here, Indonesia is not a retarded place to visit. Indonesia has her own plusses as well.

    I wish you a safe and an enjoyable visit to Indonesia.

  12. dewaratugedeanom says:

    iamisaid said

    What is the use of having clean toilets when the tourist walks the gauntlet of corrupt Immigration and Customs officials, taxi hecklers, welcoming party of peddlers, free lance tour operators and pick pocket artists before he can even reach the hotel?

    At least the tourist will have one good memory after seeing the rubbish piled up elsewhere in streets and canals.

    Indonesians are generally particular about cleanliness.

    True for personal hygiene and private spaces. But there it stops.

    Wake up, Bali! Make aksi bersih-bersih, turn pulau sampah into pulau indah and try to keep it that way.

  13. Parvita says:

    I thought Jogja had the cleanest public toilets. A clean toilet shows the cleanness of the overall place and the cleanness of the people.

  14. Ihaknt says:

    Putu some ladies like dildo up there too.
    Gee if Cengkareng is no.4 I can’t imagine how gross it is in Medan!!

  15. Shoaib Mahmood says:

    Dear Sir/Madam,We are the developer company based in UAE,   functioning globally; we are looking forward to purchase a different types of bath room vanity units for our ongoing designer residential tower name “Lamborghini,We believe that your company is dealing in that type of material, do you deliver in UAE or can refer to one of your office in UAE. We have 400 bath toilets in that designer building, can you please send a detail catalog or broachers for further details. The further detail of the building can be found in our website.thanks,

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