Indonesia's resort island of Bali on Monday welcomed its first foreign tourists under relaxed coronavirus rules that no longer require arrivals to quarantine, part of a broader easing of curbs in the Southeast Asian country after infections declined. Known for its surfing, temples, waterfalls and nightlife, Bali drew 6.2 million foreign visitors in 2019, the year before COVID-19 struck. But only a trickle of visitors have returned since Bali started opening up to foreign tourists last October, discouraged by the need to quarantine and other rules. Foreign tourists carrying their luggage walk as they arrive at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, as the local government kicks off the first day of the 'quarantine free' trial, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, ...
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Indonesia's holiday island of Bali welcomed its first direct flight carrying foreign tourists for nearly two years on Thursday, but just a handful of visitors were on board to enter strict quarantine on arrival. A Garuda Indonesia flight from Tokyo arrived in Bali in the afternoon, with six foreigners and six Indonesians aboard, said Ida Ayu Indah Yustikarini, an official at the Bali Government Tourism Office. Though the island officially opened to visitors from China, New Zealand, Japan and a few other countries in mid-October, there have been no direct non-cargo flights since then. Passengers who were boarded on Garuda Indonesia flight GA881 from Narita, Japan, wave to journalists upon their arrival as Bali welcome its first direct flight carrying foreign tourists, after it was...
Read MoreIndonesia's holiday island of Bali will start welcoming back travellers from all countries from later this week, officials said on Monday, more than three months after announcing it was open to selected nationalities. Though Bali officially opened to visitors from China, New Zealand, and Japan among other countries in mid October, there has since been no direct flights, Tourism minister Sandiaga Uno told a briefing. The reopening follows similar announcements by Thailand and the Philippines, which put quarantine waivers on hold in December over initial uncertainty about vaccine efficacy against the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The decision comes despite a steady rise in Indonesia's COVID-19 cases this month, despite having brought outbreaks under control in the second half of...
Read MoreAuthorities on the Indonesian tropical island Bali released 33 endangered green sea turtles into the ocean on Saturday in an effort to boost a population threatened by poachers and illegal traders. The turtles, from the Chelonia mydas species that is protected in Indonesia, were released on Kuta beach after they being rescued during a Navy operation against poachers in December. Tourists gathered to watch and film the release on their mobile phones, cheering the turtles on as they trudged across on the beach. "It's a great idea for the conservation effort," said Australian tourist Briant Firth. "They were getting some of the poachers and they were saving the turtles." Indonesia has become a hub of international trafficking of marine turtles, feeding demand from countries l...
Read MoreEnergy healers join the experience at Anantara Uluwatu The peaceful bliss that surrounds Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort creates an idyllic wellness sanctuary for guests visiting the acclaimed Anantara Spa. Indigenous practices from traditions around the world are distilled into signature experiences individually personalised by highly trained practitioners dedicated to their healing arts so guests can live out their Eat Pray Love dreams. Joining the celebrated Ibu Jero, High Priestess of Balinese Healers, at Anantara Uluwatu’s Anantara Spa are two renowned healers, experts in holistic, natural approaches to healing mind, body, and spirit. Balinese Tibetan Sound healer, Vina Harya began her healing journey at 17 years old as she developed her Kundalini meditation practice, conce...
Read MoreIndonesia's holiday island of Bali reopened to foreign tourists after 18 months of pandemic hiatus on Thursday, but the island is lacking one crucial ingredient: international flights. The government recently announced Bali's reopening after a sharp fall in coronavirus cases since July, when Indonesia was Asia's COVID-19 epicentre. But new visitors from overseas were nowhere to be seen on Thursday. Passengers stand in line at Ngurah Rai International Airport as Indonesia's resort island of Bali is set to reopen for international flights on October 14 after border closures due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Badung, Bali, Indonesia October 9, 2021, in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Fikri Yusuf/via REUTERS Though the island's Ngurah Rai internati...
Read MoreSurf school owner Halfia Londa is pinning all her hopes on Indonesia's plan to reopen the island of Bali to some foreign tourists from mid-October. Halfia's business at Kuta Beach is among hundreds of tourist businesses to have been crippled by the Indonesian government's decision to suspend all international flights to and from the popular island destination from April 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The closure stripped away most of Halfia's business virtually overnight, plunging her into debt. With very little income, she was evicted from her rented house and has been relying on the generosity of friends to get by. A surfing business owner, 38-year-old, Halfia Lando poses holding a surfboard at a Kuta beach in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2021. REUTERS/Sult...
Read MoreCatch the ultimate break with Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort You know a surfing spot is hot when eleven-time world championship surfer Kelly Slater makes a trek mid-pandemic in search of the perfect wave. In December 2020 he did just that at Uluwatu on the southwestern tip of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula. The beaches around Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort boast some of the greatest waves in the world and the resort is offering the Ultimate Surf Break Package for surfer’s keen to get back riding Bali’s famous barrels. A beautiful beach on a hot and sunny day, Dreamland beach, Bali. The package for two people includes accommodation and breakfast, a private yoga session, a one-hour signature Anantara massage, a three-course dinner and a half day surfing session including transfers and insuranc...
Read MoreIndonesia will reopen its tourist island Bali for some international travellers, including those from China, New Zealand, and Japan, among others, from Oct. 14, senior cabinet minister Luhut Pandjaitan said on Monday. Bali's Ngurah Rai international airport will be open to foreign tourists from that date, with visitors required to quarantine for eight days at their own expense, Luhut told reporters. FILE PHOTO: A man carries a surfboard at Kuta beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, which has seen a downturn in tourism following the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (Photo by SONNY TUMBELAKA / AFP) The country's reopening and easing of social restrictions is being conducted in stages, he said, because Indonesia "doesn't want the unexpected to happen". Indonesia has...
Read MoreIndonesia may allow foreign tourists to start returning to the popular resort island of Bali and other parts of the country by October after a sharp slide in COVID-19 cases, senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan said on Friday. The Southeast Asian nation intends to move cautiously to reopen its borders following a devastating second virus wave, driven by the Delta variant. FILE PHOTO: A man carries a surfboard at Kuta beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, which has seen a downturn in tourism following the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (Photo by SONNY TUMBELAKA / AFP) Luhut, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs, said the addition of confirmed cases of COVID-19 had dropped by 94.5% since a peak in mid-July. "We are happy today that the reprod...
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