The ban comes after groups of foreigners have been deported in the recent months and banned from returning to Indonesia for six months by authorities
Bali’s governor has announced a ban on tourist activities in the mountains with “immediate effect” following a rise in incidents of violations of sacred peaks by misbehaving tourists.
The island has announced a blanket ban on all activities like mountain climbing and hiking on all of Bali’s twenty-two mountains, including iconic Mount Batur and Mount Agung.
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“These mountains are sacred and revered. If their sanctity is damaged, it is the same as degrading the sacredness of Bali,” Governor Wayan Koster said at a news conference adding that all popular activities were no longer allowed for both foreign and domestic tourists.
The ban comes after groups of foreigners have been deported in the recent months and banned from returning to Indonesia for six months by authorities, CNN reported.
“This ban is in effect forever and is not only for foreign tourists but also domestic tourists and local residents… (with the exception of) religious ceremonies or the handling of natural disasters,” he said.
Bali, known as the “island of the Gods,” is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, ranked high on global travel polls.
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However, foreign tourists have been regularly found misbehaving and testing the patience of locals.
Earlier in April, Indonesia mulled imposing a tax on tourists following a series of controversial incidents involving badly behaved foreigners.
In March, Governor Koster announced ban on tourists renting motorbikes, following several accidents and influencers performing reckless stunts.
Tourists were not only found posing naked for social media photos at sacred sites but also indulge in rash driving or driving without a helmet or a licence.
In 2021, a pornographic video was filmed on Mount Batur, an active volcano popular among climbers and one of Bali’s most sacred spots. Earlier this year, a Russian tourist was deported from Bali after posting a photograph of himself half-naked atop Mount Agung, Bali’s highest peak, considered sacred to Hindus.
However, the move has triggered huge concerns for local communities and business whose livelihoods are directly connected to the mountains and tourism on the island.
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But the Governor’s order would require an official approval from the local parliament to be enacted as a law.
Indonesian government officials said that the ban was still premature and under discussion. Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said, “The issue of banning people from climbing mountains is still being discussed with several regional unit heads in the Bali regional government.”
He added that once the order is finalized, it will be announced by the governor of Bali.
Bali is a famous tourist destination and is widely popular for its surfing spots, emerald green rice terraces and nightlife. The island drew 6.2 million foreign visitors a year before Covid pandemic and tourism was estimated to contribute about 60 percent of the island’s economy.
