Bali wants tourists to follow its list of dos and don'ts: Check it here

The governor of Bali has sent out a new list of dos and don'ts for tourists after many videos have surfaced showing disrespectful and illegal behaviour in popular tourist spots

Bali, a popular tourist destination in Indonesia, has introduced a new set of rules for foreign visitors to address misbehavior and maintain the cultural integrity of the Hindu-majority island.

The governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, issued a circular outlining 12 obligations and eight restrictions for international travelers.

The obligations include showing respect for sacred temples, statues, customs, arts, and culture. Visitors are expected to dress modestly in sacred areas and tourist attractions, be polite, follow traffic laws, and use the local currency for transactions.

The restrictions prohibit trespassing on sacred land, climbing sacred trees, engaging in behavior that defiles sacred places (like taking indecent or nude photos), using single-use plastics, uttering offensive words, acting aggressively towards officials or locals, and working without proper permits.

Governor Koster emphasised the importance of understanding and implementing these rules, urging all staff and foreign tourists to comply. He expressed his frustration with misbehaving tourists and warned his subordinates to take their responsibilities seriously.

This new circular comes in response to recent incidents involving unruly visitors. Examples include a Danish woman potentially facing jail time for exposing herself while riding a motorbike and a German tourist sent to a mental health institution for nakedly interrupting a dance performance at a holy temple. In addition, a Russian woman was deported for posing nude in front of a centuries-old sacred tree.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the Bali police have also made an arrest related to accepting cryptocurrency as a payment method, which is not permitted in the country. The government aims to crack down on such behavior and has deported numerous foreigners in recent years.

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia also put out a release in April stating, “In the future, it is not only about increasing the number of foreign tourist visits on vacation to Indonesia. But, it can also improve the quality of tourists, by respecting the local community, as well as exploring tourist destinations with a good and comfortable attitude.”

The SCMP also reported that this circular was received positively by Indonesians. Agung Suryawan Wiryanatha, a tourism expert at Udayana University in Bali, praised the new rules and urged authorities to disseminate them widely through various media channels. He also suggested that the guidelines should be codified into local law to ensure that violators face appropriate consequences.

Azril Azahari, chairman of the Indonesian Tourism Scholars Association, also supported these measures and believes they should be applied to all regions of Indonesia, not just Bali. He suggests distributing the dos and don'ts to international visitors upon their arrival in the country in the same report.

News nine listed the new rules as the following:

Dos

• Respect the sanctity of temples, sacred statues, and religious symbols
• Show respect for the customs, traditions, arts, culture, and local wisdom during ongoing ceremonial rituals
• Dress appropriately and respectfully when visiting sacred areas, and public places, and engaging in touristic activities in Bali
• Polite behaviour is requested in all public spaces, especially sacred and religious areas
• Licensed tour guides are required when visiting tourist attractions
• Foreign currency should only be exchanged at authorized money changers. All official money changers should carry and display their authorisation number and QR code logo from Bank Indonesia
• Make payments using the Indonesian Standard QR Code (QRIS)
• Transaction must be conducted only using the Indonesian rupiah
• Comply with all traffic laws, including possession of proper driving permits and dressing modestly
• Only use four-wheeled and two-wheeled transportation that is roadworthy and officially registered with a legal business
• Make sure you are staying in accommodations that carry the required permits
• Adhere to all specific provisions/rules that apply to each tourist attraction and tourist activity.

Don'ts

• Trespass sacred territories: Steer clear of utamaning mandala and madyaning mandala, holy and sanctified spots like puras and pelinggihs — exception for those attending any traditional Balinese ceremony, in which case individuals must dress modestly. Those who are menstruating are not allowed to attend these rituals
• Touch sacred trees
• Engage in behaviour that defiles sacred places, temples, idols, and religious symbols, including climbing sacred structures and taking indecent or nude photographs
• Litter and pollute public areas including lakes, rivers, etc.
• Use single-use plastics
• Utter offensive words or behave disrespectfully with government authorities, local communities and other tourists
• Engage in work or business activities without proper documentation issued by the relevant authorities
• Get involved in illegal activities, including endangered flora and fauna, cultural artifacts, and sacred objects, as well as illegal drugs.

Overall, the aim is to promote responsible tourism, preserve the cultural heritage of Bali, and discourage inappropriate behavior from tourists.