Bali to allow foreign tourists to return after months of COVID-19 lockdown

Indonesia's resort island of Bali will open its doors to international tourists from September 11, according to media reports. The islanders on July 5 held a mass prayers with over 1,000 people at Besakih Hindu temple to express their gratitude and seek blessings for a ‘new normal’ in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. The island that has been shut for travellers for the past three months, will initially open for domestic travellers and gradually move to welcome international visitors as well. 

Read: Bali: Over 1,000 People Attend Mass Prayer As Govt Eases COVID-19 Lockdown

Bali reopened two of its most popular beaches Canggu and Padang Padang last month for foreign tourists who were already present on the resort island. However, the beaches were not opened for locals. The overseas travellers were allowed to surf the beaches after weeks of lockdown. Bali tourism officials told a press conference that the administration wouldn’t like the tourist to sneak through bushes to avoid the beach barricades and get bitten by snakes. 

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COVID-19 in Indonesia

According to an international media outlet, Bali currently has nearly 1,849 confirmed COVID-19 cases and the deadly virus has claimed the lives of at least 20 people. Meanwhile, Indonesia, the country of 270 million people has recorded 63,749 confirmed COVID-19 cases so far, of which 3,241 people have lost their lives.

The South Asian country has fared well in comparison to some of the other nations across the world. The mortality rate in the country is moderate compared to its peers in the ASEAN belt. However, the tests per million in Indonesia are one of the lowest in the world and it needs to increase it's testing capacity as per experts. 

Read: Bali Reopens Two Popular Beaches For Foreigners As Coronavirus Cases Drop

Read: Bali To Reopen Its Tourism By October If Coronavirus Cases Remained Low