Travelers lost excursions and walk in the mountains of the popular Indonesian island of Bali. The decision was announced by the governor of the island region, Wayan Koster, at the Bali Tourism Coordination Meeting on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.
The natural heights of the island are now recognized as sacred territories and any activity in the mountains is prohibited, Tribunnews reported. Everyone, including foreigners, was banned from going to the mountains.
Recently, Russians have become “famous” for inappropriate behavior, including stripping naked and showing off their asses in the mountains of Bali, which caused a flurry of indignation among residents. Here, for example, from recently: a Russian woman stripped naked against the background of a sacred plant, and a Russian man showed off his ass on a sacred mountain.
Incidents that caused protests by the local population somehow influenced this decision, observers say.
Earlier, in January 2023, at the plenary meeting of the Democratic Party of Bali Province, Governor Wayan Koster already spoke about the need to recognize the mountains on the island as sacred locations. Nevertheless, the Indonesian authorities provided exceptions for the admission of tourists: “Unless there is a ceremony, liquidation of the consequences of natural disasters or other special events. So it’s not for tourism.” This rule applies to all 22 mountains in Bali.
“I used to follow the regional rules. First, there are the aspects of the sacred places, including the mountain, which is arranged from the foot to the top of the mountain to be used as a sacred area. I only received the details of this today (May 31) and it is in line with my expectations because the Sulings have decided to make several mountains in Bali sacred places,” said the head of the paradise island.
This innovation was part of a broader territorial management plan to transform Bali into a more orderly and spiritual place, where ancient traditions of using the mountains for religious rituals, yoga, meditation, and the construction of sacred sites would exist.
On the one hand, this law may be perceived by unbridled tourists as the loss of another place for nude photo sessions. The inevitable decision will also affect adequate travelers who went on walks along the scenic mountain routes of Bali for cultural and educational purposes. There is another side: a strict restriction of power can gradually teach visitors to respect local culture and traditions, as well as improve relations between tourists and the local population.