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Get on the Bus, Gus! Java to Bali by Bus

Kompas.com has compiled a list of transportation options and costs for people traveling by bus from Java to Bali. Those traveling by bus can now take advantage of the modern new trans-national highway system without worrying about toll fees and ferry tickets – the cost of which is always included in the bus ticket price. Many bus operators also include refreshments for passengers during the journey.

For those departing from Jakarta to Denpasar, Bali, there are three inter-regional (AKAP) passenger bus (PO) operators from which to choose:

Pahala Kencana

This company offers Executive Class charging Rp. 500,000 for the journey from Jakarta to Denpasar. Also provided are two meals. Seating is in 2-2 configurations in comfortable seating arrangements with leg rests. Video entertainment is provided during the journey.

Kramat Djati

Kramat Djati also provides Executive Class service between Jakarta and Denpasar for Rp. 550,000. Seating is on a spacious 2-2 configuration. Slightly more expensive than Pahala Kencana, three meals are included in the ticket price.

Lorena

Another Executive Class Bus with 2-2 seating configuration operating between Jakarta and Denpasar is Lorena that charges Rp. 620,000 with all meals provided during the journey,

Yogyakarta to Bali

If you’re traveling from the Kingdom of Yogyakarta to Bali, here are some of the bus services operating that route:

Tami Jaya

Yami Jaya offers what they term “Suite Class” at a cost of Rp. 600,000. This company lavishes a range of extra services and amenities on their passengers for a somewhat higher price. Seating is provided in reclining sleeper seats.

Gunung Harta and Wisata Komodo

Both these companies provide Executive Class Service. Gunung Harta charges Rp. 300,000 and Wisata Komodo Rp. 350,000 for the journey.

Surabaya to Denpasar

Two companies offer Executive Class service from Indonesia’s second-largest city of Surabaya to Denpasar, using a 2-2 seating configuration. Mitran charges Rp. 220,000 and Gunung Harta Rp. 240,000 for the trip.

From Bali Discovery

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Value & Flavor: Cuca Restaurant in Jimbaran

A Bali restaurant worthy of note and not to be missed on any trip is the Cuca Restaurant tucked away on a quiet roadside heading to the ocean’s edge in the Jimbaran Beach area.

Cuca is a thoroughly modern venue that emphasizes natural light through its floor-to-ceiling windows and a tastefully minimalistic interior design.

The restaurant can accommodate large groups in air-conditioned comfort or in inspiring gardens set beneath old-growth trees. Polite young attendants greet visitors in a foreyard designed for vehicle drop-offs and personally escort diners through well-kept gardens and past fish ponds. As they go, visitors are offered a choice of al fresco dining in the gardens, a raised “ring-side seat” overlooking an amazingly talented kitchen brigade, the private group dining room, or the main dining room.

Safe by Design

By design, Cuca’s interior space has high ceilings and, because of the venue’s size, provides generous spacing between guests. Retractable curtains in place from the restaurant’s inception to allow added privacy between tables, now also enhance dining demands in the “new normal” by providing additional “breathing room” and an additional security barrier between any adjoining table of diners.

Beyond its welcoming ambiance, the ultimate and undeniable attraction of Cuca remains its outstanding food and impeccable service. Here is a restaurant for committed “grazers” who come to leisurely discover and be awed by new taste sensations as they while away the hours with fellow friends and family. Accordingly, the menu is composed entirely of artistically presented course after course of incomparable food augmented by the informative explanations of attentive waiters and waitresses detailing both the ingredients and preparation method. Whether you choose to label these delectable dishes as “tapas” or “amuse-bouches,” the service staff urge each diner to try at least three courses that are meant, by design, to be shared. Throwing caution to the wind and ignoring amy well-intended recommendation, we lost count and consumed far more than the recommended trio of courses.

Edith Piaff said it best: “Non je ne regrette rien?”

Dining with a friend, we voiced our “oohs and ahs” through a great many courses that included:

  • Cotton Betutu – Delivered to the table with the chef’s compliments is a dish that gives fair warning that what lies ahead will be unlike anything experienced in the past: A small “ball‘ of still-warm cotton candy infused with Betutu spicing that is customarily reserved for the quintessential Balinese dishes of Ayam or Bebek betutu. Gone in a flash as it literally melts in your mouth – Cotton Betutu heralds a world of culinary wonder that lies just ahead.
  • Broccoli Caesar – charred granules of broccoli sitting atop a whipped, creamy coconut concoction and anchovy crumble that, when combined, manages to evoke a taste reminiscent of light Caesar SaladHail! Caesar! Vini, Vidi, Vici – we surrendered without a struggle to this opening course that breaks new culinary ground like almost everything served at Cuca.
  • Smoked Butterfish – thin slices of lightly-smoked Butterfish – known locally as Gindara or “White Tuna,” are layered in small standing towers best approached with chops sticks that allow easy lathering in accompanying pools of beetroot yogurt, pickled zucchini, and parsley crumbs.
  • Rice Tempura Soft Shell Crabs –prepared with shaved fresh pineapple, garlic aioli, and curry leaf combine over delicate shells that can be devoured in their entirety. The “secret” of soft-shell crabs is that they are harvested before they manage to grow a “new” hard shells making the crabs 100% edible without the fight and mess of their “hardened” brethren.
  • BBQ Octopus – Beautifully tender slices of baby octopus “swimming” in a thin pool of Asian gazpacho partnered with thin slices of fresh apples, caramelized cauliflower, and coriander.
  • Black Squid “Risotto”: Resembling risotto in texture and taste, popped rice supplants the role usually played by Italian rice. Hand-cut squid pieces are cooked to perfection in a vegetable “stew” with an added “pizzazz” supplied by garlic cream. The crowning touch to this dish, however, is the distinct flavor imparted by squid ink.
  • Roasted Pork Buns – This dish has almost a cult following, particularly among Asian diners at Cuca. Delicate soft pancakes embrace bbq pork bathed in a sweet sauce — definitely a signature dish to be included on each visit to Cuca.
  • Mushroom Fritters – Button mushrooms are initially disassembled and reconstituted with pickled and melted cheese. These mushrooms are tenderly reassembled, presented as if growing in a field of fresh green herbal grass, awaiting harvesting by eager supplicants.
  • Bali Breakfast – On initial inspection, this dish resembles the yolk of an egg or a large yellow “eye” looking back at you. Warning: Prepare to be surprised by the explosion of new taste sensations resulting from the deceptive “yolk” of sweet runny mango combined with frozen passion fruit encircled by a white coconut creaminess.

Each course at Cuca reflects the restaurant’s co-creators’ culinary sojourn, Canadian Chef Kevin Cherkas, who honed his skills earned at three-star Michelin restaurants in Spain and New York. Later, he picked up an undeniable Asian flair during Shangri-La Hotels assignments in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Kevin’s co-creator, and partner in life and business is his Spanish wife, Virginia Entizne, who hails from Salamanca. Holding advanced degrees in linguistics and business management – her energy and project management skills form the perfect complement to her husband’s kitchen genius and Cuca’s success.

Everything Cuca touches is magic. This magicality includes an innovative cocktail list with all items also available in a non-alcoholic mocktail version. Opting for the alcoholic strand, we lost track and count after several rounds of “Tokyo Mojito” made from fresh citrus juices, rum, soda, and lemon basil. As the meal progressed, we also enjoyed Cuca’s “Sun-gria” – a take on red sangria was delicious and served over frozen cubes of fruit juices.

Cuca also boasts an excellent wine list.

Pre-pandemic seating, now trimmed to conform to Provincial health protocols, accommodated 250 for cocktails or canapés in dramatically-lit garden, 160 in the main dining room, or 40-person private dining room.

At a Loss for Words

While we could say “more” about Bali’s Cuca Restaurant, but based on our last visit, we simply prefer to say “more, please.

From Bali Discovery

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Bali Nets 366,666 Domestic Holidaymakers

As reported by NusaBali, Bali’s Governor, I Wayan Koster, confirmed 366,666 arrival figures for tourists during the subject period by land and sea, despite stricter COVID-19 testing procedures and limitations on public gatherings. Moreover, Koster expressed his pleasure that those domestic tourists that traveled to Bali over the year-end holidays almost universally respected the health protocols regarding the need for a PCR Swab Test for those arriving by air and Rapid Antigen Tests for those arriving by sea.

The Governor contends that the lack of new cases of COVID-19 in Bali demonstrates that hotels, restaurants, and other businesses in Bali have enforced health protocols.

Governor Koster said that he took great pride that data provided by the National Task Force for the Mitigation of the COVID-19 Pandemic has recognized Bali as the most disciplined region for implementing health protocols. “Bali’s compliance with using face masks is put at 96.47% – the highest rate in Indonesia,” said Koster.

Meanwhile, Bali’s compliance with directives on keeping physical distances and avoiding group gatherings is put at 91.5% – also the highest level nationwide, with most Balinese managing to maintain 3-meters physical distance from others.

This level of compliance and discipline, according to Koster, has helped the Province maintain a low level of new infections, with new daily cases averaging only 98 through 05 January 2021. Similarly, Bali has an average recovery rate of 90.96% – which is also the highest level of cures in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the daily death rate hovers between 5 and 0%.

On a cumulative basis, Bali’s fatality rate from COVID-19 stands at 2.9%.

From Bali Discovery

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BALI MOVIE THEATERS READY TO REOPEN IN DENPASAR

After extensive shutdowns, movie theaters in Denpasar are planning to reopen for business.

During an interview on Friday (4/12), Denpasar Regional Secretary, I Made Toya, confirmed reviewing application letters from movie theaters outlining required protocols they plan to implement before operating.

In response to the application, Toya decided to conduct inspections in four different movie theaters in Denpasar, including Level 21, Plaza Renon, Cineplex and Trans Studio Bali to assure that all the health and safety protocols are in place.

“We have inspected four movie theaters from Dec 2nd to Dec 4th 2020. It appears that the theaters are aligned with due requirements” Toya confirmed.

The visitors can only book tickets through online reservations to minimize contact with staff.

Visitor identity would be recorded while making the online reservation. The data will be sent to the Denpasar Communication and Informatics Agency for tracing in case of Covid-19 transmission at cinemas.

“We have completed inspections. We will now confirm with the Covid-19 Handling Task Force before finalizing the permit” Toya concluded.

From the Bali Sun

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Indonesia sets aside US$7.5 million to build coral reef gardens in Bali

 

The Indonesian government is setting course to build coral reef gardens in five locations across Bali in hopes of conserving and restoring marine ecosystems around the island, as officials aim to also boost economic recovery through the project’s labour-intensive work.

Officials introduced the Indonesia Coral Reef Garden (ICRG) program just yesterday, with Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo saying that “active efforts” are required to restore coral reefs ecosystems in Indonesia.

“Later on, the coral reef garden is not just an underwater tourism attraction, but also an educational or research facility,” Edhy said.

As a whole, the current plan is to develop a 50-hectares coral reef garden which would be split into five locations in Nusa Dua, Sanur, Serangan, Pandawa, and Buleleng. Officials have set aside IDR111 billion (US$7.5 million) from the national economic recovery program (PEN), and are targeting as many as 11,000 workers to get involved in the project.

These gardens will serve as sites to transplant coral, and officials say they are working with researchers and academics in order to further develop ICRG.

Bali Governor Wayan Koster has reportedly welcomed the plan, noting how he has yet to consider the potential of a coral-reef program like this.

“This is a potential I have yet to consider, it has never been managed well with adequate policies, and it has not been utilized to foster economic growth for the people of Bal

News taken from: https://coconuts.co/bali/news/indonesia-sets-aside-us7-5-million-to-build-coral-reef-gardens-in-bali/

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Don’t Bypass Das Bistro on the By Pass

Indefatigable” would be a good word to describe successful Bali businessman – Reinhold Jantzen.

Reinhold Jantzen was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1940, when humankind had just embarked on WWII. By 1980, following education and overseas assignments in various fishery projects in Sri Lanka and Indonesia, Jantzen found himself busily establishing a family and a business destined to become a significant force in the local business community.

His Bali sojourn also included commencing in 1996, 27 years of dedicated service to the Federal Republic of Germany as Honorary Consul in Bali.

In 1983, the Jantzen family established PT Soejasch Bali – a company producing and distributing fine food products. Over the past four decades, PT Soejasch Bali has grown into a nationwide concern with branch offices in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, and Surabaya. At the Company’s core is international quality meat products, including german sausages and hams, cold cuts, and salami.

While many Indonesian companies are now in a state of hibernation due to the global pandemic, PT Soejasch Bali has, once again, proven its “indefatigability” by making a major investment with the opening of a modern new complex on Jalan By Pass Ngurah Rai Np. 88A, opposite SOS Mekika. A bold and strikingly new beautiful building, the Soejasch Bali Complex houses:

  • Das Bistro by Mamas – a restaurant and bar-bistro featuring attractive prices on a wide-ranging menu that boasts salads, soups, seafood items, pizza, burgers, BBQ items, an array of delicious top-quality sausages, imported grain and grass-fed prime Australian beef, and tempting dessert items. Cocktails, draft beer, bottled beers, and a domestic and international wine list are also available.
  • 2nd Floor Mezzanine Bar and Balcony Dining – suitable for relaxed “nights out” or, on a “booked -out” basis. The perfect venue for private meetings and parties.
  • Mama’s Delikatessen – the place to order cold cuts, savory meats, imported cheeses, salads, pastries, baked goods, or take away items from the Das Bistro Mamas menu – all to be enjoyed on-site or on a takeaway basis.
  • Coffee Bar – Freshly ground gourmet coffee prepared by a talented barista to be enjoyed on the premises or to go.
  • Display area for the wide range of products produced and sold by PT Soejasch Bali to the general public, hotels, villas, restaurants, and major food franchises.
  • Cold Storage – The complex is also home to a vast state-of-the-art cold storage facility.

Catering services to private residences and villas are also available.

Health Protocols Apply

Every aspect of PT Soejasch Bali’s operations – both front and back-of-house – has been built to operate in compliance comply with the strictest international standards for cleanliness and food security. Staff and guests’ temperatures are checked at the door, mask-wearing is maximized for both staff and guests, and physical distancing rules are followed.

Unique to Bali, food displays are located on wide aisles to allow physical distancing to be maintained during the shopping experience.

Reinhold Jantzen Biography

Also available for sale online or at Das Bistro by Mamas is the highly readable and entertaining autobiography of Reinhold Jantzen: “I Did it. . . My Way: My Life Between Hamburg and Bali.”

Jantzen, Reinhold and Andresen, Willi, (2019). I Did it …My Way. Jakarta: After Hours Books.

ISBN: 978-6-026-99042-6

Das Bistro by Mamas (PT Soejasch Bali)

Jalan By Pass Ngurah Rai No. 88A (Across from SOS Medika)

Denpasar, Bali

Open daily from 9:00 am until 9:00 pm

Das Bistro by Mamas on Facebook

WhatsApp +62 821 4795 8846

Article from – https://balidiscovery.com/dont-bypass-das-bistro-on-the-by-pass/

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ECONOMIST PROPOSES TOURISM FUND TO REVIVE BALI ECONOMY

A national economist, Faisal Basri from Indonesia University, has initiated fundraising to revive the pandemic-stuck economy of Bali.

According to Basri, tourism and hospitality businesses in Bali are in dire need of financial support from the central government.

“I suggested the fundraising program during the previous International Tourism Outlook in Bali, so we could use the money to help Bali” said Basri during a webinar for Economic Outlook KAHMIPreneur 2021 on Sunday (3/1).

The money is to be collected to provide cash assistance primarily to small businesses.

Currently, local proprietors have insufficient access to financial support in comparison to large accommodation businesses with international networks.

He also added that facilitating travel bubbles with neighboring countries like Singapore is important for the economy of Bali which is highly dependent on tourism.

While the Bali-Singapore travel bubble is in talks, an agreement concerning mutual protocols is yet to be determined.

“We need to support this travel bubble plan in order to help the people in Bali. If it results successfully, the travel bubble method can be implemented in other areas like West Nusa and East Nusa in the future” Basri added.

Basri also mentioned the agreement between China and South Korea as an example. Both nations came to an agreement that would mutually benefit both economies.

Travel bubbles need to be stimulated in areas that rely on the tourism sector, otherwise people will fall into a deeper crisis.

Article from – https://thebalisun.com/economist-proposes-tourism-fund-to-revive-bali-economy/

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Bali’s Wish List for Sandiaga Uno

NusaBali reports that Indonesia’s newly appointed Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy, Sandiaga S. Uno, is being called upon by members of Bali’s tourism industry to restore the Island’s economy quickly.

Given Sandiaga’s reputation as a successful millennial businessman and politician, many believe him uniquely qualified to revitalize national tourism.

The chairman of the Bali Villa Association (BVA), I Gede Sukarta, commenting on the industry’s aspirational hopes for a revitalized tourism industry, said, “Sandiaga is innovative and must act quickly.”

Sukarta describes Bali Tourism as in a state of collapse due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the Balinese people destitute.

Sukarta admitted that Sandiaga would need assistance from many parties, tourism stakeholders, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Minister of Transportation, Minister of Trade, and Minister of State-owned Enterprises. Nonetheless, Sukarta remains optimistic that the new Tourism Minister will be able to rejuvenate national tourism.

Sukarta also admitted that Bali remains isolated from foreign visitors because of closed travel borders that, over time, will reopen when foreigners feel it is safe to revisit Bali.

“Through collaboration with foreign legations and ambassadors from friendly nations, Bali will be able to communicate the condition of Indonesia, specifically underlining that Bali is safe to visit,” said Sukarta.

Separately, the Nawacita Pariwisata Indonesia (NPI) chairman, I Gusti Kade Sutawa, is calling on Sandiaga Uno to quickly coordinate with all tourism stakeholders to rebuild the tourism industry expeditiously.

Sutawa, the head of Nawacita Pariwisata, says the national tourism industry will be preceded by the restoration of Bali’s tourism industry.

NPI has created a list of steps they hope the new Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy will undertake:

  1. They hope Sandiaga Uno will reopen borders and restore direct international flights to Bali.
  2. To restructure the tourism sector’s debt for the coming year, which is currently proving too burdensome for many tourism players.
  3. Extend aid to tourism workers left unemployed or working part-time because of the continuing pandemic.

This article is from https://balidiscovery.com/balis-wish-list-for-sandiaga-uno/

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MARINE ECOSYSTEM PROJECT COMPLETED IN BALI SEA

After long delays posed by harsh weather conditions, marine conservation development in the Bali Sea along Buleleng coast is now complete.

Indonesia Coral Reef Garden (ICRG) planted corals and various underwater structures across 7 hectares of the Bali Sea.

The project is expected to restore conditions of the underwater ecosystem on the North Coast of Buleleng for years to come.

As of last Wednesday (30/12), the ICRG team had planted 13,767 coral reefs, fish domes and VW cars.

The project was initiated by the Directorate General of Marine Space in partnership with the Marine and Fishery Ministry, who hope to positively impact the aquatic ecosystem.

Along with protecting ocean resources, the program enabled job opportunities for residents within the area that lost their job due to the pandemic.

The team of 250 members initially faced obstacles due to harsh weather conditions that influenced high sea currents and strong waves.

One of the scuba divers, Kadek Ada Maja, believes that the underwater sea park will bring a positive effect to local fishermen and the community.

“We have so much potential to develop our underwater tourism in the future” Maja said.

This Buleleng ICRG program is concentrating on six villages in North Bali: Les Village, Bondalem Village, Pacung Village, Baktiseraga Village, Tukadmungga Village and Kaliasem Village.

Some activists were sceptical towards the start of project. In response to their concern, the Deputy of Marine Resources, Safri Burhanuddin explained that the team has been working very carefully, and the project has been authorized by Indonesian Science Agency (LIPI).

The total of 16,000 underwater structures planted will be continuously monitored and maintained for a lasting impact on the marine environment and local communities.

This article is from https://thebalisun.com/marine-ecosystem-project-completed-in-bali-sea/

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GOVERNMENT PROVIDES FREE WIFI TO 55 VILLAGES IN BALI

The regional government has partnered with the Communication and Informatics Agency (Kominfo) to enable free WiFi connectivity to 55 villages in Badung District.

The new program is a government effort to support small businesses and education in the region.

Kominfo has sponsored the ‘WiFi Corner’, which grants free WiFi access to villages through installing networks that connect to every house in the area.

During an interview on Wednesday (23/12), the head of Kominfo, IGN Jaya Saputra, said that thousands of residents in Badung will have complimentary access to the internet.

Kominfo is currently prioritizing development in areas that lack strong network coverage, including Bindu, Pecatu and Sembung Villages.

Certain schools have also requested access, including Belok Elementary School 4 and other schools from south and north Badung.

“The internet will have a speed of 100 mbps. Once the economy starts to recover from the current crisis, we will consider increasing it” Jaya Spautra concluded.

The free WiFi will also be granted to traditional markets to help business owners advertise online. The program hopes to influence new start-ups and e-commerce to accelerate economic recovery in Bali.

News taken from: https://thebalisun.com/government-provides-free-wifi-to-55-villages-in-bali/

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Bali imposes negative PCR test result requirement in time for year-end holiday

If you’re planning to spend the year-end holiday in Bali, it’s best to note that domestic tourists flying into Ngurah Rai International Airport are now required to present a negative PCR test result, according to a new circular issued by the provincial government.

The latest update, issued today, comes as officials expect more domestic travelers to visit Bali in time for Christmas and the New Year, while COVID-19 cases are still on the rise in the province and throughout Indonesia.

Instead of prohibiting travel altogether to curb coronavirus transmissions, the government has decided to add some new requirements. This includes negative PCR test results for all air travelers and negative rapid test results for travelers who use other modes of transport to enter Bali.

The new circular, which also includes other provisions for year-end celebrations, will come into effect this Friday and last until Jan. 4, 2021.

From https://coconuts.co/bali/news/bali-imposes-negative-pcr-test-result-requirement-in-time-for-year-end-holiday/

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HOTEL BOOKINGS RISE IN NUSA DUA AS HOLIDAYS APPROACH

The Managing Director of The Nusa Dua Hotel, I Gusti Ngurah Ardita, has said that hotel occupancy in November was relatively stable, and is noticeably increasing for December. This is a good indicator that Bali’s tourism sector is beginning to heal.

“Hotels in Nusa Dua managed by the Indonesian Tourism Development Center (ITDC) confirmed an increase in bookings from domestic tourists for the year-end holiday” said Ardita during an interview on Wednesday 2/12.

He explained that occupancy is at 12 percent for December 1st to December 24th is, and 32 percent from Dec 24th to Dec 31st.

Many hotels have reached more than 60 percent occupancy leading up to the first week of January.

Meanwhile, Ardita reminds hotel management to be precautious in following prevention protocols. Day-to-day operations will reflect on Bali’s health and safety efforts as the Central Government prepares to resume international travel.

Ardita plans to reorchestrate preventive measures, stating “I don’t think it will be easy to receive international visitors as many governments aim to protect their citizens through strict travel restrictions. We will need to establish a better concept and higher standard so they feel safe enough to visit the island” Ardita said.

Finally, Ardita reminds the people of Bali to remain abiding by health and safety protocols, such as wearing face masks and physical distancing in embracing the new normal before the border reopens.

Article from the Bali Sun

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BALI AIRPORT ALLOWING SELECT INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS

Ngurah Rai International Airport has made exceptions with travel restrictions for certain international visitors.

Stakeholder Relations Manager of Angkasa Pura, I Taufan Yudhistira, said that Ngurah Rai International Airport has allowed international access for business, foreign training, or medical contributions in Bali.

“We are only allowing international entry for special circumstances.” Yudhistira said during an interview on Wednesday (2/12).

There are government requirements visitors need to complete such as proof of negative Covid-19 test, and compliance to self-quarantine, at their own expense, if the PCR test conducted by Indonesian authorities results positive or there are symptoms related to Covid-19.

The travel corridor is also open for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (KPP APEC) business trip card holders and Traditional Border Pass Holders.

The airline that transports the passengers is required to provide a PCR test with negative results.

“We have deployed many officers to do a complete screening at the airport, and to ensure that everyone is following the prevention protocols by sanitizing, thermal scanning, physical distancing and document checking” Yudhistira concluded.

Since November 2020, Ngurah Rai International Airport has received a daily average of 129 domestic and international flights.

Article from the Bali Sun

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INDONESIA SETS NEW ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR BALI BEFORE REOPENING BORDERS

As plans to reopen the border arise, the Government of Indonesia has outlined new entry protocols and screening measures for international travelers.

During an official visit in Tokyo on Friday (5/12), The Coordinator of Maritime and Investment Minister, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, expressed that he does not want to rush the reopening process without first ensuring that Bali is safe from Covid-19.

The Minister stated that the government would require an antigen test from every visitor entering Indonesian borders.

“We will also facilitate self-isolating accommodations at the government’s expense” said Luhut. He added that he is committed to provide better health facilities, world class hospitals and collaboration with leading medical labs in Japan.

Meanwhile, Bali is still in recovery from the pandemic which began more than 10 months ago. As an island heavily reliant on international tourism, Bali is facing a financial crisis.

The Provincial Government is trying to combat the situation by adopting preventive measures such as face masks, sanitizing, temperature checking, and disinfecting.

Additionally, a Clean Health and Safety Environment (CHSE) certificate must be attained by operating hospitality businesses to verify the government health and safety standard. With these measures in place, Bali hopes that The Central Government will consider reopening the border in the near future.

Article is from the Bali Sun

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NUSA DUA PLANS TO BECOME A COVID-FREE GREEN ZONE

Nusa Dua is currently preparing to become a pandemic-free zone which would provide a safe zone for visitors. The southern Bali peninsula is implementing strict protocols for staff and visitors to eliminate risks at the resorts.

Nusa Dua has decided to try and exceed common protocols outlined by the Covid-19 Handling Task Force. The region is attempting to reach new heights in safety measures to assure the area is entirely free from covid-19 cases.

According to data, most people are still reluctant to travel during the pandemic, even in areas of strict prevention protocols.

Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) manages operations in Nusa Dua and Mandalika. ITDC says they are committed to providing safety for their honored clients by implementing  higher standards of safety.

During a Global Tourism Forum webinar at the Pullman Hotel Jakarta on Friday (27/11), The VP of Destination Planning ITDC, Doddy Dwinandam, highlighted his short and long-term goals during the event.

“In the Nusa Dua Green Zone, resorts will test visitors upon arrival. All staff will reside within the property to minimize Covid-19 coming in from outside the resort” explained Doddy.

Travelers will be tested upon arrival at Bali Airport. Once cleared, a designated vehicle which will take them to the resort. “Hopefully this program will be actioned this December” Doddy concluded.

This article is from The Bali Sun.

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INDONESIA PLANS TO OPEN TRAVEL CORRIDORS WITH CHINA AND SINGAPORE

The Indonesian Transportation Minister, Budi Karya Sumadi is planning to open travel corridors for international visitors from China and Singapore.

During a virtual National Coordination Meeting For Economic Recovery on Thursday Nov 26th 2020, Budi Karya mentioned that Indonesia should consider reopening the border, especially for the province of Bali as the island is economically dependent on tourism.
He stated, “We have started agreements with China and Singapore to open international flights for both countries”.

Karya explained that there will be more focus on providing direct flights from either country to Bali without transit, and some of the airports in Indonesia are now ready to receive the direct flights.

There will also be mandatory testing in place to ensure all visitors are free from COVID-19 before traveling to Bali.

However, Karya hasn’t made an official statement on when Indonesia will open its borders for international tourists.

Budi Karya and the Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, Wishnutama, have agreed that they will continue to be focused on domestic tourism for the year-end holiday season, while preparing the plan for international travelers in the near future.

This article is from The Bali Sun.

Posted in Bali Airport, Bali Travel, BALI Travel AdvisoryComments Off on INDONESIA PLANS TO OPEN TRAVEL CORRIDORS WITH CHINA AND SINGAPORE

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