Bali reopening to foreign visitors from Feb 4

Dhaka: Indonesia's popular holiday island Bali will reopen to travellers from all countries from February 4, announced the country’s officials.

More than three months after announcing the island was open to selected nationalities, all foreign travellers can now visit the popular holiday destination spot.

Luhut Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment, said that beginning February, the country will welcome foreigners and reduce the quarantine period for fully vaccinated travellers from seven to five days upon arrival.

Before Bali lifted its international flight ban for select countries in October, visitors arrived by yacht. In the first six weeks of reopening, only 153 people had applied for tourist visas, according to reports.

Known for its surfing, temples, waterfalls and nightlife, Bali saw just 45 foreign visitors between January and October with its airport closed to international flights for the majority of 2021, compared with around 1.05 million in 2020 and 6.2 million in 2019, added reports.

Ida Ayu Indah Yustikarini, an official at the Bali Government Tourism Office, said, the island has been receiving foreign visitors in the past few months via the capital Jakarta.