Bali bans all tourism activities on mountains and volcanoes

It is reported that Bali has banned all tourist activities on all the mountains and volcanoes in Bali. Bali’s Governor Wayan Koster has made this landmark policy announcement, and added that it will come into force with immediate effect.

Although the ban on such activities will be felt most by the tourists who wish to explore the highlands, it will also hamper local people and domestic tourists as they will also not be allowed to step foot on the mountains.
The Governor in his statement added that this ban will remain in effect forever, and that local regulations will be put into place to regulate everything. He further added that the ban will not be only for foreign tourists, but will also include local residents and domestic tourists.

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He further confirmed that only local people will be allowed to step foot on the mountains and volcanoes under very specific circumstances.

Koster added that no one will now have access to the mountains, unless there are religious ceremonies or disaster management, and special activities not related to tourism activities are held there.

The decision to impose a blanket ban on all activities on all of Bali’s 22 mountains comes in the wake of numerous incidents, whereby foreign tourists have violated the sacred nature of the island’s holy mountains.

These include public display of nudity, death on the mountain sides and, of course, accidents caused due to carelessness.

Earlier this year, the Governor announced a prospective ban on all activities on the mountain, although it was not clear at that time as to what extent such a ban would impact tourism activities.