For a Fleeting Moment There, Two Bali Beaches Came Back to Life

KOMPAS.com – Two Bali beaches briefly reopened to international tourists eager to go surfing after more than three months of quarantine but soon after closed anew.

Canggu and Labuan Sait opened on June 1 even though the entire island remains closed to tourism activities.

The decision to reopen the two Bali beaches was made by the Head of Badung Tourism Agency, I Made Badra.

Read also: Bali Tourism Remains Closed Amid Pandemic

A day after on June 2, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster announced his plan to revoke the Badung Tourism Agency’s decision.

The two Bali beaches only allowed international tourists who had earlier deferred surf sessions due to coronavirus pandemic-related restrictions.

Read also: Indonesia's Covid-19 Cases Near 40,000-Mark

Activities such as sunbathing and playing at the beach were forbidden while locals and non-surfers were not allowed to enter the beaches.

Made reasoned that foreign tourists in Bali have been stressed out after being in quarantine for three months.

“We’ve loosened the measures a bit, but the foreign tourists are required to follow health protocols. The tourists had to be examined by the Covid-19 task force of the two villages near the beaches and by the ‘Balawista’ posts,” said Made.

The Governor of Bali was quick to shut down the reopening of the Bali beaches and was quick to express his disapproval of the Badung Tourism Agency’s decision.

Wayan has issued a circular calling for the closure of tourist destinations in Bali until further notice.

The circular had not been revoked when the Bali beaches of Canggu and Labuan Sait allowed entry to foreign tourists.

“I will inform the Head of the Badung Tourism Agency that tourist destinations remain shut down. I disapprove of the reopening and the decision must be revoked,” said Wayan.

Bali’s fight against coronavirus

Bali Governor Wayan has underlined the priority of the provincial government’s decision to first and foremost focus on containing the coronavirus pandemic.

The Balinese provincial government does not find reopening the island a light decision despite the island’s dependence on tourism.

“Let’s not rush in our decision to reopen our tourism sector,” said Wayan on June 15.

Read also: Airlines and Hotels in Indonesia Need 2 Years to Recover Post Pandemic

Wayan has taken a more cautious approach to restart tourism activities as he hopes to prevent a second wave of coronavirus infections.

He has asked local communities to remain patient amid the given circumstances and to allow the provincial government to properly contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Data from the National Covid-19 Task Force on June 17 shows that Bali has 782 confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 510 patients who have recovered as well as 6 deaths. 

(Editor: Rachmawati) 

Source: https://regional.kompas.com/read/2020/06/02/15100021/pantai-canggu-dan-labuan-sait-dibuka-untuk-turis-asing-yang-surfing-kadis-