Indonesia opens Bali to tourists from 19 countries

Popular island destinations of Bali and Riau are now open to tourists from 19 countries but require mandatory five-day quarantine.

Indonesia's holiday destination islands of Bali and Riau are open to foreign tourists from 19 countries after 18-month pandemic hiatus. Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Indonesia's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment said that the incumbent Indonesian government had permitted tourists from 19 countries to travel to Bali and the Riau Islands. He also noted that the ministry chose the countries based on data showing low positivity rates. However, the United States was notably absent from the list.

The countries chosen by Indonesia are China, New Zealand, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Liechtenstein, Italy, France, India, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, and Norway.

Eligible travelers from the chosen countries must be fully vaccinated with a second vaccine taken at least 14 days before traveling to Indonesia. They must have insurance coverage for Covid-19 treatment worth at least US $100,000 and pay for their accommodation during a mandatory five-day quarantine period.

Bali, Indonesia's leading tourism hotspot, had more than 6 million visitors in 2019 alone. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the island's streets, which would generally be filled with tourists, have been deserted. Many businesses are closed as tourism is the lifeline for the economy of the island.