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CANGGU WEEKLY Weekly Magazine For Canggu & Surroundings
No. 281 / 10 Jun - 17 Jun 2022
No concrete plans yet for Bali digital nomad visa, official says Head of the Bali Office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Anggiat Napitupulu, told Coconuts Bali today that the digital nomad visa proposal was news to them. “As far as we know, we have received no information on discussions about the visa at the central government [level],” Anggiat said, stressing that regional offices are only tasked with implementing visa policies introduced by the central administration.
There has been loud chatter recently about a special long-term visa for digital nomads in As widely reported, Sandiaga revived Bali, but it seems nothing has been set in discussions about the digital nomad visa stone yet. amid reports that many come to Indonesia, including Bali, using other permits such as As first reported by Bloomberg, Indonesia’s the tourist visa. Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno recently reiterated his desire While it was not exactly a novel idea to attract digital nomads to Bali by proposing (Coconuts reported Sandiaga announcing a new five-year visa for them. However, after the same proposal for digital nomads last we spoke to a local immigration official for year), the digital nomad visa became the talk confirmation today, it seems the plan is still of the town again with the minister quoted as in its early stages – at best. saying that Bali was among top destinations
for remote work. Anggiat conceded that officials currently find it difficult to monitor foreigners who come to Bali for remote work. “They enter Indonesia using visas as permits to stay in Indonesia, but their activities are not in line with the purpose of stay as outlined in the visas issued,” he said. Official acknowledgement of foreigners conducting remote work in Indonesia, as the digital nomad visa is touted to be, would certainly aid in their supervision. In addition, Anggiat said further study by officials is required to determine the pros and cons of the proposed digital nomad visa, implying that it may be further from realization than recent reports have led us to believe. (Coconuts.co)
The Weekly Magazine For Canggu & Surroundings
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10 Jun - 17 Jun 2022
The Weekly Magazine For Canggu & Surroundings
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10 Jun - 17 Jun 2022
The Weekly Magazine For Canggu & Surroundings
10 Jun - 17 Jun 2022
5 signs that Bali is returning to normal For better or worse, the Indonesian tourism hotspot is gradually returning to its prepandemic heyday since it reopened to tourists a few months ago. Yes, we’re seeing more and more international flights entering Bali. And, yes, the lifting of mandatory COVID-19 testing upon arrival and the reintroduction of visas on arrival (VOA) certainly contributed to the increasing number of travelers flocking to the tropical island.
such as Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak. It’s fair to say that Bali traffic jams are “back to normal” now, among them the infamously crowded intersection near Kuta Beach on the way to the Beachwalk Shopping Mall. Just like the old days. PJ, who runs the Instagram account @canggu.info, yesterday took a picture of the traffic jam on Canggu Main Road, signifying the crowded Bali that many have yearned for.
As someone who moved to Bali in December 2020, i.e. several months into the pandemic, I can’t help but notice the recent Stuart McDonald, a 51-year-old Australian changes on the island. writer and co-founder of TravelFish.org who has been living in Bali for 14 years, noticed My friend and I were at the McDonald’s on that the change in the southern part of Bali Sunset Road the other night after gyrating in “feels like [it] has already returned to close a club (don’t judge) when we saw a couple to 2019 levels.” of young Australian dudes ordering “Macca’s” wearing only shorts and with beer “Feels strange considering Bali’s inbound bottles in their hands. tourism from China, which represented around 50 percent of the entire inbound tourism trade, is yet to come back on stream. What happens when the China tap “Yep, Bali is back to normal,” I said as I is turned on again? What is the turned to my friend. government’s plan to avoid complete gridlock?” he said. If that isn’t a telling enough sign for you, I have compiled this list of five observations 4. No to rideshares that point towards a rejuvenated Bali. In no particular order: It’s common knowledge that conventional motorcycle taxi drivers (ojek pangkalan) and 1. Beaches are full again their app-based counterparts often clash over customers (well, that would be an Remember those pictures depicting barren understatement – there has been physical beaches on the Island of Gods throughout violence involved in the past like in this the pandemic? instance in Jakarta). People often go for online ojek due to its reasonable prices as In many beaches, like in Seminyak, those well as other facilities that are provided by colorful beach bean bags are fully occupied ride-hailing apps. again. Whether people are just enjoying some down time reading a book alone Signs put up by conventional ojek drivers during the day or enjoying shisha and prohibiting rideshare drivers from entering beers by the beach after the sun sets, gone their territory were commonplace before the are the empty beaches and back are the pandemic. During the pandemic, as the sun-seekers. collective struggle was so great that such 2. Nightclubs are jumping Mixwell, a famous bar in Seminyak that regularly features drag queen shows, was quiet during the pandemic, forcing them to shut down temporarily on a couple of occasions. Now? The place is almost always filled every day and, since the drag queens (most of whom are trans women) were among those hit the hardest during the pandemic, it’s nice to see that many can now perform their hearts out to a full-house audience and take home those tips. 3. Traffic jams It’s a cliché, but, like any other cliché, it’s born out of truth. If you’ve been in Bali since March 2020, you’ve surely gone through the surreal experience of traveling down empty roads in what used to be crowded spaces
conflicts were set aside, those signs had all but disappeared. Now as the economy is waking up, it seems like those signs are making a return.
further so they can be picked up by the transport mode of their choice. 5. Soaring rent Many hotels, guest houses and villas in Bali cut down their prices significantly for longterm stays during the height of the pandemic (locals know this as “COVID prices”), as they were figuratively begging for scraps just to stay afloat. Now that Bali is reopening, some landlords have hiked rent quite significantly. While they are entitled to maximize their earnings from the masses of new visitors, old tenants are left short-changed especially when the hike comes with little notice for them to find alternative living arrangements. Sergio, 30, who lives in Bandung but has mostly stayed and worked remotely in Bali throughout the pandemic, is one such tenant. Having stayed at a guest house since November 2021 for IDR2.7 million (US$185) per month, he was told that the price would be increased to IDR3.7 million (US$255) on June 19. “[But] the [guest house] owner told me last night that I can’t extend [after June 19] anymore because the place is now fully booked,” he told Coconuts Bali. Sergio noticed that several rooms there were actually empty, so he jokingly asked the owner whether he was telling the truth or not. “And then he replied: the price will be IDR5.5 million (US$378) a month if I want to extend,” he recalled with a laugh. “I mean, I know eventually the rental prices will increase. But I’d appreciate it if they can just be frank with me. Just say as it is: things are going back to normal and we need to increase the price – which is very reasonable.” Some landlords have been more reasonable. Another work-from-Bali gal, Livia, 35, said that her rent increase was “still acceptable” and decided to prolong her stay at her guest house.
Kinanti Yoddy, 40, who has been living in Bali for two years and visited the island twice a year for vacation prior, noticed one “The increase is by around IDR1 million sign hoisted in Canggu, which she shared to (US$68) – so I decided to stay,” she said, a local Facebook community. adding that she is aware that other places have increased their prices unreasonably. The sign basically said that online taxis can only drop their passengers but not pick up So there you have it. The good and the bad. any customers in the area. For what it’s worth, the island’s tourism industry – its bread and butter – has been “This is starting again. A group of offline taxi battered for so long that, in a lot of ways, drivers giving Bali a bad name,” Kinanti returning to normal is pretty much preferred wrote in the Facebook post, which Coconuts by many. Bali obtained with her permission. (balidiscovery.com) In some places like Savaya Bali, a famous night club in Uluwatu, guests are not allowed to order online taxis to the premises – with many of them deciding to walk a little 4
The Weekly Magazine For Canggu & Surroundings
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10 Jun - 17 Jun 2022
The Weekly Magazine For Canggu & Surroundings
10 Jun - 17 Jun 2022
44th Bali Arts Festival 12 June – 10 July Amreta,” meaning “Glorifying Water as the Source of Life.” Artists and performers from all the regencies and the municipality of Denpasar will present programs reflecting this theme. As in the past, artists from other provinces of Indonesia and overseas will come to Bali to perform. Writing in this year’s program, the head of Bali’s Provincial Culture Office, I Gede Arya Sugiartha, explained that local The Bali Arts Festival 2022 (PKB drama, “Catur Kumba art could showcase Bali’s 2022) returns on Sunday, 12 Mahosadhi” will be staged at potential and characteristics by June 2022 for a month-long run. 7:00 pm on the main stage of exploring the current PKB theme The 44th edition of the keystone the Candra Art Center in and cultural uniqueness. In this art and cultural event of the Denpasar. way, global transformation can Island of Bali will get underway occur, fulfilling Bali’s perceived with a grand parade (peed aya) role as a center of world commencing at 2:00 pm in front After scaling back for two years due to the global pandemic, PKB civilization (Bali Padma of the Monumen Perjuangan 2022 returns with a month-long Bhuana). Rakyat Bali in Central program of artistic competitions, Denpasar. The opening parade seminars, discussions, parades, The 44th Bali Arts Festival for the PKB is traditionally 2022 will close on Sunday, 10 dance performances, musical presided over by the President July 2022, on the open stage of presentations, orchestra of Indonesia. the Ardha Candra Art performances, parades, and Center, Denpasar, with the The President is expected to awards programs. dance drama “Tirtha open the PKB 2020 on Sunday. The 44th Bali Arts Festival Mahottama” performed by Following the opening parade, a 2022 has adopted the the SMKN 3 High School in grand gala opening dance theme “Danu Kerthi Huluning collaboration with the Seni 6
Kokar Arts Group. PKB was first held in 1979 under the leadership of then-governor Ida Bagus Mantra, who was well known and respected as a tireless champion of Balinese culture. The first PKB stretched over two months, but the festival was shortened to only one month with the event’s evolution. The first Bali Arts Festival lasted approximately two months, from 20 June 1979 until 23 August 1979. The festival attempts to preserve cultural arts by displaying classical art that is almost extinct and unknown to most in Balinese society. The Bali Arts Festival is intended to motivate people to explore, discover and display the artistic contributions of the Balinese community. The PKB offers a variety of unique and different themes each year. (Balidiscovery.com)
The Weekly Magazine For Canggu & Surroundings
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10 Jun - 17 Jun 2022
The Weekly Magazine For Canggu & Surroundings
10 Jun - 17 Jun 2022
Batik Air Malaysia connects Bali with Melbourne with pre-pandemic normal back on the horizon which it will service the route four times a week. The first return flight is set for June 18, also scheduled four times a week going forward. “Bali is one of the regular destinations for travelers from Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur,” said Batik Air CEO Mushafiz Bin Mustafa Bakri in a statement.
It’s been a gradual process, but we’re increasingly heading towards pre-pandemic normality in terms of flights in and out of Bali. Batik Air Malaysia has become the latest airline to announce the reactivation of another popular route: Bali-Melbourne. Batik’s first Bali-Melbourne flight since the pandemic is scheduled for June 17, after
The announcement further signifies Bali’s revival as a tourism hotspot after it had become dormant in the past couple of years due to the pandemic. Australians have traditionally been among the top five tourist nationalities flocking to Bali even before COVID-19 hit globally. After the folks down under were forced into a lockdown and Bali itself was forced to close
down throughout the pandemic, Aussies are returning to the Island of Gods just like in days past. As of April, travelers from Australia are back on top in terms of the number of visitors to Bali, followed by passport holders from the UK, Singapore, the US, and France. Ngurah Rai Airport itself is currently the second busiest airport in Indonesia – the first one being Juanda Airport in Surabaya. The removal of obligatory PCR tests as well as the increasing number of nationalities eligible for visas on arrival (we’re now at 72, folks!) have been credited as the major reasons that reignited foreigners’ enthusiasm for Bali. (Coconuts.co.)
Body of heroic teenage boy who attempted to save his brother recovered from Seminyak beach The body of a teenager who was drowned by the strong waves of Double Six Beach in Seminyak yesterday was found just after midnight, officials confirmed.
were still intact, according to Bali’s Search and Rescue Agency.
Aidil, as he was called by his family and friends, reportedly played football at the The boy lost his life in an attempt to save his beach yesterday with his younger brother little brother from drowning. and three other friends as a way to enjoy the holiday before the Galungan feast, which falls today. The body of Muhammad Aidil Mubarok, a 16-year-old student who lived in Denpasar, was found between 200 to 300 meters north At some point, he and his brother decided to of the spot he was seen dragged down by take a dip in the ocean. It was reported that the current yesterday morning. the two were swimming in the area marked by a red flag, signifying serious risk of hazards. There were no wounds or other injuries found on the victim’s corpse and his clothes
Sure enough, strong waves pulled Aidil’s younger brother out to sea at around 8:30am. Aidil remained in the water in an attempt to help his sibling. The younger brother eventually survived, but Aidil was unfortunately also dragged by the current. He was declared missing until he was found almost 24 hours later. Aidil’s body will be buried in Sidakarya, Denpasar, per his family’s wishes. The family did not file any official complaints to the authorities. (Coconuts.co.)
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