Canggu Weekly No 322 Mar 2023

CANGGUWEEKLY

No.322/31Mar-07Apr2023

IForeignTouristsAuthorizedto OperateVehiclesinBaliifTraffc RegulationsareAdheredto, DespiteGovernor'sProhibition! Inaccordancewitharecent reportpublishedby Kompas.com,foreigntourists aregrantedpermissionto operatemotorcyclesandother vehiclesinBali,onthecondition

thattheystrictlycomplywithLaw Number22of2009onTraffcand Transport.Thisannouncement, whichhasbeenmadebytheBali ProvincialPolice,contradictsthe earlierstatementmadebyBali GovernorWayanKoster,which soughttoprohibitforeigntourists fromrentingself-drive motorcyclesorcarswiththe intentionofimprovingpublicorder androadsafety.

InspectorGeneralPutuJayan DanuPutra,whoistheHeadof theBaliRegionalPolice,has revealedonMarch17,2023,that touristsareindeedallowedto

drive,butonlyiftheyadhereto traffclaws,suchasobtaininga validdriver'slicense,vehicle registration(STNK),anda matchinglicenseplate.Healso accentuatedthatresponsible touristsshouldalwaysutilize vehiclesprovidedbyformal tourismserviceproviders,in accordancewithGubernatorial RegulationNumber28of2020 onTourismManagement. Additionally,hereiteratedthat enhancingtourismqualityisa gradualprocessthatrequires thecooperationofallparties involved.

Itisimportanttonotethatthe governor'sprohibitiononforeign touristsrentingandself-driving motorcyclesisanticipatedtobe enforcedsoonbyaformal provincialregulation.This directivewaspromptedby reportsofdisorderlyconductand traffcviolationsbyforeign touristsinBali.Nevertheless, foreignvisitorsarestillgranted permissiontooperatevehicles ontheisland,aslongasthey meticulouslyfollowtraffc regulations.

ForeignTouristsPermittedtoOperateVehiclesinBaliifTraffcRegulationsareFollowed,

Inanefforttoimprovethe experienceoftouristsvisitingthe iconicKutaBeachinBali,the TraditionalVillageAuthorityhas decidedtosignifcantlyreduce thenumberoftradersworking ontheseashore.Accordingtoa recentreportbyNusaBali.com, thevillageauthoritieshave concludedthatthelargenumber oftradersonthebeachis detractingfromtourists’ enjoymentofthearea.

Toregulatethenumberofbeach traders,newrulesarebeing fnalizedandareexpectedtobe putinplacebyApril-Mayofthis year.IWayanWasista,the TraditionalVillageChiefforKuta (Bendesa),hasstatedthatall beachtradershavebeen assignednumbers,andonly traderswhocanshowtheir offcialnumberswillbepermitted toworkonthebeach.

Thereductionofthenumberof tradersonKutaBeachis necessaryduetoovercrowding andthegradualerosionofthe shoreline,whichhasresultedina reductionofthebeacharea.

Currently,therearearound1,168

tradersworkingonKutaBeach, anumberthatisdeemedtobe excessiveandnotconduciveto apleasanttouristexperience.

TheVillageChiefbelievesthat theidealnumberoftraderson KutaBeachshouldbenomore than800,butthisnumbercan beadjustedfurtherbasedon feldobservations.The overcrowdingonthebeachis exacerbatedbythelarge numberofsurfnglesson providersworkingonthe shoreline.

Thelocalvillageadministration haspromisedtoimpose sanctionsontraderswhofailto followtherulesorexhibit

unethicalbehaviortowards beachvisitors.Thesesanctions canrangefromsimplewarnings totherevocationoftheir“seller registration,”whichallowsthem toworkonthebeach.

Wasistaemphasizedthattaking frmactionagainsttraderswho violatetherulesisnecessaryto maintaintheimageofKuta Beachandensurethattourists continuetovisitthearea.“Ifthe imageofKutaBeachis damaged,whowillcome? Therefore,frmactionis needed,”saidWasista.

LocalLeadersEmphasizethe ImportanceofClassyTourist BehaviorinBali

Lately,therehasbeenasurgeof negativesentimenttowards "misbehaving"foreignersinBali, leadingtodeportations,fnes, andrestorativejusticemeetings.

However,localleadershave clarifedthattheywelcome touristsaslongastheybehavein a"classy"manner. Duringameetingwiththe RegionalPeople'sLegislative CouncilofBali,Chairman NyomanAdiWiryatama expressedhisviewsontheissue, statingthattheislandneeds touristswhorespectlocal customsanddonotthrow tantrums.Thiscomesinresponse toviralvideosofforeigners disobeyinglocalauthorities, drivingrecklessly,and disregardingsafetyprotocols. Wiryatamaurgedlaw enforcementtotakestrictaction againstlawbreakingtourists, includingdeportationif

necessary.Onlinecommunities havealsocalledfor deportationsofforeignerswho violatelocalcultureorlaws.

Despitetherecentuproar, offcialsfromIndonesia's DepartmentofImmigration havestatedthattheyhave alwaystakenactionagainst foreignerswhoviolatethelawin thecountry,regardlessof whetheritgoesviralornot.In 2022,194peoplewere deportedfromBali,themajority ofwhomwerenotcoveredin themedia.

Overall,itisclearthatBali's governmenthastakenstepsto addressmisbehavioramong tourists.Therepresentativefor

BulelengRegencysupportsthe government'sactionsand hopesthattouristscanfollow existingrulesandrespectlocal culture.

Tostayclassyasatouristin Bali,visitorsshouldobeythe law,respectlocalculture,and rememberthattheyareguests onadeeplyspiritualisland.The vastmajorityoftouristsinBali haveanenjoyableand respectfulexperience.The tourismindustryshould continuetopromotehighquality,sustainabletourismthat beneftsbothtouristsand locals.

KutaBeachBaliImplementsPlantoReduceNumberofBeachTradersandEnhanceTouristExperience

"StayClassy:TipsforTouristsVisitingBaliandRespectingLocalCulture"

BaliTouristsWarnedofSophisticatedTravelScamUsingAppleAirTags

takeextraprecautionsafteran Australianwomanfoundan unexplainedAppleAirTaginher luggage.Thisdiscoveryhas raisedconcernsaboutpotential theftsandscams,ascriminals couldusethetrackingserviceto locatewheretravelersarestaying andstealtheirbelongings.

luggage,eventhoughneitherof themownedanAirTagorany Appledevices.

WarningIssuedtoTouristsin BaliFollowingDiscoveryof SuspiciousAirTagDevicesin Luggage

TouristsplanningtovisitBali, Indonesia,havebeenwarnedto

Thewoman,whosharedher storyonaFacebookgroupfor Australiantravelers,explained thatsheandherpartnerheardan unusualnoisecomingfromoneof theirbagsshortlyafterchecking intotheiraccommodation.Upon investigating,theyfoundan AirTagtuckedinsidetheir

Whileoffcialssuggestthatthis couldbeasimplecaseofa misplacedtag,thepossibilityof moresophisticatedtravel scamscannotberuledout. Expertswarnthatcriminals couldplanttrackingdeviceslike AirTagsintravelers'luggage, allowingthemtomonitorthe movementsofthetouristsand targetthemfortheft.

Asaresult,Baliairportoffcials areurgingvisitorstobevigilant andkeepacloseeyeontheir

belongingsatalltimes.Travelers areadvisedtokeeptheir luggageinsightwhilewaitingfor baggage,avoidleavingtheir bagsunattended,andreportany suspiciousactivityordevicesto airportsecurity.

Thisincidentalsohighlightsthe needfortravelerstobeawareof thepotentialfortechnologytobe usedagainstthem,especiallyin transientspaceslikeairport arrivalshalls.Withtheincreasing useoftechnologyintravel, touristsmustbemorecautious andtakestepstoprotect themselvesandtheirbelongings frompotentialscamsandthefts.

IndonesianpoliticianBambang Soesatyo,alsoknownas Bamsoet,hasspokenoutto defendRussiantouristsinBali, statingthatnotallofthemare "brengsek"ordisrespectful.This comesafterameetingwith representativesofRussian touristswhoexpressedconcerns aboutbeingstereotypeddueto

theactionsofafewindividuals. Despitereportsoftraffc violationscommittedbysome Russiantourists,Bamsoet emphasizesthatIndonesia shouldcontinuetowelcome touristsfromallcountriesand educatethemaboutlocallaws andcustoms.

Itisimportanttonotethat Bamsoetdidnotaddressother infractionscommittedbytourists inBali.Offcialsandthepublic havebeencloselymonitoring unrulytourists,including Russians,sinceananonymous socialmediaaccountbegan exposingallegedundocumented workersinBalilastmonth.Bali

GovernorWayanKosterhas evenurgedthegovernmentto revokevisaonarrival(VOA) privilegesforRussiansand Ukrainians,despitemany seekingrefugeinBalifromthe warintheirhomecountries.

AccordingtotheBaliPolice,out ofthe43,622Russiantourists whoarrivedinBalifrom JanuarytoMarch2023,only56 havecommittedtraffc violations.Thissuggeststhat whiletheremaybeafewbad actorsamongRussiantourists, thevastmajorityarelawabidingandrespectful.

Bamsoet'sdefenseofRussian touristshighlightstheneedto avoidstereotypingindividuals basedontheactionsofafew. Thisisespeciallyimportantin Bali,whichreliesheavilyon tourismtosupportitseconomy. RatherthanrevokingVOA privilegesortargetingspecifc nationalities,educationand awarenesscampaignscould helpensurethatalltouristsare awareofandadheretolocal lawsandcustoms.Thiswould beneftbothtouristsandthe localcommunity,fosteringa morepositiveandrespectful relationshipbetweenthetwo.

"ChallengingnegativestereotypesofRussiantouristsinBali."

Canggu,Balihasquicklybecomeapopular destinationfordigitalnomadsseekinga tropicalparadisethatoffersalaid-back lifestylewithmodernamenities.Withits stunningbeaches,hipcafes,andcoworking spaces,Cangguisagreatdestinationfor thosewhowanttoworkandplayina relaxedandinspiringenvironment.

Thegrowingnumberofcoworkingspaces anddigitalnomadcommunitiesinCanggu hasalsomadeiteasierforremoteworkers toconnectandcollaboratewithlike-minded individuals.Withaffordable accommodations,excellentfoodoptions, andavibrantsocialscene,Cangguoffers everythingthatdigitalnomadsneedtolive andworkcomfortably.

Ifyou'readigitalnomadconsideringastay inCanggu,herearesome recommendationstomakethemostofyour time:

CoworkingSpaces-Thereareseveral excellentcoworkingspacesinCanggu,such asDojoBali,Outpost,andTropicalNomad Coworking.Thesespacesofferhigh-speed internet,comfortableworkstations,meeting rooms,andeventstohelpyounetworkwith otherdigitalnomads.

Accommodation-Cangguoffersawide rangeofaccommodationoptions,from budgethostelstoluxuryvillas.Some recommendedoptionsincludeTheFarm Hostel,TheSlow,andTheKirana.

surfers,witharangeofbreaksforall levels.Lessonsandequipmentrentalare readilyavailable,andit'sagreatwayto getsomeexerciseandunwindafteraday ofwork.

Yoga-Cangguisalsohometomanyyoga studiosandretreatcenters,offeringa varietyofclassesandworkshopsforall levels.

FoodandDrink-Cangguisknownforits vibrantfoodanddrinkscene,witharangeof cafesandrestaurantsservingdeliciouslocal andinternationalcuisine.Somepopular spotsincludeBetelnutCafe,CrateCafe,and NaluBowls.

Surfng-Cangguisagreatdestinationfor

Overall,Cangguisafantasticdestination fordigitalnomadsseekingabalanceof workandplay.Withitsbeautifulbeaches, vibrantculture,andsupportivedigital nomadcommunity,Cangguisagreat placetocallhomewhileyouworkand exploreBali.

"TheDigitalNomad'sGuidetoLivingandWorkinginCanggu,Bali"

NOBIG BUDGET NEEDED

TheCangguWeeklyis theleadingadvertising andnewsmagazinefor Cangguandthe surroundingareas.

TheCangguWeeklyis availableforfree(freeas in"freespeech"andalso asin"freebeer")atmore than150locationsinand aroundCangguevery week.