Bali
- Thailand News
Bali’s new tourist tax: Will it save paradise or sow chaos?
In the latest move to combat over-tourism and preserve its landscapes, Bali introduced a controversial levy for international visitors. Since Valentine’s Day this year, tourists entering Bali have been greeted not only by the island’s breathtaking scenery but also by a new fee of 150,000 rupiah (approximately 340 baht) per person. This move aims to safeguard Bali’s rich cultural heritage…
- Thailand News
Northern Thailand: Gate to Heaven stirs debate due to similarity to Bali temple
A recent opening of a new tourist spot in Nan province, Thailand, named Gate to Heaven sparked widespread criticism for its striking resemblance to the famous Lempuyang Temple in Bali, Indonesia. The site’s replication of the iconic Lepuyang Temple ignited a heated online debate about cultural appropriation and originality in tourism. The Gate to Heaven became a trending topic on…
- World News
Lift plunge tragedy: Five employees killed at Bali’s Ayuterra Resort
A tragic lift plunge on the popular Indonesian tourist island of Bali led to the death of five hotel employees. The small electric railcar used within the Ayuterra Resort in Ubud was reported to have suddenly fallen on September 1. The ongoing investigations by the local police are focusing on why the railcar’s cable snapped. The unfortunate lift plunge transpired at the…
- World News
Aussie bridesmaid drops out over 227,000 baht wedding bill
An Australian woman named Grace recently shocked the public after revealing that a friend had attempted to charge her approximately 10,000 Australian dollars (227,858 baht) to participate in her wedding as a bridesmaid. The sum of this wedding bill, Grace revealed, was to cover every aspect of the celebratory pre-events, including the costs of a spa day, skincare treatments, a…
- World News
Brazilian teen faces death by firing squad for smuggling cocaine into Bali
Prosecutors demanded death by firing squad last week for a Brazilian teenager who was caught with 3 kilogrammes of cocaine in her luggage upon arrival in Bali, Indonesia, in January. According to Newsflash, prosecutors want to see 19 year old Manuela Vitoria de Araujo Farias executed by a firing squad for her crimes if found guilty, which is the maximum…
- World News
Russian tourist to be deported from Bali for naked pic on sacred mountain
A Russian man is to be deported from Indonesia after posting a photo of himself on social media standing on a sacred mountain in Bali with his pants around his ankles. Mount Agung – an active volcano – is the highest point in Bali and is especially sacred to Hindus, who believe it to be a replica of Mount Meru,…
- World News
Bali to ban foreigners from renting motorbikes
Governor of the Indonesian island of Bali, I Wayan Koster, said that foreigners will soon be banned from renting motorbikes and scooters on the island. He said he will request all motorbike rental shops to ban foreigners from using their services. The governor has had enough of foreign tourists violating traffic rules… “As tourists, act as tourists, using the vehicles prepared…
- World News
Bali requests no visas-on-arrival for Russians, Ukrainians
Bali has requested that the central immigration agency cancels visa-on-arrival for Russian and Ukrainian nationals. The move comes after at least four Russian citizens were deported this month for visa violations, and following repeated warnings from immigration authorities about working on tourist visas. Governor I Wayan Koster requested the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to cancel the visa-on-arrival facility…
- World News
Independent Chinese travellers demand freedom
Independent Chinese travellers are set to shake up expectations in Thailand and across all of Southeast Asia. More than 10 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand in 2019. Almost all of them were on a strict schedule overseen by a terrifying tour guide. Almost all spent most of their money on Chinese-owned operations. Many were riding around in buses provided by…
- World News
Southeast Asia’s most luxurious new beach hotels
Southeast Asia‘s most luxurious new beach hotels will be at the forefront of the region’s big tourism comeback promised for 2023. Thailand expects to receive as many as 10 million visitors from China alone this year. In the Philippines – “the worst place to spend the pandemic” – tourism is up by more than the global average. Vietnam is equally…
- World News
Tourists can carry on bonking in Bali says govenor
The Bali Governor says tourists can carry on bonking when visiting the island and will not be prosecuted under a new law which criminalises sex outside of marriage in Indonesia. Bali Governor Wayan Koster yesterday moved to ease concerns that Indonesia’s revised criminal code will damage the resort island’s lucrative tourism industry, reported Al Jazeera. Koster said that people can…
- Thailand News
What next for Bali as Indonesia bans sex?
In a Draconian overhaul of the country’s criminal code, Indonesia criminalized sex outside marriage. The reforms include a ban on cohabitation between unmarried couples and would apply to both Indonesians and tourists. This angered rights activists and prompted protests in Jakarta. However, the reactions in Bali range from scepticism to concern. Santi Aprilia, an Indonesian housewife, told the Guardian… “These…
- World News
Asian international tourism slower than other regions
While tourism in Thailand is picking up, Southeast Asia has seen a much slower rate of return for international travellers than other parts of the world. Many popular holiday areas in Europe have seen a full recovery, and even record-breaking numbers in some. But Asia lags, flummoxed by the slow lifting of Covid-19 restrictions. Thailand began reopening efforts over a…
- World News
Unruly passengers disrupt two flights in Singapore
Since the Covid-19 pandemic air rage has been a disturbing growing trend. And this past week, Singapore had two incidents of flights being disrupted by unruly passengers. A flight on Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ low-cost carrier, was delayed when passengers refused to fasten their seatbelts for landing. And last week, a passenger was banned from Singapore Airlines after lashing out and…
- Hot News
Putin gets G20 Summit cold feet
Russian President Vladimir Putin may have cold feet as news comes that he may attend the G20 Summit virtually. According to Thai PBS World, Western countries have put pressure on the Summit’s host country of Indonesia to withdraw Putin’s invitation, but it has resisted. The host country says it does not have the authority to withdraw such an invitation without…
- World News
Eat a A waffle dick
A new naughty waffle shop in Bali is getting a rise out of people. Mr & Mrs Dick has just opened and instantly shot to viral fame for selling waffles shaped like male and female genitals. The shop is turning heads and gathering love (and some hate) from surprised people online. The shop opened this month in the trendy Seminyak…
- World News
Brazilian student arrested in Bali for smuggling cannabis from Thailand
A Brazilian man who was arrested for smuggling 9.1 grams of cannabis from Thailand into Bali last week says he “didn’t know” that the plant is illegal in Indonesia. His arrest came just days after the Royal Thai Embassy in Jakarta warned the people of Thailand against taking cannabis into Indonesia, where they could face harsh penalties – or even…
- Tourism News
The Thaiger partners with Boatcrowd to offer you a sailing experience of a lifetime!
Are you feeling the call of the sea? Dreaming of a vacation that includes feeling the fresh ocean breeze in your hair? Want to enjoy the magnificent scenery of sparkling blue water on a sailing trip? The Thaiger has just formed a partnership with Boatcrowd, an industry-leading boat rental platform, to offer the opportunity for the ultimate sailing escape. We…
- World News
VIDEO: Estonian model faces deportation from Bali for criticising “corrupt” police
In a video posted on social media, an Estonian model accused Balinese police of corruption and extorting foreign tourists. The comments could get the model deported, or worse, put in Balinese prison if they are considered to break Indonesia’s strict public deception and defamation laws. Estonian beauty pageant contestant Valerie Vasilieva complained about her experience on the Indonesian island of…
- World News
Canadian man to be deported from Bali for naked dance on volcano
They say fame comes at a price. It definitely did for one Canadian man in Bali who posted a viral video of himself dancing naked on a volcano believed to be sacred by the Balinese. After his little stunt, he is set to be deported from the Indonesian island. Craigen reportedly posted a video of himself doing a Maori dance…
- World News
Bali due to host Vladimir Putin during G20 Summit in late October
Despite calls for Russia to be kicked out of the G20 over its invasion of Ukraine, Bali is still on course to host Vladimir Putin during October’s summit. According to a Coconuts report, Russia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Lyudmila Vorobyova, was evasive when answering questions about Putin’s potential visit during a press conference in Jakarta. “Depends on the situation, (but) so…
- Thailand video news
Asia News Today | China locks down 17 million, earthquake in Indonesia
Families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea are calling on an early meeting of leaders from the two countries to retrieve their relatives. They are pushing on the Japanese government to approach North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to swiftly resolve the issue of abductions… this comes from the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea.The association…
- World News
Bali re-opens to vaccinated foreign arrivals following lifting of quarantine
The Indonesian island of Bali has welcomed its first international tourists after dropping a mandatory quarantine requirement. As Covid-19 cases in the country continue to drop, officials are easing entry restrictions, hoping to welcome back the tourists who visited in their millions, pre-pandemic. According to a Reuters report, the island welcomed 6.2 million overseas visitors in 2019. Bali first re-opened…
- World News
Asia News Today | Shares in Asia-Pacific decline & oil prices to surge
Shares in Asia-Pacific have declined in today’s trade as oil prices continue to surge, with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war continuing to weigh heavily on investor sentiment. The Hang Seng led losses across the region, dropping more than 4% at one point before a small bounce back. Shares of HSBC plummeted 6%. China’s Shanghai composite shed 1.42% and the Shenzhen composite…
- World News
Bali to trial a quarantine-free entry scheme this month
On a trial basis, Indonesia’s resort island Bali will start allowing foreign travellers to enter without undergoing a quarantine. A senior minister says the new travel policy will start March 14, or sooner, depending on the Covid-19 situation in Bali. The Indonesian government will extend the travel scheme across the country if the trial is successful. To enter Bali from…
- World News
Asia News Today | Starving Burmese Refugees & Terrorist groups in Philippines
South Korea’s PM is calling for calm after a record number of Covid infections, amid warnings that the latest surge is still yet to peak. He says that serious cases and deaths were still at “manageable levels”, after health authorities reported 171,452 new infections yesterday, a sharp increase from the 99,573 cases a day earlier and the previous all-time high…
- World News
Bali reopens to international tourists after almost 2 years
Yesterday, Bali reopened to foreign tourists with its first international flight in almost two years. The flight was with Singapore airlines, with 109 foreign travellers, and 47 Indonesians. The foreign travellers are required to quarantine in a designated hotel for three to seven days. There are 27 designated hotels for them to choose from. The governor said he hopes in…
- World News
Indonesia tightens restrictions as Covid-19 cases rise in the capital
As the spread of the Omicron variant in Indonesia has led to a spike in cases in Jakarta, officials are tightening restrictions in the capital, Bali, Bandung in West Java, and Yogyakarta in Central Java. Reports initially said foreign tourists would be barred from entering Jakarta, but the transport minister released a statement today saying that tourists with the proper…
- World News
Bali to reopen fully vaccinated travellers starting tomorrow, quarantine required
The island of Bali is reopening to fully vaccinated visitors from all countries starting tomorrow. Travellers who are vaccinated against Covid-19 must quarantine for five to seven days, according to Senior Minister Luhut Pandjaitan. The popular tourist destination in Indonesia had initially reopened in mid-October, but only to those travelling from certain countries, including China, New Zealand, and Japan. And even though…
- World News
Indonesia vows to end Joke Widodo’s extension, says new president will be elected in 2024
The electoral commission of Indonesia declared today that Southeast Asia’s archipelago nation will see its next leader in February 2024, putting an end to rumours that President Joko Widodo may seek to prolong his second and constitutionally mandated last term. Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, the General Election Commission, and members of the House of Representatives met earlier this week…
