In March 2020, the world toppled over as we knew it and chaos ensued when a virus rapidly spreading across the world was announced as a pandemic.
Here we are in June 2023 where the tiring topic seems to never fully end. But hey, at least the store shelves are stocked with toilet paper.
Most countries of the world have fully reopened and taken necessary steps to get as close to normal as possible, and Bali is the latest to join them after finally removing its vaccine requirement for travelers.
Tourism records are constantly breaking, whether it’s Texas cities or gorgeous Caribbean countries. It’s no secret many of these places had the upper hand since they opened up while others remained closed off.
While Bali is always a must-see destination, this remarkable Asian wonder is just now getting around to returning to normal tourism.
Bali Drops Vaccine Requirement For All Travelers
The final step of returning to regular life has finally happened in Bali. There are no more vaccine requirements after COVID tests and quarantines were already dropped.
Local government has kept a close eye on the way COVID is being handled in the country. They have determined now is the time to fully embrace tourists regardless of vaccination status.
They recently issued a letter, which was originally published by Bahasa Indonesia. It reads in part, “that in order to follow up on developments in the situation of controlling the SARS-CoV-2 virus under conditions where the spread of cases in the world and Indonesia is increasingly under control.”
In other words, there is no longer an emergency status attached to the outbreak of COVID in Indonesia.
In typical government fashion, they are leaving the door open to go back to enforcing the former policies as they see fit should the health statistics change.
Although, they are still pushing everyone in the country to take precautionary measures to protect themselves from the virus.
So, if Bali is on your wishlist of travel destinations any time soon, it is advised to still bring a mask if you feel unwell and to carry hand sanitizer with you in public and wash hands with running water thoroughly.
Receiving COVID booster shots is also recommended. In particular, the second full dose or the fourth booster are encouraged, especially if you have a weakened immune system.
But the bottom line is these shots will no longer be required under these new changes.
Do Unvaccinated Travelers Have Any Limitations?
Rumors have been spreading for quite some time that customs officers had already quit verifying vaccination statuses long before this announcement.
All it means now is that the law is official. Unvaccinated travelers will have free range to go where they please, not only in Bali, but the entire country of Indonesia.
The main appeal of this updated policy is to allow international visitors inside the country.
But since airlines are not checking any sort of vaccination records, one can hop around from Jakarta to Bali without the hassle of any further COVID regulations.
Of course, Bali is the trendiest place to be in Indonesia, so it is truly awesome news that even more travelers can experience this wonderful place.
Airlines and immigration checkpoints will not be checking vaccination statuses at all, so those who didn’t get the jab have nothing to worry about here.
Travelers come from all over the world to immerse themselves in Bali’s unique culture. The peak travel season is coming in hot, so this new law will make it an even more popular destination than usual.
Visa Requirements
Recent changes have been made to Indonesia’s visa on arrival system with the hopes of increasing tourism.
The way it stands now is the cost of an electronica visa on arrival is IDR 500,000, which equates to roughly $33 USD.
These are valid for 30 days and can be extended for an additional 30 days, depending on which country you are from. But the odds are in your favor since it is eligible for 92 countries in total.
