Wayan Koster Bans Climbing Throughout The Mountains In Bali

Mount Agung/DOK BETWEEN/Fikri Yusuf

DENPASAR - Bali Governor Wayan Koster prohibits climbing on all mountains on the Island of the Gods.

This prohibition was conveyed by Koster to the Head of the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) R. Agus Budi Santosa during a coordination meeting on tourism.

"Because the mountains already exist, it is a forbidden area, so we prohibit climbing the mountain," Koster said in Denpasar as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 31.

This prohibition arose after the proliferation of foreign tourists acting on the mountain, not even a few who took pictures in naked positions, so that they were considered to damage the sacredness of the mountain.

In the coordination meeting, Koster said that whenever foreign tourists act in sacred or sacred places, the government or local residents will immediately carry out a cleaning ceremony.

However, according to him, it would be ineffective if the same thing continued to repeat itself, so what is of concern is to prevent the same incident from recurring over and over again.

Until now, the number one person in the Bali Provincial Government noted that there are 22 mountains on the " Island of the Gods" -as Bali - which will be completely closed for climbing or tourist destinations.

Although so far the actions of mountain violations have only been carried out by foreign tourists, Governor Koster emphasized that climbing is also closed to domestic tourists and local residents.

"This applies onwards and regional regulations will be issued to regulate everything not only for foreign tourists, including domestic tourists and local residents, unless there will be an upakara (religious ceremony) or handling of disasters and special activities, so it's not for tourism activities," he said.

Efforts to prevent violations related to the sacredness of this mountain are part of the aspect of the new order for foreign tourists initiated by Koster in Circular Letter Number 4 of 2023.

In the circular, it is more detailed that the Bali Provincial Government has issued a ban and obligations, especially for foreign tourists.