The Mount Rinjani National Park Agency (TNGR) is set to temporarily close one of its tourist attractions, Savana Propok, following an incident last weekend which saw dozens of hikers partying late into the night.
Videos from the crowded gathering have been circulating widely online, showing a bunch of hikers with their flashlights and phones while music blasted in the background as they raved while standing in close proximity.
TNGR Head Dedy Asriady has confirmed the legitimacy of those clips, saying that the incident took place on Saturday night at the Savana Propok area of the national park.
“There were a group of young men and women who were using loudspeakers. The [original] video has been deleted, but we are tracing it,” Dedy said, adding that they violated COVID-19 protocols and disturbed fellow hikers with the boisterous nature of their party.
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The incident has led to the decision to temporarily close Savana Propok, which will reportedly start from Aug. 8 onwards, less than a month after it was reopened to the public amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It does not appear that other areas at the national park will also be closed for the time being.
Dedy said some of those who partook in the party will be summoned for clarification, based on visitors’ records that the agency keeps.
“I find the incident regrettable, because they should have engaged in a positive activity. All of us here in East Lombok want to develop tourism without immoral [acts], all we want is for tourism to bring us blessing for the future growth of tourism in Lombok,” Mugni, who heads the Tourism Agency in East Lombok, said.
Mount Rinjani is located in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, and its popular hiking trails have been a source of attraction for travelers from across the country and around the world.
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Thierry Gasnier says
It is regretful to see the lack of respect of the gouverment recommendations.
We have seen some similar situations in seminyak or Canggu.
It may be time to set dissuasive exemples. Jail for locals and deportation foreigners