From the iconic Ulun Danu Beratan Temple to popular seafood restaurants along Jimbaran beach, thousands of domestic tourists were spotted in Bali’s top tourist attractions during the long weekend, with numbers of visitors exceeding official expectations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The head of Bali Tourism Agency, I Putu Astawa, said that nearly 10,000 travelers flew into Ngurah Rai International Airport last Wednesday, which marked the beginning of the five-day long weekend.
“On Oct. 28 there were around 9,500 [travelers]. Usually there are only 3,000, 2,600. And then on the 29th there were around 6,800,” Astawa said.
He said the numbers exceeded official expectations, as estimates of 10,000 visitors during the pandemic were only thought possible later in December.
As many as 5,000 tourists visited Ulun Danu Beratan Temple over the long weekend, while more than 2,000 tourists visited Tanah Lot as of Friday, according to reports.
Officials in Bali said health protocols were implemented and strengthened across the island’s popular destinations, adding that the sites were only allowed to operate at limited capacity.
Some “normal” sights evidently returned last week, as traffic jams crowded areas such as Canggu and Kuta, while tourists flocked to Jimbaran beach for their well-known seafood dishes. Footage from the latter showed some people wearing masks, but social distancing was virtually non-existent.
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PANTAUAN DI PANTAI JIMBARAN
Pantauan situasi di kawasan Pantai Jimbaran, Jumat (30/10) malam. Sejumlah wisatawan nampak sedang menikmati suasana malam di sana
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Info dari @jurnalisrakyat #pantaijimbaran #malamhari pic.twitter.com/lkRnLUw8Ux— punapibali (@punapibali) October 30, 2020
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