It is starting to feel a lot like Christmas in Bali as the island prepares to welcome 1.5 million tourists during the next two weeks.
Here at The Bali Sun, we will be bringing you all the news and updates you need to navigate the island smoothly and enjoyably this festive season.
Tourists traveling to Bali will see way more police, traffic officers, and security teams out on patrol this festive season.
With the Christmas and New Year Operation now in full swing, teams will be working around the clock to keep the island as free from congestion as possible while ensuring everyone is safe.
The Head of Public Relations at Ngurah Rai Airport Police, Ipda Gede Suka Antara, told reporters that a huge amount of attention is being focused on ensuring traffic flow around the airport is better managed this year.
Those who return to Bali for Christmas annually will remember all too readily the situation faced by tourists last Christmas and New Year. With traffic congestion on the Mandara Toll Road so backed up, tourists heading to the airport had no option but to abandon their taxis and transfers and run to the airport in hopes of making it to the terminals in time for their flights.
This year in particular, security teams are also working even more closely with the Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency and the Disaster Management Agency to ensure that the extreme weather conditions Bali is facing this rainy season are also mitigated as much as possible.
Antara told reporters that teams are working to keep all access routes to the airport from the top tourism resorts as clear as possible. He explained, “We are also coordinating and synergising with relevant stakeholders, such as Angkasa Pura, the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Barsarnas), and other agencies to expedite the handling of operations disruptions due to extreme weather.”
He has also urged the public, including tourists and holidaymakers, to ‘remain vigilant’ to changing weather conditions, their personal safety, and that of their belongings, and to be cooperative with officers in place to support public order and security. Antara confirmed that officers have been ordered to take a ’humanistic’ approach this festive season to help keep the peace and support the public in enjoying the holidays together.
Antara shared, “Patrol personnel prioritize a humanistic approach by engaging in direct dialogue and communication with the public, airport personnel, and airline users.”
“They provide persuasive public order and security appeals, encourage the public to work together to maintain security and order, and immediately report any suspicious activity.”
Christmas and New Year Command Posts, also known as Nataru Command Posts, have been set up at Bali Airport, all major bus terminals, and all major ports too, including Benoa and Sanur.
With 1.5 million domestic and international tourists set to travel to Bali between now and the New Year, the logistical efforts underway are significant. Badung Regency, home to top tourism resorts like Canggu, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, and Uluwatu, is expected to see the highest number of tourists and feel even busier than usual.
On Monday, 22nd December, the Badung Regency Transportation Agency (Dishub) held a roll call of officers before they were sent off on their patrols.
Head of the Badung Regency Transportation Agency, Anak Agung Ngurah Rai Yuda Darma, spoke to reporters following the roll call, sharing, “Collaboration and synergy are key to maintaining smooth traffic management in Badung.”
“We hope that coordination with all stakeholders will run optimally so that transportation services to the public and tourists, both domestic and international, can be provided optimally.”
Tourists in Bali this Christmas and New Year are reminded to stay up to date with the latest news and the latest weather forecasts and adjust travel itineraries accordingly.
It is essential to leave more than enough time to travel between destinations and to, perhaps frustratingly, anticipate traffic jams and queues everywhere you go.
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