Late last month, Bali’s Governor Wayan Koster issued a circular letter, a form of legislative policy update, focusing on ‘New Order for Foreign Tourists While in Bali.”
The policy updates have been well-received by tourism businesses in the province, but the legislative changes could result in the closure surveillance of tourists to ensure that everyone is behaving legally and culturally respectfully.
Speaking to the media following the publication of the “Circular Letter (SE) No. 07 of 2025 concerning New Regulations for Foreign Tourists During Their Stay in Bali,” Governor Koster was clear that the rules’ updates are important, as is their enforcement.
The policy updates for 2025, don’t actually contain any noteworthy changes to the do’s and don’ts first outlined in 2033.
However, Governor Koster and the provincial government are most concerned about the enforcement and application of these rules.
Governor Koster explained, “This [circular letter] is not just an appeal but will be enforced through integrated supervision involving the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) and tourism institutions in Bali.”
He added “We have prepared a special team to conduct an operation. Foreign tourists who are naughty will be immediately dealt with firmly.”
He concluded that the New Order for Foreign Tourists in Bali is a call for visitors to “Sincerely respect the customs, traditions, arts and culture as well as the local wisdom of the Balinese people in the on-going ceremonies and ritual processions.”
The Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Asosocaiotn (PHRI) I Gusti Ngurah Suryawijaya, told reporters that he too wants to see stricter enforcement of the law when it comes to foreigners behaving badly and that greater surveillance and supervision is the way forward.
He explained “It’s just now [a case of] how far can the regulation be implemented. Especially the fitness of officers in the field later, consistently implementing the regulation.”
The next couple of weeks will noteworthy for tourism in Bali, as more security officers are out on the streets and stationed at top attractions to help support the influx of tourists for the Lebaran, Eid al-Fitr national holiday.
Tens of thousands of domestic tourists have travelled to Bali to enjoy the public holiday, in addition to the tens of thousands of international holidaymakers who visit the island each month.
The Bali Police Public Relations Chief, Senior Commissioner Pol. Ariasany, confirmed that so far, all security operations across the island are going smoothly.
He noted “Regarding the long holiday, there are a number of tourist attractions that are the focus of security because they are expected to be crowded with tourists. Some of them are Bedugul Botanical Gardens, Kuta, Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK), Sanur, Tanah Lot, Uluwatu, Kintamani, Canggu, and other destinations.”
He added “This security is a preventive measure to ensure tourists feel comfortable and safe. We expect a spike in visits to occur during the Eid holiday.”
“This effort is carried out across sectors. In addition, we also appeal to tourism managers to emphasize to visitors to comply with the regulations in force at tourist locations.”
He called for all tourists to remain viligent during their vacation time, to obey the do’s and don’ts of Bali tourism, respect the environment and to report any suspicious activity to security teams.
Ariasany concluded “We urge tourists, both local and foreign, to always be careful and maintain their own safety. In crowded places, there is the potential for criminal acts that can harm all parties.”
While more security teams will be present over the Lebaran holiday in Bali, over the coming months, more updates are expected regarding increased surveillance of tourists in Bali as the provincial government looks to crack down on foreigners breaking the law and actively engaging in criminal activity in the province.
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