Bali is opening two of its surf beaches on Monday only for foreign surfers in Bali after authorities said they felt sorry for them because they couldn’t catch a wave.
Bali tourism officials said they didn’t want the surfers to sneak through bushes to avoid the beach barricades and risk getting bitten by snakes.
Two beaches that are now opened are the Canggu and Padang Padang beaches, in the Canggu and Uluwatu areas – but it is only for foreign surfers, and not locals.
Like much of the world, Bali has been lock-down due to the corona-virus for months now, with all beaches and tourist areas closed, and flights cancelled.
However, up to 2000 Australians are believed to have stayed back in Indonesia despite the calls for citizens to return home amid the COVID-19 pandemic by the Australian government and warnings that healthcare standards in Bali are low.
Badung Tourism Agency chief, Made Badra, told 7NEWS.com.au that the two beaches which opened on Monday were strictly for foreign surfers only.
“There is a surfer community in the area and they have asked for access to surf. They have promised to follow the health protocols,” Made said.
“So we decided to facilitate them, with many requirements. They must wear a mask when entering the beach and the village COVID-19 task force will check their temperature before entering and those who have a temperature of more than 38 degrees will be told to go back.”
Made said he feared the die-hard surfers could risk snakebites from deadly snakes if they continued clambering through bush-land to get to closed beaches.
Made however said locals would still be banned from accessing the beaches and when asked if this was discriminatory, Made said the westerners had been stressed about missing out on their surfing.
“We just feel pity for them, staying in Bali but they can’t go to a beach. They feel dizzy, a little bit stressed,” he said. “We want to make sure that all foreigners that still stay in Bali are happy being in Bali.”
Meanwhile, Kuta beach remains closed with Kuta customary village chief Wayan Wasista, saying they are waiting on advice from the government about the right time to open. Sanur also re-open on Monday but only to fishermen and local traders only.
Bali is setting up health protocols and procedures in advance of a scheduled re-opening of the island to tourists, which officials hope can happen as soon as July or August.
Made said the island was now 95 per cent ready to welcome tourists.
He said this would boost the now ailing local economy and the 34,000 hotel employees who had lost their jobs or been into forced unpaid leave as result of the pandemic.
