Indonesia eases COVID-19 restrictions in Bali, borders to be tightened

JAKARTA - Indonesia has eased its COVID-19 restrictions on the popular tourist island of Bali, although international travellers will face stricter protocols on arrival to help curb the spread of new variants, a senior minister said on Monday.

Tourist spots in most parts of the island will now accept visitors, maritime and investment minister Luhut Panjaitan told a virtual conference, as long as they adhere to strict protocols, such as proving their vaccination status on a government-verified phone app. "The rapidly improving COVID-19 situation in Java and Bali has caused the PPKM level to decline faster than we expected," Panjaitan told the conference, referring to Indonesia's system of social mobility restrictions.