After being closed for more than a year due to the pandemic, Indonesia plans to reopen its popular resort island Bali to some international travelers. 

Starting October 14, 2021, Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS)  will begin welcoming arrivals from a certain number of countries, according to Indonesia’s minister of maritime affairs and investment, Luhut BinsarPanjaitan.

 “We are open to several countries, including South Korea, China, Japan, United Arab Emirates and New Zealand,” Panjaitan announced. 

The Indonesian government is, however, still finalizing the finer details in the steps of Bali’s reopening, including an official list of countries with direct flights to Bali from where travelers will be allowed to enter.

“Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali will open internationally on 14th October 2021, as long as it meets the provisions and requirements regarding quarantine, COVID-19 tests, and the readiness of the Task Force," Panjaitan told a local press conference.

There’s no specification given yet as to what the exact provisions and requirements are. 

What was specified though, was that all international travelers who meet those requirements must produce proof of hotel booked for a quarantine of at least eight days at their own expense.

At present, visas are only given to foreigners who are deemed urgent and skilled workers, paramedics or investors. Foreigners married to Indonesians are also permitted.

Indonesia is the world’s fourth-most populous country and has recorded more than 4.2 million COVID-19 cases with 142,261 deaths, though infections have decreased in the last few weeks after peaking in mid-July 2021.