October 4, 2024

Travel In Bali

Travel & Tour Tips

Bali Considers Tourist Tax to Crackdown on Violation of Holy Sites

Bali Considers Tourist Tax to Crackdown on Violation of Holy Sites
  • A Russian tourist was deported from Bali after posting nude photos with a sacred tree. 
  • Luiza Kosykh is just one of 59 Russian nationals deported from the island since last year. 
  • Bali is one of the most popular destinations among Russian tourists.

A Russian tourist was deported for posting nude photos of herself with a sacred tree, the AFP reported, citing an Indonesian official.

Luiza Kosykh, a 40-year-old Russian national, is the latest of Russian tourists who were deported for posting photos deemed disrespectful at sacred sites in the island province. 

Rosykh posted several photos of herself on Instagram posing with a 700-year-old tree. One photo showed Rosykh, who appeared to be naked, leaning on the tree, which is located in the ancient Babakan Temple in Bayan Village. Other photos showed Rosykh covered in a white sheet while lying down on the tree, one arm stretched out over her head.

The tree and the temple it’s located in are considered sacred by the local Balinese. 

Rosykh was arrested last Wednesday by immigration officials. She has since left Bali on a flight to Moscow on Sunday, per AFP, citing local human rights agency I Nengah Sukadana.

 

Some Balinese have expressed their anger over Rosykh’s photos. 

“To all foreigners who disrespect our land, Bali is our home, not yours!,” Niluh Djelantik, a Balinese shoe designer, said on Twitter. 

Another Twitter user agreed with the local authorities in banishing tourists who flaunt the rules.

“They have to be deported immediately, so there is a deterrence for other tourists,” the user wrote in Indonesian.

Rosykh’s deportation comes just two weeks after another Russian national was nabbed by local authorities for posting a photo of himself mooning on top of Mount Agung. Local Hindus believe the mountain, which is Bali’s highest peak, is the home of their gods.

The 24-year-old man, who was identified as Yuri Chilkin, was deported on April 4, per CNN, citing a statement by local officials. Rosykh and Chilikin are just two of 59 Russian nationals who have been deported from Bali since last year.

Bali is one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia for Russian tourists. Since the war in Ukraine last February, thousands of Russians have flocked to the island. Last year, almost 60,000 Russian tourists visited the island.

But Indonesia is now considering a tourism levy on tourists visiting Bali, according to a report by local newspaper The Jakarta Post, citing tourism minister Sandiaga Uno. The move comes after the crackdown on tourists violating religious sites, misusing visas to work remotely, and breaking traffic rules.