https://coconuts.co/bali/news/bali-now-under-level-3-ppkm-as-omicron-co…

from The Bali Beat
“Changes to Kuta Beach scheduled for 2023” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): The improvement of Kuta Beach by the Bali-Penida River Basin Center is scheduled for 2023. ....... According to Denny, most of the beach points will only be altered by sand additions and arrangement work, especially the area from in front of Kuta Art Market to the north. As for construction work, it will only occur in the coastal area to the south. "Later there will be a kind of breakwater, to reduce the impact of the waves," he said.

3 for 3
https://coconuts.co/jakarta/news/3-shots-equal-3-days-of-quarantine-in-…

From Russia with Love...............................
A Few words from an Expat - BJ.

I have lots of contact with Russians and all those eastern block countries living around me on the island of the gods and find them very strange and weird. Must be that minus 50-wind chilled factor and that cold climate of Russia? E.G I would help them with jobs they could not do like pruning large trees and they would bark orders at you. They would never say thank you and a few years later they were knock on your door wanting you to do the job again. They are so much about themself and rule the families with an iron fist. they are bulletproof to all feelings of gratitude and would hang you for their own greed. I know there must be 1 per cent of good eastern block people who are properly good-hearted people, But I have never met any. The women are worse than the men and totally ruthless they circled around a few places like rehabs and self-help groups for one reason what they could get out of it financially. One of the main reasons I split away from the ex-pat seen and go-life, on my own, with the help of a few close friends.

Skip to 1 minute mark

Quarantine scrapped - Visa on Arrival back - March 7th
https://thebalisun.com/bali-government-will-drop-quarantine-and-resume-…

Hows Jetstar charging more for luggage on return flight leg even though its a shorter flight time so less fuel . I think with this latest update on visa and quarantine , prices will only go up up up.

Pricks arent they..
Malindo or Virgin out of Brisbane Supa
No hidden fees or bullshit ...[as yet]

udo wrote:

Pricks arent they..

Malindo or Virgin out of Brisbane Supa

No hidden fees or bullshit ...[as yet]

Are malindo starting up again ? They were good value, Garuda was my favourite when they did the new Zealand Brisbane Bali run .

https://www.malindoair.com/au/PER-Promo/Hello-Again-Bali

Syd - Dps - only 61 passengers....
https://thebalisun.com/a-flight-from-sydney-lands-at-bali-airport-for-t…

Im heading back over in a couple of weeks Bne - Cgk, hoping the visa will default to VOA before I arrive otherwise its 3 days in quarantine. I looked at changing my flights to Denpasar but the seats are already twice the price with Singapore air, demand must be shooting up.

VOA is reinstated
https://seminyaktimes.com/bali-is-back-zero-quarantine-for-all-and-voa-…

Brazil and Spain are not on the list, what a shame lol

udo wrote:

https://www.malindoair.com/au/PER-Promo/Hello-Again-Bali

A mate booked with malindo yesterday online for 11 May , everything processed ok then this morning he got an email saying due to covid constictions ( whatever that means ) flight has been canceled. No other explanation , he’s tried calling their office in Malaysia and Singapore but recorded message saying office unattended and is receiving a high volume of calls . Got his bank on to it now. All a bit strange seeing how they are currently promoting it .

Strange eh..he wont get a refund only a credit i think?

mickseq wrote:

Brazil and Spain are not on the list, what a shame lol

where can you find the list? Is Aus on there?

https://bali.com/immigration/visa-regulations/visa-on-arrival/

Good news about the visa on arrival and quarantine being scrapped! How do you go about getting the visa extended whilst there? How much does it cost?

Thinking of doing 60 days over there this winter. Thanks!

juegasiempre wrote:

Good news about the visa on arrival and quarantine being scrapped! How do you go about getting the visa extended whilst there? How much does it cost?

Thinking of doing 60 days over there this winter. Thanks!

500,000rp for the VOA which can be extended once , do it yourself might be another 500,000 but prepare to go to immigration possibly 3 days in a row or get an agent and pay extra , how much that is depends on the agent. I’m hoping the consulates in Australia reintroduce the 60 day tourists visa that you get before leaving, nothing on their website yet .

Yeah juegasiempre if they bring back the 60 day visa before arrival/applied for weeks in advance, hire a good visa agent get 180 days with one visit to immigrasi (Bali or jakarta) anytime in the middle of the trip...just make sure they send you emails often after every extension.
(i got put in jail for not having an up to date copy of my visa extensions after i got robbed and went to the police)

He he
https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=RUB&To=IDR
Ruskis probably o.k. though ..Crims sitting on $U.S.

udo wrote:

https://bali.com/immigration/visa-regulations/visa-on-arrival/

thanks

https://seminyaktimes.com/gilimauk-mengwi-toll-road-ready-to-boost-tour…

udo wrote:

https://seminyaktimes.com/gilimauk-mengwi-toll-road-ready-to-boost-tour…

That's good news for heading to medewi or g-land overland bus trip. thanks.

Just a warning to anyone booking malindo air , my mate still can’t get any communication happening with them . He looked at reviews and everyone in the same predicament as him , some have been waiting since the pandemic begun for a refund . Shonky as , put out a promotion to flights that don’t exist .

https://coconuts.co/bali/news/stranded-in-bali-russian-nationals-seek-w…

Supa.... do you know what the go is with covid testing before/after you get there? I've read conflicting information..PCR test two days before your flight, and then when you get there, then again on day three?

linez wrote:

Supa.... do you know what the go is with covid testing before/after you get there? I've read conflicting information..PCR test two days before your flight, and then when you get there, then again on day three?

@linez , best you subscribe to smart traveler, the oz government website , as things keep changing . From my understanding you do PCR test 48 hours before departure and on arrival plus they want proof of hotel booking ( minimum 4 days ) as on 3 rd day you get PCR test again, if negative then your free to travel anywhere in Indonesia. You are not restricted to your hotel in those first 4 days, just Bali. This will all change again as the months roll on .

Thanks mate, yeah it's changing all the time. Going in October, so hopefully by then testing will have finished, or at least be simplified. More of an inconvenience really.

I’m due to go in May. I’m holding off booking flights until fairly late in the piece. Want to see how the next couple of weeks pan out. There should be lots of flights coming online once the quarantine requirement is dropped completely.

Booked a flight with Jetstuff for early June doing a month in Sumatra before the family meet me -the logistics are a fair bit to get your head around but doable - I think we will need a B211 visa which at $300-400 per person is going to cost as much as the flights.
I have made all of my flights refundable my accommodation is able to be cancelled etc.
Currently required negative PCR test in Oz - PCR on arrival - hotel for 4 days must be booked and then another PCR on third day before you can travel from the hotel
Looking like domestic flights all good if you are fully vexed no tests which I was worried about as I am flying all over the place!

Hoping it may be still relatively quiet

By the Time June comes around my bet is free Visa on arrival will be back on

Your ticket sounds very cheap...where are you flying from ??
A VOA in Bali then a day later Domestic flight elsewhere...would that work to get around B211A ?

udo wrote:

By the Time June comes around my bet is free Visa on arrival will be back on

Your ticket sounds very cheap...where are you flying from ??

A VOA in Bali then a day later Domestic flight elsewhere...would that work to get around B211A ?

Flying from Adelaide and got it for $600 but because we are staying for 4 months we need to extend the visa past 60 days so at one stage was looking like over $600 per person for visas!!! The new proposed visas are even more!!
We considered flying out to KL but not overly keen done it before nightmare.
Currently if you fly into Bali you must stay in a prebooked hotel for 4 days so you can do the second pcr test.

“ Currently if you fly into Bali you must stay in a prebooked hotel for 4 days so you can do the second pcr test.”

Hopefully that stops soon. I’m in Bali for a night then going to Java the next morning.

goofyfoot wrote:

“ Currently if you fly into Bali you must stay in a prebooked hotel for 4 days so you can do the second pcr test.”

Hopefully that stops soon. I’m in Bali for a night then going to Java the next morning.

when are you flying in?
if you tried to do that currently you will be rejected so yeah I've given myself 5 -6 days in bali before flying to sumatra to allow for hiccups

Ah so your ticket was $600..i only queried it because you mentioned $300-400

Did you get slugged overlength handling charge [$25? ] each way for your Board

What is the new proposed visa ?
Entry rules will change real quick...they need Tourists badly.

udo wrote:

Ah so your ticket was $600..i only queried it because you mentioned $300-400

Did you get slugged overlength handling charge [$25? ] each way for your Board

What is the new proposed visa ?

Entry rules will change real quick...they need Tourists badly.

Yep sorry I worded that poorly - the B211 visas are $300 -400 then $100 each extension so over $600. There is a proposed new visa which is over $600 but is in the paperwork stage apparently called a Visit Visa- the VOA is in now but not suitable for us as we are staying too long [heading to Lombok} for a fair stint

Just a bit of a logistical nightmare but it should all work out sweet - work can go get a banana up it, as can fuel prices, war and covid just want to be back in the tropics!!

yep got stung for board bag each way - but I also paid more to make sure I could change dates cancel etc.

Fun times on Arrival
https://www.news.com.au/travel/destinations/asia/bali/first-australian-…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bear this mind when buying a ticket - i hate Add ons !!
https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/flights/baggage/oversized-baggage

you got direct flights ssssshh?

check in on first direct melbourne flight sounded like a nightmare, heaps of crew not meeting new requirements. they're a pain in the arse, but really not that hard

some people really should just stay home a little while longer...

ssssshh wrote:

goofyfoot wrote:

“ Currently if you fly into Bali you must stay in a prebooked hotel for 4 days so you can do the second pcr test.”

Not for a few months yet

Hopefully that stops soon. I’m in Bali for a night then going to Java the next morning.

when are you flying in?

if you tried to do that currently you will be rejected so yeah I've given myself 5 -6 days in bali before flying to sumatra to allow for hiccups

sypkan wrote:

you got direct flights ssssshh?

check in on first direct melbourne flight sounded like a nightmare, heaps of crew not meeting new requirements. they're a pain in the arse, but really not that hard

some people really should just stay home a little while longer...

Yep I have direct flights early June but I'm half expecting to have to go to Melbourne or Sydney from SA so
that's why I've given myself time for "hiccups" I have five or so nights in Bali then to a camp on Sumatra then a break the back to the Ments
Yep all the extra stuff is a slight nightmare but totally doable!

Another add on ( Ive heard this on Aussie traveler , dont know if true ) is if you have an iPhone, it costs $50 at the airport to get the authority’s to unlock it . It’s a lock out from their phone reception if you have international SIM card.

yeh, i reckon it could take a while before they can justify doing direct flights adelaide ...but they'll still sell em to ya...

all phones bought outside indo are now locked, the fee is actually a percentage of the phone value you pay, rather than 50 bucks. so if you like the latest and greatest in iphones... pull out your wallet

apparently you can buy tourist sims but they only last a short period. and if you have a phone you used before in indo, before a certain date, they still work

try and pay at customs before you leave airport, as it is a reduced rate and saves a trip to customs, but tbh, that queue could be a nightmare once stuff gets rolling

all this was the case 12 months ago so may have changed and may now be only 50 bucks, but i doubt it

With all that’s happening at the airport its little wonder that it takes 4 hours to get out of there , going to be interesting when things ramp up and 4 planes arrive at the same time . The old VIP express will kick off again me thinks.

yep, its gonna be a bloody nightmare if they don't drop some of the bullshit

"The old VIP express will kick off again me thinks."

not sure exactly what you're referring to, but there has been a vip service available right through the pandemic through certain agents

I fukn hate agents and all they represent, same with anything vip... but there was so much bullshit required to travel before I almost went there myself

some crew were writing of some good experiences ...but at the same time... bali is now chock full of clueless crew with too much money...

sypkan wrote:

yep, its gonna be a bloody nightmare if they don't drop some of the bullshit

"The old VIP express will kick off again me thinks."

not sure exactly what you're referring to, but there has been a vip service available right through the pandemic through certain agents

I fukn hate agents and all they represent, same with anything vip... but there was so much bullshit required to travel before I almost went there myself

some crew were writing of some good experiences ...but at the same time... bali is now chock full of clueless crew with too much money...

They stopped the VIP express before covid but for years before the free VOA you could pay extra 200,000 - 300,000 for the visa and you were walked straight through immigration, no lining up , when I was doing FIFO from port hedland I always used this service as only had carry on luggage. I used to fly out of hedland 8am Saturday and be on lembongan for lunch .

Gawd..
https://www.news.com.au/travel/destinations/asia/bali/bali-reopens-to-a…

be great to hear from anyone who has arrived on how the community is coping, whether the cafes/bars/shops are operating and are clean? can you get a driver? have costs gone up? etc

udo wrote:

Gawd..

https://www.news.com.au/travel/destinations/asia/bali/bali-reopens-to-a…

Looks fun udo , I liked the musical chairs reference