China warns nationals holidaying in Bali to mind safety risks after ‘accidents involving Chinese tourists’

Consulate-general in Denpasar tells Chinese nationals not to ride scooters without a licence, and to mind the risks on hilly roads and in the water

Original WeChat post also mentions ‘multiple injuries and deaths of Chinese tourists during the Spring Festival’, but this is deleted within hours

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Performers stage a dragon dance to mark the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Dragon, in Denpasar, Bali, on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:11pm, 15 Feb 2024

China has issued a special warning to its nationals visiting Bali, after multiple “traffic accidents and drownings” involving Chinese tourists in the Indonesian resort island.

The consulate-general in Balinese capital Denpasar on Thursday cautioned Chinese holidaymakers against riding a motorcycle without a licence, and urged them to be careful when driving on narrow roads on Bali and the neighbouring island of Nusa Penida.

In a post on its official WeChat social media account, the consulate reminded visitors that Bali followed right-hand drive, “which is opposite to [the practice] in China, and some roads in Ubud, Kintamani, Nusa Penida, and other places have narrow roads or complicated road conditions”.

Lunar New Year’s Day prayers at a temple in Denpasar. Photo: EPA-EFE

The jungles of Ubud and the volcanoes of Kintamani are popular tourist destinations in Bali.

The consulate in its original post also expressed sorrow over “multiple injuries and deaths of Chinese tourists” in accidents on Bali and in Komodo National Park “during the Spring Festival”, the Chinese name for the long Lunar New Year holiday.

But it deleted the line about deaths and injuries about two hours later, saying only that there had been “traffic and drowning accidents”.

The consulate has not responded to the Post’s inquiries on the details of the accidents and the reason for deleting the lines.

Bali with its visa-on-arrival facilities is a favoured destination for Chinese passport-holders looking to spend a warm Lunar New Year holiday during what is China’s largest festival and travel season.