BANGKOK, 27 May 2019: Travel advisories on Indonesia and Sri Lanka eased at the weekend with the warnings downgraded to exercise a high degree of caution rather than avoiding all but essential travel.
Indonesia’s capital Jakarta was the scene of violent protests that killed six people last week following the country’s recent elections.
Violent clashes between protesters and security forces continued up until the weekend in central Jakarta in the Tanah Abang, Jalan Wahid Hasyim and Slipi areas.
Six deaths were reported since 21 May. Indonesian authorities advised that there continued to be an increased risk of violence.
Other travel concerns linked to Indonesia focused on Mount Agung on Bali island. The volcano erupted once more on Friday raising fears that it could lead to stronger eruptions in the coming weeks.
A UK travel advisory warns travellers to stay outside of the 4km no-go zone around the Mount Agung crater.
The exclusion zone was put in place by the local authorities due to the ongoing volcanic activity. People have been urged to stay away from areas near Mount Agung and the local alert level may change at short notice.
On Saturday evening, wire service confirmed the eruption spewed larva and scattered ash and rock in a 3 km radius reaching some villages close to the no-go zone area. As a precaution, flights to Bali’s international airport from Australia were cancelled overnight including Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Pacific. Flights resumed early Sunday morning and no further disruptions have been reported at the airport.
Meanwhile, there was some good news for Sri Lanka. China has relaxed its travel advisory to Sri Lanka with language that says ‘be cautious’ as opposed to saying ‘do not travel.’
Sri Lanka’s security situation has slowly started to return to normal after the devastating Easter Sunday attacks. Five-star hotels are still subjecting visitors to security checks on entry.
The travel industry is hoping bookings will return by August, however, experts warn it could take much longer to get back to normal.
