Indonesia records highest COVID case day as crowds flock to Bali beaches

As Australia hangs on to hopes that travel bubbles may start to appear as we see the back end of 2020, this is why Bali will likely stay off the list.

As Australians hopes travel bubbles may start to appear in 2021, new images from some of Bali’s most popular beaches combined with soaring coronavirus figures prove we won’t be making a return anytime soon.

Indonesia is grappling with a new surge of COVID-19 cases – this week recording the largest number of daily cases on record – and beaches in Sanur and Seminyak are heaving as local tourists flood the coast.

According to local media, a number of videos are circulating on social media, showing crowds of people congregating on beaches in Sanur and Seminyak. While some people appear to be wearing masks, many have gone without.

The other concerning element is the lack of social distancing, with hundreds sitting in close proximity to one another.

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Photos show how busy some Bali beaches are.

Few people were seen wearing masks.

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Bali has been grappling with the prospect of not receiving international visitors to the popular resort island, which heavily relies on tourism dollars.

On November 13, Indonesia reported its highest daily count so far of 5444 cases, followed by the second highest count of 5272 the next day. The concerning figures come as new photos show how the once booming tourists strips in Bali have gone to ruin in the wake of COVID-19.

After announcing that Australians will likely not travel overseas until later in 2021, one of our most visited destinations fear the travel ban could cripple the island of Bali.

Last month, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said international borders would probably remain “largely closed off until late next year”, with much of the world off limits until a vaccine is developed.

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Photos show how little people are abiding to social distancing rules.

Hundreds of locals and domestic tourists visit the beaches in Bali.

Once attracting around one million Aussies each year, tourism operators in Bali now fear the once bustling island paradise is reaching a point of disrepair with business, restaurant and hotel life being sapped out of the once popular destination.

Australian Jack Ahearn, who moved to the island four years ago, told A Current Affair that Bali had become “a far cry from this paradise that we all know and love”.

“When there’s no maintenance and no one in there, places just deteriorate,” he said.

“It’s sad. Bali has given me, many Australians and my family so much happiness.

“The people of the island are such wonderful human beings.”