Bali Travel Highlights & News Roundup

✈️ Denpasar Airport Opens New Terminal Transfer Bridge for Easier Connections

On Indonesia’s Independence Day, August 17, Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali officially launched a new Terminal Transfer Bridge, designed to help passengers move between terminals.

This new facility makes it more convenient for travelers to transfer between terminals and helps improve overall passenger flow at the airport.

For anyone flying in or out of Bali or needing to transfer between terminals in the coming days, this is a new feature to keep an eye on starting tomorrow.

💳 Badung Parking Fees to Go Digital with QRIS, Scan-to-Pay Coming Soon

The Badung Regency government is preparing to gradually introduce QRIS cashless payments for roadside parking, with parking attendants equipped with unique QR codes for drivers to scan and pay.

This initiative aims to reduce cash transactions, improve parking fee management, and make parking payments more digital.

For travelers, this is a noteworthy change: QRIS is becoming increasingly common in Bali.

It’s not just restaurants, cafes, and small shops—soon, even parking fees might be paid by scanning a QR code.

What is QRIS? Can foreigners use it?

💧 Bali Enters Peak Dry Season, Some Areas Face Water Shortages

August marks the peak of Bali’s dry season, and local authorities are already monitoring drought and drinking water supply issues in certain areas.

According to NusaBali, some regions are already experiencing water shortages, and the government is preparing response measures, including ensuring basic water needs for residents.

This also has implications for travelers.

If you’re planning to stay in a remote villa, mountain accommodation, or northern Bali lodging, it’s wise to confirm with the property beforehand whether they have a stable water supply. Large hotels are usually less affected, but smaller villas may vary.

✈️ Garuda Launches New Bali–Bandung Direct Route, Making West Java Travel Easier

Garuda Indonesia has officially launched a new route between Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport and Bandung’s Husein Sastranegara Airport.

The inaugural flight GA335 departed from Bali on August 15, making it more convenient for travelers to move between Bali and Bandung.

For Taiwanese travelers, the significance of this route is:

If you’ve already explored Bali, your next trip could combine Bandung + Bali into one Indonesian adventure without needing to detour through Jakarta for a connecting flight.

🩺 Bali Becomes a Pilot Site for HPV Vaccination for Boys, with Approximately 29,000 Boys to Be Vaccinated

Bali has been selected as one of the pilot provinces in Indonesia for HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccination for boys, with an estimated 29,000 boys included in the initial vaccination plan.

This policy is part of Indonesia’s broader efforts to expand HPV prevention, with Bali and two other provinces leading the initiative.

While this isn’t a travel policy that directly affects tourists, it reflects Bali’s growing role as a key testing ground for Indonesia’s public health policies.

Why should boys also get the HPV vaccine?

Many people assume the HPV vaccine is only for preventing cervical cancer in women, but that’s not the case. HPV can also infect men, potentially causing penile cancer, anal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, and genital warts. Men infected with HPV may show no symptoms yet still transmit the virus to their partners. Therefore, vaccinating men not only protects them but also indirectly reduces the risk of HPV transmission to their partners. Taiwan’s Health Promotion Administration has also expanded HPV vaccination to junior high school boys, aiming to reduce the threat of HPV-related diseases to men themselves.