Island nation flooded with 14m tourists on no-travel list after major disaster
Air India, Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Juneyao Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Australia have cancelled flights to Indonesia after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted
Large parts of the biggest island nation in the world have been placed on the UK Foreign Office's no-travel list.
On Tuesday, dozens of flights to and from the Indonesian resort island of Bali were cancelled or delayed after one of the country's most active volcanoes erupted. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, on the island of Flores, belched an ash tower more than 11 km (6.8 miles) into the sky.
Authorities have raised the highest alert level and told residents to avoid activities within a 7 km radius around the crater. Air India, Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Juneyao Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Australia were among the airlines that cancelled flights to and from Bali, located west of Flores.
Now the UK's Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Brits heading to or in Indonesia. It advises against all travel to a number of volcanoes in Indonesia. They are:
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, on Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara Province: to within 7 km of the crater
Mount Sinabung, Karo Regency, North Sumatra: to within 5 km of the crater
Mount Marapi, West Sumatra: to within 3 km of the crater
Mount Semeru, Lumajang Regency, East Java: to within 5 km of the crater
In the southeast of Mount Semeru: to within 500 m from any riverbank of the Besuk Kobokan river for 13 km from the crater
Mount Ruang, Northern Sulawesi: to within 7 km of the crater
Mount Ibu, North Maluku Province: to within 7 km of the crater
As well as potentially putting yourself in harm's way, not following Foreign Office travel advice can invalidate your travel insurance.
The tiny paradise island of Bali, celebrated for its unspoilt beaches and vibrant nightlife, has experienced a surge in visitors lately despite serious cautions from travel advisers. The destination made headlines last year as it attracted an impressive 6.3 million international travellers, outstripping the numbers seen before COVID struck. In total, Indonesia welcomed in 13.9 million tourists last year, according to news.cn.
Mainly Australians flock to the tourism magnet, drawn by their neighbouring status. Nevertheless, just last month, on May 30, Australian officials updated their guidance on visiting Indonesia due to a spate of unsettling incidents, including drowning and methanol poisoning.
The Australian government now advises its compatriots to "exercise a high degree of caution" in the archipelago, warning: "Be alert to the potential risks around drink spiking and methanol poisoning through consuming alcoholic drinks. Cases of methanol poisoning in drinks have previously been reported in Indonesia, including in Bali and Lombok."
The UK's Foreign Office has similar advice: "Do not leave [your drinks] unattended. Do not accept drinks from strangers at clubs or parties. Tourists have been assaulted or robbed after taking visitors to their hotel rooms, and in some cases have found that their drinks were spiked."
To lower the risks of drinking methanol, the Foreign Office advises purchasing alcohol only from reputable licensed shops or bars, ensuring bottle seals are unbroken. Look out for shoddy labels or misspellings on bottles and steer clear of home-brewed spirits.
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