In Bali’s battle with badly behaved tourists, a dos and don’ts nudge in the right direction

To keep rowdy behaviour at bay and turn trips into “unforgettable experiences”, the tourism board has called on visitors to honour the predominantly Hindu island’s culture by “dressing appropriately”, especially in sacred places, by covering the shoulders and below the knees.

The latest advisory also reminded tourists not to disturb any processions at religious places or enter them with an open wound.

It advised revellers to avoid defiling sacred sites, climbing holy trees and engaging in illegal business activities.

The rise in disrespectful incidents forced the local administration to issue its guidelines for tourists last year and launch law enforcement operations aimed at reducing foreigners’ misconduct.

But those efforts apparently failed to deter some travellers.

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Bali issues tourism dos and don’ts list in wake of scandals involving unruly visitors

Last weekend, a visitor reportedly hurled expletives at a tour guide and was engaged in a physical altercation after being reprimanded for jumping the queue at a popular beach viewpoint.

Said another: “People use garbage bins, but it seems that nobody ever empties them. Beaches and rivers are full of plastic, it makes us sad that this beautiful country is trashed like this.”

According to the Bali immigration office, 1.3 million international holidaymakers visited the island in the first quarter of this year.