It has long been the mission of Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism and Creative Economies, Sandiaga Uno, to promote both East Java and lesser-visited regions in Bali.
Now, the Tourism Minister’s commitment to promoting off-path destinations in the region has come to fruition, with a new package tour taking tourists from Banyuwangi in East Java through to West Bali and North Bali.
The tour package, referred to as the 3B tour, will showcase the rich cultural heritage of these three lesser-visited destinations.
East Java is best known for being home to the active volcano Mount Ijen, which, if you don’t know by name, you’ll almost certainly recognize from photos.
Mount Ijen is famous for its blue fiery summit and stunning azure caldera lake. West Bali is, of course, home to West Bali National Park, including Menjangan Island and the up-and-coming tourism village in the northwest, Pemuteran.
North Bali is best known for destinations like Lovina Beach, and it offers tourists easy access to the stunning waterfalls and jungles of Munduk.
Minister Uno told reporters of his hope for the package tour. He explained, “It offers rich attractions in terms of natural beauty and culture, supported by abundant culinary experiences. I am confident that the 3B tour package will be a hit, as Banyuwangi has complete tourism potential.”
The tour is also an opportunity for the national tourism board, Wonderful Indonesia, to encourage international tourists to explore destinations outside of Bali Province.
Most holidaymakers traveling to Indonesia, if they don’t visit Bali, are most likely to stray further east, towards Gili Islands, Lombok, and Labuan Bajo, the gateway to Komodo National Park.
Yet, west of Bali, there is a plethora of cultural, historical, and natural wonders to explore. Java is home to a diverse cultural landscape and incredible geographical wonders.
Heading even further west, tourists will arrive in Sumatra, the land of orangutans, tigers, elephants, dense jungles, and the stunning Lake Toba.
The 3B Tour will offer exceptional value for money, starting at just IDR 700,000 per person; however, online bookings have not opened up yet.
It is likely the tour will be operated by local service providers and packaged and sold through the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economies and Wonderful Indonesia; watch this space.
The tour route is also expected to be picked up by local travel agents, too, who will create their own multi-day tour packages based on the suggestions from the Ministry of Tourism.
The tour package is set to include transportation between each destination, with activities and accommodation charged as extras.
Minister Uno confirmed “To reach all those destinations, a fast ship has been prepared and arranged with four fast boat providers that are ready to serve domestic and foreign tourists.”
Mount Ijen is the focal point of the Banyuwangi segment of the tour, though Alas Purwo, Ijo Bay, De Djawatan, Tabuhan Island, Baluran, Sukamade, Kemiren Village, Gombengsari Village, GWD Beach, Merah Island are also included in the suggested attractions list.
In West Bali, Jembrana Regency, specifically Medewi Beach and Dlod Berawah Beach, are noted as must-visit spots, as well as Gilimanuk and West Bali National Park, which is famous for Bali Starling.
Ekasari Tourism Village, an emerging tourism destination famous for its chocolate production, is included in the suggested itinerary. In North Bali, Tembok Village, Les Village, Lovina Beach, and Pemuteran Beach are all essential itinerary elements.
The creation of the tour is part of a province-wide mission to redistribute tourism away from the busy resorts of South Bali.
Minister Uno targets 20% of Bali’s overall tourism to be redistributed to lesser-visited regions in the west, north, and east of the province.
The 3B tour starts and ends in West Java, meaning tourists must fly into either Banyuwangi as a domestic airport or in Surabaya’s Juanda International Airport, and travel through to Banyuwangi, in turn receiving some of the pressure from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar.
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