New Flights Routes From Bali Open Up Archipelago Opportunities For Tourists

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Indonesia is a fascinating travel destination. As an archipelago state that is made up of over 17,000 islands, there is a whole world of different ecosystems and cultures to explore.

Bali will always be the flagship travel destination in Indonesia, yet for those wishing to get a little off-path, the Island of the Gods makes for the perfect getaway destination on a multi-stop adventure. 

Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar has just launched two new domestic flight services to incredible travel destinations in Indonesia.

The first is to Sorong in Papua, and the second to Banjarmasin in Kalimantan. 

Both Papua and Kalimantan have a wealth of natural wonders and cultural gems to explore.

The General Manager of Angkasa Pura I for I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Handy Heryudhitiawan, shared his joy at the opening of these two flight routes.

He explained that Garuda Indonesia’s flight service to Sorong is a totally new route, while Lion Air’s Bali-Banjarmasin route is a reactivation of the service that was in operation before the pandemic.

@wonderfulid Get a glimpse of #RajaAmpat, as highlighted by @Lunaswayfare – Travel & Fun #WonderfulIndonesia #tiktoktravel #fyp #indonesia🇮🇩 ♬ original sound – elise

Heryudhitiawan said “With the presence of the Banjarmasin and Sorong routes, Bali is increasingly connected with other regions in Indonesia. The hope is to make it easier for service users who will travel to Bali or vice versa.” 

He added, “This means that the addition of Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air routes will trigger additional positive figures for the total number of passengers until the end of the year.” 

“For this reason, I congratulate Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air on the opening of their new routes, hopefully, they can provide the best service to customers and hopefully the passenger occupancy rate will continue to grow.”

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He concluded, “In the period of recovery in the aviation sector, we continue to invite airlines to collaborate to open up opportunities for cooperation and open strategic routes at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport – Bali, we are ready to provide support, especially for smooth operations.”

Lion Air’s relaunched Banjarmasin flight will operate four times a week; on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The city of Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan is a wonderful city to explore in its own right, yet for many tourists, it is seen as the gateway to an even more magical landscape. 

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Sebangau National Park is one of the few places in the world where nature lovers can witness orangutans (if they’re lucky!) in the wild.

The national park sits along the Sabangau River and three are regular sightings of endangered gibbons and rare birdlife. 

Papua is Indonesia’s easternmost province. For travelers heading to Bali to take a deep dive into the island’s incredibly unique art, culture, and history, Papua will be of serious interest too. Sorong is the gateway to the dreamy destination of Raja Ampat.

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Papua is famed for its diving and Cendrawasih Bay is one of the best spots in the world for swimming with whale sharks.

Papua is culturally exceptionally rich, many indigenous groups still live by their traditional ways of life and many of the rainforests and mountainous regions are still inhabited by tribal communities

Indonesia allows tourists up to 60 days of travel and tourism on one visa. The visa on arrival, and the e-visa on arrival, cost IDR 500,000 and are valid for 30 days.

This same visa can be extended one time for an additional fee, for a further 30 days.

The extension process can be completed entirely online if the original visa is an eVOA; perfect for tourists who are visiting multiple destinations across the country. 

All this being said, as a province, there is so much to explore in Bali. Backpackers and travelers on the island who are taking a whistlestop tour of Indonesia’s most iconic destinations often say that they wish they had spent longer in Bali.

The island is deceptively large, and with nine regencies to discover, each with its own unique cultural practices, landscapes, and attractions, there’s a reason why tourists are always coming back for more!