The cost of traveling to Bali is rising: the impact of the tourist tax and higher prices for entertainment

At the beginning of the year, a number of the most popular tourist attractions raised their entrance fees. These included private businesses and tourist attractions, cultural and heritage sites managed by the government.

A slight increase in prices for tourist attractions such as Tanah Lot Temple will not hit most tourists' pockets too hard, but it is still worth keeping in mind. Tourists planning to visit the iconic Heaven's Gate temple, officially known as the Temple of Lempuyang, will have to pay a little more starting March 1. This is reported by travelandtourworld.com.

The world-famous temple is one of the island's most popular cultural attractions. Tourists are known to queue for more than four hours to take pictures between the famous gates overlooking the sacred Mount Agung.

Nyoman Jati, head of the Purwaiyu Traditional Village and Tourism Department at Lempuyang Temple, said that the ticket price hike will not lead to bankruptcy, and tourists should not be scared by the price increase. He noted that the slight increase in entrance ticket prices reflects the temple's improvement for tourists and price increases in all areas.

"For domestic tourists, prices are going up from IDR 30,000 to IDR 40,000, and for foreign tourists, from IDR 55,000 to IDR 70,000. This is an increase of about 1 USD to 4.50 USD," Jati emphasizes.

Other tourist attractions that have seen their prices increase this year include Jatiluwa Rice Terraces and Tanah Lot Temple. Both of these cultural attractions have already raised their entrance fees, and the number of visitors has not decreased.

Bali will soon celebrate Nyepi Day, the Balinese New Year, also known as the Day of Silence. Tourists visiting Bali should always remember that the temples here are a living and important part of the local culture, and ceremonies for the local community will always take precedence over tourist visits. This is why tourists should be respectful if they come to a temple and see it closed for a ceremony, or if certain elements of the temple are not open to tourists for the same reason.

Tourists who are approached by a member of the pecalang (local security) should follow their instructions to close the temple and roads, even if it is not immediately clear why they are being chased away or sent to the unit.

Earlier, TravelWise reported that Bali introduced an entry tax for tourists.