Bali authorities in Indonesia want to restrict tourists’ access to the sacred Mount Batur due to their inappropriate behavior, which was complained about by religious leaders of the province, the Express newspaper reported.
“People should no longer be free to visit Bali’s sacred mountains, including Mount Batur. Many travelers go up there on motorcycles. I think this is too much,” the newspaper quoted Bali Governor Wayan Koster as saying.
According to him, religious leaders felt that the mountains should remain sacred and focused only on pilgrimage and religious rituals, so they recommend banning access for tourists there.
Balinese Hindus believe that any negative actions by tourists could damage the sacredness of the mountains.
Mount Batur is an active volcano and a popular tourist destination in Bali. It is one of the most sacred mountains on the island and is considered the home of the god Brahma.
It takes about two hours to climb Mount Batur and there are several restaurants and viewing platforms. After indecent visitors to the mountain, locals perform a ritual to cleanse the place of bad spirits every time.
