Bali for beginners: There are plenty of things in this tiny Indonesian island to eat, play and love. Video / Thomas Bywater
The first direct service back to Bali has been announced.
Air New Zealand says it will be returning to Denpasar from March next year, with its regular seasonal service from Auckland.
It’s the news Kiwi beach bums have been praying for since 2020, when Indonesia closed its borders to international travel just weeks before the start of the popular winter route.
“Our last flight was in 2019 when we flew around 17,000 customers,” says Air New Zealand chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty.
“Bali regularly features as one of our topmost searched destinations – currently in the top five – and we’re expecting interest to be hotter than the Balinese sunshine as Kiwis flock to book a winter getaway.”
From March 29, NZ64 will depart Auckland three times a week for Bali on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
After a winter sun season, in which New Zealanders have had to navigate some unpredictable links via Australia, the nonstop Denpasar service will be a great help to the logistics of planning a Bali holiday.
Air New Zealand is the first airline back with direct flights to Bali Denpasar. Photo / Will Waters, Douglas Bagg; Unsplash
Around 4000 travellers were impacted by problems with Jetstar's Boeing 787 fleet in September. Some Kiwi holidaymakers were left up to $2500 out of pocket, to rebook travel via Melbourne or Sydney - the shortest indirect link.
However, despite logistical challenges, there has been no shortage of appetite for Indonesian beach holidays. Indonesia’s tourism minister says the island had more than 120,000 visitors via Australian air links during the first four months since reopening borders in March.
Flights from Auckland to Denpasar go on sale today for flights from March 29 to October 27, 2023.
Air New Zealand is the first airline to make the return to direct links. The route was previously flown by Emirates, which offered a free checked surfboard as a promotion when it introduced it in 2018.
With the seasonal service halted by the New Zealand travel shutdown, it will be the first direct service to the “Island of the Gods” in more than 1100 days.
Bali is the fifth most searched destination on Air New Zealand. Photo / Mohammad Novrij, Unsplash
Return to Bali: what travellers need to know
New Zealand citizens are issued a visa on arrival, making leisure travel relatively straightforward.
There are, however, a number of Covid-19 protocols that still apply to international arrivals.
All tourists over 18 must have proof of at least two doses of Covid 19 vaccine to enter the country. Children over 6 must also be vaccinated and there are further requirements for onward domestic travel. Check the requirements before booking if you plan further travel in Indonesia.
All travellers are advised to take out comprehensive travel insurance. If you test positive, you may be taken to a central isolation facility or hospital for treatment at your own expense.
Since July, the MPI has introduced new measures to raise awareness of the risk of importing foot and mouth disease as travellers arrive from Bali and other parts of Indonesia.
"Our frontline border staff are paying close attention to goods and travellers with Indonesia as point of departure," says a statement. " If you are arriving from Indonesia, your baggage may be searched."
Returnees are asked to avoid contact with livestock while abroad and not to bring meat or other animal products into the country.
