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Authorities in Bali, Indonesia have unveiled a new policy banning “menstruating tourists” from entering temples over concerns that “dirty” period blood will contaminate their holy sites.
This unorthodox law is included in a list of policies the tropical island’s governor, Wayan Koster, imposed on March 24 to clamp down on “misbehaving tourists” overrunning the paradise, per a report from Metro.
“I am implementing this circular as an immediate measure to regulate foreign tourists while they are in Bali,” declared the honcho.
Under the new rules, women would be prohibited from entering Balinese temples while on their period out of fear that menstrual plasma is “dirty” and would “make the temple become impure,” Visit Bali reported.
According to stories passed down from “generation to generation, there are negative effects if you are determined to enter the temple during menstruation,” the site warns. “Many women experience pain and faint while in the temple. Reportedly, there are also mystical events that can befall menstruating women in temples, such as possession.”
And it wasn’t just the menstruating women who were affected, per the site, which declared that “residents around the temple could be affected by natural disasters and diseases” prompted by a period.
“If you are menstruating while on holiday in Bali, don’t worry!” they concluded. “There are many other entertainment spots around the temple, such as watching traditional dance performances.”
They didn’t specify how they plan to check whether a woman is on her period.
These weren’t the only rules unveiled to preserve the “cultural integrity and sacred sites” on the majority Hindu island.
The guidelines mandate that visitors should “dress appropriately when visiting temples, tourist attractions, or public spaces,” and won’t be permitted to “enter sacred temple areas unless they are worshippers wearing traditional Balinese attire,” Timeout reported.
Other prohibited behaviors, per the new mandate, include using single-use plastics like plastic bags and straws, being rude to locals, swearing and littering.
To enforce these laws, Bali has formed a special task force whose job it is to monitor visitors and punish “naughty” violators with penalties ranging from fines to jail time.
“We issued a similar regulation before, but as things change, we need to adapt,” announced Koster. “This ensures that Bali’s tourism remains respectful, sustainable, and in harmony with our local values.”
“Bali is a beautiful, sacred island, and we expect our guests to show the same respect that we extend to them,” he added.
In February 2024, Bali introduced a tourist fee, charging international tourists 150,000 rupiah ($10) to enter the island through Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport in Denpasar or any of the island’s ports, the Daily Mail reported.
The government aims to use the entree fee — and likely the aforementioned fines for rulebreakers — to protect the environment of Bali, which is expected to see between 14 and 16 million visitors this year.
These rules come amid a rash of incidents involving unruly tourists, including an incident in 2023 where a foreigner was spotted meditating naked at a Hindu temple.
Earlier this month, a Norwegian tourist had his visitor visa revoked after he was caught hiking a cultural and spiritual site without a guide.
Bali isn’t the only travel destination imposing measures to curb the global tour-nami.
Last January, officials in Venice, Italy announced policies to limit large tourist groups in the sinking city, as part of a campaign to curb congestion on the often narrow streets and waterways of the historic hotspot.
Meanwhile, Spain attracted a record 94 million tourists last year, stoking complaints about “overtourism, ” including concerns about overcrowding, water use, and particularly the availability and affordability of housing.
In response, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rolled out a 12-part plan to tackle the housing crisis, with measures aimed at bringing stricter regulations to short-term rentals that mainly cater to tourists.
