Harriet Mallinson – Bali is cracking down on disrespectful behaviour with proposals to ban bikinis around its sacred sites.

The popular holiday destination has had enough of skimpily clad western tourists posing for photos and climbing over holy monuments. Locals believe that the quality of tourists has declined as more visitors come to the island.

Authorities are now considering new restrictions on access to certain sacred areas. This could mean tourists will have to be accompanied to visit Hindu temples, according to Bali's deputy governor Tjokorda Oka Artha Sukawati, known as Cok Ace.

He told Australian news site, news.com.au: "The quality of tourists is now different from before, it is because we are too open with tourists, so too many come." Last year, Bali welcomed around five million visitors.

There have been various incidents of tourists showing disrespect for Bali's religious monuments. Recently a viral photo emerged of a Danish tourist sitting on the holy Linggih Padmasana shrine at Puhur Luhur Batukaru temple.

The throne is supposed to be left vacant for the most important deity in Balinese Hinduism, known as the supreme god. To sit on it is highly offence and considered blasphemy – around which there are strict laws in Bali.

Police are now investigating the incident and trying to find the Danish tourists.

Also this year, a Spanish blogger uploaded a video of himself climbing up a temple – for which he was forced to apologise. In December 2017, tourists were criticised for posting racy pictures in front of volcano Mount Agung as it erupted. In 2016, a woman was photographed in a yoga pose wearing a bikini in front of a temple which sparked outrage.

"This is the government's attempt to maintain the Pura [temples]," said Cok Ace at a regional council meeting this week, discussing the tough proposals. "The temples need to be preserved since they are the spirits of Bali's cultures and customs."

Australian expat and Bali resident Rachel Bergma told news.com.au: "It is not new to Bali to see girls dressed inappropriately. It has been a problem with Europeans for a while now.

"What is new is the latest fashion that young people wear. The shorts that show actual bum cheek and the crop tops."

The stricter rules follow a 2016 clamp-down by Cambodian authorities to prevent tourists wear skimpy clothes. This included a ban of clothing which exploded knees and shoulders.

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/1023036/bali-bikini-indonesia-bikinis-hindu-temple