Bali tourist deported after hiking spiritual site without a guide

A tourist in Bali had his visitor visa revoked after he was caught hiking a cultural and spiritual site without a guide.Mount Agung, located in Karangasem Regency, in the northeast corner of Bali, is considered a dwelling place of the gods.Hikers – whether locals or internationals, must be accompanied by a guide on the trails of the sacred volcano.However, a Norwegian man, known by his initials BG, has since been deported from the popular island by immigration officials after failing to adhere to strict rules and regulations.The 41-year-old hiked the volcano without a guide and was forced to leave the country, taking a flight to Kuala Lumpur on February 20.He was eligible to stay in Indonesia on his visitor visa until March 3 after having entered the country on the February 2.However, his stay was cut short for breaking the law, with his visa revoked.“The foreign citizen was secured by the Singaraja Immigration enforcement officers based on a report from the local authorities,” Hendra Setiawan from the Singaraja Immigration Office said.“After receiving the report, we immediately sent a team to the location and secured the foreigner concerned for further questioning at the office.”The 41-year-old was allegedly given advice from the Mount Agung Climbing Manager not to hike the trail alone, according to Indonesian national publication Kompas.Setiawan has since urged hikers wanting to trek Mount Agung to enlist a local guide, whether directly with a freelance guide or through a travel and tour provider.His warning comes after another tourist got deported for the same reason.The hiker, who goes by the initials KES, reportedly also tried to deceive officers at the hiking post, saying he was only going to visit Pasar Agung Temple.Mount Batur is the island’s second-highest peak, while Mount Agung stands at 3031m.While the peaks are not as challenging as the Himalayas or the Andes, the hiking trails are objectively challenging and, in parts, treacherous.As such, ...