A half-naked photo on top of a sacred mountain that went viral on social media caused the expulsion of a Russian tourist from Bali, but also a public confrontation about the behavior of visitors to the island.
The 24-year-old Russian, identified by Bali's immigration service as Yuri Chilikin, was deported last Tuesday to Moscow via Dubai, the statement said.
Photos released by local authorities showed Chilikin with a backpack on his back and a coffee in hand being escorted by authorities at Ngurah Rai International Airport.
“Please enjoy Bali by following the rules. If you violate them, we will not hesitate to take strict measures," said the representative of the immigration service about the incident, adding that Chilikin was banned from entering Indonesia for at least six months.
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The 24-year-old is one of a number of Russian tourists who have seen their names in the local - and not - news for misconduct.
He had posted a photo on Instagram of himself naked from the waist down on Agung, Bali's highest peak, an active volcano and a sacred site for locals.
The inhabitants of the island, in the majority of them Hindus, believe that the mountain represents the god Shiva, which is why permission is required for anyone who chooses to walk it.
The "disrespectful" behavior of the Russian and the reactions it caused, led him to download the photo from his account, replacing it with a video of remorse and apology.
"There is no excuse for my actions. The only thing that led to what happened, was my personal ignorance. Agung is a sacred symbol for the people of Bali. After studying the culture and religion of the island, I realized my mistake" he says among other things.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CqDMC3FhSyp/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
The most popular destination in Indonesia is a "magnet" for thousands of Russians and Ukrainians who wish to escape for a while from the drama of war.
Russians are numerically the second largest tourist nationality in Bali, after Australians, with over 43.000 people visiting the island in the first quarter of 2023 alone.
However, local discomfort with them is growing, with incidents of their indecent behavior increasing in recent weeks.
Among the 40 foreign tourists deported from Bali between January and April 2023, 35% (14 people) were Russian citizens – making them the most deported.
Source: CNN