When traveling to exotic island destinations, one of the most important things travelers should keep in mind is that the cultures and norms of the natives should always be respected. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case when newcomers visit, as was the situation when a social media influencer descended on the island. The Russian influencer, Alina Fazleeva, along with her husband have been banned from Bali after taking nude photos under a 700-year-old banyan tree at a temple compound.
The picture, which has since been deleted from her Instagram, was posted on May 1. The couple was deported soon after, on Friday May 6. According to the AFP, the couple is barred from entering the island for at least the next six months. The AFP also noted that the Indonesian province of Bali has deported nearly 200 people over the last year for several reasons. Many of the deportations stem from people violating Covid-19 restrictions, and failing to respect the nation’s traditions and customs. The locals are growing tired of the behavior from outsiders, too. “They have carried out activities that endangered public order and were disrespectful to the local norms, so they are sanctioned with deportation.
Their names will be included in an entry ban list,” said Bali’s chief immigration officer Jamaruli Manihuruk. Fortunately, all indications reveal that Fazleeva understood the error in her ways. She provided multiple apology posts on Instagram and said she and her husband performed a ritual at the tree’s site before leaving to seek forgiveness. The post featuring the couple praying included a caption written in Indonesian that read, “I apologize to all Balinese and Indonesian people, I regret my actions. I’m so embarrassed, I didn’t mean to offend you in any way, absolutely no knowledge of this place. I just prayed under a tree and went straight to the police station to explain this incident and apologize.” Hopefully her mistakes serve as a lesson to others to be more mindful of their behavior when overseas on vacation.
