Bali draws 22k travellers from Kolkata each year

Kolkata (Source: Wikipedia)

Bali: Withdrawal of direct flights to Bali from Kolkata has done little to diminish the wanderlust for the island destination among city travellers. For the past few years, Bali has been one of the most favoured places among Kolkatans as the Indonesian archipelago offers something for travellers of all ages.
Although June to September is the best time to visit Bali, the popularity of the place, thanks to social media, has made it an all-year-round favourite with over 22,000 people from Kolkata visiting the beach hotspot every year.
“Cancellation of the direct AirAsia flight has not affected tourist flow to Bali. In fact, the traveller count has increased over time. Now, passengers fly via Bangkok or Singapore to reach the Indonesian island. All flights travelling to Bali on average clock 60-70% occupancy,” said Anil Punjabi, regional (east) chairman of the Travel Agents’ Federation of India.
Since the beach city offers visa-on-arrival facility, more travellers are seen preferring it to other nearby tourist destinations such as Maldives and Mauritius, he said. “Bali, with its boutique resorts, is also popular for honeymoon and weddings.”
Didit Indra Purnawarman, the general manager of Bali Dynasty Resort, feels the tourist hotspot offers something for people from all segments with an array of restaurants, bars, swimming pools and nightclubs. Another agent from the city said Pujas and the summers witness maximum rush.
“Around 450 to 500 people from Kolkata travelled to Bali between March and May this year. It has a yearlong traction since it is a low-budget international destination. Also, the island city is on high demand since a lot of people are now selecting Bali as a destination wedding location over Thailand,” Ankit Jain, business development manager, Raj Yatayat.
Bali provides a healthy mix of modern and traditional attractions such as beach, jungles, volcanic destinations and yoga retreats. Among the beaches, Nusa Dua is one of the most prominent ones, known for its inclusive tourism, as it houses some of the best world-class resorts, mostly owned by international hotel chains. Also, one should not miss beaches like Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Jimbaran, Sannur and Canggu.
Oriol Montal, the general manager of The Westin Resort in Nusa Dua, said: “The resort has a prime beachfront location within an exclusive enclave on the island’s southern shores catering to the needs of leisure and business travellers alike.”
For coffee connoisseurs, a cup of Kopi Lulwak, one of the costliest brews (a 50gm pack costs around Rs 1,000) made of beans that have been partially digested by the Asian palm civet, is a must try. (TimesofIndia)