Future aka New Normal

[matts1w]

This article seems to indicate the letter proving business or medical reasons to travel to a difference province is no longer required:

"Those intending to go on inter-provincial trips using public transportation are required to show their ID cards, health certificates stating they are COVID-19-negative after undergoing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or rapid tests and have the government-made Peduli Lindungi app installed and activated on their mobile phones at the time of departure."

Is that it? ID card, negative Covid-19 test, and some app on your phone?

That being said, I know of no one yet who has tried to fly to Bali from Jakarta as a tourist... I have no idea.

Government announces travel requirements during transition to 'new normal'

 

[Indah]

Nautilus Belle Amie - Nautilus Liveaboards

Thanks, looks as an amanzing ship. Although I would feel locked away in a cabin with no windows. It seems that meals are taken in a air conditioned space together. No problem at all if really not one person of the crew or passengers is a infected. Probbly they will request all guests being tested twice before boarding?

 

[tursiops]

Probbly they will request all guests being tested twice before boarding?

Good idea, but how does that work in practice, since the reliable tests seem to take days to give an answer.

 

[DownUnderwater Dan]

I sure do miss the good old days where people would argue where has the best macro? , or does Lembeh have to much garbage? or whether a diver should dive Komodo or Raja Ampat.

It used to be more affordable getting around in Indonesia before. I remember flights from Bali to Sulawesi, Flores & West Papua were priced cheap to average. Then about 18 months ago all airfares almost doubled & even tripled in price. Lion air grossely inflated baggage fees from $0 to around 300,000-400,000rp. I know the lion air check in counters at Bali airport went from LONG lines at any given time daily to almost deserted, my friend lost his job there as a result, last year. Only in the last few months just before covid, prices started to return to normal

I think, going by latest info updates and emails I've been getting, that airlines in Indonesia are not planning to follow Australia & USA in regards to onboard social distancing, and flights in Indonesia will have a space in between seats. I hope this isn't another reason for crazy price hikes again

 

[Saldiac]

I am just waiting for Malaysia to say yes to foreign tourists so I can go diving.

The Malaysian government announced a Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) which will start tomorrow, June 10 and end on August 31. Domestic travel and tourism will be allowed during this period but no international travel/tourism.

RMCO: Interstate travel allowed, overseas travel not yet | New Straits Times

The information is not 100% clear on whether domestic scuba diving will be allowed though it does mention a few other water sports that are still banned during the RMCO. I'm sure this will be made clear fairly soon since many dive centers are aching to open again.

 

[Indah]

It used to be more affordable getting around in Indonesia before. I remember flights from Bali to Sulawesi, Flores & West Papua were priced cheap to average. Then about 18 months ago all airfares almost doubled & even tripled in price. Lion air grossely inflated baggage fees from $0 to around 300,000-400,000rp. I know the lion air check in counters at Bali airport went from LONG lines at any given time daily to almost deserted, my friend lost his job there as a result, last year. Only in the last few months just before covid, prices started to return to normal

I think, going by latest info updates and emails I've been getting, that airlines in Indonesia are not planning to follow Australia & USA in regards to onboard social distancing, and flights in Indonesia will have a space in between seats. I hope this isn't another reason for crazy price hikes again

Many basic consumer products in Indonesia are having the same prices (in USD) as in Europe, Australia or the USA. For example cooking oil, sugar, eggs and cellphones. Slowly all over the world the prices will be more or less at the same level. With local differences of course. Peanut butter is 4 x more expensive in Indonesia than in the Netherlands. And fish is much cheaper at North Sulawesi than at Java. Should a waiter in an Indonesian restaurant not be able to buy the same products for his/her salary as a waiter in Amsterdam? Should a dive instructor at Bali not at least earn a salary which is the same as somebody delivering pizzas in New York? Maybe we all have to accept that in future therre are not many "cheap holiday" destination left. We see that many of the staff we trained from zero to licensed boat captain now prefer to get a job in the booming mining business. We would only be able to offer the same saleries if we would raise our rates with 70%.

 

[Centrals]

No one in SE Asia is ready to open its border to overseas tourist!

 

[SeaWarden]

Good idea, but how does that work in practice, since the reliable tests seem to take days to give an answer.

Actually, in Singapore we (my office) are developing a test that will speed up testing to 15 minutes for your typical PCR.

The hope is that we can deploy that at the resort where we can test everyone before entering.

 

[Indah]

Good idea, but how does that work in practice, since the reliable tests seem to take days to give an answer.

I do not know either. Before we saw this "drive through" testing in South Korea in the news. What happened to it? Was it not accurate enough. Anyway, people can have the tests some days before they leave home? Otherwise it would be quite enerving to hear somebody coughing next to you in the diner room. Although the chances would maybe be almost zero that it would be Covid-19 caused.

 

[SeaWarden]

Here is a video to show you the testing method in Singapore:
There are two types of test:

1. PCR testing this will take some time because only labs with specialized equipment are able to do it.
2. Anti bodies testing used in Korea for the drive through. It takes 15 minutes for a result like your pregnancy strip but it measures antibodies.. so it might take 7 to 11 days for those to form.