Australians looking to travel to Indonesia have been officially put on warning after the Southeast Asia country passed controversial new laws this week.
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The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has updated its travel advice to Indonesia, which includes popular holiday destinations like Bali, to "exercise a high degree of caution".
The change comes in response to the Indonesian government passing revisions to its criminal code, which now bans sex outside marriage for locals and travellers alike.
While the revisions are not set to come into effect for three years, Australians are being told to subscribe to official travel advice and stay up to date.
The incoming laws have been met with worldwide outrage and were even described as "totally counter-productive" by Maulana Yusran, the deputy chief of Indonesia's tourism industry board.
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Travellers are also told to be on watch and avoid certain areas after Indonesia increased the alert for Mount Semeru near Lumjang City, East Java, to the highest level following eruptions on December 4.
Australians reportedly account for a quarter of all visitors to Bali.
Tim Piccione
Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au.
Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au.
