Tourists reminded of traffic suspension in Bali

JAKARTA - The administration in Bali, the center of Indonesian tourism industry, is reminding tourists not to travel in the resort island during Hindu holiday of Nyepi (silence day) on March 12 because no transportation will be available, official said on Tuesday.

"Tourists who want to have a holiday in Bali island should bring forward or delay their departure to Bali (on March 12), because all the transport facilities on that day will not be available," Ketut Teneng, spokesman of Bali administration was quoted by Antara news wire as saying.

He said that all the six seaports, and airports including the international airports of Ngurah Rai, were to close during the silence day.

All cars, buses and other transportation facilities also stop operating on the day, the spokesman said.

Over 200,000 foreign tourists come into Bali every month, according to the statistic bureau.

About 4 million people live in Bali island, most of them practice a local version of Hinduism.