Towards the end of May, Indonesia’s Minister for Tourism and Creative Economies, Sandiaga Uno, inspected three locations in Bali, following their nomination by the Indonesian Tourism Board as candidates for the prestigious Tourism Village Award.
The minister wanted to see for himself why these three locations were proving to be such a big hit with travellers. During his trip he went to Serangan Tourism Village in Denpasar City, Manistutu Tourism Village in Jembrana Regency, and Kenderan Tourism Village in Gianyar Regency.
After visiting the nominated tourism villages, Sandiaga noted that each offers something different, with a range of memorable and photogenic attractions to explore. As he put it, the villages are all very ‘Instagrammable.’ Another plus point for each is their connectivity with bigger, more familiar travel hubs nearby.
The minister was particularly taken with Serangan Village, which he described as ‘world class.’ One of the key highlights was the village’s commitment to sustainability. “What is very, very memorable,” explained the minister, “is the process of releasing the [turtle] hatchlings – this is a symbol of sustainable development,” he added.
Located just 20 minutes from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Serangan Village offers pristine sandy beaches, welcoming resorts and beautiful sunsets. The minister believes this combination of natural wonders and convenient connectivity could make the village a favourite destination for travellers in the months ahead.
Next on the minister’s itinerary was Manistutu Tourism Village in Jembrana Regency. The area is currently being developed and is expected to be the next big thing in the Bali tourism landscape. One of the big attractions here is the views – shorelines stretch unbroken for many miles along the coast, offering visitors a chance to explore the natural beauty of Bali, either on foot, by road, or in the ocean.
Just north of Ubud, Sandiaga explored another of Bali’s hidden gems: Kenderan Tourism Village. Home to some of the island’s finest jungle resorts and trekking experiences, the inland hideaway provides visitors with adventures off the beaten track, on the fringes of Bali’s cultural heartland. This mix of nature and culture makes the village a strong candidate for Tourism Village of the Year 2023.
The 2023 Indonesian Tourism Village Awards (known locally as ADWI) will target 4,000 tourism villages from 34 provinces across Indonesia. Focusing on local traditions and wisdom, ADWI is also expected to create 4.4 million new tourism jobs in Indonesia, while also supporting government targets to attract 7.4 million foreign tourists to new and unique destinations nationwide.
The overall winner of the Indonesian Tourism Village Awards will likely be announced around October of this year, when all the votes have been collected and inspections completed. For visitors to Indonesia in the months ahead, there are sure to be many more world-class and award-winning new destinations to explore.
