The Consulate General of China in Denpasar has issued another reminder urging Chinese citizens to exercise caution when traveling to areas such as Komodo Island in the near future.

At 10:17 local time, the Lewatobi Volcano in East Flores County, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia erupted, with volcanic ash reaching a height of 6,000 meters and the eruption lasting approximately 43 seconds. According to Xinhua News Agency, the volcano has erupted multiple times since the 17th, resulting in 11 deaths and over 10,000 people being relocated to safe areas.

On a certain date, the Lewotobi volcano in Indonesia erupted, with volcanic ash reaching a height of meters. The popular tourist destination of Komodo Island, located kilometers away from the volcano, was also affected by the eruption. Komodo Island enjoys clear weather and is suitable for diving year-round, attracting numerous tourists throughout the year.

All flights canceled, ticket prices skyrocket. According to previous reports, on the afternoon of the day, Komodo International Airport issued a notice that due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi, all inbound and outbound flights at the airport were canceled on that day. The day after, flights at Komodo International Airport, which had been temporarily closed due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi, gradually returned to normal.

It is reported that the best route for tourists to Komodo Island is via Bali, followed by a connecting flight, and most tourists choose this way to enter the island. On the morning of the specified date, Feiyi (alias), who was residing in Bali, took advantage of this "window period" to enter Komodo Island. "I arrived at Komodo after the volcanic eruption, and after the flights resumed, I managed to fly from Bali to Komodo quite smoothly. In the following days, the volcano continued to erupt, and the airport closed again on the specified date."

Facing the continuous cancellation of flights, how to leave Komodo Island has become a difficult problem for Feiyi. Xiao Ma, who is also touring Komodo, is facing the same dilemma. "All flights were canceled, and after the original return ticket to Bali on the scheduled date was canceled, it was rescheduled for the day, but upon arriving at the airport, we were informed that it was still canceled." Xiao Ma and his companions purchased another ticket for the day at the airport, but whether it will actually take off remains uncertain.

The predicament of only being able to stay for one day and wait for another day left Xiao Ma in a passive position. "Because I didn't return to Bali according to the originally planned time, I also had to bear a high fee for changing my flight back to China from Bali." Before planning this trip, the price of Xiao Ma's flight from Komodo to Bali was several thousand yuan, but after the volcanic eruption, the ticket price soared to over ten thousand yuan. Xiao Ma said, "Not only the flights, but hotel prices also increased significantly, and changing hotels every day became the norm."

Feiyi's hostel, although not seeing a significant price increase, also mentioned that the airfare is "ridiculously expensive." An Australian tourist staying at the same hostel booked a flight that was about € more expensive than before. Some tourists, due to issues like travel time, chose to take a ferry to nearby islands and then fly out, "because other islands were not affected by the volcanic eruption and thus not affected by volcanic ash."

The local ferry ticket booking website shows that the ferry from Komodo Island to Bali has a travel time of hours and minutes, with a ticket price of around yuan in Chinese currency. "Departing from the Komodo port, it took hours to reach Bali. The overall experience was not great due to the old ferries and the lack of private cabins for long journeys, but it was a direct route to Bali, saving time and offering good value," shared Coco, who had just arrived in Bali by ferry, with a reporter.

I can see with my naked eye, but it's not very clear. On clear nights, the airport opens for a few hours, and if you're lucky, there might be a plane. If you catch those few hours, you can fly out. Feiyi said, "If my flight doesn't take off again, I'll also choose to leave by boat."

My Consulate General issues another urgent reminder. Currently, the Komodo International Airport in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia, has reopened. However, due to the continued eruption of the Lewotobi Volcano, the local alert level remains at the highest level, Level 4. There is a possibility that the Komodo International Airport in Labuan Bajo may be closed again, and flights at the Lombok International Airport in Mataram and the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali may be canceled, delayed, or diverted to a third location.

At 10:00 local time, the Lewotobi Volcano in Indonesia erupted, with volcanic ash reaching a height of 3,000 meters. The Consulate General of China in Denpasar once again reminds Chinese citizens in the consular district to closely monitor the warning information issued by the relevant Indonesian authorities, enhance safety awareness, and do not harbor any侥幸心理. Until the volcanic level 4 alert is lifted, it is advised not to travel to Komodo Island and its surrounding areas.

In case of emergency, Chinese citizens in the consular district are advised to contact the police immediately and also get in touch with the Consulate General of China in Denpasar.