The head of the Provincial Tourism Service for Bali, Putu Astawa, has confirmed that the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park (GWK) will reopen on 04 December 2020.
As reported by Kompas.com, Astawa said on Thursday, 19 November 2020: “Based on a circular memorandum, the Park is set to open on 04 December 2020.
The 60-hectare Garuda Kencana Wisnu Cultural Park (GWK), located just south of Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport, is the home to a 121-meter high statue depicting the Lord Vishnu atop a mythical Garuda Bird opened in August 2018.
Designed by Balinese artists Nyoman Nuarta, the 75-meter high statue sits atop a 46-meter pedestal creating a 121-meter monument 30-meters taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York City and a structure as tall as a 21-story building. Made of copper and brass sheeting cast over a stainless-steel skeletal frame, the monument’s outside surface measures 22,000 square meters and weighs an estimated 4,000 tonnes.
The GWK monument was closed on 21 March 2020 under Provincial Government directives to prevent the spread of COVID-19. During the close-down, GWK management has undertaken anticipatory steps to guarantee public safety once the Park reopens in the “new normal,” including modifications in how the monument’s lift is operated to bring people to the top of the statue for the panoramic view of South Bali.
During the initial reopening of operations, the number of visitors to GWK will be limited to 500 people, much less than the normal pre-pandemic levels of 2,000 – 5,000 people who came to the Park daily.
Putu said the 500 person limit matches the number needed to cover the operational costs for GWK.
The GWK Monument is comprised of 30 floors, only a portion of which are now open to the public.
Health Protocols at the GWK Cultural Park
With the reopening of the Park on 04 December, health protocols will be in place to protect visitors’ health and prevent the spread of COVOD-19. Chief among these are quotas limiting the number of people allowed to visit the Park at any one time. Quotas now limit visitors to 500 per day – less than 50% of normal attendance levels.
Physical distancing rules are also now in effect in every aspect of the Park’s operation, including management of parking areas, ticket kiosk sales, entry gates, restaurant operations, public toilet facilities, and the GWK musholla.