Indonesia has banned two Dutch nationals after a Bali run club faced allegations of excluding Indonesians and operating without the proper permits.
Indonesia’s immigration authorities have banned two Dutch nationals after a Bali run club drew accusations that it excluded Indonesians and violated immigration rules. The case has become the latest flashpoint in Bali, where tensions have been growing between foreign digital nomads and local residents.
The two men, ages 35 and 37, had already left the island for Singapore before the ban was announced. Officials said they will not be allowed back into Indonesia. Authorities said the pair broke immigration rules by organizing the running event without the required permits. The dispute centers on Entourage Bali, an expatriate-focused group that came under fire after claims spread online that Indonesian applicants were being turned away while foreigners were accepted.
Entourage Bali pushed back in a statement posted on Friday, saying its run clubs were open to everyone, including people who are not digital nomads. The group said Indonesians accounted for the largest share of participants and held nearly one-quarter of the tickets. It blamed the controversy partly on errors in an automated approval system for chat groups, which it said had wrongly rejected some numbers registered in Indonesia.
In its statement, the group said it was created to help digital nomads in Bali connect with others and enjoy activities while staying on the island. It added that being a digital nomad is not tied to nationality and said its community includes members from many countries, including Indonesia. Entourage Bali also said it is pausing all events for now and promised changes going forward.
“Indonesia has banned two Dutch nationals after a Bali run club faced allegations of excluding Indonesians and operating without the proper permits.”
The backlash intensified after registration opened for a run planned for 22 July. The group had already staged a successful run in May, with social media images showing a large crowd, many of them foreigners, jogging through the streets with headphones. That earlier event was promoted as a disco run, and the new round of criticism followed accusations that the club favored foreigners over locals.
One woman said in a social media post that her application was delayed because of her Indonesian name and phone number, while her husband, who had a Western name and number, was accepted right away. Those claims fed broader anger on the island, where Bali’s popularity with digital nomads has brought growth but also resentment over exclusive enclaves and the sense that some foreign visitors operate by their own rules.
Bali Governor I Wayan Koster said on Sunday that strict action would be taken to make sure similar incidents do not happen again. Immigration chief Hendarsam Marantoko also warned last week that foreigners should not be allowed to engage in commercial activity illegally on the island. He said there should not be a “state within a state,” and described the run club in those terms. For Americans watching Bali’s tourism economy, the episode shows how quickly online backlash, local resentment, and permit enforcement can collide when expat communities cross the line.
Frequently asked questions
Why were the two Dutch founders banned from Indonesia?
Officials said they organized a running event without the required permits and therefore broke immigration rules. The men had already left for Singapore when the ban was announced.
Did Entourage Bali say it excluded Indonesians?
No. The group said its run clubs were open to everyone and that Indonesians were the largest share of participants, taking nearly one-quarter of the tickets.
What triggered the backlash against the run club?
Criticism intensified when registration opened for a run planned for 22 July. Online claims spread that Indonesian applicants were being turned away while foreigners were accepted.
What is Entourage Bali doing now?
The group said it is pausing all events for now and promised changes going forward.
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