Malaysia and Indonesia Tourism Face Haze Disruption as National Parks Close and Flights Are Rescheduled

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Jishnoo Banerjee

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September 1, 2026 10:47 AM |

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Malaysia and Indonesia are facing growing tourism and transport disruption as severe haze and forest fires affect air quality, temporarily close hiking routes across protected areas and interfere with commercial flights in West Kalimantan.

Malaysia’s Sarawak state entered September with particularly serious pollution readings. Six monitoring locations recorded hazardous air quality on the morning of 1 September 2026, while additional locations across the state registered very unhealthy or unhealthy conditions.

At the same time, Indonesia has temporarily closed hiking access across nine national parks considered particularly vulnerable to forest and land fires.

The impact has also reached aviation. Heavy haze around Supadio International Airport in West Kalimantan forced 10 commercial flights to be rescheduled after visibility deteriorated substantially on Monday morning.

For Southeast Asia’s tourism industry, the combination of hazardous pollution, outdoor attraction closures and aviation disruption creates a fast-changing operational challenge. Travellers heading to affected parts of Malaysia and Indonesia need to monitor individual destinations rather than assuming conditions are uniform across either country.

Malaysia and Indonesia Haze Crisis at a Glance

How Serious Is the Haze in Sarawak?

Air pollution across parts of Sarawak reached hazardous levels as September began.

Malaysia’s official Air Pollutant Index system classifies readings above 300 as hazardous.

As of 8am on 1 September, six locations in Sarawak were above that threshold.

The monitoring station at Serian District Police Headquarters recorded 408, while Kuching reached 407.

Samarahan registered 372, Sri Aman 361, Sarikei 333 and Sibu 309.

Conditions were also serious elsewhere.

Mukah recorded 234, Bintulu 232 and Samalaju 225, placing all three locations in the very unhealthy category.

Other areas across Sarawak and parts of neighbouring Malaysian states were experiencing unhealthy pollution.

For travellers, these figures are significant because hazardous air quality can affect outdoor activities even when hotels, airports and tourism businesses remain operational.

Is Malaysia Planning Cloud Seeding?

Yes.

Malaysia is preparing cloud-seeding operations in Sarawak between 3 and 5 September, subject to atmospheric conditions being suitable.

The initiative is being coordinated with the Malaysian Meteorological Department and Royal Malaysian Air Force.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said cloud seeding is being targeted towards haze-affected areas recording API readings above 150 as well as locations where water levels at dams are falling.

Cloud seeding attempts to encourage rainfall by introducing particles into suitable clouds.

However, it is not an automatic solution.

Appropriate cloud formations and atmospheric conditions must exist for an operation to proceed effectively.

Authorities consequently need to monitor cloud movement and weather conditions before determining where operations can take place.

For Sarawak tourism, rainfall could help improve air conditions if cloud seeding succeeds, but travellers should not assume pollution will disappear immediately.

Why Has Indonesia Closed Nine National Parks?

Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry has temporarily suspended hiking activities across nine national parks because of elevated forest and land-fire risks.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni announced the precautionary measure following a wildfire management coordination meeting in Palembang.

The government says the closures serve two purposes.

First, they reduce the possibility of hikers becoming trapped or endangered by rapidly spreading fires.

Second, they allow firefighting resources to remain concentrated on priority locations rather than being diverted to rescue visitors.

This became a particularly serious concern after approximately 170 hikers were trapped during a recent wildfire incident at Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.

The closures are therefore a public-safety measure rather than a permanent restriction on tourism.

Which Indonesian National Parks Are Affected?

The temporary restrictions cover hiking activities at nine important conservation areas across Indonesia.

They include:

• Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, specifically the Mount Semeru hiking route
• Kerinci Seblat National Park
• Mount Ciremai National Park
• Tambora National Park
• Manusela National Park
• Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park
• Mount Gede Pangrango National Park
• Mount Leuser National Park
• Lorentz National Park on the Ilaga, Tsinga, Sugapa and Ugimba routes

These parks are spread across different parts of the Indonesian archipelago rather than being concentrated in one tourism region.

That geographical spread is important.

It means travellers undertaking hiking and adventure itineraries should check their specific park rather than assuming that a destination remains accessible simply because it is far from Kalimantan.

Are All Indonesian National Parks Closed?

No.

The restrictions apply to the identified high-risk locations and routes rather than Indonesia’s entire national park network.

The Forestry Ministry has indicated that limited hiking remains available under strict safety requirements at several other protected areas.

These include Mount Rinjani National Park, Mount Merbabu National Park, the Mount Argopuro area within the Hyang Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary and Mount Halimun Salak National Park.

Even at destinations remaining open, travellers should check current access conditions before departure.

Fire risk can change quickly during prolonged dry weather, and authorities may introduce additional restrictions if conditions deteriorate.

For tour operators, this makes real-time verification essential when selling hiking itineraries.

Why Are Forest Fires Threatening Indonesia’s Hiking Tourism?

Wildfires present particular dangers in mountainous national parks.

Fire can move rapidly through dry vegetation, while changing winds can redirect flames and smoke towards hiking routes with little warning.

Mountain terrain also makes firefighting difficult.

Aircraft and helicopters may be required to reach areas inaccessible to ground crews, while smoke and steep terrain can complicate evacuation.

Indonesia’s Forestry Minister said fires inside national parks had already forced authorities to redirect aerial firefighting assets from other priority locations.

This creates a difficult operational choice.

Resources used to protect or rescue hikers inside tourism zones may no longer be available to fight fires elsewhere.

Temporarily restricting access reduces that additional pressure while conditions remain dangerous.

What Happened at Supadio International Airport?

The haze has moved beyond nature tourism and started affecting aviation.

Supadio International Airport in West Kalimantan was forced to adjust the schedules of 10 commercial flights after smoke from forest and land fires substantially reduced visibility around the airport.

Airport management said the disruption occurred on Monday morning.

Reduced visibility creates operational challenges because pilots and air traffic controllers must work within defined safety parameters for take-offs, approaches and landings.

When conditions fall outside acceptable limits, airlines may need to delay, reschedule or potentially divert flights.

The disruption at Supadio demonstrates how forest fires can affect travellers who have no intention of visiting the fire zones themselves.

Why Is Supadio Airport Important for Regional Travel?

Supadio serves Pontianak and the surrounding West Kalimantan region.

The airport supports business, domestic tourism and essential regional connectivity.

Flight disruption can therefore have consequences beyond passengers beginning or ending their journeys in Pontianak.

Delayed aircraft may be scheduled to operate subsequent services elsewhere in Indonesia.

When an aircraft departs late, the disruption can carry into later rotations.

Passengers with onward connections can also face problems if their original flight is rescheduled.

For travel companies, aviation disruption caused by haze needs to be treated differently from a normal short weather delay because smoke conditions can persist until wind or rainfall improves visibility.

Could More Flights Be Affected?

Potentially.

The rescheduling of 10 flights demonstrates that haze has already reached levels capable of affecting aviation operations.

Whether additional flights are disrupted will depend on visibility, wind, fire activity and rainfall.

Airports can remain operational during haze if visibility remains within safe limits.

Conversely, relatively rapid changes in smoke concentration can force airlines and airport authorities to adjust operations at short notice.

Travellers flying through affected Indonesian airports should therefore check directly with their airline before leaving for the terminal.

Tour operators managing connecting itineraries should also consider whether clients have sufficient connection time if delays develop.

What Does the Haze Mean for Malaysia Tourism?

Sarawak has a tourism economy strongly connected with nature, culture and outdoor experiences.

Visitors travel to the state for national parks, wildlife, rivers, rainforests and indigenous cultural experiences.

Hazardous air pollution can directly undermine those activities.

A tourism attraction does not need to close for haze to affect the visitor experience.

Outdoor sightseeing may become uncomfortable or inappropriate, views can disappear behind smoke and visitors may decide to spend more time indoors.

Businesses dependent on outdoor tourism can therefore experience reduced demand even when official access remains open.

Kuching’s API reading above 400 is particularly relevant because the city functions as a major gateway for visitors exploring Sarawak.

What Does the Crisis Mean for Indonesia Tourism?

Indonesia faces a different but related tourism challenge.

The temporary closure of nine national parks directly affects hiking and adventure tourism.

Travellers may need to postpone climbs, change destinations or restructure wider itineraries.

This is particularly important for visitors who travel to Indonesia specifically for volcano trekking and mountain tourism.

Operators selling multi-day hiking programmes need to confirm access before accepting or finalising bookings.

The closures could also affect accommodation providers, guides, porters, transportation businesses and restaurants serving communities around national parks.

The economic impact of a hiking closure therefore extends beyond entrance fees.

Should Travellers Cancel Malaysia or Indonesia Holidays?

Not automatically.

Both countries cover enormous geographical areas, and the current impacts vary substantially by destination.

Hazardous haze in Sarawak does not mean that every tourism destination in Malaysia has the same air quality.

Likewise, the closure of nine Indonesian national parks does not mean the country’s entire tourism industry has shut down.

Travellers should make decisions based on the specific location they intend to visit.

City holidays, beach trips and other tourism experiences outside affected areas may continue normally.

The appropriate approach is destination-specific monitoring rather than broad cancellation.

What Should Tour Operators Do?

Tour operators should verify three things before clients travel: air quality, park access and flight status.

These conditions can change independently.

A national park may remain closed even after air quality improves because fire crews are still working in the area.

Likewise, an airport could operate normally despite unhealthy pollution if visibility remains adequate for aviation.

Operators should avoid assuming that one indicator provides a complete picture.

Clients booked on Indonesian hiking trips should receive clear information about temporary closures and alternative arrangements.

Travellers visiting Sarawak should be informed about local air quality and any official public-health recommendations affecting outdoor activities.

Why Is This a Regional Tourism Issue?

The current situation demonstrates how environmental disruption can cross conventional tourism boundaries.

Forest fires can begin inside one protected area but create smoke capable of travelling hundreds of kilometres.

That smoke can then affect cities, airports and tourism destinations far from the flames.

Malaysia and Indonesia are closely connected through aviation, trade and tourism, making environmental conditions in one part of Borneo relevant to travellers elsewhere.

Regional haze also complicates multi-country Southeast Asian itineraries.

Visitors may travel between several destinations within a short period and encounter dramatically different air conditions along the way.

Travel advisers consequently need real-time information rather than seasonal assumptions.

What Happens Next?

Weather will be critical.

Rain can help suppress fires, reduce airborne particles and improve visibility, while continued dry conditions can prolong both wildfire risk and haze.

Malaysia’s planned cloud-seeding operations in Sarawak from 3 to 5 September represent one attempt to improve conditions, although their effectiveness will depend on suitable weather.

Indonesia, meanwhile, is concentrating firefighting resources on priority areas while restricting access to high-risk national parks.

Aviation conditions at Supadio will continue to depend on local visibility.

For tourism, the situation calls for flexibility rather than panic.

Malaysia and Indonesia remain open to travellers, but specific destinations and activities are experiencing material disruption.

The clearest immediate impacts are now established: hazardous pollution is affecting parts of Sarawak, Indonesia has temporarily restricted hiking at nine national parks, and haze has already forced 10 commercial flights at Supadio International Airport to be rescheduled.

Travellers and tourism companies should therefore monitor conditions closely throughout early September and be prepared to alter outdoor activities, hiking plans and flight connections when official information changes.