Jessica Mila Provides Clarification Regarding Vacation to Padar Island During Closure

Jessica Mila responds to public scrutiny after sharing moments from her vacation to Padar Island, Labuan Bajo, amid the temporary closure of the tourist area due to bad weather. She posted snippets of the trip with her family and group through her Instagram Story on Sunday (8/9/2026).

The closure of Padar Island was implemented from August 6-10, 2026. A day after her vacation post, Jessica provided clarification via Instagram on Monday (8/10/2026) night to explain the chronology and the travel decision made with her group.

"I need to clarify that from the beginning, there was NO notification from the Captain that there was a ban on sailing to Padar Island," wrote Jessica Mila.

1. Jessica Mila's Visit Time and Closure of Padar Island

Clarification from Jessica Mila © instagram.com/jscmila

Jessica Mila is known to have visited Padar Island during the period coinciding with the temporary closure of the destination, namely from August 6 to 10, 2026. Information about her vacation appeared on Instagram Story on Sunday (August 9, 2026), which then triggered public questions because the visit coincided with the closure period.

In her clarification on Monday (August 10, 2026) evening, she stated that safety is the top priority while traveling, especially since there are children in her group, including her daughter, Kyarra. She emphasized that the decision to travel was not made lightly.

Jessica also mentioned that decisions regarding the route and sailing technicalities were entrusted to the ship's captain. According to her, aspects of security and safety fall within the captain's responsibility, so the group followed the instructions given at that time.

2. Route Decision Submitted to the Captain, Weather Assessed as Good

Clarification from Jessica Mila © instagram.com/jscmila

Explaining the conditions on the ground, Jessica stated that she and her group followed the captain's instructions during the voyage. She mentioned not receiving any notification about a prohibition to go to Padar Island while the journey was underway.

In the midst of the journey, Jessica saw many other boats and tourists docking and going to Padar Island. She also assessed the weather conditions at that time as relatively good, so the group continued their activities as per the captain's instructions.

Jessica emphasized that the decision rests with the captain, accompanied by safety reasons. She reiterated that the priority of the family, including the children who participated, was a major consideration in every travel decision.

3. Denial of Knowledge of Circular Letter and Jessica's Message for the Captain of the Ship

Clarification from Jessica Mila © instagram.com/jscmila

Jessica emphasized that if she had known from the beginning about the sailing ban due to bad weather, she and her family would not have forced the trip. "Of course, my family and I would not take risks that could endanger our safety and security by still departing, and we would definitely postpone our departure," she said.

She also expressed empathy towards tourists and travel agents who had to postpone their trips and suffered losses due to the circular regarding weather conditions from DJPL. On the other hand, Jessica denied allegations that she had known about the circular from the start.

"It is NOT TRUE and is slander if anyone says we were aware of the circular beforehand and acted as if we ignored it," Jessica asserted.

In closing her clarification, Jessica hoped that this incident could serve as a lesson for all parties. She encouraged the ship's captain to provide more open information to passengers regarding travel conditions, so misunderstandings can be avoided and the safety of tourists can be maintained.

(kpl/phi)