Anyone who has visited Uluwatu in the last three years will be all too familiar with the issues at the tourist hotspots’ traffic congestion, to put it mildly.
Tourists planning on visiting Bali’s Uluwatu in the near future, we hate to be the ones to break it to you, but you know that here at The Bali Sun, we are here to report on the truth about the latest news and life on the island. If you’re traveling to Uluwatu soon, you’re going to have to prepare for traffic jams.
We hate that we even have to give that kind of warning to tourists, but it’s only for the best. Traffic congestion in Bali’s busiest tourist resorts is no joke, and here at The Bali Sun, we like to make sure everyone is prepared and everyone is safe.
The issue of traffic congestion in Uluwatu has reached the point that it can no longer be ignored, which is why the Badung Regency Government and the Badung Transportation Agency are coming together to finalise plans to implement a new traffic engineering system in Pecatu, which is the real name of the area most of us refer to as Uluwatu.
The Head of the Badung Regency Transportation Agency chaired a meeting earlier this week to bring together all the major stakeholders to create a solution that will work for everyone. The Head of the Badung Regency Transportation Agency, Anak Agung Gede Rahmadi, said that the new traffic engineering system will focus on six congestion-prone areas in the Pecatu area and its surroundings.
He confirmed, “We’re discussing traffic engineering in Pecatu to ease congestion at the Toyoning intersection. There are six points, starting from Nirmala south, Blimbing, Blimbing Sari, and ending at Toyoning 1 and Toyoning 2.”
Rahmadi explained that the new solution looks at the engineer traffic flow pattern by reducing vehicle crossing points that have been identified as the main cause of long queues at road intersections.
He shared, “In principle, we’re reducing traffic interruptions. Previously, congestion was caused by crossings at intersections, which caused delays. Now, we’re creating a kind of loop to keep traffic flowing.”
The Badung Transportation Agency is targeting the implementation of the new traffic engineering system starting 1st June 2026. The step is expected to reduce travel time to the southern area of Badung, including Uluwatu, Ungasan, Kutuh, and parts of Jimbaran that have long been synonymous with traffic congestion, especially during the tourist high seasons and during daily rush hours.
Rahmadi acknowledged that there is pressure to get this right as the accessibility and mobility of the whole of the Bukit area for both local residents and tourists is a real issue. He noted, “If traffic jams continue to build on the road to Pecatu or Uluwatu, it will certainly waste time and create discomfort. As directed by our leadership, tourism must be high-quality and comfortable. Therefore, we must ease traffic congestion to bring comfort and prosperity to the community.”
He confirmed that if successful, a similar set of solutions will be rolled out in Canggu, another area where traffic congestion has passed the point of being a joke.
Rahmadi shared, “The plan is to go to Canggu. We’ll try to break it down one by one, gradually. This is a short-term program, while the long-term plan will involve opening a new road.”
He concluded, “We will communicate this to sub-district heads and neighborhood heads, using social media, and also formally writing to each regional leader.”
Tourists travelling to either Canggu or Uluwatu are advised to leave more than enough time to travel from A to B. Tourists must be aware that the estimated travel time as shown by GPS or apps like Google Maps is seldom accurate.
In peak rush hour in Canggu or Uluwatu, a trip that should take 10-15 minutes can take upwards of an hour. It’s best to travel outside of peak rush hour where possible and be aware that shortcut routes are often more congested than the main routes…it’s all going to get better soon though, right?!
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