Ahead of the New Year holidays, getting off Bali traditionally turns into a complicated logistical quest.
Every December, thousands of island residents travel to Java for a holiday or to visit relatives, and as a result traffic backs up for kilometers at the port of Gilimanuk.
For the 2026–2027 holiday season, the authorities have decided to take pressure off the usual route and have prepared an alternative way off the island via the north — the port of Celukan Bawang in Buleleng Regency.
The main aim is to give car owners a way to reach Java without hours-long queues, bypassing the perpetually jammed Gilimanuk–Ketapang corridor.
To avoid chaos and delays, the traffic flows are to be clearly separated. For people leaving in private passenger cars, a direct route is being prepared from Celukan Bawang to the port of Jangkar in East Java (Situbondo Regency).
On the northern route, priority is being given specifically to passenger vehicles. As Mochammad Imron, general director of Pelindo's Celukan Bawang branch, points out, the number of trips made in private cars rises sharply during the holidays.
At the same time, the ferry operators Pelindo and ASDP are assessing the readiness of Piers No. 1 and No. 2 so that, if needed, they can launch a separate cargo service from Celukan Bawang to Tanjung Wangi to supply the island and handle logistics.
The main flow of passenger cars will be handled by Pier No. 3, which is currently being prepared at an accelerated pace. Large-scale infrastructure work has already been carried out at the site: the narrow gravel road leading to the berth has been widened and reinforced with a durable surface, lighting has been improved for night-time operations, and special steel plates are being laid under the ferries' ramps.
For people living in Ubud and the northern parts of the island, the new route will save a noticeable amount of time. Instead of the long drive west and the wait in line at Gilimanuk, they will be able to set off for Java straight from the north coast.
Indonesia's Ministry of Transport and Pelindo will announce the exact sailing schedule and the start of ticket sales as soon as the final inspection of all the piers is finished.
By the way, if you are planning a trip to Java to catch the sunrise at Ijen or see the otherworldly landscapes of Bromo but would rather not work out the shifting logistics, ferry tickets and transfers on your own, leave the arrangements to the professionals at MyBaliTrips. They offer turnkey tours around Bali and other Indonesian islands.
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