Bali’s Iconic Kite Festivals Continue All August

The busiest part of Bali’s kite season is beginning. From mid-July to the end of August, at least eight festivals and competitions are scheduled on the island. Most will take place on Mertasari and Padang Galak beaches in the Sanur area.

The first major event will be the fifth Bali Kite Festival on Mertasari Beach. This year, it is being held under the name Yadnya Cakra, meaning “Wheel of Offerings”.

Teams will compete for the Bali Governor’s Cup. Traditional Balinese kites will be brought to the competition: fish-shaped bebean, leaf-shaped pecukan, and janggan with long cloth tails. There will also be a separate category for original designs.

Four days later, another festival will begin at Mertasari. Rare Angon brings together an international show, traditional Balinese kite competitions, music, and creative contests.

On 23 and 24 July, demonstration flights by international teams will be the main part of the programme. On 25 and 26 July, Balinese kite competitions will be added to the schedule. On Saturday, 25 July, the festival will run until 21:00; on the other days, the main programme will finish at around 18:00.

On the first weekend of August, the competition will move to Padang Galak Beach. The Rockiller Kite Festival includes separate categories for children’s, teenagers’ and adult teams, as well as for traditional and large kites.

The next venue will once again be Mertasari Beach. Mel Tanjung is being held for the seventeenth time and is considered one of the largest local competitions. In 2025, the organisers registered 1,435 kites.

The one-day competition will take place at the Charik Belaluan field in Singapadu Tengah village, Gianyar Regency. It is scheduled to start at 09:00. The programme includes categories for miniature, plastic, junior and large kites.

The festival is timed to coincide with Indonesian Independence Day. It will take place at the Charik Kelaci field near Pohon Jati Street. In addition to the usual bebean and janggan kites, the organisers have created a separate category for small shaped celepuk kites.

Padang Galak Beach will host another two-day competition. Participants will be divided by age and kite size, from small plastic models to adult and large-format kites.

The season will close with the tenth Denpasar Kite Festival on Mertasari Beach. It is organised by the Denpasar branch of the Indonesian Kite Association, Pelangi Denpasar. The programme includes competitions for bebean, pecukan, janggan and original designs.

Balinese kite festivals are different from ordinary demonstration flights. Huge kites are built by entire teams from local banjars. They often arrive at the site with flags and their own gamelan orchestra. Launches may be delayed or moved because of the wind, so most competitions do not have a strict minute-by-minute schedule.

On the days of major festivals, traffic jams and parking difficulties should be expected around Mertasari and Padang Galak. Spectators must not enter the launch field or go near the taut lines: when large kites are being launched, they are controlled by several dozen people at once.