The Kuta community has banned the sale of firecrackers and fireworks to maintain order and comfort during the celebration of the New Year 2026. This is despite the fact that many tourists and locals want more fireworks, firecrackers, and that very 'fun and chaos' for the celebration.
The community administration, together with the police, will conduct surprise inspections throughout Kuta to ensure new year's pyrotechnics are not being sold.
The ban applies not only to sales but also to launching along the entire Kuta beach. For hotels located in residential areas, the community completely prohibits these 'inappropriate' actions. The only exception is made for one hotel — Discovery Kartika Plaza: it is allowed to launch a five-minute firework exactly at midnight.
In addition to considerations of safety, order, and the comfort of tourists, this ban, according to Ardana, the head of the Kuta community, is a sign of solidarity with regions of Indonesia affected by recent natural disasters. Besides Kuta, the sale and launch of fireworks are also banned in Denpasar, but how strictly authorities can enforce these bans remains to be seen.
'We urge celebrating the New Year without excess, without excessive partying, because the country is going through a difficult time due to disasters,' he said, referring to floods and landslides that hit Sumatra.
For those who still want an 'official' New Year’s program, the Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) park has scheduled the GWK Bali Countdown 2026 show for that night, where 12,000 fireworks will be launched in five minutes.
Despite the bans, tourists are still likely to flock to Kuta: New Year 2026 won't celebrate itself. It is already reported that hotels there are almost fully booked for the holiday period.
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