Bali authorities introduce new traffic, parking system in Ubud as police patrol Canggu

Tourists heading to a popular spot in Bali will now face more rules as police also crack down on emerging anti-social behaviour.

Tourists travelling to a popular Bali destination will now have to comply with a new traffic rule system that has been introduced as police combat anti-social behaviour at another popular hotspot.

Ubud is known for travellers renting motorcycles to explore surrounding villages, jungles, and attractions. However, parking and navigating the one-way roads in the area has proven to be a nightmare for inexperienced riders — and in some cases deadly.

The Gianyar Transportation Service will now be actively issuing tickets and flattening the tires of vehicles that are parked illegally parked in central Ubud.

These streets have been singled out due to their high traffic volume, where even one illegally parked vehicle can disrupt the entire area. They are also frequented by the largest number of pedestrians.

Tourists travelling to Ubud will now have to deal with a new traffic rule system that has been introduced.

Ubud was not originally designed to become a tourism hotspot, and as a result the roads are very narrow with predominantly single-lane roads, causing traffic congestion.

Speaking to local media, Ubud Police Head Inspector Nyoman Agus Putra Ardiana said: “We ticketed two motorbikes, one motorbike was transported to the Ubud Police Headquarters, we had the tires of nine motorbikes and three cars flattened.”

“We would like to thank the people who have begun to realise the importance of not parking their vehicles for smooth Ubud traffic. In the future, this activity will be carried out sustainably.

“We have carried out outreach, we have invited them to discuss, and we have reached a joint agreement to curb illegal parking in the Ubud area.”

police, local communities, and tourists have noticed that there has been a slight increase in anti-social behaviour around Canggu.

Most locals have responded positively to the changes as it helped make Ubud’s near-gridlocked traffic flow better.

Tourists wishing to self-drive into central Ubud can park in a number of dedicated areas, including Lapangan Astina Field, Monkey Forest Parking, and Ubud Central Parking on Jalan Suweta.

It will be possible to park motorcycles in dedicated parking bays along the one-way system. However, tourists must ensure their vehicles are properly positioned within the marked lines and off the road.

The trial period started in June, with the new system now fully in place and permanent.

Ubud is extremely popular among tourists, especially Aussies.

Further changes will be introduced on Jalan Sri Wedari and Jalan Suweta on July 24 and cars will also be prohibited from entering Jalan Suweta to the north.

It comes as police in Canggu, a bustling tourism hotspot in Bali, have been conducting Blue Light Patrols every Saturday night since the start of peak tourist season.

These new Blue Light Patrols will continue throughout the high season to help keep tourists, locals, and business owners safe on the busiest nights of the week.

Police, local communities, and tourists have noticed that there has been a slight increase in anti-social behaviour in the area in recent months by both badly behaved tourists and local criminals.

Originally published as Bali authorities introduce new traffic, parking system in Ubud as police patrol Canggu