Bali News

Entering the school holiday hundreds of coaches started to flood Bali on Monday, June 29th, resulting a long queue at Ketapang ferry port of Banyuwangi. In addition to coaches, private cars also lining the queue. Authority estimated an an increase of at least 50% compared to ordinary days.

Surge in traffic has been started since Sunday, June 28th afternoon. Tourist coaches from large cities in Java have started to enter the port which even increasing when the night fell, resulting in crowd in the port parking area. The whole day of yesterday at least 500 coaches and smaller cars crossed the strait. The peak took place at about 02.00 local time when hundreds of coaches and trucks enter the port at the same time. Available parking area failed to accommodate the surge resulting in about one kilometer string of queue on the street. Each vehicle had to wait in queue for about 3-5 hours before getting transpored into Bali.

Situation started to get back under control at about 06.00 in the morning after the authority shorten the loading schedule. “We apply express mode, unloading ferries got loaded at the same time and quickly sent out to sail”, Operational Manager of the port authority, Saharudin Koto, told the press. Similar to Ketapang, Gilimanuk ferry port on the other end had similar situation with tourist coaches getting back after spending their holiday in Bali.

At Gilimanuk situation went back under control at about 10.00 local time when all flocking vehicles got transported across the strait. Trucks were directed to cargo docks while passenger vehicles were directed for roll on roll out transporters. Saharudin added that the surge has been predicted. It was also preditced that the situation will last at least until the next three days. Walk-in passengers also slightly increased by about 2-3% as most people traveled in tourist coaches.