DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – The Bali Provincial Government has enacted a new regional regulation aimed at protecting beaches and coastal buffer zones while ensuring access for traditional ceremonies and local community activities.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster signed Bali Provincial Regulation (Perda) No. 3 of 2026 on the Protection of Beaches and Coastal Buffer Zones. The regulation provides a legal framework to preserve coastal areas and prevent development or activities that may damage the coastal environment.
“The regulation is established to provide a legal basis for protecting beaches and coastal buffer zones that have defined boundaries. It is intended to protect coastal areas from development or activities that could harm the coastal environment,” Koster said on Tuesday (March 3, 2026).
The provincial government considers coastal zones strategic areas that hold both spiritual (niskala) and physical (sakala) significance in Balinese life.
Beaches in Bali are widely used for traditional ceremonies, social activities, and economic livelihoods for local communities. The regulation aims to ensure that these functions remain protected from land-use changes that could disrupt cultural practices or public access.
According to Koster, the regulation also guarantees the rights and role of traditional communities in managing and protecting beaches and coastal areas, particularly for rituals, ceremonies, and other social or economic activities.
“This regulation ensures legal certainty regarding the use and protection of beaches and coastal buffer zones, both in their spiritual and physical functions,” he said.
The new rule also introduces clearer spatial planning for coastal areas and sets restrictions on construction or activities that are not aligned with the cultural, social, or economic interests of local communities.
Authorities say the regulation is intended to prevent environmental degradation, land-use conflicts, and violations of the sacred values associated with coastal areas.
In practice, the regulation specifically protects access routes and locations used for traditional ceremonies such as Melasti, Nyegara Gunung, and other coastal rituals.
It also acknowledges ceremonies such as Nyepi Segara or other coastal observances carried out by specific traditional villages according to local customary rules.
The regulation explicitly prohibits individuals or entities from blocking or restricting access for traditional ceremonies conducted in beach and coastal buffer areas.
Violations may result in administrative sanctions including written warnings, temporary suspension of activities, or closure of the location. Authorities may also impose permit revocations, permit cancellations, demolition of structures, and restoration of the affected area.
The new coastal protection regulation complements earlier provincial policies introduced by the Bali government to control land-use conversion and restrict nominee-based land ownership.