North Bali International Airport (Bandara International Bali Baru) is a proposed second airport in the north of Bali, Indonesia. A new airport for Bali is being considered as the current airport (Ngurah Rai International Airport) is in a built-up urban area, making it difficult for further expansion. There is only one runway at DPS Airport, which limits its capacity.
A plan for a new airport on the north side of the island was made public in 2013. In 2015 it was announced that the airport would be built offshore in Kubutambahan District, Buleleng Regency. The project was removed from the list of National Strategic Projects in July 2022 by president Joko Widodo.
The airport plan was revived in October 2024 by the new administration of President Prabowo. The new airport is a joint development between PT BIBU Panji Sakti and the Chinese company ChangYe Construction Group, which is investing US$3 billion in the project. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing on November 8, 2024.
Transport
Any new airport in the north would need transport infrastructure to go with it. Most passengers would still be going to the south of the island, and it currently takes about 3 hours to travel from Ngurah Rai Airport to Singaraja in North Bali. There is a plan for a north-south toll road, and earlier plans mention the airport being part of a pan-island Bali railway.
Airport Names
North Bali International Airport
Bandara International Bali Baru (BIBU)
Buleleng International Airport
New airport location alternatives
Gerogak Village and Celukan Bawang Village were also considered in Buleleng Regency.
A new airport in Jembrana Regency (the southern half of west Bali) was also proposed. This was known as New Bali International Airport or Jembrana City International Airport.
Map of North Bali International Airport
[Map of North Bali International Airport.]
Airport Design Proposals
Design concept by Airports Kinesis Canada.
Design concept by Videshiiya Studio.
Design by Surbana Jurong.
[Image via Wikipedia.]
News Archive
2024
Erick Thohir expects Bali to build new airport in 2027 – [22/11/24]
“State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir has announced plans to begin construction of a new airport in Bali by 2027, with the growing number of passengers at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Kuta district, Badung regency, as one reason for the construction.”
“The existing I Gusti Ngurah International Airport currently serves 32 million passengers annually and its peak capacity will be reached by 2029-2030, necessitating building a new airport soon”.
North Bali Airport gets $3 billion boost from Chinese investors, targeting 2027 completion – [21/11/24]
“Chinese investors is injecting funds into the North Bali Airport development project in Kubutambahan District, Buleleng, Bali.
This project is targeted to be completed in 2027 for one runway.
PT BIBU Panji Sakti and ChangYe Construction Group signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on November 8, 2024, at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing.”
North Bali International Airport development would see new city built on island – [20/11/24]
‘A new Singapore or Hong Kong’? Indonesia to build Bali’s second airport amid scepticism – [15/11/24]
“Joint development between local and Chinese firm, which is investing US$3 billion, has support of President Prabowo, but some Balinese are unimpressed.”
More updates shared with tourists on North Bali International Airport plans – [13/11/24]
PT BIBU gets IDR 50 trillion investment to complete North Bali Airport – [13/11/24]
“The initiator of North Bali Airport, PT BIBU Panji Sakti, received investment funds of US$3 billion or equivalent to Rp50 trillion from the Chinese company ChangYe Construction Group to accelerate the development target of North Bali International Airport.”
Central govt to pick North Bali Airport location: governor – [13/11/24]
“The central government will choose the location, whether in the eastern part or the western part of North Bali. There are advantages and disadvantages”.
Parts of proposed North Bali Airport site overlap with protected forest areas – [12/11/24]
Why a North Bali Airport won’t work – [10/11/24]
Overtourism or balanced development? – [09/11/24]
“Bali airport plan sparks debate Long Indonesia’s premier tourist destination, Bali keeps getting all the attention, and ongoing government initiatives, rather than spread out development across the country, further cement the island’s dominance, to the extent that many now worry about overtourism.”
Bali leaders condemn mission to make island new Hong Kong – [06/11/24]
Gerindra Clarifies Prabowo’s North Bali Airport Plan, No Plans for ‘New Singapore’ – [04/11/24]
“Prabowo’s vision does not mean changing Bali into a new Singapore but rather adopting the modern and advanced airport designs of Singapore and Hong Kong for the planned North Bali International Airport.”
President Prabowo aims to build North Bali Airport – [04/11/24]
“President Prabowo Subianto is committed to building an airport in North Bali. According to him, this airport will encourage the development of the island’s infrastructure, as in Singapore and Hong Kong.”
Indonesia’s Prabowo commits to make Bali ‘the new Singapore’ through international airport pledge – [04/11/24]
“The project to build the North Bali International Airport was removed from former president Joko Widodo’s list of National Strategic Projects in July 2022 and was also said to be opposed by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.”
Bali reportedly to build second airport under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration – [30/10/24]
Bali set to have second airport under Indonesia’s new president Prabowo – [26/10/24]
“A politician from ruling party Gerindra told The Straits Times on Oct 21 that the newly inaugurated president is fully on board with the project. “Pak Prabowo wants this project supported,” he said, declining to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media.”
North Bali Airport could be sidelined further despite presidential election promises – [24/10/24]
Tourism expert criticises plan to build airport in North Bali – [28/05/24]
“Nyoman Sukma Arida, a tourism expert at Udayana University, expressed her opinion to the local press that adding more airports on Bali Island—particularly, a new airport in North Bali—would be more trouble than it is worth.”
North Bali airport development will continue, supported by Penglingsir Puri Agung – [27/05/24]
Puri Bali leader supports North Bali airport development – [21/05/24]
2023
La Nyalla promises to propose to Jokowi that North Bali Airport development returns to PSN – [19/06/23]
Megawati says ‘no’ to North Bali Airport – [29/01/23]
2022
Minister says North Bali Airport still needed despite being deprioritized by government – [22/08/22]
Why Bali needs a new airport apart from Ngurah Rai – [22/08/22]
Second Bali Airport shelved along with other infrastructure projects: Official – [28/07/22]
Plans for new airport in NW Bali opposed – [27/07/22]
Locals urge North Bali International Airport construction – [23/06/22]
“The people of Buleleng district are urging the government to immediately build North Bali International Airport, which they want to be located on the coast of Kubutambahan District, Buleleng, Bali.”
BKPM receives feasibility study of North Bali International Airport – [09/01/22]
Chinese state-owned enterprise takes part in Bali airport project – [06/01/22]
Bali’s offshore airport to be finished by 2024 – [05/01/22]
2021
New international airport in Northern Bali will improve economy – [22/12/21]
Waskita Karya will work on North Bali International Airport development project – [17/12/21]
“Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk has signed a memorandum of understanding with PT BIBU Panji Sakti in the context of the North Bali International Airport development project along with supporting facilities and related infrastructure.”
North Bali airport project rejected by government officials – [17/02/21]
2020
Local resistance to NW Bali airport grows – [28/10/20]
“Radar Bali reports that residents of Sumberklampok Village, Gerokgak, in and Buleleng Regency, North Bali, are becoming increasingly vocal in their opposition to the construction of Bali’s second international airport in their community.”
North Bali Airport in a holding pattern – [19/10/20]
“NusaBali reports how plans to build a second airport in Northeast Bali at Kubutambahan now appear highly doubtful after discovering that a large portion of the acreage needed for the air gateway is already under a long-term lease. This unexpected development has effectively sidelined any effort to acquire the land necessary for runways, terminals, and supporting facilities in that location.”
Second airport in North Bali projected for 2023 despite land disagreement – [16/10/20]
2019
Local community hands over temple land to support North Bali airport construction – [09/09/19]
Bali to get new airport for low-cost carriers – [29/07/19]
“…the new airport, which is to be built in the northern village of Kubutambahan, would take all the low-cost carriers, while Ngurah Rai in the south would take the “normal” ones.”
North Bali airport project takes a pause as it awaits progress in the development of North-South access – [29/07/19]
“The development of an airport on the north coast of Bali might take a little longer to get off the ground than first expected as Indonesia’s transportation minister has stressed that the project would depend on the progress of the island’s North-South toll road.”
Plans for north Bali’s Buleleng Airport aim to improve infrastructure and encourage more investment – [17/07/19]
“It appears as if plans are moving forward with the development of Bali’s new airport at Kubutambahan in Buleleng Regency on the north coast. This could have profound implications for the immediate area as well as the rest of the island.”
Kinesis withdraw this investment for the North Bali Airport – [24/06/19]
North Bali Airport could be a game changer – [04/01/19]
“The construction of the new Bali airport in Kubutambahan in Buleleng Regency will begin in 2020”.
2018
North Bali airport project set to take off next year – [19/12/18]
North Bali Airport: Province, Ministry of Transportation agree on location for project in Buleleng – [02/11/18]
“The airport will be built in Kubutambahan on 420 hectares of “customary land”, according to an agreement between Buleleng Regency, Bali Province, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation.”
North Bali International Airport – Airports Kinesis Canada – [20/03/18]
[YouTube: North Bali International Airport.]
Offshore airport in northern Bali not urgent: Minister – [05/03/18]
USD 2 billion for second airport in Bali – Indonesia’s tourist island destination – [02/03/18]
“The North Bali International Airport (Bandara International Bali Baru or BIBU) took another step closer to becoming reality recently when PT Bali International Airport (PT BIBU) Panji Sakti and Canadian company, Kenesis Capital and Investment (KCA), agreed terms for an investment of USD 2 billion (about IDR 27 trillion) into the project, according to local news wires.”
New $2b offshore international airport planned for Northern Bali – [24/02/18]
“Indonesian private-sector company Bandara Internasional Bali Utara plans to build a new international airport in northern Bali to accommodate growth in foreign tourist arrivals. The airport will be built offshore to avoid interference with rice fields, temples and villages.”
PPP Project: North Bali airport to complete in 2025 – [03/01/18]
“The airport in North Bali, located in Buleleng Regency, Bali, is targeted to be operational in 2025 after the Ministry of Transportation issued a permit for location determination this year. Bali Governor I Wayan Koster elaborated that after the permit for location determination (penlok) comes out in 2019, then the construction will begin in 2020. Tt will take at least 4 years to complete the construction, which will then begin operation in 2025.”
2017
https://www.pwc.com/id/en/media-centre/infrastructure-news/infrastructure-news—archive/july-2017/new-airport–the-fate-of-north-bali-to-be-determined-at-end-2017.html
New airport: The fate of North Bali to be determined at end-2017 – [28/07/17]
North Bali’s new international airport almost ready to go – [14/04/17]
“Panji Sakti International Airport in North Bali will be the first floating airport in Indonesia and the most advanced of its kind. The groundbreaking of the airport that is located off-shore in Kubutambahan village, Buleleng, is scheduled for August 28, 2017.”
Local, French investors vie for North Bali Airport project – [10/04/17]
Government still working on determining location for new Bali airport in island’s north – [07/04/17]
“Airports Director of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Yudhi Sari Sitompul, says that Bali’s second airport will still more than likely be done in Buleleng, it’s just a matter of where in the regency.”
2016
Floating airport to be built in northern Bali – [27/05/16]
“An artificial island measuring 1,400 hectares is to be created in waters off Bali’s northern coast for a new airport.”
Bali’s Governor issues recommendation for new airport in North Bali – [10/05/16]
Bali’s Governor Made Pastika recently told NusaBali that he had already received a detailed plan from a Canadian company for the building of the new Bali international airport, to be located in the North Bali regency of Buleleng.
Bali set to build 2nd airport to meet tourism boom – [29/02/16]
“Indonesia’s main tourist island, Bali, is attracting 10 million tourists a year and, with that number expected to double by 2025, its government wants to build a second airport.”
2015
Angkasa Pura I appointed to build Buleleng airport – [06/07/15]
Bali to build floating airport – [21/05/15]
“…a Canadian investor had presented the airport construction master plan to the regent of Buleleng on Wednesday. I Made Mangku, who spoke on behalf of the Canadian investor, said that according to plan, the airport would be constructed on 1,400 hectares of reclaimed water area on the beach. He added that the airport would have two runways. A 125-meter bridge will be also constructed to connect the airport to the mainland. According to the master plan, part of the beach will be reclaimed but will not be converted into an island and water will continue to float under the airport. Construction will be supported by concrete piles, he said. The airport construction project was estimated to absorb Rp 30 trillion and the investor had prepared 80 percent of it”.
2013
Public Private Partnerships – Infrastructure projects plan in Indonesia – [November 2013]
Gerokgak chosen as new Buleleng airport site – [10/07/13]
“After years of speculation and discussion, the provincial administration has decided on Sumberkima village in Gerokgak, Buleleng regency, north Bali, as the most likely site for a new airport.”
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