Ubud, a popular cultural hotspot in Bali, Indonesia, is taking a proactive approach to reduce traffic and illegal parking in the town center.

Starting May 15 until the end of December, officials will be trialing a free electric vehicle shuttle bus service for tourists to explore Bali’s cultural capital with ease. The park-and-ride style facility will operate from 6 am until 11 pm daily and will be strategically located in central parking areas like the Ubud Monkey Forest.

The Gianyar Police and the Gianyar Regency Transportation Service will conduct raids on illegal parking, particularly in the busiest streets in Ubud, Jalan Raya Ubud and Jalan Hanuman. The police chief appealed to tourists and the public to obey the rules for mutual convenience, or they will face strict actions against arbitrary parking. Stakeholders, including the Directorate General of Land Transportation and the District Transportation Service, agreed that changes to the traffic flow in Ubud need to be made to improve the tourism experience and public safety in the area.

To ensure public safety, twenty officers were deployed to patrol Ubud throughout the night during the BaliSpirit Festival, one of Ubud’s most significant cultural events. The patrols aim to target people and prohibited items such as weapons and other dangerous goods and motorists who violate traffic rules. Officers also visited leading nightlife venues to ensure that the atmosphere remained safe and comfortable for those on a night out.

Ubud is a safe destination, and stakeholders are making public efforts to improve the tourism experience and public safety in the area. Tourists and locals alike are urged to comply with the rules to achieve mutual convenience and ensure a safe and enjoyable stay in Bali’s cultural capital.