South Bali Waters to Become Marine Conservation Area — Entry Fees for All Water Activities Planned from 2027

Bali is preparing a major shift in how its busiest coastal waters are managed. The provincial Marine and Fisheries Office (Dinas Kelautan dan Perikanan Bali) is finalizing a study to designate 55,000 hectares of South Bali's waters as a marine conservation area — and once established, every recreational water activity in the zone will require a paid entry ticket.

The plan, announced during World Ocean Day 2026 events at Peninsula Island in Nusa Dua, targets formal designation by 2027. It would become Bali's fifth — and likely final — marine protected area, bringing total protected waters to roughly 99,000 hectares, close to the province's 102,000-hectare target.

Which areas are affected?

The study zone stretches along Bali's southern coastline. Officially confirmed locations include Nusa Dua, Pandawa Beach, and Sanur, as stated by I Nengah Sugiarta, head of Bali's marine affairs division. Some reports also name the broader South Bali resort corridor — Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Canggu, Jimbaran, and Uluwatu — though the precise boundaries depend on the final zoning study and central government approval.

This is significant: unlike Bali's existing marine conservation areas, which sit around smaller islands (Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan) or less developed coastlines (Buleleng, Jembrana, Karangasem), the South Bali zone would directly overlay some of the island's most visited beaches and water-sport hubs.

How the entry fee system will work

Once the conservation area is formally designated, all recreational, tourism, and sports activities on the water will require an entrance ticket. This includes:

• Swimming and casual beach entry into the water
• Surfing
• Snorkeling and scuba diving
• Boat tours, jet-skiing, parasailing, and other motorized water sports
• Stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and similar activities

The system is explicitly modeled on the Nusa Penida Marine Protection Area, where since mid-2023, international tourists have paid IDR 100,000 (approximately USD 6.50) per person for snorkeling, diving, and boat tours within the protected zone. While no specific South Bali fee amount has been announced yet, travelers should budget for a comparable per-person charge.

Why South Bali? Whales, coral, and mounting pressure

The southern waters were selected for two ecological reasons:

• Whale migration corridor: The area is a known transit route for whales and other marine megafauna.
• Healthy coral reefs: Parts of the southern coast still hold relatively intact reef ecosystems worth protecting before tourism pressure degrades them further.

Kepala Dinas KP Bali I Putu Sumardiana emphasized that the goal is not simply to add another conservation area on paper, but to ensure the integrity of protected zones. "The most important thing is not adding more conservation zones — it's maintaining the ones that already exist," he told reporters. Coral reef degradation remains the biggest threat.

Zoning: not a total shutdown

The conservation area will use a zoning system with two categories:

• Core zones — strictly protected; no fishing or disruptive activities allowed.
• Limited-use zones — tourism and regulated recreation permitted, with entrance tickets required.

Beaches, hotels, beach clubs, and marine tourism businesses will continue to operate. The change affects what happens on and in the water, not access to the shoreline itself.

What happens between now and 2027?

The project is still in its study and consultation phase. The current status is "zona tunda" (postponed zone) under Bali's spatial plan (Perda No. 2/2023). Key steps ahead:

1. Completion of the technical study and zoning documents (ongoing, slowed by budget constraints).
2. Submission to Indonesia's central government for spatial allocation approval.
3. Formal designation as a marine conservation area — target: 2027.
4. Implementation of entry posts, ticketing systems, and enforcement.

The biggest obstacle is budget. Compiling the conservation-area study requires substantial expert involvement and financial resources, which is why the province is taking a gradual approach.

What this means for travelers

If you're visiting Bali before 2027: No changes. Water activities across South Bali continue as normal with no additional entry fees beyond existing operator charges.

If you're planning a trip for 2027 or later: Budget for a per-person, per-activity (or per-day) marine conservation entry ticket. Based on the Nusa Penida model, expect something in the range of IDR 100,000 (USD 6.50) per person for water-based activities. The exact fee structure, validity period, and collection method have not yet been announced.

For surfers and independent beachgoers: This is the group most likely to feel the change. Unlike organized dive or boat tours where operators can bundle the fee, independent swimmers and surfers entering the water from public beaches may encounter entry-check posts or roving enforcement — similar to how Nusa Penida monitors water entry points.

For digital nomads and long-stay visitors: If you regularly surf, swim, or dive in South Bali, factor a recurring conservation fee into your monthly budget from 2027 onward. It remains unclear whether multi-entry or annual passes will be offered, but Bali's tourism authorities have shown interest in digital ticketing solutions.

The plan is part of a broader Indonesian push toward blue-economy funding models, where tourism revenue directly finances marine protection. While the added cost per visitor is modest, the cumulative impact across millions of annual visitors could significantly change how South Bali's waters are managed — and how travelers experience them.