Buy North Bali land that earns a return on today’s fundamentals — price arbitrage, wellness and long-stay rental demand — rather than on the airport. As of June 2026, the North Bali International Airport in Buleleng has presidential backing and a place in the 2025–2029 national plan, but no final location permit and no groundbreaking. Treat the airport as upside, not your thesis.
Where the North Bali airport actually stands in 2026
The “second Bali airport” is back on the national agenda after being dropped under the previous administration in 2022. The Prabowo government reprioritised it in 2024, and in July 2025 a coordinating minister stated publicly that the president had approved construction of North Bali International Airport. It now sits inside the 2025–2029 National Mid-Term Development Plan (RPJMN).
That is the confirmed part. Here is what is not yet settled: Indonesia’s civil aviation directorate has stated there is no confirmed site, even though the Bali provincial government has submitted a location-determination request. The location permit (IPL) is still under review. Proposals place the airport in Buleleng Regency — either at Kubutambahan on reclaimed coastal land or at Sumberklampok in the northwest — but no legally binding penetapan lokasi has been issued.
The main private proponent, PT BIBU Panji Sakti, has signed an MoU with China Construction First Group as contractor and partnered with Korean firm S-Transport on a digital ecosystem. The headline figure is roughly IDR 50 trillion (about USD 3–3.5 billion) for initial phases, with planned capacity up to 50 million passengers a year. Optimistic timelines float a 2027 construction start and late-2020s opening, but no concession or final permit has been granted. The honest planning assumption for a buyer in 2026 is simple: construction may start around 2027 if permits and land acquisition clear, and operations land somewhere in the late 2020s at the earliest. Build your numbers as if that slips.
The price gap that makes Buleleng worth a look
The reason North Bali deserves attention has nothing to do with the airport. It is the raw price difference. Land in tourism-favoured pockets of Buleleng still trades at a fraction of South Bali’s hottest corridors.
Approximate 2025–2026 asking ranges (converted at roughly IDR 15,500 per USD):
- Lovina: IDR 75–200 million per are (100 sqm), about USD 4.80–12.90 per sqm. Sea-view at the top, village second-line at the bottom.
- Singaraja outskirts: IDR 50–150 million per are, about USD 3.20–9.70 per sqm.
- Kubutambahan (airport-influence zone): IDR 40–120 million per are, about USD 2.60–7.70 per sqm. Inland farm plots stay cheap; roadside and sea-view carry an early speculation premium.
- Tejakula: IDR 50–150 million per are, about USD 3.20–9.70 per sqm. Favoured by eco-resorts and retreats.
- Pemuteran: IDR 60–180 million per are, about USD 3.90–11.60 per sqm. Strong dive-tourism demand.
Compare that to South Bali, where prime Canggu, Berawa and Pererenan land runs IDR 1.0–2.5 billion-plus per are (roughly USD 64–161 per sqm), Seminyak sits at USD 51–129 per sqm, and Uluwatu hotspots reach USD 39–97 per sqm. North Bali land in good locations is broadly 5–15 times cheaper. That arbitrage is the deal — the airport is a free option on top of it.
Yields: lower today, but you bought in cheaper
South Bali is a proven, saturated short-stay market. Well-run villas in Canggu, Seminyak and Uluwatu commonly post 8–12% gross rental yields, with standout managed projects claiming 12–15% at optimised occupancy. A non-expert operator should plan for 6–10%.
North Bali is earlier-stage, thinner and more seasonal. Realistic gross yields run 4–8% for average operators, with 6–10% achievable for genuinely well-marketed villas with good management. Daily rates are lower, walk-in traffic is limited, and fewer flights reach the region. But entry tickets are far smaller: a simple two-to-three-bedroom villa near the beach in Lovina or Tejakula can be built for USD 150,000–300,000, versus USD 300,000–700,000-plus for a comparable Canggu villa.
So the underwriting question is not “which area yields more” but “which capital outlay reaches my target return.” A USD 200,000 Buleleng villa at 6% gross produces a similar cash figure to a USD 400,000 South Bali villa at 6%, with half the capital at risk and the airport-and-infrastructure upside still on the table.
Building an airport-independent thesis
The mistake is buying a remote inland plot purely because it sits near a proposed runway, then waiting. If the permit slips past 2030, that land earns nothing. Instead, pick locations and use-cases that work on current demand:
- Wellness and retreat villas in Tejakula and Pemuteran, where eco-tourism already drives bookings.
- Long-stay and retirement rentals in Lovina, serving slower-paced visitors and second-home residents rather than party-belt short stays.
- Sea-view plots with real road access and water, not greenbelt or hard-to-reach hill parcels that only a future airport could justify.
If you treat the airport as a bonus, even a five-year delay leaves your investment intact. Getting around the north can be slow, so factor real travel times into any guest experience — many operators arrange a private chauffeur and transport across Bali to bridge the airport-transfer gap until North Bali has its own. Run two models for every deal: one assuming the airport never arrives, and one assuming it opens in 2030. Only buy if the first model already clears your hurdle.
How foreigners legally hold North Bali property
Ownership rules are national, so the legal structure is identical north or south — only price and yield differ. Foreigners cannot hold Hak Milik (freehold) in their own name. The three working routes are:
- Leasehold (Hak Sewa): the most common individual route. Typical initial terms of 25–30 years, with pre-agreed extensions written into the contract pushing effective control to 50–70 years.
- Hak Pakai (right to use): held directly by a foreign resident, up to 30 years and extendable, often structured toward a longer aggregate term and paired with a stay permit.
- Hak Guna Bangunan (HGB) via a PT PMA: the standard tool for serious investors. A foreign-owned company holds the right to build — typically 30 years, extendable by 20 then 30 more, up to about 80 years total — and the asset can be mortgaged or transferred.
A PT PMA generally carries a planned-investment expectation around IDR 10 billion (roughly USD 645,000) per business line, with paid-in equity often cited near IDR 2.5 billion. Setup runs through the risk-based OSS licensing system under the Omnibus Law. Indonesia’s second-home visa and investor KITAS give longer-term residency that dovetails with these structures. For a single villa, leasehold or Hak Pakai usually fits; for a multi-unit or commercial project, HGB through a PT PMA gives the strongest rights.
A practical due-diligence checklist for Buleleng
- Confirm zoning — tourism-permitted versus greenbelt or agricultural — before you fall for a view.
- Verify legal road access, water supply and electricity, not just a track on a map.
- Price the deal on today’s achievable nightly rates, not post-airport projections.
- Choose your structure (leasehold, Hak Pakai, or HGB) before you negotiate, so price and term align.
- Use an independent notary (PPAT) and a separate legal check on the seller’s title and any encumbrances.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the North Bali International Airport confirmed for 2026?
It has presidential approval and a place in the 2025–2029 national development plan, which is real progress over earlier cycles. But as of mid-2026 there is no legally binding location permit and no groundbreaking. Civil aviation authorities confirm the site is not yet finalised, so treat any firm completion date as speculative.
How much cheaper is North Bali land than South Bali?
Roughly 5 to 15 times cheaper in comparable tourism areas. Good plots in Lovina, Tejakula or Kubutambahan run about USD 3–13 per sqm, while prime Canggu and Seminyak land trades at USD 50–160-plus per sqm. That price gap is the core investment case, independent of the airport.
What rental yield can I expect in North Bali?
Plan for 4–8% gross with average management, and 6–10% for a genuinely well-marketed, well-run villa. That is below South Bali’s typical 8–12%, but your entry cost is far lower, so the cash return on a smaller capital outlay can be competitive while you retain long-term upside.
Can a foreigner own land in Buleleng?
Not as freehold in a personal name. Foreigners use leasehold (commonly 25–30 years plus extensions), Hak Pakai (right to use, up to 30 years extendable), or Hak Guna Bangunan through a PT PMA company (up to about 80 years aggregate). The rules are national, so they apply identically across North and South Bali.
Should I buy near Kubutambahan because of the airport?
Only if the plot also makes sense without the airport. A buildable, road-accessible, tourism-zoned parcel that can earn rental income today is a sound buy with airport upside attached. A remote inland plot bought purely on runway speculation earns nothing if permits slip past 2030, so make the airport optional, not essential.