Bali Kite Festival is definitely one of our favourite festivals in Bali. If you're planning to be in Bali between July - October, this is something that you surely don't want to miss.
The traditional festival started off as a seasonal religious festival as a celebration for abundant crops and harvests, but over time as become a major showdown between 'banjar' (villages) in Bali in building the most beautiful, elaborate traditional kites coupled up with the most impressive kite-flying skills.
There are three types of traditional kites that are usually flown in the festival: Janggan (bird), Bebean (fish), and Pecukan (leaves). The 'janggan' kite is designed to resemble flying birds, and it can measure up to 100m long, the 'bebean' comes in many colours and reach up to four metres in width and ten meters in length, while the 'pecukan' shape requires the most skill to fly.
There is also a competition for 'new and creative design' and it sees kites in different forms and shapes, which may include three-dimensional figures and crazy shapes - sometimes in reference to Hindu gods or pop-culture icons - or some massive, elaborate productions. At the beginning of this year's festival, for instance, there was a Nagaraja kite, which weighed 770kg and literally required hundreds of people to lift.
At the beginning of this year's festival, for instance, there was a Nagaraja kite, which weighed 770kg and literally required hundreds of people to lift.
The festival spans across different dates and held in different locations - usually taking place along the eastern coast of Padanggalak, just north of Sanur. If you're planning to see this amazing festival for yourself, you can check out the following schedule which was released by the Bali Kites Association or Pelangi (Persatuan Layang-Layang Indonesia, Bali chapter):
1. Bali Kite Festival: 7-9 July, Padanggalak Beach, Sanur
2. Pelangi Gianyar Kite Competition: 15-16 July, Masceti Beach, Gianyar
3. Dangin Peken Dhananjaya Cup Kite Festival: 22-23 July, Mertasari Beach, Sanur
4. Belega Kite Competition: 29-30 July, Masceti Beach, Gianyar
5. Ungasan Kite Competition: 29-30 July, Ungasan
6. Sanur Kite Competition (Sanur Village Festival): 3-6 August, Sanur Beach
7. Biaung Kite Competition: 12-13 August, Biaung
8. Banjar Banjaran Kite Competition: 17 August, Abiansemal, Badung
9. Klungkung Kite Competition: 17 August, Klungkung
10. Pelangi Denpasar Kite Competition: 19-20 August, Denpasar
11. Tanjung Kite Competition: 26-27 August, Sanur
12. Pelangi Badung Kite Competition: 2-3 September, Padanggalak Beach, Sanur
13. Pelangi Tabanan Kite Competition: 9-10 September, Padanggalak Beach, Sanur
14. Peliatan Kite Competition: 9-10 September, Peliatan, Ubud
15. Namaste Kite Club Kite Competition: 16-17 September, Padanggalak Beach, Sanur
16. Tangsi Kite Competition: 23-24 September, Sanur
17. Ganeca Kite Competition: 23-24 September, Tabanan
18. Bekul Kite Festival: 30 September - 1 October, Padanggalak Beach, Sanur
19. Rockiller Kite Festival: 7-8 October, Padanggalak Beach, Sanur
20. LPM Kuta Kite Competition: 14-15 October, Kuta
21. Batuyang Kite Competition: 21-22 October, Ubud
22. Bali Kite Festival 2017 Closing: 28-29 October, Padanggalak
