Introducing Old-School Transport, Bulfest Visitors Can Ride a Dokar for Free
There is something interesting about the Buleleng Festival (Bulfest) 2026. The Buleleng Regency Government (Pemkab) has introduced the dokar as a tourist vehicle for festival visitors.
Head of the Buleleng Regency Transportation Agency (Kadishub) Gede Gunawan Adnyana Putra said two dokars are prepared for visitors each day. The two dokars are stationed at the Zone A entrance area of Bulfest along Jalan Ngurah Rai, Singaraja.
According to Gunawan, the presence of the dokar at the festival serves as a means to introduce this old-fashioned mode of transport, particularly to young people in Buleleng. Visitors to Bulfest 2026 can try the sensation of riding a dokar free of charge.
“The route goes from around Jalan Ngurah Rai, then to the Official Residence. So people get to know the dokar — oh, this is what old-time transport was like,” Gunawan told detikBali on Friday (21/8/2026).
In addition to introducing the traditional transport to young people, the presence of the dokar also reinforces the old-time atmosphere in line with this year’s Bulfest concept. Given that only two units are available, visitors are asked to take turns if they wish to ride the dokar.
“Looking at the capacity, it is indeed limited. But we are introducing it — who knows, there may be toddlers who want to ride. We are trying to provide education that the transport of the past was the dokar,” he added.
One of the dokar owners involved in Bulfest 2026 is Ketut Siara. Since the afternoon, visitors have appeared enthusiastic, queuing to ride the two-wheeled carriage pulled by a horse.
Siara takes them around the festival area while providing the sensation of travelling by old-fashioned transport. As a coachman, Siara said he is happy to be involved in the activity because it provides additional income.
The 50-year-old man works daily as a dokar coachman in the Pasar Anyar area of Singaraja. During Bulfest 2026, he receives a wage of Rp 300,000 per day to serve visitors.
“The fare here is Rp 300,000 per day. At the market, sometimes I get Rp 50,000 a day, sometimes Rp 30,000,” said Siara.