Seasonal Traders' Fortune Amid Homecoming Rush to Gilimanuk Port
The homecoming rush this year has left more than just tales of exhaustion from the long queues of vehicles heading to Gilimanuk Port in Jembrana, Bali. Behind the traffic congestion lies an economic windfall for local residents along the Denpasar-Gilimanuk route.
According to observations on Tuesday (17 March 2026), numerous residents along Denpasar-Gilimanuk Road have suddenly become street vendors and toilet service providers. Not only in Gilimanuk Village, but residents in Sumbersari Village through to Tuwed in Jembrana have been actively opening makeshift stalls in front of their homes.
Nyoman Mulyani (37), a resident of Sumbersari Village, disclosed that she has been selling goods for the past three days as the long queue of vehicles to Gilimanuk Port formed. With just a simple table, Mulyani sells coffee, light snacks, and packaged rice meals.
“Because I saw how busy it was, I brought out my coffee and instant noodle stall. It turned out many people bought, and I had to restock noodles several times today,” Mulyani said when met on Tuesday.
A similar situation was observed in Gilimanuk Village. Residential alleys that have become alternative routes for homebound travellers have transformed into rows of seasonal stalls. Novita (36), a resident of Samiana neighbourhood, revealed that she only sells once a year during Eid.
“As it happens, my husband works in Gilimanuk, and with the queue situation, I decided to try selling. On the first day I made 400,000 rupiah; when it was really busy, I could earn up to 600,000 rupiah a day,” said the mother of two.
Beyond food, toilet rental services have become the most sought-after facility by homebound travellers. Residents whose homes are located along alternative routes have unanimously opened their bathrooms to stranded travellers trapped in traffic for hours.
Ni Nengah Semiarti (60), a vendor at Gang II Penginuman neighbourhood, operates her home toilet 24 hours during Eid homecoming. The availability of residential toilets has become a lifesaver for travellers, especially when vehicles are stuck in areas with minimal public facilities such as Cekik Forest.
“We provide 24-hour toilet access because many travellers struggle to find one,” said Semiarti.
Wiwit, a traveller heading to Bandung, expressed gratitude for the residents’ initiative along the Denpasar-Gilimanuk route. Wiwit departed Denpasar at 01.00 Wita and only reached Gilimanuk the following day at approximately 15.25 Wita.
“It’s incredibly difficult to find a toilet, especially in the Cekik Forest area. So having toilets available in residents’ homes along the congested route has been tremendously helpful,” said Wiwit briefly.