The Kura Kura Bali master plan organises 498 hectares of Serangan Island, Denpasar, into five working districts: a resort and beach club zone, a mixed-use residential quarter, a commercial-retail core, an education campus, and a waterfront marina. Those functions trace directly back to the project’s environmental permit — first issued in 2017 for 491 hectares and later expanded to 498 hectares — and to Government Regulation No. 23 of 2023, which formally established the island as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
This article walks through each district: what it is zoned for, where it stands on the road to 2027, and which investor it suits. New to the project? Start with our complete Kura Kura Bali Turtle Island guide, then return here for the spatial breakdown.
How the Master Plan Grew from 491 to 498 Hectares
The land-use logic of Kura Kura Bali predates its SEZ status. Indonesia’s environment ministry records that the initial environmental permit was issued in 2017 for 491 hectares, covering hospitality, residential, commercial, and education functions. The permitted area was later expanded to 498 hectares — the figure now used in every official description of the zone.
The legal upgrade came on 5 April 2023, when President Joko Widodo signed Government Regulation No. 23 of 2023, establishing the Kura Kura Bali Special Economic Zone on Serangan Island in South Denpasar. PT Bali Turtle Island Development (BTID) develops and manages the zone — its corporate name is the English translation of “kura kura,” meaning turtle. The SEZ is formally focused on quality tourism and creative industries, with national policy discourse since adding an international financial centre ambition.
The Five Districts: Conceptual Map and Overview
BTID’s detailed plot plan is not published parcel by parcel, so the layout below is a conceptual grouping of the officially stated land-use functions — hospitality, residential, commercial, education, and marine tourism — rather than a survey map.
Serangan Island — Kura Kura Bali SEZ (498 ha) · Conceptual layout, not to scale
Coastal hospitality, resorts, F&B
Marina, boating, marine tourism gateway
Residential and integrated living
Commerce, retail, future financial-centre role
International schooling and higher-education functions
Based on land-use functions named in the 2017 environmental permit (491 ha, expanded to 498 ha) and official SEZ descriptions. District boundaries are illustrative.
| District | Core Function | Status Toward 2027 | Best-Fit Investor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resort & Beach Club | Hospitality, resorts, F&B | Active early phase; hospitality leads investment realisation | Hotel groups, beach club and F&B operators |
| Residential Quarter | Mixed-use living | Designated in master plan; phased release | Developers, family offices, long-horizon buyers |
| Commercial & Retail | Commerce, retail, financial-centre ambition | Zoned; financial regulatory framework still in progress | Retail brands, financial-services firms |
| Education Campus | Schools, higher education | Function permitted; partnerships to be confirmed | Education and training operators |
| Waterfront Marina | Marina, boating, marine tourism | Serangan already an active boating gateway | Marine tourism and charter operators |
Resort and Beach Club Zone
Hospitality is the SEZ’s formal centre of gravity — “quality tourism” is the designation written into national policy, and hospitality was the first function named in the 2017 permit. The numbers point the same way: the zone reached 75 percent of its realised investment target in 2024 and ranked among Indonesia’s top eight SEZs, and by Q1 2026 it had recorded IDR 1.62 trillion in realised investment and 2,146 jobs created.
No unit-by-unit opening calendar has been published, so treat any specific resort launch date for 2027 as indicative until BTID or the operator confirms it. Investor fit: hotel groups, branded-residence operators, and beach club or F&B concepts seeking SEZ incentives on Bali’s south coast.
Mixed-Use Residential Quarter
Residential and integrated living is the second function carried in the permit since 2017, and the district most relevant to private capital: a mixed-use quarter inside a legally established SEZ, minutes from Sanur and Denpasar. Release is phased and no full unit inventory is published, so the sensible 2027 posture is early positioning, not urgency.
We break down structures, entitlements, and entry routes in our dedicated piece on Kura Kura Bali property investment — including what the SEZ status does and does not change for foreign buyers. Investor fit: residential developers, family offices, and long-horizon individual buyers.
Commercial and Retail District
Commerce and retail complete the original four permitted functions, and this district carries the zone’s boldest ambition: Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) and national media describe Kura Kura Bali as being prepared to become an international financial centre, with an investment target of around IDR 104.4 trillion — roughly US$6 billion. That would layer offices, financial services, and supporting retail onto the commercial core.
Balance that ambition with the current reality: as of mid-2026, the zone holds SEZ status and incentives but does not yet have a complete financial-sector regulatory framework or an independent financial authority — both are in progress. Investor fit: retail brands and F&B groups now; financial-services firms should track the regulatory build-out before committing.
Education Campus
Education — international schooling and higher-education functions — has been part of the permitted land-use mix since 2017 and remains a named pillar of the master plan. Earlier project materials referenced international academic partnerships; treat any specific institutional name as a historical plan, not a confirmed operating campus, until current primary sources say otherwise. What is verifiable is the zoning itself — a rare permitted education foothold inside a Bali SEZ.
Investor fit: international school groups, higher-education institutions, and executive-training providers looking for a purpose-zoned campus site near Denpasar and Sanur.
Waterfront Marina
Maritime and marine tourism — marina and boating — round out the master plan, and this is the district with the clearest head start: Serangan has long functioned as a boating gateway for south Bali, so the marina builds on existing water access rather than starting from zero. For the practical side — berthing, day cruising, and private charters from the island — see our guide to the Kura Kura Bali marina and yacht charter scene.
To experience the waterfront before the district matures, private yacht charters in Indonesian waters can be arranged through Komodo Luxury, the marine operator in our ecosystem. Investor fit: marina operators, charter fleets, and waterfront hospitality concepts.
Investment Signals Heading into 2027
Three verified data points frame the trajectory: 75 percent of the realised investment target achieved in 2024, placing the zone among the top eight SEZs nationally; IDR 1.62 trillion booked with 2,146 jobs by Q1 2026; and a long-term financial-centre target of around IDR 104.4 trillion (~US$6 billion) — a stated ambition, not a committed pipeline. Read any land or unit pricing as indicative or from-rates, with final terms on request from the developer or licensed agents.
For executives who want to assess the districts in person, private site visits, VIP airport arrival, and secure transport around Serangan and Denpasar can be arranged through Bali Premium Trip’s investor concierge.
Disclaimer: this article is general information, not legal, financial, or investment advice. SEZ regulations, incentives, and foreign-ownership rules change and apply differently case by case. Verify every material fact with BTID, Indonesia’s National SEZ Council, OJK, and your own licensed legal and financial advisers before committing capital.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kura Kura Bali master plan?
It is the land-use framework for the 498-hectare Kura Kura Bali SEZ on Serangan Island, Denpasar. Rooted in a 2017 environmental permit (initially 491 hectares), it allocates the island across hospitality, residential, commercial, education, and marina functions under Government Regulation No. 23 of 2023.
Who is developing Kura Kura Bali?
PT Bali Turtle Island Development (BTID) develops and manages the SEZ, following the appointment process set out in the 2023 regulation. The company’s name is the English translation of “kura kura” — turtle — which is why the project is internationally known as Turtle Island Bali.
How many districts does the master plan contain?
Official sources name five core functions, treated here as districts: resort and beach club, mixed-use residential, commercial-retail, education campus, and waterfront marina. BTID publishes no parcel-level public map, so boundaries here are conceptual.
Which district is most advanced heading into 2027?
Hospitality leads on the available evidence — investment realisation of 75 percent of the 2024 target and IDR 1.62 trillion by Q1 2026 fits a tourism-first buildout — while the marina benefits from Serangan’s existing role as a boating gateway.
Can foreigners invest in Kura Kura Bali districts?
The SEZ framework is explicitly designed to attract international capital, but structures, incentives, and ownership routes depend on your sector and legal setup. Treat this as a starting point, not advice — engage licensed Indonesian legal counsel and confirm current rules with BTID and the National SEZ Council.
Want a district-by-district briefing before you visit, or help arranging a Serangan site inspection with executive transport? Message the business development desk of Juara Holding Group on WhatsApp at +62 811-2859-0000 or email [email protected] — we respond within one business day.