If you think of an island paradise with long stretches of sandy coastlines and azure blue beaches, Bali is likely the first place to spring to mind. And what’s not to love? There’s a vibrant food scene, majestic mountains, lush jungles, magnificent temples and a rich culture. Frankly, that’s only the half of it.
Bali’s unique draws are certainly no secret. In recent years, the tropical getaway has seen a huge spike in tourists, from digital nomads to influencers and everyone in between. However, high visitor numbers are becoming a problem on the paradisiacal island, with the government having previously announced plans to manage overtourism.
Now, it’s proposing further steps to safeguard its culture by banning private beaches. For a long time, serious concerns have been raised that hotels, villas, resorts and beach clubs have been ring-fencing coastlines, leaving no place for locals to go. This is vitally important because in Hindu culture, the sea is used for religious ceremonies, like Segara Kerthi and Pakelem. The fear is these rituals, which can involve performance, prayers and the release of sea creatures, are being wiped out of existence.
To put a stop to this, on November 17, Governor I Wayan Koster submitted draft proposals recommending the total ban of private beaches in a hearing with Balinese lawmakers. The governor said the hope is to ‘restore Bali’s beaches to its original purpose’, according to Asia News.
He continued: ‘Access to the beach for Segara Kerthi or Pakelem ceremonies is becoming increasingly limited. Some hotel and villa operators are blocking public access, prohibiting residents from performing religious activities, or carrying out inappropriate activities on the shoreline during important ceremonies.
‘It’s as if those who build hotels or villas think they own the beach and the sea. They dictate what people can and cannot do, even though they only own land near the shore, not the beach or the ocean itself.’
The Balinese government plan to deliver their verdict quickly, with the aim of introducing the ban before the end of this year.
It’s not the first time Bali has taken action against tourists. Earlier this year, the Governor announced a new set of guidelines to crack down on unruly tourist behaviour, including the introduction of a special task force. Previously, there have been bans on tourists renting motorbikes and climbing Bali’s mountains. Foreign travellers must also pay a tourist tax of 150,000 rupiah (£8) on arrival.
Did you see that badly behaved air passengers could soon be fined up to €20,000?
Plus, these are the emerging destinations most at-risk of overtourism right now.
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