Unchecked development imperils Bali's Bingin Beach, disregarding the genuine risk it poses
Bingin Beach Settlement and Impossibles Cliff Face: A Study in Contrasting Development Styles
The informal settlement at Bingin Beach, Bali, known for its rich surfing heritage, is under threat of demolition due to its classification as illegal constructions on public land [1]. This settlement, which began as an informal surfer hub in the 1970s, has evolved over the decades into a tourist area with surf shops, restaurants, and small hotels.
However, the larger settlement at the top of the escarpment, mostly emerged since 2010, is a mix of walled hotel compounds and private villas, and has proven sustainable and become an integral part of the local heritage. In contrast, the development at Impossibles cliff face, a "rare cliff-front location" [2], has raised concerns about environmental destruction due to excavation.
The collapse of the Impossibles cliff face due to excavation remains unclear whether it was formally approved, but it highlights the need for proper oversight in coastal development projects. The Amali project, underway near Impossibles beach, is replacing low-rise tourist compounds with larger, denser resorts, including villas excavated into a 50-meter-high cliff. In May 2024, the excavation of the Amali project caused a significant portion of the natural cliff face to collapse onto the beach and into the ocean.
A spokesperson for the traders in the Bingin Beach settlement argues that most of the businesses are locally owned, and livelihoods are at stake. The steepness of the slope precludes vehicle access, and the only public access is via two pedestrian stairways. The settlement now caters to a broader tourist market, with some rooms going for upwards of US$150 per night.
The House of Representatives has declared the settlement was illegally constructed on state land and has ordered the demolition of 45 buildings. However, alternatives to wholesale demolition have been discussed, including regularizing and integrating the existing structures, implementing community-based management and sustainable tourism development, introducing infrastructure improvements, and employing incremental redevelopment or relocation strategies.
The demolition of the settlement may be to clear the ground for the next round of up-market resorts. Overdevelopment, as seen in the Morabito Art Cliff hotel and the Amali project, can escalate density and destroy the very attraction that produced the settlement, in this case, Bingin Beach. The Morabito Art Cliff hotel, located in the Bingin Beach escarpment settlement, stands more than six storeys tall, obstructing the natural landscape and views.
In conclusion, the Bingin Beach escarpment settlement and the Impossibles area represent two different development stories. The former, with its incremental, irregular, and socio-environmentally sensitive growth, is sustainable and integral to local heritage. The latter, with its large-scale, environmentally destructive excavation, sets a dangerous precedent and raises questions about the need for proper oversight in coastal development projects.
