A beautiful beach turned into a construction site. “Another Piece of Paradise Is Dying”
Kelingking Beach in Nusa Penida no longer resembles paradise. An unusual scaffolding appeared in a beautiful place.
The Indonesian island of Bali is famous for its beautiful coast, but the most spectacular beaches can be seen on the smaller islands belonging to the province. The destination of tourists’ one-day trips is, for example, the small town of Nusa Penida, completely excluded from car traffic. However, this paradise has lost some of its charm in recent months. It’s all because of the elevator, the construction of which was started on the famous Kelingking beach. Although work has already been stopped due to the controversy, the scaffolding still disrupts the natural landscape.
Indonesian beach destroyed
Internet users are shocked to see what is happening to Kelingking Beach in Nusa Penida. The place, which is called dinosaur beach due to its specific rock formations, has recently become a victim of human activity. Bali authorities first allowed a Chinese company to build a 182-meter glass elevator that would help tourists slide down from the top of the cliff, and now, due to numerous controversies, they have suspended construction of the structure.
Not only residents of Bali province, but also foreign guests protested against such a “convenience”. A modern elevator is a huge interference in the natural landscape, which is the main reason for coming to this region of the world. “This beach will be drowned in plastic, another piece of paradise is dying,” reads the warning of one of the tourists.
Litter is not the only problem that may arise as access to the beach becomes easier. There is also talk of an increased risk of drowning – swimming is not allowed on Kelingking due to high waves, but many tourists ignore the warnings.
Scaffolding scares away tourists
Despite the suspension of construction, the scaffolding that is disfiguring the landscape is still standing on the beach, and no one is preparing to demolish it. It is not known what the future of the project, the cost of which was estimated at $12 million, is. Meanwhile, tourists suggest that a much better solution would be to renovate the stairs. “Currently, it takes between 45 and 60 minutes to walk from the cliff to the beach along the steep path, while returning to the top of the cliff can take up to two hours,” reports the BBC.
