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Holidaymakers flock to renovated Kuta Beach
Ni Komang Erviani , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar | Tue, 09/30/2008 7:58 AM | Bali
BE NICE WHEN IT'S FINISHED: An excavator passes amid the many tourists enjoying the view at Kuta Beach, which is currently being renovated. White sands are being transported to the beach to rehabilitate and preserve the damaged coast line. (JP/Ni Komang Erviani)
Domestic tourists have started flocking to Kuta beach, as of Sunday evening, ahead of the Idul Fitri celebration, mingling with foreign tourists from various countries, including Australia, Japan and European countries.
Head of the Kuta Beach life guard unit, I Gusti Ngurah Tresna, said Monday that the number of tourists visiting Kuta has jumped to about 7,000 per day from a normal average of 5,000 per day.
The peak for visitors will probably be on Wednesday, the first day of Idul Fitri, with the number of visitors to Kuta beach likely to reach about 10,000, he said.
“Most of the domestic tourists come from a number of big cities, including Jakarta and Surabaya,” Tresna said.
Aside from domestic tourists, the rate of foreign tourist arrivals to Kuta Beach is still relatively high.
“There are many foreign tourists coming to the beach because it is still the holiday season in their countries,” Tresna said.
The reclamation work being carried out on Kuta beach, however, has been disruptive and has reduced the level of amenity for the tourists. The movement of heavy equipment, especially excavators, amid relaxing tourists, has caused inconvenience.
These conditions has forced lifeguards to take part in assuring visitors’ safety on the beach as well as in the sea. The lifeguards have had to warn visitors through loudspeakers to watch out for their own safety and also that of their children because of the passing of heavy equipment.
“We have to keep reminding the visitors about the movement of heavy machinery in the area, otherwise it will be dangerous for them, especially their children,” Tresna said.
The Kuta reclamation project has forced lifeguards to close parts of the beach from visitors. The lifeguards have also coordinated with the project operators not to work in the evening.
“We have asked that the work be stopped in the evening when the number of visitors sharply increases,” Tresna said.
Meanwhile, the coordinator of the Badung Water Tourism Preservation Agency, which oversees the Kuta reclamation project, Made Suparka said that he and his personnel were ready to anticipate sharp increases in the number of tourists to Kuta.
Suparka said his agency has assigned six people to guard watch posts at Kuta beach.
He said his personnel would do their best to maintain safety for visitors so as to prevent any accidents.
Suparka said that the most frequent incidents taking place in Kuta were drowning accidents in which swimmers were carried away by strong currents.
“We have anticipated this by installing flags informing visitors not to swim in certain areas. But there are visitors who are stubborn,” he said.
Heriawan, a tourist from Jakarta, said he was happy to be able to have a holiday in Bali. He said he has planned his vacation ages ago.
“Bali is the favorite place to pass the vacation for me and my family,” said the father of two.
However, Heriawan expressed concern over the reclamation project which is being carried out during the holiday season.
“It is a pity the project has partly ruined the view,” he said.
Gordie (not verified) — Sun, 10/05/2008 - 5:34am
It's a pity that Kuta Beach renovation does not include plants and tree cover to maintain the sand. Attempts in years passed to plant trees have proven not very successful due to the huge amount of beach workers (massage therapists, drinks sellers, sunglasses sellers you name it) setting up camp under what little remains of the trees. The plant cover is destroyed and actually it helps to keep tourists off the main beach and risks lives by pushing the tourists up and down the coast. Why? Because of the(understandably of course due to poverty) over-aggressive selling. As much as tourists on the beach want to participate in the local economy, it makes it uncomfortable with this constant and aggressive marketing.
There needs to be a much-needed fenced area to protect the sand and allow a lot of trees to take hold to protect the sand and the beach. Unfortunately all the sellers will not have the shade to take up camp.
Mark Austin (not verified) — Tue, 09/30/2008 - 1:41pm
They all look like cheap package deal Asian tourists to me!