Earth Advocates - Beach Pollution and Construction

Beach pollution in Bali


The shoreline of the popular Kuta-Legian main beach, being invaded by large pockets of greenish-brown bacterial feeding algae.

An obvious smelly visible warning by nature to the prospective sea visitor, a result of pollution run-off from rivers and such. Water analysis tests taken during June at Air Limbah and Legian beach areas showed extraordinary high pollution rates.

Click for Copy of the report

A Typical sight of any plot along or beside the Bali beaches, if not on the beach itself. Trash and illegal constructions can be found in many locations.




Years of garbage burial along many of Bali's beaches exposed after
June's 1997 swell. Every conceivable kind of garbage could be found!

Update 2000

Unfortunately after a two year decline of pollutants on the western beaches of Bali, the situation seems to have worsened, despite the beach cleaning program in place. It seems that now that the economic situation has neutralized itself, things are back to the levels of before. This can also be related to the overwhelming population explosion in Indonesia but particularly the development on Bali, since now many Chinese feel safer living in Bali rather than other Islands and are investing heavily there. Also the government inability to invest in an efficient water processing plant, for water waste and to filter the polluted rivers which pour into the seas, especially the west side of Bali, which also suffers from the east Javanese pollutants. From October until January 2001, the popular Kuta-Legian beaches were so trashed and polluted that few people swam in the waters there, many skin rashes were attributed to the polluted water. Unless drastic measures are taken the situation will not improve. Only during the dry periods, dry season (April-Sept.), and when there are no current from East Java will the waters at Kuta Legian beaches safe from pollutants.

Beach pollution in Bali – Water Quality Report

Illegal beach construction




Cement filled wall structure meant to serve the tourist (once repaired), blocking the beach.

Barrels filled with cement and steel wire are used to combat the forces of nature, further blocking sea movement.

Legian Beach,
Bali in June 1997.
Damaged controversial 'beach constructions' built from 1996 block passage by tourists at high tide.

Unavoidable situation.
Tourist soaked by a high tide wave several days after a strong swell hit the coast of
Bali during June 1997.

More beach space allotted by freewheeling entrepreneurs, with questionable licenses, to lay another row of cement barrels on 'sand'. Word is that the Naval and Coast Guard officials are behind the otherwise illegal Licenses.




Beach bar floors filled with cement meant to prevent the inevitable disaster from occurring....a question of time.

More constructions are built 'on' Bali's beaches in spite of written laws disallowing such and the obvious show of force by the sea.


This a demonstration of disregard to laws, human ignorance, plus arrogance toward nature in search of monetary gains.

During the July 1997 visit to the Kuta-Legian beaches by the top local government officials, including the then governor and current Minister Bagus, it was promised that all these illegal constructions would be removed by October. This was reported and recorded numerous times by the press.

By mid-August 1998, the structures were larger than ever and more had been built. The older ones had been reinforced with tons of filled cement barrels lined with medal cable, some filled with Limestone cement , all this standing on a sandy beach. The word was that these all had to be removed by October 98.

All the Illegal Beach Constructions were forcibly removed October 1998 by order of the Local Government. A successful end to one of Earth Advocates campaigns!