The Great Wall of Kuta

[balinews]

Danny Yatim, a frequent visitor to Bali, was startled when he saw a “great wall” being built along the once-pristine Kuta Beach.

Over the last few months, Badung regional administration has been constructing a two-meter concrete fence made from white sandstones, which some said has also hidden the beauty of the white sands and great waves of Kuta Beach.

The project is estimated to cost over Rp 4 billion (US$444,000) to complete is intended to protect Kuta and Legian area from tidal and sea abrasion. Fences that will span more than 1,500 meters will be built along Kuta and Legian Beach, Bali’s most famous tourist destinations.

“For those travelling to Kuta, here’s another weird development that I call ‘Kuta Wall’. If you are driving, riding, walking, strolling on the main road or sipping coffee at a ground floor cafe, you can no longer see the blue ocean. So, sorry guy, just enjoy the wall,” shared Danny.

Dozens of people shared unfavorable comments on the “Kuta Wall” on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

Tourists, experts reject ?Great Wall? of Kuta | The Jakarta Post

 

[matsaleh]

I also heard "on the grapevine" that Badung Regency plans to charge for entry to the beach.... talk about killing the goose that lays the golden egg. :icon_eek:

 

[tintin]

Could someone elaborate on what the "great wall" looks like? Picture maybe?

 

[matsaleh]

Could someone elaborate on what the "great wall" looks like? Picture maybe?

I'll try to take some photos when I have time, Tintin.

 

[SamD]

Pristine Kuta beach

There are lots of adjectives you could use to describe Kuta beach. "Pristine" is not one of them, in my opinion. I've seen The Wall and I must say I was also surprised. As a wall, it's jolly nice, I wouldn't mind having it around my house. As a feature of a tourist seashore, I'm not so sure it works all that well but I doubt if it will stop tourists visiting the beach, charge or no charge. Where else are they going to go?

 

[pollyanna]

As a feature of a tourist seashore, I'm not so sure it works all that well but I doubt if it will stop tourists visiting the beach, charge or no charge. Where else are they going to go?

Phuket, Thailand?

 

[tintin]

[The wall] is intended to protect Kuta and Legian area from tidal and sea abrasion.

Thank you very much for the pictures. Just as I had picture it in my head. Of course, the wall can absolutely do nothing to prevent the erosion of the beach itself. And from what I can remember from the last 26 years, there has never been a problem with the sea endangering or damaging the hotels and other establishments on the other side of Jl Patai Kuta. Furthermore, if a tsunami were to occur, it surely would overwhelm the Kuta Wall.

IMHO, just a waste of money and a defacement of the view of Kuta Beach, which, as SamD wrote, is anything but "pristine."

 

[springer2003]

I also heard "on the grapevine" that Badung Regency plans to charge for entry to the beach.... talk about killing the goose that lays the golden egg. :icon_eek:

They have now incorporated the parking inspectors right down to the end of jalan pantai kuta and directed those 24 hr circle K to chain up and limit their free parking. The view of the water has been totally destroyed and those clubs and outsiding seating eateries would be losing money. The same wall i believe will not be put at the legian end of pantai kuta (thats the gated road up to seminyak).

 

[ronb]

Well, I believe that parking restrictions are the most effective way to get the traffic flowing better. Needs to be helped along by more off-street parking. But the parking restrictions seem to be a separate issue to the wall.

 

[tintin]

I'm afraid that creating more off-street parking is out of the question, with the cost of the land in this area as if it was paved with gold.

 

[mat]

I'm afraid that creating more off-street parking is out of the question, with the cost of the land in this area as if it was paved with gold.

Seems to me a car park would be a goldmine. Big business in all expensive land areas. Fancy a multistorey carpark anybody? Maybe build up another level on the beach so you can see over the wall and charge to park the cars underneath.

 

[tintin]

Of course, a multistorey carpark, but local people would most likely complain for the same reason they complain about overpasses (which, by the way, the logic of which I don't understand).

 

[Tamispecial]

Surely a multi storey car park would be of much more benefit to the regency coffers?
Pantai is and always will be a nightmare.
A multi storey car park could be built to reflect the Balinese architecture instead of those disgusting pieces of an abomination they call hotels and free up the road for better traffic movement?
As for charging to use the beach this does not surprise me one bit as it is yet another scam to rip off the tourist dollars which is almost happening on a daily basis........yep, that goose and the golden egg is becoming extinct...the Badung regency has increased the charges to the beach boys/sellers by a huge amount so a charge to use the beach will come as no surprise....it is all very sad.:icon_sad:

 

[sawbones]

You're all making too much sense with talk of multi-tiered parking complexes and such. You need to view this situation from a nonsensical standpoint and then you would understand more completely why the great Kuta wall has been erected.
Don't think outside the box, climb back into the great big box, made of cement and rebar.

 

[Cliff & Wati]

crazy
:icon_rolleyes:

 

[springer2003]

The new one is at the entrance to the beach at pantai kuta we have cars parked on the sand in the morning (10-15) in the early morning hours with people sleeping there. The plates were from java so i can only guestimate the reasons. Damn ugly that wall and do little for the erosion issue

 

[gilbert de jong]

You're all making too much sense with talk of multi-tiered parking complexes and such. You need to view this situation from a nonsensical standpoint and then you would understand more completely why the great Kuta wall has been erected.
Don't think outside the box, climb back into the great big box, made of cement and rebar.

In the box or outside the box...I still don't get it, hehehe

 

[soontobeexpat]

That wall is a stunning wall, just not for a beach.

Kuta beach is far from a perfect pristine beach however it has such life down there and it was nice looking at the beach whilst stuckin a stupid traffick jam caused by poppies 2..

Isnt it true you cant build overpass's/multistory carparks in Bali because of the hindus and there temple hieght?

I donno a Hindu friend was explaining it but it seemed so ridiculous I didnt really know if he was telling the truth or not.