Construction of Concrete Seawall Has Begun at Uluwatu Cliffs

Disturbing new computer-generated footage has emerged of the Balinese government's plan to build a concrete seawall around the base of Uluwatu cliffs . The measures have been implemented to protect the Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple.

The threat of the Uluwatu temple first arose in 1992 when a significant crack was discovered in the cliff after a major earthquake. However, in the intervening years, the Balinese government’s only response was to limit visitor numbers. The iconic Hindu temple has been perched at the cliff's edge for centuries, but as more cracks in the cliffside appeared below, the government was forced to act.

The Badung Regency government announced in April that the first phase of the crack repair work would start and was due for completion by December 2024. A budget of 78.6 billion rupiahs, roughly $5m, has been allocated for the project. The government said the initiative was aimed at overcoming the impact of waves, which have the potential to damage the cliff structure further.

No mention or we assume an assessment, was made of the effects the seawall may have on marine life. The inshore reef environment is known as a dugong (manatee) and shark nursery, among many other natural worlds. The seawall could also affect the waves at Uluwatu, given the backwash typically associated with those styles of coastal constructions.

Many are alarmed at the scale and nature of the seawall as shown in the video. After @Cannguu.Info posted the video, Kelly Slater was one of the first to weigh in.

“Shit show. Gonna ruin all of it. Get the government to work on things that actually help their people. This would surely cause more damage than it would ever fix,” commented Slater.

The construction has also necessitated a huge road extension to allow access to the machinery and materials. Local sources say five diggers have been operating 12 hours a day, cutting a swathe through one of the last remaining undeveloped tracts of land near Uluwatu. A drone pic here, supplied anonymously for fear of reprisal, shows the extent of the excavation.

This comes after a construction landslide back in May below the Amali Luxury Residences just a few kilometers to the east of the Temple. A huge section of the limestone cliff collapsed into the ocean at Pemutih Pecatu Beach, between the known surf spots and beaches at Impossibles and Bingin.

The protection of the Uluwatu Temple has to be a priority, but the scale and artificial nature of the solution seem to be a massive overreach. That it has been done with little community or environmental consultation is also a huge concern. And yet with the pace of development on the Bukit far outstripping any protests, the seawall looks to be in place by the end of the year. Only then will we start to find out the effects of the construction.

Related: New Development Allegedly Causes Cliff Collapse in Bali's Uluwatu