‘As if they own the sea’: Bali moves to stop resorts from blocking public beaches

On the island of the gods, the authorities are drawing a line in the sand.

Bali is pressing ahead with plans to guarantee that all private beaches remain accessible to the public, following growing complaints that hotels, villas and beach clubs are shutting residents out of shoreline areas that should remain open to everyone.

Bali’s beaches have long been used for Hindu sea ceremonies, which makes open access vital for local communities. A development boom has transformed much of the coastline, however, and while national law states that beaches cannot be privatised, enforcement has been inconsistent.

The regulation, put before Balinese lawmakers by Governor I Wayan Koster on 17 November, attempts to address that gap by reaffirming the shoreline as a public asset and curbing the restrictions some commercial operators are imposing.

Why is this happening?

The push comes after a series of flashpoints that have fuelled public frustration.

While proposing the new measure, Koster warned that access for important Hindu rituals such as Segara Kerthi and Pakelem – ceremonies involving performances, prayers and sometimes the release of sea creatures – is being eroded.

He also criticised hotels and villas that block pathways to the shore, saying some act “as if they own the beach and the sea” when they only hold rights to the land just inland.

According to The Jakarta Post, several viral incidents in recent years have seen locals and domestic tourists being ordered off beaches for alleged trespassing.

In 2023, a visitor was asked to leave Geger Beach in Nusa Dua so a hotel could “maintain the view” for its guests. In Sanur, a Balinese mother and child were turned away from the shoreline behind a resort. Similar disputes have been reported in Buleleng, where tourists renting a beachside villa allegedly prohibited locals from swimming.

Koster has urged lawmakers to debate the regulation quickly, aiming for passage before the end of 2025.

Bali tightens its rules as pressure from tourism grows

The proposal is one of several actions Bali is taking to manage overcrowding and preserve spaces that matter to local residents.

Officials have introduced several new guidelines to regulate “naughty” tourist behaviour, especially at sacred sites, from requiring respectful clothing to banning inappropriate photos. Visitors must also pay a 150,000-rupiah (€9) tourist tax on arrival, and officials say those who fail to comply may face legal consequences.

But local lawmakers have pushed for more decisive action.

Earlier this year, Balinese officials floated a daily tourist tax modelled on Bhutan’s Sustainable Development Fee, arguing it could help curb overcrowding and attract more responsible – and high-spending – visitors. Authorities have also paused approvals for new hotels in districts already saturated with development.

With visitor numbers still climbing and public access becoming harder to protect, the authorities hope that measures like these could help Bali hold on to the qualities that drew people there in the first place.