Bali Says 88.3 Kilometres of Coastline Remain Affected by Abrasion

Denpasar — Bali’s public works office said 88.3 kilometres of the island’s 437.70-kilometre coastline were still affected by coastal abrasion, according to Indonesian-language reports that quoted then-head of the provincial agency I Nyoman Astawa Riadi in Denpasar on Jan. 9, 2014. Those reports said the figure had fallen from 181.7 kilometres identified in satellite monitoring in 2009 after 93.35 kilometres were handled with breakwaters.

The same reports said the worst abrasion was in southern Bali and that the problem was linked both to natural forces and development along the coastal setback zone. They also said the provincial response had focused on the most heavily eroded beaches because funding was limited.

The numbers imply that about 20.2% of Bali’s stated coastline remained affected, after roughly 41.5% had first been identified in 2009. The figures in the reports do not explain whether all three measurements were taken with the same method, but they were presented as official coastal-management data rather than a separate scientific survey.

Later reporting on Bali’s shoreline has continued to describe erosion as a persistent issue. A 2024 study report said shoreline loss remained concentrated in Bali’s south, west coast and southeast, while local reporting in 2026 described severe erosion at Kuta Beach and ongoing protection work there.

Coastal management concerns

The Jan. 9 reports also quoted Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati, identified as head of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association, as saying hotels and other coastal businesses sometimes built or repaired protective structures according to their own capacity. He warned that protecting one property could shift erosion pressure to neighbouring areas.

Made Iwan Dewantama, identified as Bali marine manager for Conservation International, said violations of the coastal setback zone and weak regulation contributed to the problem and called for clearer spatial planning to separate development, conservation and sacred areas.

The reports also said Dewantama urged the provincial government to approve a draft regulation on coastal spatial planning. They did not say whether that regulation was later adopted.

Key figures

• 437.70 km — Bali’s stated coastline length.
• 181.7 km — coastline first identified as affected by abrasion in 2009, according to the reports.
• 93.35 km — coastline said to have been addressed through breakwaters.
• 88.3 km — coastline said to remain affected.

Context

Coastal abrasion has been a recurring issue in Bali for years, and the island’s southern shore has repeatedly been cited as one of the most vulnerable stretches. A 2024 research-based report said shoreline loss was concentrated in the south, west coast and southeast, while 2026 reporting on Kuta Beach described fresh damage from rough seas and continuing protection work.

For Bali’s tourism economy, the main concern is not only the length of coastline affected but also whether protection measures are coordinated across adjacent stretches. The reports available for this story show that the problem was already being managed in 2014, but they do not provide a later island-wide reassessment using the same figures.

Notable timeline

• 2009: Satellite monitoring reportedly identified 181.7 kilometres of affected coastline.
• Jan. 9, 2014: Provincial officials discussed the 88.3-kilometre figure in Denpasar.

Sources

• Voice of America Indonesia
• KBR
• Mongabay
• South China Morning Post
• National Geographic Indonesia