Bali - They Paved Paradise
Summary
TLDRThis video script explores the rise of Bali as a world-renowned surfing destination and the environmental and cultural consequences of mass tourism. It highlights how the once-pristine island has been transformed by rapid development, with local surf spots, beaches, and traditional Balinese life now threatened by pollution, overcrowding, and commercialization. Local figures, including environmentalists and surfers, are shown resisting the degradation, hoping to preserve Bali's unique culture and natural beauty in the face of unchecked development and exploitation by foreign investors.
Takeaways
- 🏄 Bali is known for its world-class surf spots, attracting millions of surfers and tourists annually.
- 🌊 Mega Somali, a local pro surfer, grew up in Bali and has witnessed the transformation of its coastal areas.
- 🏝️ Once a sleepy, off-the-beaten-track island, Bali has been reshaped by mass tourism and development, causing environmental damage.
- 🚱 Pollution and mismanagement of waste are severe problems, with human effluent and garbage contaminating the island's natural beauty.
- 💸 Bali's tourism boom has led to overdevelopment, particularly in areas like Kuta and Nusa Dua, which now face unsustainable levels of growth.
- 🌾 Agricultural land, such as rice fields, is being sold off for hotel and villa development, threatening the island's traditional way of life.
- 🌿 Environmentalists and activists, like Gendo, are fighting against the unchecked expansion of resorts and hotels that harm local communities and ecosystems.
- 💧 Water shortages are becoming a critical issue, with large hotels consuming significantly more water than local Balinese families.
- 🤝 A younger generation of Balinese, including local rock star Jering, is standing up to protect their island's environment and cultural identity from over-commercialization.
- 🌏 While tourism provides economic benefits, there's a growing concern that Bali's unique cultural and spiritual heritage is being eroded in the pursuit of profit.
Q & A
What is the main environmental concern highlighted in the script about Bali?
-The script highlights the environmental degradation in Bali, especially due to the mismanagement of waste and sewage. The influx of tourists has led to pollution, with waste accumulating in rivers and affecting beaches, turning once-pristine areas into polluted zones.
How has surfing culture impacted the development of Bali?
-Surfing culture brought global attention to Bali’s beautiful beaches and waves, leading to a significant influx of surfers and tourists. This, in turn, spurred massive development in previously quiet areas, transforming them into bustling tourist hotspots but at a cost to the environment and local culture.
Who is Megha, and what role does he play in Bali's surfing community?
-Megha is a homegrown Balinese champion and one of the island's top professional surfers. He represents the local surfing talent and is living the dream of competing at a high level in a sport that has become increasingly popular in Bali.
What are some of the key changes that have occurred in Bali since the 1970s?
-Since the 1970s, Bali has seen its population grow significantly, from 2.5 million to over 4 million. Tourist numbers have exploded, from 120,000 annually to over 2.5 million, which includes 800,000 Australians. This rapid growth has led to significant environmental and social changes, including overdevelopment, pollution, and the commercialization of local culture.
What concerns does Mike O'Leary, an early expat surfer, express about Bali’s current state?
-Mike O'Leary, who has been in Bali since the 1970s, expresses concern about the pollution, particularly the human waste seeping into the ocean, which is damaging the environment. He also laments how the place has changed dramatically due to overdevelopment and tourism.
How has tourism affected traditional Balinese culture, according to the script?
-Tourism has led to a commercialization of Balinese culture, with traditional values being overshadowed by a focus on selling land and goods to tourists. Locals like Jering, a rock star from Bali, express concerns that their island's spiritual and cultural integrity is being eroded by the tourism industry.
What steps have some local activists and environmentalists taken to address Bali’s overdevelopment?
-Local activists, like Jering and environmentalist Gendo, have been raising awareness about the environmental and social issues caused by overdevelopment. They have organized protests and worked on environmental initiatives like setting up garbage collection services and advocating for better sewage systems.
What are the main problems with large-scale hotel developments in Bali?
-Large-scale hotel developments are consuming enormous amounts of resources, especially water, which is becoming scarce in many parts of the island. These hotels also contribute to the destruction of Bali's natural environment, often violating local regulations about building near sacred sites.
Why is there concern about the future of Ubud, Bali’s cultural heart?
-There is concern that Ubud, which has long been known for its peaceful atmosphere and cultural authenticity, is becoming over-commercialized. Rice fields are being replaced by villas and hotels, driving up land prices and threatening the traditional agricultural and spiritual practices that define the region.
What does Bali’s governor, Madhe Pastika, say about the issue of overdevelopment?
-Governor Madhe Pastika acknowledges that overdevelopment in Bali is driven by greedy investors, who exploit the environment, land, and culture for profit. While tourists themselves are not the problem, it is the investors and developers who are causing harm to Bali by focusing solely on financial gain.
Outlines
🏄 Bali’s Surf Culture and the Rise of Mega Somali
The introduction sets the stage in Bali, a world-famous surf destination, by highlighting local pro surfer Mega Somali, who knows the island's waves intimately. Bali’s surf culture, intertwined with Somali's legacy, is rooted in a time before it became a crowded tourist hub. Over time, the island transformed drastically due to the influx of tourists, profoundly impacting the once-quiet corners of Bali, including where Mega grew up. The environmental changes are highlighted as tourists overrun the beaches once cherished by locals.
🌊 The Dark Side of Tourism Growth
Mike O'Leary, an early surfer in Bali, reflects on how the growing number of tourists has drastically changed the environment. Hidden from the tourist’s view, the area suffers from environmental damage, such as sewage leaking into the waters, which has only worsened over decades. O'Leary and other surfers have worked to address these issues, but limited resources have made it difficult to establish proper waste management systems. Bali’s unchecked tourism growth has resulted in overcrowded beaches and a crisis with waste management, stretching its infrastructure to the breaking point.
🎸 Bali’s Local Resistance to Overdevelopment
Jaring, a local Balinese rockstar, expresses concern about how excessive commercialization and overdevelopment are destroying Bali’s natural beauty and cultural heritage. He criticizes the mainstream mentality of constantly selling land to tourists, a process that is threatening the island’s identity. Jaring, along with other locals, is leading a movement to resist the rampant development that ignores the needs of local communities, and instead prioritizes profit over preservation. He emphasizes the need for Bali to protect its land and cultural legacy.
🚧 Gendo’s Fight Against Corporate Expansion
Environmental activist Gendo, alongside Jaring, is leading protests against large-scale developments like the Mulia Hotel, which exemplify the unchecked expansion of international resorts. These hotels often violate local rules meant to preserve sacred spaces, yet local leaders are turning a blind eye, swayed by money and promises of jobs. Gendo’s activism has led to clashes with the government and developers, but he remains determined to curb the exploitation of Bali’s natural resources. He highlights how the expansion of tourism is wasteful, particularly with water, in a region already struggling with resources.
🌾 The Cultural Heart of Bali Faces Development Pressure
Ubud, Bali’s cultural and spiritual heart, has faced increasing pressure from developers. The island's traditional farming practices, which are deeply tied to spiritual rituals, are giving way to real estate projects as landowners sell their fields. This has caused a significant transformation, with thousands of acres of rice fields replaced by villas and hotels. The rising costs of land and the rapid changes have locals like Ari Nova, a member of the royal family, worried about the future of their traditions and the environmental impact on once-pristine landscapes.
🌱 Balinese Spirituality and Cultural Preservation
In the temple capital of Denpasar, Governor Made Pastika discusses the negative impact of greedy investors, who prioritize profits over the well-being of the island. Despite efforts to curb new development, political and financial interests continue to fuel unchecked growth. Pastika stresses that while tourism itself isn’t harmful, the exploitation by investors is damaging Bali. Meanwhile, Jaring turns his family’s bed-and-breakfast into a symbol of local resistance, advocating for Bali’s youth to stand up against the degradation of their island’s dignity and cultural identity.
💪 The Younger Generation Fights for Bali’s Future
The final paragraph highlights the younger Balinese generation’s commitment to protecting their home. While they may adopt Western influences in fashion and lifestyle, they remain deeply connected to the island's welfare. Jaring and others insist that the focus should be on preserving Bali’s environment, culture, and community. This movement is driven by the awareness that Bali is at risk of losing what makes it special, and the youth are at the forefront of defending the island’s future against exploitative development. The section ends with a reflection on how development may lead to irreversible loss.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Surf Tourism
💡Environmental Degradation
💡Cultural Erosion
💡Mega Developments
💡Water Crisis
💡Waste Management
💡Overdevelopment
💡Local Resistance
💡Spiritualism
💡Tourist Influx
Highlights
Bali is home to some of the best surf in the world, but it faces increasing environmental challenges.
Mega Somali, a Bali-born pro surfer, knows how to navigate the changing tides of both the ocean and his home.
Over the last 40 years, millions of surfers have come to Bali, chasing its legendary waves, but poor management of this influx has led to environmental degradation.
Bali's popular surf spots, such as Uluwatu, are now suffering from pollution, including human waste seeping into the waters.
Local surfers and environmental activists have raised concerns about the unmanaged waste and the impact it’s having on Bali’s natural beauty.
Bali’s population has grown from 2.5 million to 4 million since the 1970s, and tourism has exploded, with over 2.5 million visitors per year, including 800,000 Australians.
Massive amounts of waste are being generated daily, polluting both land and sea, particularly in tourist-heavy areas like Kuta beach.
Tourism-driven development has led to environmental destruction, as seen in places like Nusa Dua, where massive resorts dominate the landscape.
Bali's younger generation, such as Jerry, a local rock star, are actively fighting the 'Kuta-ization' of the island, pushing back against uncontrolled tourism and development.
Demonstrations and protests, led by local environmentalists like Gendo, are rare in Bali, but they have gained momentum in recent years as local culture and the environment face increasing threats.
Bali's water crisis is exacerbated by luxury resorts, which use significantly more water than the average Balinese family, depleting local resources.
Traditional Balinese practices, such as Subak, which integrate spirituality into farming, are under threat as rice fields are sold off for development.
Ubud, once a peaceful cultural heart of Bali, has become a hotspot for tourists seeking 'authenticity', but rapid development is transforming it.
Local leaders often turn a blind eye to destructive developments near sacred areas due to the influence of money and politics.
Despite the challenges, Bali’s cultural heritage remains strong, with traditions such as Gamelan and dance providing a sense of identity and hope for the future.
Transcripts
would this way before
get some wet
welcome to hell
it's home to some of the best surf in
the world
it's also home to mega Somali who knows
better than most certainly way better
than me how to ride the waves of Allah
wah to Barling slight dancing to the one
yeah
megha is a homegrown champion one of
Bali's top pro surfers he's living the
dream
the food emboss I could agree that how I
was a leading here
- sucia I can July Anatole up there
you can granite or Patania psychic a
coup
his grandfather even his father knew a
very different uh lawar to a sleepy
off-the-beaten-track corner of barley
before the crowds and the surf tourists
came and over time dramatically reshaped
the place the risky tow surfing watt
enjoy heat as her finger cherry barrel
Tahrir APPA Topeka looms entre Lora Mae
Sousa spoke Dutch to my little bro
sighing so more acquainted all we do
negative grant open yeah money got fun
over the last 40 years millions of
surfers have come here
chasing their own slice of paradise but
the influx of visitors is not being well
managed and now it's threatening the
very things that make barley beautiful I
think it's fine
building jumbo
taking a ride on a cosmic dream in the
1970s many of the first generation of
surfers took a winding dirt road south
from the main center Denpasar to find
this rugged and remote coast
it's reliable brakes and crystal clean
water quickly became the stuff of legend
I first came here fresh out of school
but returning today it's obvious lulu
art whose popularity has come at a cost
the locals can no longer ignore but tell
me where did the chilling Bellini
when we come here in minus 79 that was
absolutely no pollution at all
Australian Mike O'Leary's our local well
and truly he found his first pilgrimage
to lor - simply enchanting and he
decided to make barley his home Bali was
known for its gentle spiritualism
back in those days you could actually
feel well ghosts or spirits
you could feel feel that in the in the
air back in the 70s in the 80s
I think it's probably one of the top six
best nine surf breaks in the world and
it's a must-see on every surface
- of the world
all that attention has had a dramatic
impact and Mike O'Leary's worried it's
just too much for this place to be
between ten and fifteen thousand people
a month hitting here out of sight of the
cafes and surf shops that have sprung up
over time ample evidence of a little
backwater boosting under the stream
there just go in here Matt this is where
the bit of a cesspool here that the
surface don't see everyone sees a great
environment delight to out in the surf
but they don't see the accumulation of
the cooking oil surge and other liquid
liquid waste stinks different it sticks
in it stinks and I think it's been going
for the last 30 years I think it keeps
seeping up Mike and a bunch of other
surfers have raised money to test the
waters and found human effluent is
seeping down to the surf while they've
already set up a garbage service they're
still struggling to fund a new sewage
system in many ways hula Watteau is a
microcosm of Barley's mounting problems
barley like the rest of the world has
become very serious and merit money
orientated
alarm bells have been ringing for
decades but barley is now being
stretched to breaking point
since the late 1970s the populations
grown from around two-and-a-half million
up towards the four million mark and the
number of tourists has exploded from a
hundred and twenty thousand a year to
well over two and a half million
including 800,000 Australians
together they generate thousands of tons
of rubbish each day and the waste
problem is quite simply out of control
as the tourists pour in the rubbish is
piling up and spilling over and it's
turning these environmentally sensitive
mangroves into a putrid swamp that
stinks to high heaven this is just a few
kilometres away from the kuta tourist
trap but it's light years away from
tropical paradise the rubbish floats
down the rivers and out into the sea
piling up on the world-famous kuta beach
Kuta is the epicenter of Bali's
transformation it's radical ceaseless
redevelopment has sparked intense debate
about what it now means to be Balinese
Columbiana faculty some more mano y mano
mano morgan bilinga daddy balaji hello
to the Jardin Gris Hotel vanity Sol yang
a Pyar Kiya
Jeeva ki tahi Lanka Telecom Italia and
among the board hire businesses dotting
the cooter sand we find another local
worried about the future of his island
home but we're near for jaring cooter
has become a model for how not to
develop barley I remember that time I
live like probably 200 meters away from
kuta beach and at night I can clearly
hear the sound of the waves from my from
my room
now you can do people safe
Jerry is a cooter boy born and bred and
he sees the commercialism and sheer
scale of development in cooter as a
creeping cancer now destroying other
parts of the island
what I see the mainstream the CUDA or
Bali mainstream run or the mentality is
selling selling selling and so so I
found a point where dude I have a right
to say no to this because that's wrong
and I want to fight this
Charing is one of Indonesia's biggest
rock stars his band Superman is dead is
a huge national act
he's also out the front of another push
a growing local resistance to
development and tourism at any cost
maybe that we have this video I don't
you know anybody there's a lot of people
I know that really religious then going
to temples a lot but they're just
selling out you know just selling up the
land and is that a true Balinese you
know are you protecting your Island
it may seem odd that a young bloke who
makes a living out of a raucous good
time is taking a stand against the
cooter ization of barley but then
throughout the island it's the younger
generation that's speaking up
is what you do is not what you wear
that's what you do is what you're saying
is what your messages are about if it's
for Bali if it's for your community if
it's to protect I mean like if it's for
a greater cause for everyone else in
Bali then you are above this you know
demonstrations and protests are not a
normal part of Barley's culture they're
spiritual people not activists but
jaren's been working to change that
alongside his friend Gendo one of Bali's
best-known environmentalists american
tzedakah bali led hundred comme cela
became Roopa Sestero system that is
Lauren Lauren Bali it was a party
lemming Benetton lemming syndrome
lemming yeah Bennett Aeneas a Charizard
our d'Italia halacha rhythm embroidery
knee across the Bukit Peninsula from
Cooter's nightspots lies Nusa Dua a
quieter family destination now dominated
by huge international resorts yeah
window ah but a little but loud he again
doe is tracking the construction of yet
another super-sized development the 740
room Mulia hotel yeah Hanukkah hottest
hottest millisecond briar enniaa he's
the biggest thorn in the side of the
government and developers his activities
have even landed him in jail but he
remains determined to rein in the
industry in Acosta's Anglican so a
cetera prima didn't Amara bizarre then
Valley Harris has mahalo Playa Playa
Basara beginning ballot eda Bhutto hotel
Hotel Bazaar Canada husband geography la
sorry a new day yet again parasitized
Ahana Sonia to the Peruvian super tiny
in the late 1970s Bali had just one
five-star hotel now
there are 41 gender says they're guilty
of a dreadful waste of water with each
guest flushing away
three times the amount used by the
average Balinese family and it's a
luxury barley can ill-afford as much of
the water in this dry part of the island
is piped in from agricultural areas
further north then would they have a
gratis but Zoomer daddy Donna
then I submersible daya kunti Nacala
enos gallons of the harvest they passed
a hawk on Monday Gladys abou daya than
automata Sakon tragedy proven Buddha
hollow in Gila Rd Appa decayed apana
Hari second bullet on open bar in
emergency da ting asana Landin sati
Ratana pi a Bellini sister acid Armand
her children didn't experience a
Charizard our Manu to Lombok ahankara
not far from the construction zone Nusa
Dua x' main temple is perched on a cliff
there's a rule designed to keep big
developments a respectful distance from
such hallowed ground but Gendo says big
money and jobs have local leaders
turning a blind eye Subaru or Elizabeth
or near say sonnet quarter Mumbai Yangon
masa depan Bellini
app Allahabad or ahora en pro tem
colossi kita akan menikmati tarantula
knee and educationally Germans of
Teheran
Benton Papa Hannon Buddha belly
Manute side and creatinine side bending
adhara pana Patania
a few hours drive from the hustle and
bustle of southern barley up into the
rolling rising slopes of the island
you'll find its cultural heart Elbert
Ubud has become a favored destination
for travellers seeking a peaceful quiet
and more authentic barley
gendou was born and raised here among
the farms and rice terraces where
Barley's brand of Hinduism even shaped
agricultural practice Subic irrigation
is as complex as it is deeply spiritual
binding farmers water and rice to the
gods who in turn keep the fields fertile
and green
but farmers have been selling their land
to developers fueling a real estate boom
that's driven prices through the roof
thousands of acres of Bali's rice fields
have been turned over to villas and
hotels ubud Tito
Karen top Italian Imola hobbies Edo
Toronto falafel are not allowed
Danny on palimony d her little cigar
Amparo Subban es su casa de pena Sawa
Kanazawa Hammond re mangia Davila yah
yah yah Mon DRD ballon ballon Hotel
restorin Nakamura se trata
demasiado Pandarus Akane Alejandra hand
yuga Ubud Manero kuta
as people from avoid you know we just
don't want over to turn into Kota Ari
Nova doughy Putra is a member of one of
Bali's ceremonial royal families she's
watched her Ubud change from farming
community to tourist hotspot in a
relatively short space of time when I
was a child I used to go to the rivers
with my great-grandmother we take a bath
there you know like together with with
everybody in a village and it was nice
and and I I don't I don't experience
that for my kids now because the quality
of the water the river is not no longer
safe for them to doing that kind of
activity playing in the river it is a
shame you know because I I can see now
that my kids cannot do that
still Nova for one is hopeful that
time-honored traditions will provide the
strength to endure
she believes ubers reputation as a
cultural center holds the key to its
salvation that the nightly performances
of gamelan and dance have built a
reservoir of cultural heritage which
will sustain Ubud and preserve its magic
it's not just a tourist cliche no it's
not just for tourists you know it's
actually for all of us to inherit all
this value you know who can really you
know we know our own tradition
rum rum no me mm very nice people
believe that everything's in body they
have their own South this life is
offering everything's we do in our life
is offering to God to add a human being
and also to the environment in a temple
in the capital Denpasar is a man who
should have the power and authority to
guide Barley's future madhe past occur
is familiar to many australians after
all he was the police chief who helped
bring the barley bombers to justice
now he's Bailey's governor Taurus is not
destroying money the greedy investors
are destroying man Taurus is okay they
are good people but the greedy investors
that's the problem
isn't part of the problem that greedy
investors are all mixed up in the
political system of of barley and of
Indonesia yes of course there is an
influence of debt but still the people
on the right side is there stronger then
we hope this become more and more mod
APIs tika knows he's up against some
powerful forces exploited him foreign
investors and a who's who of local
influence this luxury hotel is part
owned by Tommy Suharto son of
Indonesia's late dictator this one
belongs to the buttery group who's
favored son runs one of the nation's
biggest political parties
a few years ago governor pass tika
issued a decree banning new hotels from
this part of the island but developers
and local mayor's have taken little
notice and the cranes keep on coming
you know everybody want to invest in
Bali in one side maybe that is good
creating jobs moving the economy but at
the other side because some of this
investor are greedy exploitation of the
firemen exploitation of the land
exploitation of the people exploitation
of the culture that is the problem
those poor really left Bali they will
invest with their heart
jaring has invested plenty of heart in
his own business turning his family's
old bed-and-breakfast into a rockabilly
punk venue
twice bar as its nom is popular with
local kids unwelcoming the tourist traps
on Main Street where foreigners walking
for free but Balinese must pay for entry
it just takes a lot of our dignity and
pride and and somehow is this we felt
like this is not our home you know this
is utter another country
what I love the most about twice bar is
first anyone can just go in there it's a
symbol of resistance you know local have
a right to have fun in Bali that's what
I'm trying to save my Stedman like
Taurus is not God here
gerrans loyal followers the punks and
rockers are not the archetypal balinese
featured on postcards and travel
brochures
you know we're adopting like Western
culture but it doesn't mean we have to
be the slave of Western civilization
right
what I believe is you know you can you
can look like not like a Barneys
you can talk not like a Balinese about
what you do and what you care about is
for the Alan and for the community
it's the young locals who know more
about the world than their parents ever
did who also know they need to fight for
their unique home and future
the finger Ruba tawheed Oh Trish
Feniger Buddha Vasya
Florin creaky mana dedicated Toki deep
and Anissa Natalie manatos Kate abuela
colonial adenine Qataris ona arroz de
I began at OMB maréchaussée opanka
tapenade
oh it always seem to go that you don't
know what you've got till it's gone
repealing paradise the park in Paradise
put up a party in love
you
you
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