“Devastating” Floating Restaurant Threatens Bali Surf Spot

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Dec 16, 2024 4:25 PM ET

While the lion’s share of Balinese surfing focuses on the Bukit Peninsula – with its storied, considerably crowded, and lengthy lefthand pointbreaks like Uluwatu, Padang Padang, and others – there’s a regularfooter’s paradise tucked away on the island’s east coast: Keramas.

From World Surf League events of the past, to a steady stream of surf edits coming from the wave, Keramas is home to some of Bali’s most high-performance surfing. It’s a heaving righthand reefbreak, with a substantial tube section when the swell size warrants it, followed by a sturdy lip for hacks, airs, and the like. When surfing in Bali is discussed, Keramas demands attention.

But this beloved surf spot is now under threat from a new proposal.

The plan is to develop a marina, and a floating restaurant, which undoubtedly would put the wave in jeopardy. And directly following the proposal, there was mounting dissent for concern of the wave.

Particularly, from the folks at Komune Resort, which hosts the annual influx of surfers and revelers to Keramas, they wrote in a statement (per The Bali Sun):

“Keramas is known as one of the best surfing locations in the world and has hosted three World Surf League events. This marina will permanently destroy the surf break, resulting in the loss of thousands of tourists each year and a devastating impact on the surfing industry in Bali.”

Details surrounding this proposal are still scarce. However, as countless surf spots have seen in the past, coastal development projects, like marinas, have spelled disaster for the waves. As for a floating restaurant? That one’s somewhat unprecedented. Perhaps step-offs from the bar into the wave?

TBD.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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