Some changes are to be expected in Bali’s tourist hot spot of Canggu, after social media users on the island took to Facebook over the weekend to share images showing that local beach huts and food stalls in Berawa Beach had disappeared, reportedly in preparation to gentrify the area.
In one of several posts about the area seen on Facebook, one user shared photos from last Friday, wherein traditional beach huts that formerly stood in the area are no longer to be seen.
The responses that followed suggest people are not very happy with what’s to come.
I Gusti Agung Ketut Suryanegara, who heads Badung regency’s Public Order Police (Satpol PP), told Kumparan yesterday that he was patrolling the area shortly before New Year’s when he noticed that the local stalls had already been dismantled.
“I was confused as to why they were dismantled, and as it turns out they were preparing for the development of an upscale facility,” Suryanegara said.
Though unconfirmed, several documents shared by Facebook users and seen by Coconuts suggest that the area will be the location of either a new beach club or a shopping mall.
Suryanegara also explained that the land is privately owned, and that the owners of the food stalls in the area had agreed to the dismantling of the huts because they were only renting the property.
In recent years, Berawa Beach was considered a hidden gem in Canggu. Lined up with huts of local sellers offering coconuts and drinks, it became an increasingly popular spot to watch the gorgeous Balinese sunset.
The popularity of Canggu among many tourists today have turned it into a prime location for business developments, as highlighted by beach clubs popping up in the area.
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