Bali Leaders Questioned Over Nusa Penida’s Safety Standards At Tourist Attractions

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Leaders in Bali’s Klungkung Regency are set to start investigating tourism operations about the safety standards and practices of boat transportation in the area.

Klungkung Regency is the administrative region of Bali home to Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, three of Bali’s fastest growing and most in-demand travel destinations.

Over the last few years, not everything has been plain sailing for boat operators running fast boats and very services between the main island of Bali and the Nusa Islands, and we mean that literally.

Following a number of extreme events, including boats catching fire, capsizing, and sinking, passengers getting injured in high waves, and passengers even falling overboard, boat operators and other tourism providers are now under intense scrutiny from the local government to ensure safety standards are implemented and upheld. 

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Leaders have also been questioned over the standards of safety at the region’s most famous destination, the likes of Kelingking Beach, Diamond Beach, and Angel’s Billabong, where over the years, dozens of tourists have been injured and, in some tragic cases even died as a result of what many say is poor safety standards and poor communication with the public regarding the risks these areas pose. 

Despite some efforts to make the Nusa Islands safer for tourists, many local leaders and even tourists feel that more needs to be done.

In recent weeks, new safety officers have been stationed at the most accident-prone attractions in Nusa Penida, though many fear that tourists can easily ignore their guidance. 

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These questions have also been put back on the table after a zip line attraction in Nusa Penida was able to be built, opened, and fully operational for over a week despite not having the correct business permits or licenses.

In fact, the businesses were only found to be operating illegally after a young child became stranded part way along the zip line, left to hang over 80m above the ocean below.

While the child was able to make it safely to the end of the zip line a few minutes after becoming stuck, the incident left many shaken and frustrated that a situation such as that could even be allowed to happen in a destination as famous as Bali. 

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Local politician Nyoman Mujana asked the Klungkung Regency leadership during an annual budget meeting this week, “Our question is the same as the previous year: to what extent has the regional govern made efforts to anticipate accidents and prevent violations from tourism actors in Nusa Penida early? What are the forms of security, security standards, regulations, and monitoring?”

The Acting Regent of Klungkung, Nyoman Jendrika, admitted that this has been a longstanding issue for the local leadership, one that they have not yet overcome and solutions to which seem to be far on the horizon.

He said that the local government must strengthen ties with business operators and land owners to ensure clear communication and better partnerships. 

Regent Jendrika suggested that standardization of standards for tourist attractions and services in the region could not be created due to management problems.

He suggested that the regional authorities need to work with tourism operators and stakeholders more broadly to bring everyone together before meaningful discussion of creating security standards, regulations, and monitoring systems can be developed. 

Some leading and responsible tourism businesses operating in and around Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan have created standard operating procedures and safety protocols of their own.

However, many tourists, travel agents, and members of the public are concerned that without a regional standard, it is increasingly hard for travelers to discern what is a genuinely safe and responsible operation versus those with convincing marketing and communications. 

Though Regent Jendrika was unable to give Nyoman Mujana a substantial answer to his question, the local leader has been steadfast in his commitment to do what he and his teams can to improve safety for tourists and the general public in the region wherever and whenever possible.