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Originally published by Capital Businessbusiness
October 19, 2025
6h ago
‘I miss the past, but we like the money’: The Bali-fication of a laidback surfers’ island
OCT 19 - Damar, one of the best surf guides on the Indonesian island of Lombok, feels right at home taking tourists out to sea. With his fluent English Kenya breaking news | Kenya news today |..
✨ Key Highlights
The Indonesian island of Lombok is undergoing rapid development aimed at transforming it into a new tourist hub, mirroring the success of neighboring Bali. This "Bali-fication" is bringing economic opportunities but also sparking controversy and concerns among locals.
- The Indonesian government's mission is to create more "Balis," with Lombok chosen for significant investment, including a $250 million loan from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
- The Mandalika region has seen the construction of resorts and a racetrack, leading to the eviction of dozens of families, including Damar, a surf guide, between 2019 and 2021.
- Evictions for projects like a luxury hotel on Tanjung Aan beach, led by InJourney Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), displaced nearly 200 stall owners in July, with UN human rights experts estimating over 2,000 people lost their livelihood.
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