Bali is one of the world’s most beloved tropical hotspots. This island stands out for its lush greenery, colorful coral reefs, and unique culture, which has delighted visitors for decades.
That being said, if you’ve been to Bali you know that it’s tiny.
Like many other islands, it’s home to beautiful yet fragile natural wonders.
As the number of tourists and tourism infrastructure continues to expand in Bali, there’s a stronger focus on preserving its ecosystem. Along with its mountainous rice paddies and unspoiled jungles, supporting the island’s coral reefs and coastlines is a high priority for locals and visitors alike.
In fact, conservation and tourism go hand in hand in some rare cases.
On Bali, you can enjoy one of the world’s most effective and innovative new conservation projects—one that tourists won’t find elsewhere.
The Karang Lestari Bio-Rock Reef Project in Pemuteran on Bali’s northern coast is an underwater sculpture park that’s been steadily regenerating lost coral reefs. It’s not only one of the best places to dive on the island, but it’s actively helping to rebuild long-lost coral.
Want to scuba in Bali? Look no further.
Scuba in Bali: enter the world of BioRock
At their most basic, underwater sculpture parks provide a literal frame for coral to regrow while also providing divers with a cool experience. These dot the world, from Florida to the Mediterranean.
But that’s just the bare minimum.
Pemuteran, on Bali’s north shore, is rich in shallow reefs. But due to problems like bomb fishing and rising ocean temperatures, the reefs were largely destroyed in the late 1900s.
Only 30% of Bali’s original reefs survive, which has placed a great stress on fishermen who rely on the ocean to make their living.
In order to restore their coral reefs, villagers in Pemuteran decided to take matters into their own hands. In 2001, the municipality of Pemuteran partnered with local stakeholders, dive shops, and government institutions to fund a daring new project.
The idea was simple: use a new technology known as BioRock (also an organization) to restore coral reefs. BioRock uses a minute electrical current that spurs faster coral growth for a variety of species.
With the project in place, local sculptors were hired to create exciting pieces of art for the new underwater coral restoration project. In 2005, Karang Lestari was up and running.
Around a decade later, the UN World Tourism Organization handed Karang Lestari an award for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism. Almost 20 years since the sculptures were first lowered into the shallow waters, many of Karang Lestari’s pieces are covered in vibrant and healthy coral, along with the fish and marine life they protect.
Is it worth visiting?
If I sound obsessed, it’s because I am.
First, because the sculptures are well-done and eye-catching. Even if they weren’t covered in lovely sea life, I’d probably check them out at a gallery.
Second, because the coral growing on these sculptures makes each artwork feel co-created by nature—and who doesn’t love mixed media art?
Third, I like the moral of this story. I personally visited Karang Lestari around ten years ago. Multiple locals involved in the project shared their stories with me. There was a palpable sense of pride in what was happening and the project’s progress.
In fact, Karang Lestari’s success has led to other projects from BioRock Indonesia. If you want to scuba in Bali (or just snorkel), I highly recommend doing so at one of the two BioRock locations on the island. Let’s dig a bit deeper into both options.
How to Visit Karang Lestari & Deus BioRock
Along with Karang Lestari, you can also visit Pejarakan Deus Biorock. Both offer sculpture parks that were built using local innovation and BioRock technology.
Karang Lestari is located in the northern district of Pemuteran. You can check it out on TripAdvisor.
Deus BioRock is located in Gili Trawangan in Pejarakan. This project uses the same BioRock technology as Karang Lestari—but it’s run and organized by different entities. Deus BioRock is named after the motorcycle and art studio that helps fund it, along with The Marine Foundation.
If you’re stuck on choosing between them, I’d say go for Karang Lestari. It’s been around a little bit longer, which means its sculptures are slightly more colorful.