Gaveau said the timing of the images was important because Bali’s international airport opened only a few years later, in 1968, sparking the tourism boom that has seen the island become one of Asia’s most-visited destinations.
Ida Bagus Aria Yoga Dharata, from the Bali environmental organisation Walhi, said the map would help with advocating for environmental preservation in Bali.
Published in an interactive map by Nusantara Atlas, the images show how the once tranquil coastlines of Bali hotspots like Seminyak and Canggu have been transformed from sleepy dots on the map into a jungle of shopping strips, huge resorts and villas as far as the eye can see.
Niluh Djelantik, a Bali regional parliamentarian, who is outspoken on the island’s challenges, described the changes as “devastating” but said she was not against development and tourism.
In his first term, between 2018 and 2023, Koster also introduced a 150,000 rupiah (A$15) Bali tourism tax levy, intended to fund better protection for Balinese culture and landscapes and for new infrastructure.
