Several tourist spots in Bali were once prime nesting grounds for sea turtles. But with the surge of visitors in recent years, turtles are now believed to be shifting their nesting sites to beaches that are harder for humans to access.
“At present, there’s a tendency for turtles to move slightly south and north of Kuta Beach. Turtles seek dark and quiet places to lay their eggs,” said I Gusti Ngurah Tresna, Founder of the Kuta Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center (KBSTCC), in August 2025.
The continuous arrival of tourists late into the night makes it difficult for turtles to find suitable sand for nesting. Sea turtles rely on soft sand to dig holes and deposit their eggs, usually under the cover of night.
Still, Tresna noted that nesting activity hasn’t disappeared completely from Kuta Beach. “There are still turtles nesting in certain areas of Kuta, particularly where there are no coastal barriers against abrasion—specifically south of the Kuta Beach Task Force office,” he explained.
Throughout 2023, at least 275 nests of Olive Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) were identified along Kuta Beach, containing an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 eggs in total. However, this figure is thought to be lower compared to previous years.
“Typically, sea turtles in Bali lay eggs from March to October, then stop during the rainy season. But this year, the season was delayed—by November we were still finding new nests,” Tresna added.
Nesting locations are also shifting. Once concentrated around Kuta, nests are now being found further south at Jerman Beach and Sekeh Beach, and northward at Legian and Seminyak. The new southern sites are notably harder for humans to reach, while in the north, turtles benefit from the relative exclusivity and limited tourist traffic.
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Hatcheries and Relocation
According to Indonesia state news agency Antara, in other tourist areas such as Tanjung Benoa, turtle nests are relocated to Tambaksari Hatchery for protection. At present, there are at least six hatchery facilities operating around Tanjung Benoa.
Tambaksari Hatchery is home to 13 turtles, including Green turtles (Chelonia mydas), Olive Ridleys, and Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata). The site also maintains incubation areas for eggs. Recently, 120 eggs from Hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles were being incubated there.
Beyond Bali itself, sea turtles are increasingly being spotted nesting on Pudut Island, a small islet just east of Tanjung Benoa. The island, once quiet and little-known, has now become an important site for turtle conservation as more nests are discovered along its shores. (Sulung Prasetyo)
