Fencing restricts public beaches and traders in Labuan Bajo
Fencing at Laing Lewe and Klumpang beaches restricted public access in Labuan Bajo, affecting 29 traders’ families. Authorities acknowledged rule breaches, while 11 hotels were also cited.
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· 2 min read
Labuan Bajo — Fencing at Laing Lewe and Klumpang beaches was restricting public access and affecting 29 small traders’ families, according to a Floresa investigation published on 29 September 2026.
The report said the local government acknowledged that the fencing at Laing Lewe violated coastal-setback rules but had not removed it. It also said at least 11 hotels between Wae Cicu and Pede beaches had been identified by the Manggarai Barat Regency Government as breaching coastal-setback and spatial-planning provisions.
Why the beach-access dispute matters
The restrictions affect residents who use the coastline for work and recreation. Floresa reported that 29 families from Kampung Lenteng, the settlement closest to Laing Lewe, had chosen to trade there after access became easier from 2021.
The investigation said Laing Lewe had no access charge before the fencing and that a wire fence extended almost to the highest-tide point, obstructing access along the beach. It said this conflicted with national and local coastal-setback rules, including requirements for pedestrian routes and public access.
At Klumpang beach, a bamboo fence extended 150 metres. Floresa reported that the beach in Batu Cermin village, Komodo district, had been used by residents for recreation since 2018 before public access was closed in 2023.
The report identified PT NTT Kuri Pearl as the company controlling the Klumpang site. It described the company as a foreign-investment business involved in pearl cultivation and grow-out.
Floresa also reported that the government had imposed administrative fines on 11 hotels in December 2022 under Manggarai Barat Regent Decree No. 285/KEP/HK/2019. The report said the hotels were found from Wae Cicu beach in the north to Pede beach and were linked to violations involving the coastal setback and the regional spatial plan.
The investigation did not state that the Laing Lewe fence had been removed or announce a deadline for further action.
Sources
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