Anjungan Tukad Melangit in Bangli Now a Memory

Ten years ago, Anjungan Tukad Melangit in Antugan Traditional Village, Tembuku District, Bangli Regency, was overrun by tourists for photos. It is now permanently closed. ‘Yes, visitor numbers started declining in 2019. By 2020, there were no more visitors and it was closed until now,’ said Kadek Arta, the creator of Anjungan Tukad Melangit. The location is marked on Google Maps, albeit inaccurately, with a permanent closure label. The actual location is about a minute’s walk from the Google Maps point. The access road is a narrow dirt path suitable for scooters. The access road to the structure is a path leading to Arta’s house. Thick forest dominated by banana trees lines both sides of the narrow trail. After walking a few metres, two buildings become visible – Arta’s house and another structure. Other features include a concrete water tank, motorcycle parking, and a toilet. ‘To the east, there was once a car park but it has since reverted to forest. To the south, remnants of a swing remain,’ Arta said. The structure itself is located in the backyard of Arta’s house, on the western side of the building. Two jetties jutted over the cliff edge, previously used by visitors for photos. Now, only remnants remain. One jetty is reduced to a steel frame, while the adjacent structure has only a concrete floor without guardrails. ‘The guardrails had rotted as they were made from bamboo sourced locally. Only the iron posts remain,’ he said. Near the structures, a wooden house was built for guests to relax and enjoy the view without climbing. The surrounding area, once open, is now overgrown with grass, mimosa plants, coconut trees, bananas, bamboo, and other vegetation growing wild. ‘It hasn’t been cleared for a long time, so these plants have grown naturally,’ he said. Arta said the current steel-frame structure was built by him and nine others in early 2016, intended as an evening hangout spot, not a tourist attraction. One day, a friend photographed another friend at the structure and uploaded it to social media. Soon, netizens began inquiring about the location, with some visiting the spot where Arta and his friends gathered. ‘We never intended to create a tourist attraction; it was just a place to have coffee with friends,’ said the chicken farmer. From then on, his yard began attracting visitors. Initially, only locals from Bangli came to take photos at the structure. Soon, visitors from other cities, provinces, and even foreign tourists flooded the area. The original bamboo structure had to be dismantled and rebuilt with steel frames. ‘For safety reasons. It’s by a cliff and the original bamboo was sourced locally,’ he said. Arta’s yard became increasingly frequented. He said another structure was built next to his original one due to high visitor numbers. This new structure was sturdier with concrete flooring. Over time, visitors requested toilet facilities. ‘My uncle built a couple of toilets and a small coffee stall. Many urban visitors asked for toilets,’ he said. ‘We only had voluntary donations of Rp 5,000. There were no entrance fees,’ he added. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, drew global attention. A year later, the deadly pandemic spread across Indonesia. Arta’s Anjungan Tukad Melangit was affected. Visitor numbers plummeted. Eventually, Arta had to close the structure when the government imposed restrictions on indoor and outdoor activities. The Instagrammable spot has been dormant ever since. ‘It only operated for four years. Plans to open a small eatery serving local dishes were cut short by the pandemic, leading to the current closure,’ he said. Now, the area is just his private residence. Arta is reluctant to reopen the once-popular attraction. The reason is classic: there’s no budget to clear the overgrown vegetation that has turned his yard into a semi-forest. He also mentioned being approached by Jehem Village officials to reopen it, but the proposal remains unfulfilled. ‘I was offered to reopen it, with plans to develop it further. But nothing has materialised yet – it’s still in discussion,’ he said. Arta said a few visitors still attempt to visit, claiming they had been there years ago. However, due to the closure without notice, visitors are disappointed. ‘Some people who visited before often come, but I tell them it’s closed,’ he said. Bangli Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) Chairman I Ketut Suastika said the government should explore community creativity to create new tourist attractions that positively impact local revenue (PAD).