Villagers' fate uncertain in Carita Bay makeover

Villagers' fate uncertain in Carita Bay makeover

By Tobias Glucksman

CARITA, West Java (JP): Nestled next to a quaint fishing
village, in an area rich in history and natural wonders, Carita
Bay offers something for the historian, naturalist,
anthropologist and sunbather in us all. For better or worse,
nothing short of mighty Krakatau should prevent this small
stretch of tranquility from remaining one of Jakarta's premier
weekend escape destinations.

Carita Bay has long been a magnet for middle and upper income
vacationers as well as a few backpackers and students on holiday.
The Carita Krakatau Beach Hotel, which once presided over the
center of Carita's horseshoe-shaped beach, had a large role in
catering to the Bay's clientele. The hotel has been razed in the
name of development, and banks of four-story condominiums are
under construction along a kilometer stretch of Carita's choicest
beachfront.

These condominiums, along with a modern marina, are part of
the first stage of a US$250 million project by Lippoland, the
real estate development arm of Lippobank. It's only the beginning
as Lippoland's future plans include: an expanded marina from
which to launch deep sea fishing and scuba diving excursions; a
modern shopping center and food court; a luxury hotel; additional
high-rise condominiums; and an exclusive villa complex fanning
out to the mountains inland. The project's first stage, to be
completed this year, targets 18 hectares. The entire project,
when completed, should encompass 200 hectares.

A stroll along Carita's beaches and through its nearby
traditional villages gives one the impression that tourism has
had only slight consequences for the local people over the years
-- especially in terms of income. Though a plethora of local
peddlers swarm the beaches daily selling anything from custom
daggers to swimwear, it's a buyer's market with the rare sale
yielding scant profit. More testimony is found at the traditional
fish markets where garbage is strewn everywhere, structures are
old and sagging, and vessels -- albeit structurally beautiful --
are run down.

Perhaps the local residents who have benefited most from
tourism are those who have secured full-time employment at
Carita's resorts.

One former fisherman, who now works on the pier at Carita's
new marina, sums up the impact Lippoland's project can have for
local residents lucky enough to make the payrolls: "With fishing
nothing is certain, here at the marina I do not work very hard
and I can always expect a monthly salary."

The destruction of the Carita Krakatau Beach Hotel could have
been a tragedy for its one hundred and sixty seven former
employees, however, Lippoland showed uncharacteristic corporate
heart and re-employed the displaced workers in its project. If
the multi-million dollar project fulfills its original design,
its sheer magnitude should ensure full-time employment for scores
of additional local residents.

What remains uncertain, though, is the financial prospects for
local residents who are not invited into the Lippoland fold. For
years, the local villagers have provided a variety of goods and
services to tourists frequenting Carita Bay. With a wealthier,
more discriminating breed of tourist entrenching itself in
Carita, the links between the local villager and vacationer may
become remote.

"In the past tourists have bought many local goods, some even
visited the fishing village and used their money there," said one
Carita tourist official who spoke under anonymity. "The upper
class people buying Lippoland's condominiums and villas will not
be as interested in products and services provided by the
villagers."

Dilemma

"We also don't know how many people will be coming to Carita
in the future," he added, "wealthy people from Jakarta may buy a
villa or condominium and then only stay in it two weeks during
the year -- this is generally not a problem with middle income
tourists who expect to rent."

Lippoland seems to have realized this last concern in that it
plans to open a real estate management agency to keep the
condominiums and villas occupied when owners are not around.

Again the tourist official expressed pessimism, "Jakarta
people who can afford to buy these places will not be worried
about renting them when they are not here."

Oddly enough, vacant condominiums and villas may also be a
dilemma for Lippoland which faces the prospect of building five-
star service facilities for a clientele which is rarely present.
This may explain why the land developer has yet to issue starting
dates for additional stages of the project.

"They may have to change their plans," said the tourist
official, "Maybe, they can only build a three-star resort."

Regardless of the number of stars earned by Lippoland's Sea
Breeze Condominiums and Admiral Villas, the Carita Bay area
itself deserves a top rating as a vacation destination.

Clean, white-sand beaches stretch almost the entire length of
the horseshoe shaped inlet on the coast of Sumatra Bay. A steady
breeze which arrives typically in the afternoon is idyllic for
sailing, sunbathing and sleeping at night. Though the surf grows
large enough to enjoy bodysurfing, boogie-boarding and some
surfing, one is not overcome by the fear felt when entering the
thundering surf of the Indian Ocean to the south. In the evening,
a bloated pink sun graces Carita with solemn glory before
slipping beneath the water; silhouetting the spider-like
traditional bamboo fish traps scattered about the Bay.

If that's not enough, the vicinity around Carita is a natural,
historic and cultural treasure. A junket to the nearby villages
and their markets will give the part-time anthropologist a look
at a bona fide traditional West Javanese fishing village; a day's
outing as an observer, or sports fisherman, on one of Carita's
colorful traditional fishing vessels would be easily arranged.

Within an hour's striking distance is menacing Krakatau
Volcano, an excellent scuba and snorkeling spot and a must for
risk takers.

The mountains directly behind Carita have many hiking trails,
one of which leads to a pristine seven-meter waterfall that
tumbles into a placid swimming pool.

To the south is the adventure of treks into Ujung Kulon
national park, the only remaining home of the endangered Javan
Rhinoceros. In the north there is towering Anyer Light House
built by the Dutch in 1885, two years after Krakatau's enormous
tidal wave leveled the nearby Dutch port. Further inland is old
Banten with a rich history of the powerful Sultanate that refused
to succumb to Dutch rule. Visitors to old Banten can visit two
palace ruins under excavation, a fort, a grand mosque, a Chinese
temple and museum.

Lippoland intends to incorporate the natural, historic and
cultural assets of the Carita Bay area into the ambiance of its
new resort. The resort's theme will center on an imaginary Port
Carita in 1883, the year Krakatau volcano exploded just 50 km off
the coast. Four hundred years of history will be integrated into
the resort employing Sudanese, Chinese, English, Portuguese,
Middle Eastern, Indian and Javanese architectural styles.

Over four hundred condominium units (one to three bedrooms)
are slated to be built; sixty-five percent have been sold
already. The planned one hundred villa units (three to four
bedroom) have all been sold.