Viral Beachfront Hotel Construction in SBD Found to Be Unauthorised
A video showing construction work on the coast at Mananga Aba beach in South-west Sumba (SBD), East Nusa Tenggara, has gone viral on social media. The concrete work is suspected to be for a mini jetty at Mario Hotel & Cafe.
The video of the unauthorised project was posted by the Facebook account Argent Pattinson at 3.46pm local time on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. It shows several workers pouring concrete on the beach, with heavy equipment also visible at the site.
“Work is under way on a small jetty so guests can swim at Mananga Aba beach, by Hotel Mario. It seems a little disruptive because this beach is already known for its long stretch,” the account wrote.
The video is 27 seconds long. When detikBali viewed it at 9.30pm local time on Thursday, 22 October 2026, it had received 136,000 views, more than 1,000 likes and 167 comments.
The South-west Sumba Regency Government received a public complaint about the project and inspected the site on Tuesday, 20 October. It subsequently reprimanded the management of Mario Hotel & Cafe.
“The video is genuine. We have checked the site directly. This area should be protected because regulations apply,” said Oktavianus Dapa Deda, Assistant II for Economic and Development Affairs at the regency secretariat, when contacted on Thursday, 22 October.
Oktavianus’s inspection team included the heads of the regency’s Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency, Tourism Agency, Investment and One-Stop Integrated Services Agency, and Fisheries Agency, as well as the secretary of the Environmental Agency.
The regency government found that the concrete work had extended to the water’s edge. In the presence of Mario Hotel & Cafe owner Aloysius Purwa, Oktavianus said the work was illegal and damaging to the coastal area.
Mananga Aba beach is one of South-west Sumba’s tourism landmarks, Oktavianus said. The northern-coast beach, with its expanse of fine white sand and clear water, must not be built on arbitrarily without spatial-planning and environmental permits.
According to Oktavianus, the regency government has ordered Mario Hotel & Cafe’s management to stop all work and completely dismantle the concrete structure already built.
“During the inspection, the South-west Sumba Regency Government issued a direct and firm reprimand to the hotel, instructing it to stop the concrete work in the coastal area and take follow-up action in accordance with the applicable regulations,” Oktavianus said.
The regency government has also warned all businesses to comply with licensing, spatial-planning and environmental-protection rules, particularly those governing coastal setbacks.
Hotel Mario owner Aloysius Purwa said he was ready to follow the regency government’s instructions. “We will dismantle what has already been built,” he said.