Source : Perth Now news
Warnings about the perilous hike along cliffs above a popular Indonesian beach are circulating again as the investigation into how a Queensland woman plunged to her death continues.
Brianna Lani Cronin, 29, fell from the southern cliff face at Kelingking Beach on Nusa Penida, an island east of Bali, about 9am on Saturday.
“The victim was looking for an independent route to the edge of the cliff before slipping and falling into the ravine,” Nusa Penida Alert Unit coordinator Cakra Negara said.
Her body was recovered from the beach later that day.
Kelingking Beach is famed for its spectacular cliff formations, which resemble the backbone of a T-Rex and have become one of Indonesia’s most recognisable tourist attractions.
The view from the top draws tourists from all over the world, but there is no shortage of social media content capturing the steep, rocky climb down to the beach.
Cameras in selfie-mode have recorded dozens of sweating tourists in thongs or rubber slides, clinging to the roughly constructed barrier bolstered only with bamboo.
Australian adventure traveller Jackson Groves warned in his online travel guide that the descent was “very steep” and “not easy”.
“I’ve heard many foreigners and locals exclaiming that it was the ‘hardest hike of their life’,” he wrote.
“If you don’t exercise often or didn’t bring good shoes, maybe consider just enjoying the viewpoint.”
Scores of tourists have told similar stories on TikTok, with one woman filming herself having a panic attack on the pathway.
“No one prepares you for how traumatic the hike to Kelingking Beach is,” another TikTok user said.
One described steps becoming “steeper and steeper” before the descent turned into “a little bit of a rock climb”, while another warned the hike was “not for the weak”.
“I feel like a tour guide should warn you what it’s going to be like,” another user said.
Others were even more blunt.
“This is the worst experience I’ve ever had on Bali,” another user said, adding that the destination was “not worth the hype” and that “Instagram lies.”
Another filmed himself attempting the descent in thongs, admitting his choice of footwear — and decision to film while walking — was dangerous.
“If you’re coming here, don’t do what I’ve done. I’ve rocked up in f***ing flip flops,” he said.
“This is the most dangerous f***ing walk or anything I’ve ever done, and the fact I’m doing it one-handed right now on my phone is stupid as hell.”
“Looks like paradise but one wrong step can kill you,” another user said.
The warnings extend beyond social media.
“We tried to go down but we gave up at the last 100m because that’s really dangerous,” one traveller said on TripAdvisor.
A 182m glass elevator to improve access to the beach was under development for 18 months, before Bali Governor Wayan Koster pulled the plug on the controversial project by Chinese developer China Kaishi Group in November last year.
The giant glass elevator was heavily criticised and eventually canned over its negative environmental impact, and for blocking the globally recognisable view.
The project was officially shut down over environmental and permit violations.
Some tourists have argued more should instead be done to make access to the beach safer.
“Just as the elevator was dismantled on environmental grounds the stairway should be removed on safety grounds as well,” one said on TripAdvisor.
Cronin’s fall remains under investigation.
