Tourists are being asked to choose between the natural environment and local culture as a petition circulates to save a popular surfing spot from destruction.

Excavators have knocked down huge chunks of a limestone cliff at Uluwatu, on the south-western tip of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula, in order to build a concrete seawall and a road around the cliff base.

While tourists would normally oppose such destruction, the seawall is being built to protect the limestone cliffs from erosion, and preventing the Pura Luhur Uluwata Temple that sits atop them from collapsing into the sea.

Conservation group Save The Waves Coalition claims the work threatens the waves that attract surfers from around the world and the area’s abundant marine life.

Portuguese surfer Nic von Rupp shared a video on Instagram that showed the destruction taking place and urged followers to sign a petition.

It is a divisive isssue, with others seeing the merit in the Indonesian government’s efforts to protect the cliffs and temple.

‘Yeah bro I love ulus too but isn’t this about preserving the cliffs and everything on top ie the Buddhist temple and not about a seawall for a road?’ one wrote.

‘Be good to clarify and not mislead everyone? Keen for clarification.’

Another added: ‘Locals wanna protect their temple, this land belongs to locals and they have a right to choose. you guys here is just tourist and don’t decide much.’ 

Others said the natural environment should take precedence over preserving man-made structures.

‘WTF is the problem with politics in Bali and Indo in general? So many bizarre projects going on and on!’ one wrote.

‘Bro THANK YOU for speaking up about this, just seeing the takeover,’ a second wrote.

‘Ay Bali the last couple years has been heartbreaking, but this is going absolutely too far. Appreciate you using your platform to raise awareness.’

‘Can’t believe this is happening!! Me and my mates surfed Temples not that long ago, and we even saw small reef sharks around!!!’ another added.

Others claimed they had slowly watched the island lose its appeal due to the growing number of tourists.

‘Too many hipsters and tourists capturing the island. Bali is lost,’ one wrote.

‘It’s been f**ked over and trampled for years, but willingly destroying the cliffs like this is inexcusable,’ another stated. 

The Instragram post from von Rupp said he had been surfing at the spot for the last 20 years every summer. 

‘It really breaks my heart watching the destruction of a stunning coastline and its marine life,’ he wrote.

‘We gotta stop human greed and all this nonsense. 

‘If you love surfing, Indonesia, Uluwatu and preservation of the our planet earth we have left, PLEASE sign the petition in my bio.’   

The Save the Waves Coalition petition says Uluwatu is ‘a uniquely magical place where world-class waves, a biodiverse marine ecosystem, and modern and ancient cultures all combine’.  

The petition acknowledged the development is in part intended to reinforce the cliffs under the temple. 

However, Save The Waves said there has been no Environmental Impact Assessment for the project 

‘It is impossible to gauge how Uluwatu’s biodiverse surf ecosystem might be affected,’ the petition claims.

The petition said the surround seas ‘support a rich array of marine life, including dugongs (relatives of manatees), sea snakes, reef sharks, sea turtles, and a wide variety of reef fish species. There has even been an orca sighting in the area.

‘It is concerning that this project is advancing without appropriate analysis and public transparency regarding the potential risks to the environment and the surf, especially in such a sensitive and biodiverse area,’ the petition reads.

Without an Environment Impact Study the Coalition said there is no way of knowing what effect the project would have on the world famous waves.

On Tuesday morning the petition, which aims to get 15,000 signatures, had gathered over 11,000.