Walking down the beach at Pemuteran Bay provides a glimpse into both the past and future of Indonesia's coastal communities. One end of the beach serves as the mooring and launching area for the fleet of traditional fishing craft that have so long provided subsistence to the community. At the other is a community-driven reef restoration and conservation project started in 2000, which has changed not only the reef itself, but also the attitudes, livelihoods and economy of the entire region.

Pemuteran is home to the largest artificial Biorock reef project in the world and there is a real spirit of marine conservation effort in this area. This reef project is seen in Bali and Indonesia as a model for community based development of tourism. The village protects the reefs and safeguards a peaceful stay for visitors. It is one of the few places in Bali where you will not be bothered by beach hawkers. The reefs in Pemuteran are very colorful with great looking hard and soft coral, table coral, sponges and gorgonian sea fans mixed with lots of reef fish. The sea has moderate currents so good for all divers and snorkelers. You can have a look at a video that explains about the reef restoration project and shows the commitment of the community here: http://vimeo.com

Pemuteran Village has worked out a unique way of restoring the coral reefs by using electricity to stimulate the growth of new coral. As a result the Coral grows 5 times faster, creating a vibrant and healthy reef. More than fifty-six Biorock coral nursery structures have been installed since June 2000 in Pemuteran Village. With a total length of 300 meters situated in an area of 2 hectares, this is the largest Biorock coral reef nursery and restoration project worldwide. These structures are easily accessible, about 30-100 meters from the coastline, in waters ranging from about 3 to 7 meters deep. They are roughly lined up, forming a natural snorkeling and diving trail.