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News.com.au
14 hours ago
- News.com.au
Phones ‘bugged': Inside North Korea's new beach resort where tourists are followed everywhere
North Korea has welcomed its first tourists to its ghostly new 'Benidorm' beach resort. But the initial batch of visitors have reported that they are followed everywhere and their phones are likely bugged. The newly built resort, called Wonsanâ€'Kalma, has opened for Russian tourists on package tours. It features a giant artificial white sand beach – once a missile test site – on the Sea of Japan, and was opened by dictator Kim Jong Un himself. But Russian guests say the experience is very different inside a state even more repressive than their own. 'You are accompanied everywhere … even on the beach someone walked with us,' according to blogger Daria Zubkova. Yet this was as 'sweet concern' for guests rather than more ominous snooping, she added. 'They are walking [with you]. '[If] you want, they chat with you, [if not] they just walk behind you.' Daria added that the minders 'argue that they worry about us getting lost or something else'. But the veterinary therapist added: 'What many people are afraid of ….is some kind of wire-tapping everywhere and so on. 'Most likely, I think that there is probably all of this, but we just weren't afraid, because we have nothing to say that would make someone scold us for it.' The resort can accommodate up to 20,000 people, according to reports, and has jetskis. Russian tourists holidaying there must make their own way to the eastern city of Vladivostok. From there they are flown into North Korea – to the capital city of Pyongyang. But once in the country, the group of 13 inaugural guests had their short flight from Pyongyang to Wonsan was suddenly cancelled – and a train arranged instead. 'An entire train for just 13 people is simply unthinkable,' said Daria. 'It was new, very comfortable, with airconditioning.' She added: 'I saw villages [from the windows of the train]….people are working in the fields, not very rich people.' Another tourist Lyudmila said: 'I was even interested in riding the train, because for the first time I saw that the mountains they paint in their pictures really exist. 'It is also very interesting to see the country from the train.' But once they got to Wonsan, their hotel was full with visiting officials and journalists accompanying Putin's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. The tourists were then moved to inferior accommodation. Tourists were also told that sending emails cost 1.65 pounds each ($A3.38) each. The tour company made clear that the secret police would have the opportunity to monitor their messages. 'Please note that the email will be sent from the hotel's email box, not yours. 'Therefore, to make it easier to find a reply addressed to you, we recommend that you include your room number in the subject line.' Tourists were also told in advance: 'We recommend taking tea, coffee, sugar with you!!! Fruits are not served.' But Daria added: 'There were a lot of types of meat, duck, rabbit, different types of fish. They really tried to please us.' The basic cost of this tour for Russians is 1,360 pounds ($A2,778) – once they have made their way to Vladivostok. All but 325 pounds ($A665) of this has to be paid in cash. 'We like everything,' said tourist Pavla Gambal. 'The sea is warm, the beach is clean, they keep order. 'The territory is well-kept. The food is very tasty, you can eat it.' It comes at a time when North Korea has sent soldiers to die for 'ally' Vladimir Putin, along with ship loads of military equipment and ammunition.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Bali doubles down on demolishing hotspot
As one of Bali's most iconic surf and tourist hotspots undergoes demolition, authorities have hinted at what might replace the more than 40 businesses along the famous Bingin Beach in Uluwatu. What was constructed over five decades will soon be no longer as construction begins to tear down buildings that have been deemed 'illegal'. Viral footage shows authorities destroying bars with hammers and breaking through locked doors – the home and workplace of more than 300 locals. The hotspot has also been the go-to location for Aussie surfers and backpackers aware some Aussie travellers have had their bookings voided as the demolition begins. It comes as Indonesian authorities deemed the buildings to be illegal and in violation of planning laws, environmental regulations and to be encroaching onto state-owned land. 'The buildings for tourism businesses here are illegal — that's it,' Bali's governor, I Wayan Koster told reporters last week. 'We should not let this practice continue. If we let this go on, Bali will be damaged.' He said after the demolition, they will assess 'what we can do there'. 'Bingin Beach is a prime beach. I'm sure that once it's renovated, it will become an attraction, whether it attracts surfers or something else,' Mr Koster said. 'At the very least, tourists will want to come, and it will contribute to the wellbeing of the local community.' Widespread speculation suggests the removals may be linked to plans for luxury beach club development, similar to those popping up throughout the Uluwatu area in recent years, though this is denied by authorities. @ 😢 end of an era.. goodbye Bingin Beach. Many iconic venues are now being torn down. Was this the best solution? #bingin #binginbeach #bali ♬ lucid - zensei ゼンセー Footage shows Mr Koster wielding a sledgehammer outside the luxury Morabito Art Cliff boutique hotel as he took the first ceremonial swing in the government-issued demolition. Condemned buildings include timber warungs (food sellers), bars with distinctive Javanese joglo-style roofs, and more contemporary accommodations, built into the escarpment on the Bukit Peninsula. Local workers can be seen crying as dozens of officials get to work dismantling the properties. Ombak Warung Bingin, a small, family-owned business, argued authorities 'destroyed hundreds of people' and have left them unemployed. 'Why the rush? Why couldn't you have given us more time? Intimidation, pressure while we try to pack up,' they said in an Instagram post. 'Local, Families, Generations are affected. Tourists came for the Warungs and this unique beach. Where is the JUSTICE! 'Why couldn't there have been a better solution we are all Human and who decides what is right and wrong. Where is the Concrete going to go?' @ pemerintah kabupaten Badung bersama pemprov Bali, membongkar sejumlah vila dan restoran tak berizin di pantai Bingin, desa Pecatu, kecamatan, Kuta Selatan, pada, Senin, 21/7/2025. #SaveBingin #LawEnforcement #PantaiUntukRakyat #BaliBerdaulat #TolakPerusakAlam #TertibkanBali #SaveBingin #beachbingin #bali ♬ Shadows of Us - Gustavo Iltemberg Business owners – including Australian expats – argue the structures predate planning laws, many constructed under the island's traditional adat laws, which give control to the village. One Australian owner, who was warned that foreigners could be deported or jailed for joining protests against the demolitions, admitted the legitimacy of rental agreements was always in question, the Australian Financial Review (AFR) reported. 'We always knew Bingin could be taken away – that's part of what kept it humble. But we didn't think it would happen so quickly,' said the owner, who asked to remain anonymous. Some of the more than 300 locals affected filed a lawsuit against the Badung Regency government. According to the AFR, those bringing the case argue that priority should be given to Balinese adat law, under which many Bingin business owners were granted informal approval or written permission to operate. After weeks of back-and-forth negotiations with desperate business owners attempting to halt the demolition orders, authorities put their foot down. 'It is true that we have received a warrant for the demolition of the violating building at Bingin Beach,' head of the Badung PP Police, I Gusti Agung Ketut Suryanegara, told reporters, as per the Bali Sun. 'We immediately sent a notification letter to the owners of the building in question, stating that the demolition will begin on July 21, 2025, and continue until it is completed.' Uluwatu's Bingin Beach has been a pilgrimage site for surfers since the late 1970s, with Australians making up a significant chunk of repeat visitors, and even expats. The beach's world-class barrelling lefts and laid-back atmosphere have made it a go-to within the global surf community, with the breaks Impossibles and Bingin. The demolition notices, issued via letter, posters, and WhatsApp messages, affect 45 buildings, including villas, homestays, restaurants, and other tourist facilities. 'We did this notification in various ways, in order to minimise the reason for ignorance during the execution process,' Head of Investigation Ida Bagus Ratu told local media. Regent of Badung Adi Arnawa said authorities will follow through on the mandate by the Bali Provincial Government despite widespread public outcry. 'Our community in Pecatu is very aware that they carry out activities on the land. So I hope no one comes to say this and that, pretending to be a saviour, to be a hero. People are aware when building on land that does not belong to them, so it is natural for them to leave the land,' Regent Arnawa stated, according to the Bali Sun. Eleven-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater is among those voicing concern on social media. 'Awful to hear and see that the beachfront at Bingin in Bali has been bought up and all the local (eateries) and other businesses will be demolished to make room for some kind of beach club and not sure what else?' he said. 'Bali has been completely mishandled and ruined by foreign interests in recent years. 'I hope something can be done to retain the culture and beauty of what attracted everyone there in the first place.' Bingin Beach is only reachable via steep staircases weaved through the cliffside buildings marked for demolition and the state of future beach access is unclear.
ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
Tourism hopes for town of Penola as Netflix films My Brilliant Career
In the small town of Freeling, half an hour north of Adelaide, locals are used to rubbing shoulders with tourists excitedly photographing their pub and truck stop. For more than 20 years, day trippers have made the pilgrimage to "McLeod's Country" to see the real-life setting from TV show McLeod's Daughters, an Australian drama series that ran from 2001 to 2009. Freeling, named Gungellan in the series, shot to fame thanks to the show. "It's as popular today as it was while we were filming there," creator and producer Posie Graeme-Evans said. "People just love having their photo at the 'Gungellan Pub', truck stop, town hall and amid the streetscapes they are so familiar with," she said. "In turn, the town of Freeling has embraced these visitors as a benefit to its tourism. "Small operators have even sprung up offering tours to filming locations. It's been wonderful for the region." It has been 16 years since McLeod's Daughters wrapped up filming in South Australia, but its legacy lives on. Now, the town of Penola, in the south-east corner of the state, hopes the same effect will transpire in the wake of global streaming giant Netflix setting up at a historical homestead in the area in June. Backed by the state government and South Australian Film Corporation's Screen Production Fund, a drama series adaptation of Miles Franklin's classic Australian novel My Brilliant Career is now in production at Yallum Park, an 1878 heritage-listed homestead. Netflix said the story, first published in 1901, had resonated with a rising generation of young Australian women who longed for the freedom to shape their own destinies. The series, which is expected to premiere in late 2026 or early 2027, will result in various locations across the state being transformed for the period production, including across Adelaide, the Southern Barossa region and the south-east. On a wintry day in Penola, local retailers were hopeful about what the production would mean for the town. "It's certainly exciting to be chosen to feature in the series," said Diane Williams, who runs a giftware shop in town and also has accommodation units. "It will put another feather in Penola's cap. "The town has obviously had a lot of accommodation bookings from cast and crew while they're filming here, but I think the real tourism benefits are yet to come. Down the street, chef and cafe owner Ian Perry agrees. "We've had a lot of crew members come in and that's been a boost to trade during winter, when things can be quiet," he said. "They're lovely people and they have all really enjoyed being here in Penola, a part of the country they might otherwise not get to see." SA Arts Minister Andrea Michaels said the production was expected to inject $17 million into the state's economy — the highest spend of any TV series made in the state. Five years after a bypass opened around Penola, Ms Williams is hopeful film tourism will become part of the town's future. "The bypass has had an impact on the town, but there have been plenty of benefits too," she said. "We're looking forward to seeing what might be on the way for Penola now it can add 'film set' to its long list of attractions."
