Bali, the beautiful island of Gods, offers many incredible beaches all around the island. However, it seems like most of the best ones are located on the southern tip of the island in the beautiful laid back region called Uluwatu. Therefore Uluwatu is the most famous region of Bali for some relaxing beach time, for catching crazy waves on the surfboard, to work on your tan and for amazing beachfront hotels!
Photo by Steph Smith on Unsplash
TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND BEFORE VISITING ULUWATU BEACHES:
- “Pantai” means beach in Bahasa (language they speak in Bali). So if you see a street sign pointing a direction and with written “Pantai” on it, it’s the way to the beach.
- Most of the beaches in Uluwatu have sharp rocks and coral reef bottoms which are mainly visible during low tide. You have to be very careful when entering the water or wear water shoes. Therefore we highly recommend to visit these kind of beaches during high tide when you almost won’t touch the rocky bottom.
- Many beaches in Uluwatu have a very significant and visible tide change. So visible that sometimes you wouldn’t even recognise the same beach at different tides! Most of the time it is better to visit the beach at high tide, but not always. I will talk about the ideal tide at each beach in this blog post. CHECK THE ULUWATU TIDE TABLE HERE
- As you might know, Bali has two seasons. Dry season which is generally from April to October and Rainy season which is from November to March. Now obviously “the best” time to go to the beach in general is when it’s sunny and not raining, which in Bali means during its dry season, however you can definitely have some amazing beach time even during rainy season (like we did in November 2022). It’s not raining all day long, although even if it’s not raining it can be cloudy which is not ideal either. However we did have days full of sunshines too. Just not as many as you would probably have during dry season. It’s just something to keep in mind. Generally in Uluwatu it rains less than in some other parts of Bali, like Ubud or Munduk. Also we would say that during rainy season the ocean is more rough, the currents are stronger and the waves are bigger.
- During the monsoon and rainy season it is likely that there will be some trash in the ocean or on the beaches. Bali has a problem with shipping waste and ocean plastic flow onto the shore, but luckily enough for us, we didn’t really experience it! Uluwatu doesn’t really have this problem with ocean plastic like Kuta or Sanur for instance and the beaches in Uluwatu are most of the time clean all year round!
HERE ARE THE 15 BEST BEACHES IN ULUWATU
1. DREAMLAND BEACH
Our no1 favourite beach in Uluwatu…and actually in the whole Bali is without hesitation Dreamland Beach! It has the bluest and clearest water, there are no sharp rocks in the water like in many other beaches in Uluwatu and the waves are just insane, which also brings many surfers here!
We have also witnessed the most beautiful sunset we have ever seen in our entire life right here on Dreamland beach.
Another great thing about dreamland beach is the fact that it’s one of the only beaches not affected by tide. I mean of course there is low and high tide, but as the bottom is clear, without any rocks or coral reefs, it won’t affect you or you will hardly even notice it. Now on the other hand, if you come here surfing, the tide and waves might of course matter to you.
It is also one of the few Uluwatu beaches where you don’t need to hike down to get to the beach as the parking is right down on the beach. However the parking is only for scooters. If you are coming by car (which we don’t recommend in Bali in general), you will have to park somewhere else and walk a bit to get to the beach.
There are some facilities on the beach like bars, restaurants, sun bed rentals and also a surfing school. However we went to ask for the prices and they were much much higher (around 24EUR/person for a group lesson and 36EUR/person for a private lesson), than for example in Kuta, where we found it for around 12EUR/person for a group lesson.
The entrance to the beach/parking costs 5k IDR (0,30EUR).
2. NYANG NYANG BEACH
Nyang Nyang is a pristine 1.5km long white sand beach and it’s probably one of the least touristy beaches in Uluwatu. When we visited there was just one more person other than us. It’s true that we visited quite early in the morning but I think that it’s not so busy during the rest of the day either.
You can park right down on the beach (if you come by scooter) so you don’t need to hike down to get to it, however the street that leads to the beach is very very steep. I was even scared that our scooter won’t make it back up…but I guess I was a bit dramatic because we managed without any problems. But I would still keep it in mind if I was you.
As for the facilities, we have seen only one little beach bar around here but it was closed when we visited. So maybe it’s better if you bring your own drinks and snacks.
The water is super blue and clear however there are some rocks inside. Not so much like on some other beaches however you should still be careful when walking in. At low tide you might see more of these rocks popping up.
The entrance/parking fee to the beach is not mandatory, however there is a guy collecting donations.
For adrenaline seekers, you can do paragliding here and enjoy an incredible flight experience over beautiful the Nyang Nyang Beach for around 30EUR. BOOK YOUR PARAGLIDING FLIGHT HERE! Remember that availability for paragliding highly depends on the weather conditions and it mostly only available during summer season which is at the earliest from April to Early December.
3. NUNGGALAN BEACH (BROKEN SHIPWRECK BEACH)
Nunggalan beach is situated right next to Nyang Nyang beach and it’s still quite a hidden gem as not many people visit it. Either a hidden gem or people are just too lazy to go there as it requires a 25min hike to get to it. But hey…once you do the hike, you will probably be the only one on the beach.
What is unique about Nunggalan beach is that there is a broken shipwreck on the shore which became popular for photographers and drone pilots.
You won’t find many facilities at this beach however there is a little stall that rents umbrellas and sells drinks. Additionally there are some vendors selling drinks along the way to the beach.
There is no entrance fee to get to this beach and there is a small parking lot at Villa Plenilunio, where you can park your scooter and start the hike.
4. MELASTI BEACH
Another stunning beach on our list is Melasti beach. This super long white sand beach surrounded by large limestone cliffs definitely deserves a spot on your itinerary!
The water is beautifully blue and clear. The waves on this beach are not so big (most of the days) so it makes a perfect place for swimming and just relaxing.
Keep in mind that at Melasti beach the tide change is very visible and it’s not so nice during low tide so we suggest you to check it on the internet and visit during high tide.
There are many restaurants and beach clubs located at Melasti beach so you can combine your visit to the beach with some unwind time at one of the many beautiful beach clubs just like us. We have stayed at Palmilla beach club and loved it. Some other amazing beach clubs at Melasti Beach are: Tropical Temptation and White Rock Beach Club.
The entrance fee to the beach is 10k IDR (0,60EUR) and there is a big parking right down at the beach where we paid 2k (0,12EUR) to park our scooter. You can also arrive here by car.
5. KARMA BEACH
Right next to Melasti Beach there is the beautiful Karma Beach. They are connected to each other so they basically look the same. The only difference is that Karma beach is private and it belongs to Karma Beach Club, so to access the beach you either have to stay at the beach club or walk there from Melasti beach. But if you don’t want to visit Karma beach club then don’t bother walking here and just stay at Melasti beach instead.
6. PANDAWA BEACH
Another beautiful beach with a cliff-side backdrop very close to Melasti beach is Pandawa beach. As Melasti beach, it is quite big. Very long shoreline with blue waters and white sand filled with many bars, warungs and other restaurants. Same as Melasti beach, it is affected by tide change so make sure you don’t come during low tide as it’s not so beautiful as during high/mid-rise tide. Another great thing about Pandawa beach is that the parking is right on the beach so there is no hike required which makes it a perfect beach for people who don’t want to go down a million stairs to reach a beach.
The entrance fee is 15k IDR (0,90EUR) per person and the parking fee is 2k IDR (0,12EUR) per scooter or 5k (0,30EUR) for a car.
7. TIMBIS BEACH
Right next to Pandawa Beach you can find the equally stunning Timbis beach. The difference between the two is that Timbis beach is not so well known and there are no facilities, thus there are not so many tourists around. You can either bring your own drinks and snacks or you can walk back to Pandawa Beach to have lunch and drinks at one of their warungs. As far as I know you can access the beach only directly from Pandawa Beach and we were told that during high tide the beach is almost entirely covered by water, therefore you should visit during mid-low tide. We really don’t like visiting beaches in Uluwatu during low tide because of all the exposed sharp rocks and coral reefs which is really unpleasant (and dangerous) to walk on, therefore we suggest mid rising tide for this beach.
For adventure seekers, you can actually do paragliding here. For about 50EUR you get a 15min flight with a professional pilot and some pictures and video footage from your flight. BOOK YOUR PARAGLIDING FLIGHT AT GUNUNG PAYUNG BEACHE HERE! Remember that availability of paragliding highly depends on the weather conditions and it mostly only available during summer season which is at the earliest from April to Early December.
Fun fact – in the 90s until the 2000s, Timbis Beach was used by local people for seaweed cultivation. Nowadays it’s not a thing anymore.
8. GREEN BOWL BEACH
Green Bowl is a tiny little beach between Melasti Beach and Pandawa beach. It is not so well known and it requires a quite steep hike down of about 500 stairs which makes it a very serene and peaceful beach with little to no tourists.
There aren’t any facilities at Green Bowl beach so make sure you bring your own drinks and snacks. The tides are very significant and usually the other beaches are best to visit at high tide, but as Green Bowl beach is very small and a narrow stripe of sand, it’s better to come during mid tide so you can make sure to lie on the beach without having waves coming at you all the time. During low tide it’s not so nice as the rock bottom is exposed and it’s challenging to walk on it to reach the water. There are also beautiful caves inside the limestone cliffs that you can visit.
There is a big parking lot and the parking fee for a scooter is 5k IDR (0,30EUR).
9. SULUBAN BEACH
Suluban is a very particular beach. In fact during high tide, I wouldn’t even call it a beach. It’s more like a “sea cave” with an opening to the ocean. During high tide the entire cave is filled with water so then there is really no “beach” or stretch of sand at all. However if you come during low/mid tide, you can enter the cave and it’s so beautiful. We would say that mid tide is the best time to visit Suluban Beach to have some water entering the cave, but not entirely filled with water. It is also highly popular among surfers too.
To get to the beach from the parking lot, you need to hike down many stairs for about 10min. You can find many bars and restaurants on top of the beach, even the famous cliff bar – Single Fin is located right here! You can also enter the beach directly from the bar. The entrance to the beach is free, however the parking fee is 5k IDR (0,30EUR).
10. BINGIN BEACH
Bingin beach was the first beach we went to when we arrived in Bali. The path to get down to the beach is not the easiest but it’s doable. There are many hotels, restaurants and beach bars with a beautiful view directly on the beach so you can easily spend the entire day here. They also offer sun beds and umbrellas for rent. We’ve had lunch at “Bingin Ombak Warung” and the food was delicious.
The beach is pretty big and we even walked to the end of one side, where we’ve seen beautiful rocks and there were no people at all so it felt very private. Bingin beach is also popular among surfers. The only thing we didn’t like about this beach is that during low tide there are quite many sharp rocks in the water, so you have to be very very careful or wear water shoes. I also cut my foot there so it was a bit annoying. Other than that, it’s a beautiful beach with many amenities.
11. BALANGAN BEACH
Another beautiful looking golden sand beach is Balangan beach. Now, we haven’t actually gotten down to the beach but we have seen it from the famous viewpoint. It was looking very secluded with almost no people at all, which is strange because it’s one of the most famous beaches in Uluwatu. Apparently the change of tide is very visible on Balangan beach so make sure you come during high tide to have a better experience. From the viewpoint it looked like there are also many rocks in the water, so be careful when you go in or wear water shoes. Balangan beach is also very popular within surfers and there is also a surfing school where you can get lessons or just rent a surfboard. Some other facilities at Balangan are sun beds and umbrellas rental plus there are also a couple of bars and restaurants.
Next time we are in Bali, we will make sure to go down to the beach too and don’t just admire it from the viewpoint which, by the way, is amazing to watch the sunset from.
There is a big parking where you can park your scooter for 5k IDR (0,30EUR) or a car for 10k (0,60EUR).
12. PADANG PADANG BEACH
Padang Padang beach is one of the most famous beaches in Uluwatu. In fact it’s so famous that the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” was filmed right here!
When we visited Padang Padang the weather was very moody, the tide was very low and there was also some plastic in the ocean, so it didn’t leave a good impression on us. However, we have seen many pictures from this beach and it looks absolutely stunning! We will definitely visit it again (on a sunny day) when we are back in Bali just to confirm it.
You need to walk down many stairs to get to the beach, but nothing sketchy as they are very well maintained. There are also some beach stalls selling some drinks and snacks.
The entrance fee to enter the beach is 15k IDR (0,90EUR) per person plus a parking fee of 2k IDR (0,12EUR) for a scooter.
13. THOMAS BEACH
The list of the best beaches in Uluwatu wouldn’t be complete without Thomas Beach. This beautiful and underrated beach with crystal clear blue water and white sand is located right next to Padang Padang beach. Again, like at many other beaches in Uluwatu, the bottom is rocky so be careful or bring water shoes. The rocks are very sharp so it’s very easy to cut yourself. Been there, done that 😀 .
There are sunbeds, umbrellas and surfboard available for rent as well as some local warungs where you can get lunch and drinks.
To get to Thomas Beach, watch out for Suka Espresso cafe and exactly opposite of it there is a narrow dirt road that leads you to Thomas Beach. There is a little parking area along the dirt road, where you can park your scooter and from where you need to walk down to the beach. The entrance to the beach and parking is free of charge.
14. TEGAL WANGI BEACH
Tegal Wangi beach is mainly popular for its beautiful sea caves, natural rock pools, stunning cliff views and incredible sunsets.
If you would like to relax inside the natural rock pools that are made of exposed coral reef, make sure you come at low tide. Otherwise they are completely filled with water and nowhere to be seen.
The sea caves became a favourite instagram spot for many photographers, especially during sunset hours. You can capture a beautiful picture of sunset from inside of the cave which gives you a beautiful frame of your subject.
Many people come to watch sunset here. Some make it down to the beach, some stay on top of the cliffs. Nevertheless it’s beautiful either way!
There are no facilities at this beach so bring your own drinks and snacks with you.
There is a small parking close to Tegalwangi temple, where you can park your scooter and from where you can walk to the cliff and down to the beach. The parking fee is 2k IDR (0,12EUR), but sometimes there is nobody to collect the parking fee, so you can park for free. If you can’t find Tegal Wangi beach on google maps, just put Pura Segara Tegalwangi, which is the temple with a parking lot next to it.
15. GUNUNG PAYUNG BEACH
Gunung Payung Beach also referred to as the secret beach is a secluded beach situated at the east side of Pandawa beach. Beautiful crystal clear blue water, however with sharp coral reef bottom, so be very careful or wear water shoes when entering the ocean. The tide here is also very significant so make sure to come here during high tide, otherwise you won’t enjoy it to the fullest. There are a few facilities like sunbeds rental and also a local warung, where you can get some drinks and food. For adventure seekers, you can actually do paragliding here. For about 50EUR you get a 15min flight with a professional pilot and some pictures and video footage from your flight. BOOK YOUR PARAGLIDING FLIGHT AT GUNUNG PAYUNG BEACHE HERE! Remember that availability of paragliding highly depends on the weather conditions and it mostly only available during summer season which is at the earliest from April to Early December.
There is a large parking lot at Dhang Kahyangan Gunung Payung Temple, where you can park your scooter and from where you need to walk around 15-20min down the rough path until you reach the beach.
HERE IS THE MAP OF 15 BEST BEACHES IN ULUWATU
SCOOTER RENTAL
Just like the rest of Bali, we recommend to explore Uluwatu by scooter. There are many scooter rental companies around. We have rented our comfortable red Honda Scoopy from ARJUNA RENT BIKE & CAR and we paid 70k IDR (4,30EUR) per day. We rented it for the total of 10 days so it might have been cheaper than if you want to rent it only for a day or two. If you are into surfing and have your own surfboard, make sure you get a scooter with a surfboard holder. Most of the Uluwatu scooter rentals have them.
BOOK A TOUR OR HIRE A PRIVATE DRIVER
If you don’t feel safe driving a scooter, you can book a tour that will take you to the best spots in Uluwatu or you can hire a private driver that will take you wherever you want to go!
Here are some tours and private drivers you can book/hire:
We hope this blog post was helpful to you and you are gonna have a great time while exploring the beautiful Uluwatu region. For more pictures and videos check out our IG story highlight (Uluwatu) and our reels/feed posts. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to comment bellow or contact us via email or even better via Instagram @borntotraveldiaries. Thank you for your time and stay tuned for our next diary page 🙂.
