If you have seen the worst of Kuta and Seminyak, and you’re ready to cleanse your senses with spaces, and endless beaches, rock pools and space, Uluwatu beaches are the best ones worth every penny!

Sure, you could go to Sanur and soak in the laidback and calm beach scenes, but my biggest problem was that there was people everywhere.

The surf scene in Uluwatu has gathered quite a momentum but beyond that it’s the white sands, boardwalks, beach hikes, amazing cafes and warungs that make Uluwatu a gem on its own.

The ocean was unbelievably blue in April and there’s a lot of talk of how people don’t go to Bali for its beaches but I am here to believe that parts of the beaches in Uluwatu reminded me of the Sydney harbor.

The waves can be strong but there are white powder sand beaches and has all the right infrastructure to spend the whole day there.

I have put together the best beaches in Uluwatu and side activities and places you could stop for a break if you’re planning a day out.

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The Best Beaches in Uluwatu

1. Suluban Beach & Blue Point Beach: Great for Surfing

the best beaches in uluwatu include this one like suluban beach

When you talk about a labyrinth of stairs (to be exact 130 steps) and various cliff points with stunning jagged rocks, Suluban Beach is a great spot for those who love large waves and want to try their hand at surfing.

This is the one and only beach which has a lot of cliffs and huge rocks which makes the view stunningly beautiful.

The rock pools, the colour of the water and watching surfers do their thing was such a great way to take in the vibes of Bali!

There are also some nice cafes set up on this epic cliff facing the sea that makes it for a nice spot to chill.

Entrance Fee: 5k per person
Location: Suluban Beach
Best spot to chill: Single Fin Beach Club or Jeffry’s Warung

2. Padang Padang Beach: For the Best Nearby Cafe and Family-Friendly Beach

padang-padang beach is another one in uluwatu

The most popular beach that has been featured on almost every platform — this is also a great place for families to come as the waves are not too intense compared to other spots in Uluwatu.

The best time to come here is in the afternoon or evening when the tide is low and perfect for a swim. In the morning, it tends to be high-tide — but don’t forget to bring a book and chill.

It can get a bit crowded sometimes but if you walk to the other side there’s a nice little cove to chill and swim in the water.

And when it gets too crowded, I would suggest you chill out at this amazing cafe called Son of A Baker- Art & Bakehouse. It’s the perfect hideout spot for a light lunch, coffee, tea and amazing cake or pastries.

I ended up spending the entire afternoon reading a book here with views of the sea!

Entrance Fee: 15k per person
Location: Padang Padang Beach
Best spot to chill: Son of A Baker- Art & Bakehouse or The Place with No Name

3. Balangan Beach: Wide white-sand beach

If you love looking at corals and finding stony gems on this amazing white-sand beach, Balangan beach is a great spot to chill without all the crowds.

There’s not much fanfare to this place and the water is amazingly clean which is also a great spot to learn how to surf.

I love that there are local beachside cafes for you to take a break when you need to without having to break the bank.

If you love taking a nice walk on the beach, this is also a good spot to just walk from one end to the other.

Entrance Fee: 5k per person
Location: Balangan Beach
Best spot to chill: Bella Bali or Jimmy Beach Cafe

4. Nyang Nyang Beach: Jaw-dropping Cliff Views of The Ocean

nyang nyang beach, the most epic beach in uluwatu

the long paved road that leads to nyang nyang beach

The long paved road which is about 1.5km down to the beach was one of my highlights of visiting Nyang-Nyang Beach in Bali. I went on a scooter all the way down and for 25k rupiah you could get a motorbike taxi to take you up if you dread walking later.

It was super scenic and I loved watching the big waves crashing into the shore.

As accessibility is not the best, I found this place to have no families and it was the perfect hideout away from the madness of some parts in Bali.

There's a small warung by beach for a quick coconut drink or beer, coke or nuts. But the other restaurant at the top is a nice place to take in the views if you want me-time to yourself.

Entrance Fee: Free or by donation 5k
Location: Nyang Nyang Beach
Best spot to chill: Warung Party People in Bali Nyang Nyang by Carlos de Ory or Nyang Nyang Bar Restaurant

5. Nunggalan Beach: A Trek Of A Kind & Vast Open Beach

views of nunggalan beach on my hike down here!

A 30-minute hike to this amazing long stretch of coastline that sort of links to Nyang Nyang Beach.

I found this beach one of the best places to watch the sunset in the evening. As there’s almost nobody here, Nunggalan beach is almost like a secret beach in Bali.

There’s also a broken ship providing quite a dramatic setting to the beach.

If you love bird watching and wildlife, it was an amazing spot to also spot other migratory birds in the evening.

When the sun was not oppressive, this is a perfect spot to those who love running and want a bit of adventure!

Entrance Fee: Free
Location: Nunggalan Beach
Best spot to chill: Just the open beach

6. Bingin Beach: Great nearby beach from villas!

bingin beach, the closest beach in uluwatu next to most villas

If you’re staying in some of the villas facing this beach, it is a short walk to Bingin Beach making it quite accessible compared to other beaches in Uluwatu.

There are limestone cliffs, sandy beach and a mix of urban and local cafes, nothing pretentious but a great spot to just chill out with some good food.

Entrance Fee: Free
Location: Bingin Beach
Best spot to chill: Lucky Fish Lounge

7. Dreamland Beach: The Most Hyped-Up Beach

While the beach is beautiful and there’s no exhausting stairs to go up and down, it can get pretty crowded pretty fast. I have seen a lot of trash in this spot and swimming far over here can be dangerous because of the waves currents.

There are also a lot of expensive sunbeds — so it depends on your vibe and whether you want somewhere with a lot of people that’s accessible or the other ones which are equally stunning but less crowded.

Entrance Fee: 15k
Location: Dreamland Beach
Best spot to chill: Dreamland warung

8. Melasti Beach: For A Spacious Seashore!

If you’re spending the day and thinking of heading to watch the kecak performance, Melasti Beach is a great spot to spend your day due to its spacious seashore.

The currents are pretty strong over here and if you walk deeper there are a lot of corals making it less than ideal for swimming far.

However, there’s a certain vibe to this place that makes it seem laidback and not to forget the drive here can be truly epic with those huge limestone cliffs.

Entrance Fee: 10k
Location: Melasti Beach
Best spot to chill: Minoo Beach Club

9. Pandawa Beach: Where Locals Go

Pandawa Beach is a popular spot for domestic tourists and locals who much prefer warungs at the beach as opposed to beach clubs.

The trick is to find a beach lounge right at the end of the beach and enjoy the 30 minute head and foot massage for 50k rupiah. Some of the warungs here even serve local fresh seafood and they do have your western flavours but with a local twist.

If you want a change of scene and space, Pandawa beach might be a great way to get to know the other side of Bali.

Entrance Fee: 15k
Location: Pandawa Beach
Best spot to chill: Warung Rajawali

10. Green Bowl Beach: Best Secluded Beach

an amazing secluded beach - pandawa beach

A remote beach without too many people but also a great day to do a LEG workout as there are about 330 steps to go down to this beautiful secluded beach.

The waves can be a bit crazy and wild here in the morning so save your time and effort and head over here after lunch at 2pm. There’s also a little temple in the cave and it’s great for a little afternoon exploration while chilling at the beach.

Just stuff your belongings inside the cave and watch out for monkeys before you head out for a swim!

Entrance Fee: 5k
Location: Green Bowl Beach
Best spot to chill: Warung IbuMade (buy your coconuts here before heading to the beach!)

Best Lookout Points in Uluwatu

the most epic sunset lookout point in uluwatu called jaran hill

Jaran Hill: The view is breathtaking and it is also one of the best spots to have a little picnic and spot all the surfers catching the big waves of Uluwatu
Karang Boma Cliff: This is another popular spot to catch the sunset of Uluwatu and there’s a cute little coffee cart called The Copy Cart for you to chill out and enjoy the views!
Tebing Pantai Balangan: If you want amazing views of both the beach and coastline in both directions, this is the best spot to watch. Do bring your own food and drinks!

Where to stay in Uluwatu

The Room Padang-Padang: Close to the Padang-Padang beach and amazing breakfast!
PinkCoco: Adult-only resort with an amazing vibe!
Hari Indah Boutique Hotel & Spa: If you love a spa facility, this is the place to be!
Village Bali: Nature-vibes at this beautiful spot!
Bukal Sari Villas: I stayed here and it was the best place for me — although a bit secluded but it was lovely and quiet!

Best Cafes & Restaurants in Uluwatu

Yeye's Warung & Gift Shop: The vegan and non-veg buffett here in a warung-style is amazingly affordable.
SUKA Expresso: For the best brunch in Uluwatu
Habitat Village Uluwatu: Amazing Indonesian dinner!
Gooseberry: For a memorable dining experience that’s slightly posh!
Fren'cha Bakery Bingin: Amazing French Bakery and to-die for pastries!

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