The 13 Best Beaches in Uluwatu Bali You Don’t Want to Miss
Some of the most stunning beaches and views I have ever seen have been right here in Uluwatu on the island of Bali, Indonesia. The beaches in Uluwatu are nothing short of tropical perfection and each beach has its own personality and vibe.
It is no secret that Uluwatu is a big surfing destination – but even if you aren’t a surfer there is so much to enjoy about the beaches in Uluwatu. Electric Blue water, world class waves, towering limestone cliffs, epic sunsets, local warungs, bintangs and lush vegetation are what come to mind when I think of Uluwatu beaches.
Keep reading to find out the 13 best beaches in Uluwatu you don’t want to miss on your trip to Uluwatu!
Top 3 Favorite Beaches in Uluwatu:
– Bingin Beach
– Padang Padang Beach
– Green Bowl Beach
What is the Best Way to Get Around Uluwatu?
The best way to get around Uluwatu and explore all of its stunning beaches is by motor bike/scooter. However, you need to be a confident driver and feel comfortable driving one around.
Anywhere you choose stay will have motor bikes for rent. You’ll have to ask for helmets as well and if you have surfboards with you be sure to ask for a bike with a surf rack included!
When Brent and I were there in 2023 the cost of a large motor bike was 125,000 IDR per day or roughly $8 US Dollars.
Does it Cost Money to Visit the Beaches in Uluwatu?
No and yes. While most the beaches in Uluwatu are free to enter (with the exception of Padang Padang Beach) there is usually a small fee to park your motor bike/scooter. The fees for parking are anywhere from 2,000 IDR to 5,000 IDR which is roughly .13-.32 cents USD.
Map of Uluwatu Beaches:
13 Best Beaches in Uluwatu, Bali
1. Bingin Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu to hang out at all day and watch the sunset.
One of my favorite beaches in Uluwatu, if not my favorite. Binging Beach is special and I highly recommend staying here on the cliff if possible! There are tons of hotels and villas nestled into the side of the cliff.
To get down to binging you’ll have to park your motor bike at the top in the parking area and start walking down a thin path. Next thing you know you’ll be climbing down loads of concrete stairs. (Yup, you’re going to have to walk back up when you want to leave!)
My advice is to follow the signs for Kelly’s Warung to get down to the beach! This is the best way – plus I recommend getting a drink or lunch at Kelly’s too! It’s a great spot to hang out or watch the sunset and the surf.
Surfing at Bingin Beach
The best conditions for surfing at Bingin Beach are a south or south west swell with east winds. When the waves are chest high to overhead it really turns on. When the waves aren’t head high and barreling, Bingin Beach can be a good place for intermediate surfers to surf in Bali.
Bingin Beach is a great beach to hang out at for the day and swim in the sandy, shallow area. There are also surf board rentals and lessons available if the swell is small. And if the tide is low enough you can walk all the way to the left and explore the large rocks and caves.. its so pretty!
Brent and I also love coming to Bingin around sunset to have a beer at Kelly’s Warung and watch the incredible sunset from the top deck. For more about Bingin Beach read my full guide to Bingin here!
Pro Tip: there are fish BBQ’s on Bingin Beach every evening that is so fun to do! I recommend Lucky Fish. Make sure you get there on the earlier side to get a table!
Location: click here
For more about Bingin Beach including what to do, where to eat and where to stay
read my full Guide to Exploring Bingin Beach
2. Padang Padang Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu to go swimming and learn to surf.
Another favorite Uluwatu Beach of mine! Padang Padang is very picturesque beach located in a small cove and great place to go swimming. Beware, like most beaches in Uluwatu, there are steep steps to get up an down from the beach. (Be on the lookout for Monkeys – they like to hang out here!)
There are small warungs and tables selling souvenirs right on the beach but what is unique about Padang Padang Beach is that the cliffs make an overhang over the water – which is so beautiful! You can walk along this edge of the cliffs in the water and you will find smaller beaches at low tide and caves!
Since the beach is located in a little cove it is protected from the large ocean swells that give the reef just off the beach some great waves and makes Padang Padang a great spot for surfing!
Surfing at Padang Padang
During dry season, Padang Padang Left produces a high quality, fast barreling wave over a sharp and shallow reef on a big South West swell with East off shore winds and only intended for expert level surfers.
Opposite of Padang Padang Left that needs a big swell to work, Baby Padang Padang works best on a small to medium sized swell and is suited to intermediate and sometimes beginner surfers.
Baby Padang Padang is a soft reef break that breaks both right and left. The right is a cruisy, sometimes mushy, wave that will drop you back in the channel for an easy paddle back out.
When it is smaller, Padang Padang can also be a great spot for beginners or anyone wanting to learn to surf! There are plenty of board rentals on the beach and if you’ve never been surfing before I would highly recommend hiring a surf guide to take you.
Surf Tip: this is my favorite wave to longboard in Uluwatu!
Also note that there is an entrance Fee for Padang Padang Beach which is 30,000 IDR which is about the equivalent of $1 USD.
Location: click here
3. Green Bowl Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu for a picturesque and unique beach.
This was one of my favorite beaches in Uluwatu! It is very small – but incredibly picturesque. If you’re up for an adventure and a bit of a workout this is such a beautiful and unique beach.
Green Bowl has 317 steps down and 317 back up – hence the workout. (And yes we counted! Haha). But even the 317 steps on the way down are a beautiful sight!
The white sand beach is a small half moon shape. You can swim in the shallow waters here on mid to high tide and the surf is just 200 meters off the small beach.
Surfing at Green Bowl
Green Bowl is directly exposed to South swells and wind. The best time to paddle out at Green Bowl is at mid to high tide and early in the morning before the winds pick up. You can find fun right-hand waves at Green Bowl but only recommended for experienced surfers due to the strong rip currents.
There are Balinese women selling coconuts and bracelets on the beach. (Beware they are VERY pushy at this beach and mean business!). There is also a cave here where you can shelter from a rain storm or from the sun because there is not much shade available!
For more refreshments and snacks there are a few warungs up in the parking area.
Location: click here
4 + 5. Uluwatu Beach & Suluban Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu to go surfing and watch the sunset.
The beach itself is very small and not a beach I would necessarily recommend to hang out at but Uluwatu Beach is really unique and beautiful and a must see!
The beach is nestled between the cliffs of Uluwatu and you’ll have to weave through all the stalls and warungs to climb down the concrete stairs to get to the beach. (Just follow the surfers! This is where they jump in the water to surf.) Uluwatu beach honestly feels more like a little cave since you are surrounded by tall cliffs!
Surfing at Uluwatu
Uluwatu is one of the most famous surf breaks in Bali and globally. And there is good reason. This world class left hand wave peels off the point and just keeps going and going and going. (if you’re lucky)
Ideal surf conditions are during dry season (May-September) with a South West ground swell and North East off shore winds. There are also a few different breaks with in the over arching Uluwatu break which spreads people out a bit but still expect Uluwatu to be very crowded.
Surf Tip: this is not a beginner wave
To reach Suluban Beach you’ll have to wait for low tide. To the left of Uluwatu beach you’ll see some rocks that don’t look like they go anywhere but if you squeeze between them you’ll find another beach! (just won’t get caught on the beach at high tide with no way to exit!)
Tip: hang out at Single Fin or one of the warungs in the cliff to watch all the surfers down below. Sunset is my favorite time here!
Location: click here
Must Read: Where to Stay in Uluwatu & the Best Things to Do COMING SOON!
6. Dreamland Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu for swimming & turquoise water.
Dreamland is one of the only sandy bottom beaches in Uluwatu! Dreamland beach’s water has an amazing electric turquoise color because of this.
There are warungs as well as chairs and umbrellas set up on the beach for you to rent for the day to get some shade from the hot Bali sun. But you can also walk to the right and have more space on the beach to yourself if you’d like!
We like to come here for the day to swim and play in the waves but you can also surf here!
Surfing at Dreamland
In a land of left hand reef breaks, Dreamland is a right and left hand beach break. There are a few different peaks to take off from at Dreamland depending on the swell size. The best conditions to surf Dreamland are South West with off shore East Winds and can be fun for both shortboards and longboards!
Location: click here
7. Balangan Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu to learn to surf and cool views.
Balangan has a great lookout point! You can see the whole beach and its beautiful blue water from up above on the cliff.
The beach itself is fairly small especially at high tide. There are a few warungs on the beach that offer lounge chairs for rent for the day.
Brent and I hung out for a few hours at Balangan Beach on rented chairs and had a fresh coconut from one of the warungs after surfing for a few hours.
Surfing at Balangan
Balangan is the first surf spot on the Bukit Peninsula heading south. It can cater to surfers of all levels but with the right conditions.
Balangan is a left hand reef break in a large bay and like the other waves of the region this spot works best on a South West swell and off shore East winds. The wave breaks fast and is best on a low tide but is more suitable for beginners and intermediates on a higher tide.
Balangan Beach can be suitable for beginners with a small swell and a high tide. There are board rentals and lesson available at a few different places along the beach.
Tip: if you are staying in the Uluwatu area, Balangan is a bit farther away to get to. Although it is just the beach over from Dreamland – you’ll have to drive around to get there. Expect a 20 minute drive from Bingin Beach.
Location: click here
8. Thomas Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu to escape the crowds.
Located between Padang Padang and Uluwatu, Thomas Beach is somewhat of a “secret” beach.
Thomas beach is not off of the main road but down a dirt road. There aren’t too many people at this beach when we visited which made it really nice and relaxing. However, the beach was a bit rocky from all the coral collecting in the cove.
Even though Thomas beach is a lesser known Uluwatu beach there were still a few warnings on the shore and lounge chairs for rent. The water is also pretty calm here so its a good beach for swimming.
Tip: One of my favorite cafes in Uluwatu is near the road to Thomas Beach – Suka Espresso! Come for breakfast or lunch its amazing and you’ll want to come back every day.
Location: click here
9 + 10. Nyang Nyang Beach & Nunggalan Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu for no crowds.
Nyang Nyang is the longest stretch of beach on the Bukit Peninsula in Uluwatu area and a must see when visiting Uluwatu! In fact, Nyang Nyang and Nunggalan are actually just one long continuation of the same stretch of beach but are located at opposite ends.
I recommend Nyang Nyang over Nunggalan because you can drive right down to Nyang Nyang beach. The road leading to Nyang Nyang is really, really steep but at the bottom there is a nice little parking lot with a warung on the beach. Alternatively, if you want to get a great workout in there are 600 steps up and down to Nuggalan beach.
The small warung on the beach sells fresh coconuts and cold beer and offers some shade from the hot sun. You can also swim at Nyang Nyang beach in the shallow water close to shore and before the reef forms.
Tip: Nyang Nyang beach has little shade so I recommend coming here in the morning!
Surfing at Nyang Nyang
For surfing.. this is one of the only right hand breaks in the Uluwatu area although not as impressive as other waves in the Uluwatu area. Nyang Nyang is located on the southern coast of the Bukit Peninsula and is completely exposed to the big south swells so expect strong currents and little to no crowds.
Location: click here
11 + 12. Melasti Beach & Karma Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu for Beach Clubs.
Melasti Beach and Karma Beach are right next to one another and these are the beaches where the famous Bali Beach Clubs are located! You can choose from Palmilla Bali Beach Club, Karma Beach Club or Sunday’s Beach Club all in this area.
Brent and I spent a day at Palmilla and loved the vibe there. We also had really good cocktails and amazing pizza.
If you don’t want to shell out the extra money for a lounge chair at one of the beach clubs you can come to Melasti Beach just to enjoy the beach! There are modest lounge chairs for rent and the water is really nice to swim at here with a stretch of sandy bottom before the reef begins.
Melasti Beach is a bit touristy and gets crowded but for good reason!
Tip: I recommend reserving a spot at one of the beach clubs in advance if you are visiting during high season!
Location: click here
13. Pandawa Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu for souvenirs and eating.
Pandawa was a large beach with loads of beach stalls both to the left and the right along the beach on a boardwalk. The many stalls and warungs sell everything from fresh coconuts, beer, food and drinks, clothing and souvenirs.
This beach seemed the most touristy to me (perhaps the large coach buses had something to do with that) but worth checking out if you are exploring! The drive down to the beach was breathtaking and it was cool to walk around and grab a fresh coco to drink.
Location: click here
BONUS: Nusa Dua Beach
The best beach in Uluwatu for high-end resorts.
I personally did not make it to Nusa Dua Beach. Nusa Dua is on the east coast of the Bukit Peninsula and is known for its large resorts and hotels right on the beach.
I am sure the beach is gorgeous – as all Uluwatu beaches really are. But if you want to stay on the Bukit Peninsula I would recommend a few other areas before settling on a resort in Nusa Dua.
However, Nusa Dua is a great place to base yourself for surfing during Bali’s wet season (November-March). Winds will be off shore on this side of the Bukit Peninsula during wet season making great surf conditions on Bali’s east coast.
Location: click here
