Bali

Uluwatu

Uluwatu is located on the Bukit Badung peninsula in the south of Bali and if there's one place in Bali I've fallen in love with, it's Uluwatu. I have never felt so at home in any other place in the world! Except for Byron Bay (Australia) maybe.

But what makes Uluwatu so special? For me, it was somehow the flair in the air. There is less going on than in Canggu, Seminyak and Kuta, which makes it more relaxed. And the people here also somehow radiate a certain relaxed vibe. Maybe it's also the surfer vibes. Because Uluwatu is a popular destination for surfers. Although the waves are not for beginners.

You'll also find the most beautiful beaches in Bali in Uluwatu! The white sandy beaches here are lovingly framed by steep, green cliffs. Conveniently, it rains the least in the southernmost part of Bali. So you can spend a lot of time on the beach. My absolute favorite place for this was the beach bar Kelly's Warung on Bingin Beach. Just sitting there, looking out to the sea and reading made me feel incredibly happy.

Kelly's Warung is not the only place in Uluwatu that I have taken to my heart. There are countless good cafés and restaurants here! Especially in the western part of the Bukit Peninsula, I could have tried a new place every day! You'll also find lots of cute boutiques with beautiful clothes there.

Uluwatu didn't just captivate me with its beautiful nature, relaxed atmosphere and good nightlife options! Unfortunately, the accommodation here is a little more expensive. The most expensive and exclusive hotels in Bali, such as The Edge, are located in the southernmost part of the island. The accommodation prices here are also expensive for us Europeans!

What to see & discover:

Bingin Beach

My favorite beach in Bali was actually Bingin Beach. To get there you have to walk down many steps past cute accommodation. Once you reach the bottom, a beautiful panorama and, above all, a very relaxed atmosphere await you.

At Bingin Beach, however, there is only a thin stretch of sandy beach with a rocky bottom. This is completely covered by water at high tide, while at low tide you still have meters to the water.

Yet, it's my favorite beach because of the beach bar Kelly's Warung. There you can enjoy a great view of the beach and the surrounding area in a relaxed atmosphere! I could have spent hours here. Though I would have preferred to buy an apartment on the hillside with a view of the sea (if only I were rich...).

By the way: a few monkeys await you at the back of the beach!

Uluwatu Beach

Uluwatu Beach or Suluban Beach is probably one of the most beautiful beaches in Bali. The panorama on the beach was just so nice. Yet, the beach is just not necessarily something for relaxing on. Due to the high cliffs, there is hardly any sunlight here and the sea is too wild to go swimming. But the beach is a very popular starting point for surfers!

If you come to Uluwatu Beach, you can make a detour to one of the warungs on the cliffs, at La Terrazza or Single Fin. From there you have a magnificent view of the sea and the coast. You can watch the surfers while enjoying a refreshment. There are also a few small stores selling local products and clothing.

Nyang Nyang Beach

Nyang Nyang Beach is (still) a rather untouristy beach. It is located in the south of Uluwatu. Already the view of the beach from above is extremely impressive. It is surrounded by green slopes. The beach itself is pleasantly empty. Here too, surfers are more likely to be out and about than tourists.

Only the path to the beach is very long and steep. You can drive down on a scooter, but you should be careful. If you walk, you have a sports program included on the way up. There is no entrance fee for the beach, but parking costs money.

By the way: there is an old airplane above the beach: Mandala Airlines PK-RII. It used to be a popular photo spot. Now, it is a luxury accommodation that is hardly affordable for normal people.

Balangan Beach

Balangan Beach is a long, white sandy beach that is not so crowded. You can therefore relax here and watch a few surfers breaking waves.

What I particularly liked about Balangan Beach was that it is not so touristy. The beach shacks look much more original. What's more, the view of the beach and the rest of the coast from above is incomparably beautiful!

However, the best time to visit Balangan Beach is at sunset. You can watch it wonderfully from the viewing platform. However, then there are a few more people on the beach.

Padang Padang Beach

Padang Padang Beach is a small but very popular beach. It is located near one of the main roads in Uluwatu and there is a large parking lot where you can park (cost: 1K IDR). You can then walk to the entrance where you pay a small entrance fee of 15K IDR. A short staircase leads you to the beach itself, where you will pass a few monkeys. So take care of your belongings ;)

The beach itself is very nice and quaint, which I liked! Unfortunately, it was a bit crowded for my taste and there was a bit of garbage on the beach during our visit. That wasn't the case with friends of mine.

Green Bowl Beach

Green Bowl Beach in the south of Bali is also a small beach, but less well-known and therefore much emptier. It is surrounded by jungle and water. Here you quickly forget all the stress of everyday life! You should therefore bring your own food and drinks. Although there are vendors on the beach who want to sell you drinks and coconuts, there is no beach stall or anything similar. You have to pay a small entrance fee of IDR 5K for the beach.

A highlight: there is a small temple in an open cave on the beach.

Melasti Beach & other Beaches

In Uluwatu you will find the most beautiful beaches in Bali! Unlike most other Bali beaches, these are all white sandy beaches! Some of the beaches are rather small. But there are also large beaches where you can relax very well. I really liked Melasti Beach for this. It's not so well known and you can easily get into the water here. Dreamland Beach is also perfect for a day at the beach. The white sand beams at you. The waves sometimes make it difficult to get into the water.

One beach that really lives up to its name is Impossibles Beach. It was impossible for us to go to the beach as it is completely flooded at high tide. Even at low tide, it's more for surfers. Instead, you can go to Thomas Beach. Only a few tourists get lost here. Jimbaran Beach is not really in Uluwatu, but on the Bukit Peninsula. Here we were able to relax and jump into the water.

Last but not least, I would of course like to introduce you to the beach of Bali's richest visitors: Nusa Dua Beach. The resorts around it are all very exclusive. No wonder with this beautiful beach.

Pura Luhur Temple

The Pura Luhur Temple is one of the oldest temples in Bali. It is located on a cliff about 80 meters high and towers above the surf. A fantastic view is therefore included in your visit.

However, you should always watch out for the monkeys that live in the temple. I don't think I've encountered such aggressive monkeys anywhere else in Bali as at Pura Luhur.

The temple is particularly popular at sunset. This is when the traditional kecak dance takes place daily in the amphitheater. While the sun sets in the background, you can admire the men in their Balinese dance drama. During the kecak, around 100 men sit on the floor and move in sync while shouting “Cak-ke-cak-ke-cak”.

Sunset Point Batujaran

You can actually see the sunset everywhere on the west coast of Uluwatu. But there was one place I particularly liked: the Sunset Point Batujaran. You can reach it via a small forest path.

From Batujaran, you can see imposing cliffs on one side and the Pura Luhur temple on the other as the sun sets on the horizon. There were a few others there with us. But the atmosphere was very relaxed. Some were having a picnic, there was some music playing and a few were playing card games or reading a book.

What else to explore

You may have just noticed that Uluwatu mainly has beaches to offer. But they are worth it, believe me! And where better to relax than on the beach?

You can also go shopping in Uluwatu. There are several boutiques that offer beautiful clothing, jewelry & co. Or you visit one of the markets. Every Sunday, for example, there is a market for clothing, jewelry and interiors at Hatch.

If you want, you can also spend some quality time at the spa. We treated ourselves to an inexpensive and good eyelash lift in the Lash and Nails Lounge.

Otherwise, I enjoyed just sitting in the restaurant or café and watching all the different people. I'll tell you the best places to do this next...

Where to eat & drink

I ate incredibly well in Uluwatu - whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner. My absolute favorite place was Loca Warung. I went there several times, both for dinner and for breakfast. I can highly recommend both, but it was the pancakes in the morning that stuck in my mind.

Another favorite place of mine is Kelly's Warung on Bingin Beach. I just loved the atmosphere there. Above all, I could have easily seen myself working remotely there. You can also work remotely at The Loft. But it's worth going there for the food, too. It was super tasty! And you can eat delicious food and sit in a nice atmosphere at The Cashew Tree. Here, too, you will meet some digital nomads who now live in Bali. However, our highlight there were the vegan cakes at the snack counter. We came back several times for that.

For breakfast, we went to Three Steps Coffee or Refresh Coffee Shop - both highly recommended. We also liked Scones Bali, Ulu Artisan and Mango Tree Café.

If you're looking for a cheap lunch, then Warung Sunny is the place for you. Nowhere else have we eaten as cheaply as there! If you want to enjoy a beautiful view over lunch, then the Salin Café on Uluwatu Beach is the place to go. Alternatively, you can also go to La Terrazza. For dinner, I can recommend Zicatela (Mexican) and Ulu Garden! However, we had the best dinner at Uru Ramen & Sushi!

For drinks, you have to go to Single Fin at least once - a surfer club on Uluwatu Beach. From there you have a great view of the sea (& the surfers) and you can take a dip in their pool. There's always a party here on Wednesday and Sunday evenings! If you're looking for cheap drinks, then I can recommend Tabu. There's actually a special there every day. Tuesdays are Taco Tuesday, for example: tacos and margaritas are half price! However, we often ended up at Hatch in the evening. There are different events here every evening. However, there's always a beer pong table in the gallery, which is where we spent most of our time. If you fancy a dayclub, then head to either the Oneeighty Dayclub or Sundays Beach Club! But for the real party, you should go to Savaya. The world's most famous DJs have performed there already.

Where to sleep

I spent my very first nights in Bali in Uluwatu at Flowerbud Bungalow Balangan (affiliate link). The accommodation had real picture-book Bali vibes and was one of the best accommodations in terms of value for money. You can get your own bungalow here for as little as €30 a night. I really liked the complex with the beautiful pool and the location! Just make sure that you have air conditioning in your room when you book!

I also had a nice place to stay in Uluwatu with Clara at Villa Arindra by Bukit Vista. The rooms were large and very nice, there was a kitchen to share with the other rooms and a lovely pool area. Everything was very clean and tidy.

On my first trip to Bali, I stayed at another Bukit Vista accommodation with a friend, the Dream Breeze Village (affiliate link). We also had a good experience here. Everything was very clean. From there, you could get everywhere quickly by scooter! Some digital nomads lived (and worked) here for a longer period of time. The communal kitchen was a particular plus point for them.

If you are looking for cheap accommodation in Uluwatu, you should look around for a hostel. My favorite address is the Bali Bobo Hostel (affiliate link). It's not really in Uluwatu, but it is in the north of the Bukit Peninsula. The prices here are very reasonable and the staff are extremely friendly. Everything was very clean, the beds were comfortable and there is even a pool. I also met the nicest people at the Bali Bobo Hostel. I then traveled with two of them, Cody and Mat, for another two weeks and we had the best time!

I spent one more night at the Home-Bience Hostel (affiliate link), where I paid €10 for a single room. The hostel facilities were nice and the other hostel residents were very open and friendly. However, I was only here for such a short time that I was hardly able to gain any impressions of the hostel. I don't know what the shared rooms are like. My single room was a bit spartan, but clean.

I have put together a list of all the places on Google Maps.

You can find the list here.