Just short drives from InterContinental Bali Resort are some of the island’s most idyllic beaches. Getting to them isn’t always easy as many of these out-of-the-way beauty spots are positioned at the base of towering cliffs. However, when you make the effort to get there, you will be rewarded with glorious views from the cliff-tops, panoramic vistas along the coastline, hidden coves, and secluded stretches of white-gold sand. Pock-marked with crystalline rock pools at low tide, these southern beaches are pounded by some of the world’s most famous surf breaks. Here is our selection of five of the best ‘hard to find and difficult to leave’ beaches of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula.
1.Nyang Nyang Beach
Nyang Nyang is a truly spectacular ribbon of white-gold sand stretching one-and-a-half kilometres along Bali’s southernmost coastline. The beach is bordered by slanting cliffs, while a natural reef breaks the incoming tides, allowing for calmer clearer waters closer to the shore. This is one of Bali’s least-visited beaches and it is usually deserted.
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To get there, follow a rough track from the main Uluwatu road, which finishes at the cliff edge where you’ll find some local ladies selling drinks and snacks (there is nowhere to buy anything at beach level). From the cliff edge, there is a 15-minute walk down 535 steps to the beach. Plenty of quiet spots are hidden amidst the scrub at the base of the steps, and shade can be found on the grassy plateau, which you will have to share with the cows.
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The long coastline makes for a pleasant walk, with virtually no other people in sight most of the time, other than the occasional seaweed farmer or solitary surfer out on the reef break. The beach is divided into two halves by a broad grassy headland. On the eastern half, you’ll find a shipwreck on the sand. Swimming is not recommended as there are no lifeguards on patrol. 12km from InterContinental Bali Resort.
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2. Bingin Beach
This white-sand strand, situated near Pecatu Village, is accessed via a descent of hundreds of steep and crumbling steps, but you will be rewarded with sensational views as you zigzag past the rustic buildings that are set into the cliffs. When the tide is out, the beach is a massive rock shelf covered with water pools, and walking along here is a fascinating experience although it can be extremely slippery. When the tide is in, much of the beach vanishes and you’ll have to retreat to one of the many warungs that line the sand, from where you can enjoy a relaxed vibe and fabulous views of Bingin’s exceptional surf sets, which roll in, one after another. 13km from InterContinental Bali Resort.
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3. Green Bowl Beach
The poetically-named Green Bowl is one of South Bali’s most isolated beaches, a small coastal strip with coarse white sand, located near Ungasan and reached by descending more than 300 steps through a forested terrain. Beside the beach are three large limestone caves, which are home to colonies of sleeping bats.
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The best time to go is at low tide, when the calm clear waters allow for great snorkelling, with the waves a short paddle beyond a natural reef barrier. Green Bowl Beach is located near the derelict site of the Bali Cliff Resort. To the left of the former resort’s entrance is a car park and a temple. The closure of the hotel left the beach as an abandoned secret paradise. The most likely inspiration for the name is the colours and curvature of the green cliff that looms over the beach and is inhabited by hordes of grey long-tailed macaques. There are no lifeguards on duty here, so swimming, snorkelling and surfing should be undertaken with caution. 9km from InterContinental Bali Resort.
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4. Blue Point Beach
Located close to the famous Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple, Blue Point Beach is also known as Pantai Suluban. It presents, without a doubt, the most dramatic beach entrance in Bali. Getting there involves a 200-metre-walk down some shallow steps, at the end of which you will have to weave your way through a rabbit warren of warungs before descending a steep concrete staircase that drops down through a narrow crag in the cliff under an enormous rocky canopy with a golden-sugar-sand floor. This large cavern amplifies the sound of the crashing waves, and slivers of sky are visible through the slits in the cliff ledge, which suddenly opens out into an amphitheatre of luminescent aquamarine water.
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The best time is during low tide, which reveals mini caves and tidal pools that offer a pleasurable soak. Surfers abound, with Bali’s most challenging reef breaks being only a short paddle out. Be sure to watch the tides, as currents can be strong, and waves can crash through cave openings. Blue Point Beach is not recommended for young children. Early mornings are usually the best time to go if you wish to avoid the crowds, while the most scenic time is at sunset, especially when watched from the cliff-top cafes above. 15km from InterContinental Bali Resort.
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5. Tegal Wangi Beach
Tegal Wangi Beach is possibly the most secret of the hidden beaches that grace the western lip of the Bukit. For a long time this beach was used only by photographers, creating an exotic backdrop for pre-wedding photographs of brides-and-grooms-to-be. It takes its name from Tegal Wangi temple, which is reachable via a paved road and perched on top of the limestone cliff. Here, a high wall adds even more mystery for first-time visitors but once you find your way in, small glimpses of the ocean panorama are visible beyond the vegetation of the hill. A stony walkway leads down to an awesome seascape which, at low tide, exposes seaweed-covered rocky beds, caves, and small pools. Swimming is not recommended due to the strong undercurrents but the ocean ‘jacuzzis’ provide a refreshing soak. 6km from InterContinental Bali Resort.
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