Pantai Balangan Beach is one of the most iconic beaches in Uluwatu to watch sunset, either from the beach or atop the cliff. A long stretch of turquoise blue water and golden sand is flanked on either side by towering cliffs, providing the ultimate spot for a bird’s-eye view.
If this beach is on your list of places to visit in Uluwatu – and it should be – read on for all the information you should know before you go.
Best time to visit Pantai Balangan Beach
There are two good options to visit Balangan Beach – either during daytime high tide to make the most out of the stunning blue water, or like we’ve mentioned, sunset. It’s also a popular surf spot so be sure to check the tide forecast.
How to get to Balangan Beach Bali
By far the best way to get around Bali is by scooter – this island is just not made for cars. Most accommodations will be able to arrange a scooter rental for you, and if you hire for multiple days you can usually haggle down to around 60,000 IDR per day. If you’re not comfortable driving in Bali, you can always hire a private driver online.
There is a central parking area whether you’re planning on going to the beach itself or the overlooking cliff. From the parking lot, you can either walk down to the beach or across the right to the cliff.
What to bring to Balangan Beach Bali
If you’re interested in photography and/or videography this is the gear we can’t live without:
Professional camera: Sony a7iv (click for price)
Action camera: GoPro HERO10 Black (click for price)
Drone: DJI Air 2s (click for price)
Related post: What's in our camera bag
Click here to see our complete camera gear
Tebing Pantai Balangan Entrance Fee
To access the beach there is no entrance fee, however, if you need to park a scooter it’s 5000 IDR or 10,000 IDR for a car. You should also bring extra money for umbrella rental and coconuts at the beach, and local food vendors on the cliff.
What to expect at Balangan Beach Bali
We visited Balangan Beach three times during our stay in Uluwatu, and both were very different experiences. The first time we just went for sunset at Tebing Pantai Balangan (Balangan Cliff) which was a lot of fun.
This cliff is a popular hangout spot for locals and tourists, so you’ll see couples on dates, groups of friends jamming out, photographers and models – it’s a real mixed bag on the cliff!
We arrived for golden hour and stayed until the colours burned, admiring the crashing waves, vibrant sky and our favourite hobby, people watching. Our friend Jackson Groves actually cliff jumped off Balangan Cliff, but unless you’re a madman, we can’t say we recommend it.
On our second and third visits to this beach, we actually went down onto the beach to enjoy the sea, sun and sand. If you’re going to go down to the beach then it’s definitely best to visit when the tide is above the rocks at the shoreline. It’s a lot more picturesque and you can appreciate the epic blue water that Uluwatu beaches are known for.
Balangan Beach is one of many incredible surf spots along the Bukit Peninsula, known for its consistent left-hand reef break. Unsurprisingly, this attracts a lot of experienced surfers, which makes for some good viewing from the beach. If you’re interested in more information about the Balangan Beach surf conditions, check out Surf Indonesia.
If surfing isn’t your thing and you just want to relax on the beautiful golden sand, then Balangan Beach is still a great location for you. You can post up under a beach umbrella for around 50,000 IDR (always negotiable) or just lay out your towel on the sand and soak up some sun. When it comes to swimming, the conditions can be very hit and miss so be sure to know your limits and test the waters – literally.
More Beaches in Uluwatu
Uluwatu has been blessed with some of the best beaches in Bali. Check out more of the stunning beaches in the area:
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