Uluwatu is our favourite place in all of Bali and when it comes to beaches, there’s no denying the southern part of Bali is home to the very best. Unlike the more famous tourist towns of Canggu and Kuta with their grey sand and crowded clubs, the beaches in Uluwatu are a lot more low key, with golden shores and bright blue water. 

Whether you’re looking to surf big to baby swell or just relax and take a dip, there’s a beach for every kind of traveller in Uluwatu. Keep reading for our guide to the 12 best beaches in Uluwatu and its neighbouring towns.

Best time to visit the beaches in Uluwatu

Bali is the last place you want to be during the wet season, so you’ll want to time your trip to Uluwatu with dry season, which is from April to October. You can try your luck with the shoulder months of March and November for fewer tourists, but you may still cop some rainy days. 

If you’re wanting to surf, you can check the Uluwatu surf report here.

How to get to Uluwatu, Bali

Uluwatu is in the southern part of Bali, about 30 minutes from the Denpasar International Airport. We recommend hiring a driver on Grab, GoJek or in advance on GetYour Guide.

Once you’re in Uluwatu, the best way to get around all the beaches is by scooter. You can arrange a scooter rental from your accommodation, and if you hire for multiple days you can usually haggle down to around 60,000 IDR per day. 

What to bring to the beach in Uluwatu

Prepare for your trip to Uluwatu with our must-have travel essentials. (Click for prices)

• Snorkel, mask & fins
• Quick-dry microfiber travel towel
• Insulated water bottle
• Hiking Sandals
• Waterproof backpack & phone case

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)

Uluwatu beaches budget

Entrance fees for the best beaches in Uluwatu range from none to 10,000 IDR plus parking of 2000 – 5000 IDR. You should also bring extra for a sun bed and umbrella rental plus food, drinks and souvenirs. 

Best Beaches in Uluwatu

Whether you’re looking for beachside hangs or clifftop chills, Balangan Beach is one of the best beaches in Uluwatu for both. The beach itself is a popular Bukit Peninsula surf spot, drawing a crowd on most days. You can hit the waves or enjoy a relaxing time on the beach under an umbrella. 

Balangan Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

Overlooking Balangan Beach is Balangan Cliff – also known as Tebing Pantai Balangan – a rugged limestone cliff where people gather to watch sunset with an epic view of the surrounding Uluwatu beaches.

Technically two beaches linked by a cave tunnel, Suluban & Uluwatu are two of the most popular beaches in Uluwatu. This little stretch of coastline is very popular amongst surfers as well as tourists looking to enjoy a beachside drink along the cliffs.

Suluban & Uluwatu Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

Uluwatu Beach is the first beach at the bottom of the stairs, concealed by limestone cliffs on three sides. The sand area here isn’t particularly large and does often gather a crowd, however, it’s a cool spot not to be missed.

If you venture through the cave you’ll exit onto Suluban Beach, a larger stretch of beach than its neighbouring Uluwatu Beach. You’ll find equally as many surfers here, but you should be able to spread out a little more on the sand. Just watch out for monkeys when the sun starts to set!

Nunggalan Beach is one of the most underrated beaches in Uluwatu, with stunning turquoise water and a 2-kilometre stretch of golden sand. Despite the epic scenery, the main attraction of Nunggalan Beach is actually an old shipwreck.

Nunggalan Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

It’s not the easiest beach to access, but it’s well worth the hike to the bottom. You won’t have any trouble finding a spot on the sand for yourself, as Nunggalan Beach is one of the most quiet Uluwatu beaches we’ve been to.

Bingin Beach is quickly becoming the place to see and be seen in Uluwatu. As the Bukit Peninsula continues to grow as a tourist destination, so too does Bingin Beach. It’s now home to a large community of surfers who are interested in Bingin Beach’s near-perfect reef break and clean barrels.

Bingin Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

Aside from surfing, Bingin Beach is a beautiful spot to soak up some sun or chill out under a beach umbrella with a fresh coconut in hand as you enjoy the view of the surfers and the pristine water.

Nyang Nyang Beach was once a remote and quiet haven at the bottom of a treacherous cliff and a long hike. Thankfully, access to Nyang Nyang Beach has been improved, however, the beach itself has remained untouched and peaceful.

Nyang Nyang Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

You can spend hours beach bumming and enjoying the stunning scenery, or go for a wander down the 1.5km stretch of sand until you find a beach bar that takes your fancy. Nyang Nyang Beach is also a great spot to fly a drone if you have one, as an old decommissioned airplane is parked atop the cliff. 

One of the most picturesque beaches in Uluwatu is Greenbowl Beach, an epic pocket of sand at the bottom of a 75-metre cliff. Greenbowl Beach is an incredibly popular spot amongst local surfers, as well as tourists who don’t mind the hike.

Green Bowl Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

What makes Greenbowl Beach so unique are the two caves at the base of the cliff, where you can sit and enjoy the view of the surfers. Just be sure to visit Greenbowl Beach during low tide so that there is plenty of sand and access to the steps going back up the cliff. 

Pandawa Beach was once Bali’s best kept secret, but now this Uluwatu beach is an incredibly popular tourist spot, particularly when it comes to local tourism. On any given day, busloads of tourists come to Pandawa Beach to enjoy its beautiful blue water and soft golden sand. 

Pandawa Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

With a beach club, kayaks for hire and even paragliding, Pandawa Beach is an awesome spot if you’re into activities. If you’re more into relaxing, there are plenty of beach umbrellas to go around and it’s the perfect beach for a swim as the waves aren’t too hectic. 

Melasti Beach is one of the most famous beaches in Uluwatu, located at the very bottom of the Bukit Peninsula. Many older blogs will tell you that Melasti Beach is a hidden gem of sorts, but it has since been commercialised (with more major development being built as we speak) and turned into a major tourist attraction.

Melasti Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

Glittering blue water meets golden sand at Melasti Beach, backed by a dramatic limestone cliff. There are a few beach clubs to choose from, or you can always find a spot on the sand and enjoy the public beach. Don’t miss out on venturing to the southernmost tip of Bali, also located at Melasti Beach. 

Honeymoon Beach is one of the most lowkey beaches in Uluwatu, but it’s an awesome place to go if you’re looking for a little peace and quiet to watch the sunset. Still mostly just a local hangout spot, Honeymoon Beach is slowly growing in popularity as tourists discover it.

Honeymoon Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

A small and untouched patch of sand marks Honeymoon Beach, however the best vantage point to catch sunset is atop the grassy cliffs. This is where people gather in groups to enjoy the beautiful scenery. 

Dreamland Beach (known locally as Pantai Dreamland) is one of our favourite beaches in Uluwatu. You can expect incredibly vibrant blue water, soft golden sand and towering cliffs, as well as one of the best spots in Uluwatu to watch the sunset.

Dreamland Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

To the left of Dreamland Beach, the scenery gets a lot more rugged, with rough limestone cliffs and caves to explore. If you climb atop the grassy overlook you’ll find the best view in the house, as well as plenty of other people admiring the same view. 

Padang Padang Beach is one of the most iconic beaches in Uluwatu, known for its incredible and consistent surf. Not an easy wave to master, surfing at Padang Padang Beach is recommended for experienced surfers, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had here.

Padang Padang Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

Many people will gather on the 100-metre stretch of sand that is Padang Padang Beach, which is mostly covered in umbrellas during the day. In the afternoon, the sun dips below the cliff casting the beach in shade so the umbrellas are packed away and people spread out on the sand. It’s very busy, but if you don’t mind crowds then it’s still plenty of fun.

Thomas Beach Bali is one of the more low-key beaches in Uluwatu, nestled between Padang Padang Beach and Suluban Beach on the southwest coast of Bali. A lot of people overlook this beach because it doesn’t have the best surf in the area, but that makes it the perfect chill-out beach.

Thomas Beach – Best Beaches in Uluwatu

Depending on the time of day you visit, Thomas Beach can either be bustling and blue with tourists stretched out on sun beds, or if you’re there during a low tide sunset you can watch as the locals trawl the rock pools for small shellfish and octopi.

Uluwatu has been blessed with some of the best views in Bali for sunset. Check out two must-visit cliffs for sunset: