Uluwatu is widely known for it’s temple standing on the cliff end and the secret beaches around the area with the top surfing spots on the island. This part of the island was actually exposed by surfers to the public first. Nowadays it is more hippie and relaxed side of the island with luxurious hidden villas between steep cliffs and beaches.
Uluwatu Temple
Let’s start where most of the tourist come for one evening to visit the Uluwatu temple and watch the sunset and the balinese dance. Pura Luhur Uluwatu the name of the temple divides into the meaningful words. The word luhur means ‘something of divine origin’ and ulu the land’s end, and watu the ‘rock’ in the old language. The name itself describes what makes this temple so special. The view of the beautiful Indian Ocean with sunset delight and daily Kecak dance performances. The Uluwatu temple is one of the nine temples in Bali meant to protect it from evil spirits and now attracts thousand of tourists every day.
Close to this temple Malini Agro Park project has taken place with the reconstruction work. It is going to be the retreat place with yoga classes, locally grown and produced green juices, a place for farmers gatherings and organic plantation. You can read more about this place.
Sectret Beaches Misery
People call beaches in Uluwatu secret, but it is only lesser-known coastal gems that don’t make it into the travel guides. Or maybe it is because of steep almost hundred metres cliffs that you need to climb down to get to see the emerald green water. But in general, all the beeches are open for tourists just few of them have an extra entrance fee. Locals collect the donations as they like to explain for a road reconstruction work or something else. But is usually just a few dollars or less. So go for it!
Impossible or Bingin Beach
For the start I chose the beach which from it’s name sounds impossible to reach. In a way it is true. There is no easy access to it and it’s not the easiest way to find it either. One local gave us recommendation saying it’s the nicest beach around Uluwatu.
It is a small cozy beach, accessible through long footpath with monkeys accompanying along your way. I would say it is the most unknown beach among so called secret beaches in Bali.
Pantai Padang Padang Beach
For this one you actually need to pay for the access (it’s only 0,70 Euro cents per person). This beach is accessible down a few flights of steps and through a limestone crevice beside a bridge. Across the road before the bridge, there is a spacious parking lot. Among the island’s most favourite big surf breaks, Pantai Padang Padang’s white sand beach offers a great view and a small sandy area for sunbathing.
Padang Padang Beach
The beach is long, good for swimming and there’s ample sand next to nobody. This and the latter beach are like one beach divided into two. Strangely most people go to the one described before as it is the one you can see from the bridge when you pass by. But this one is a way bigger and you can enjoy quitness and spaciousness here.
Uluwatu Beach (Blue Point)
This is one of Bali’s most spectacular beaches. Cliff backed, the multiple surf breaks make this one of the most famous of Bali’s waves, but with a multitude of bars and warungs built into the cliff, this is also one of the best for just chilling and watching the sunset.
Nyang Nyang Beach
The wonderful Nyang Nyang beach is about 70 meters down from the cliff edge where you park your motorbike. After a walk down you will get to a rarely visited beach. Even if there are some tourist you’ll hardly notice, while the beach is long and big. But when it’s not popular among the tourists no one bothers to clean the sand as well. We collected a full bag of plastic waste here and it make us get concerned about garbage problem on this paradise island.
Nunggalan Beach
The last beach I will cover along is simply tremendous Nunggalan beach. To get there you need to take a rough and rocky trail from the cliff edge. You’ll see a small shack of a shop and a house and from there it’s a 15-minute walk down the 500+ steps that climb the Nunggalan escarpment. Once at the base you’ll see more cows than people. Note there is nowhere to buy anything at beach level, so bring your own food and water. It’s a rare quiet place in Bali, where tourists don’t bother to drop in.
Blow Spot
It was my birthday, when Justinas took me to this wonderful place. The place is quiet, peaceful and many tourists visit every day. The waves come into the narrow opening and then it hits the rocks, pressure rises and blow up. That’s why people call this place the Blow Spot or the Water Blow.
There are also some fishermen sitting on the edge of the rocks, but it is strictly forbidden for foreigner to climb on the rocks, because the water blow is so powerful taht it can take you to the ocean. Many tourists consider this place very romantic, undoubtedly this place will make you feel like a first man stepping on the moon. It is so incredible!
N.B. I drew up all beaches accordingly to Google.maps incase you check it on Maps.me. We use the latter one when we travel, but it specifies different beaches than everyone trusted Google. So we chose it as an indicator!
All words by Eisve Treciakauskaite and all images by Justinas Lekavicius, unless otherwise noted.
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