The 14 Best Bali Beaches
Bali, the "Island of the Gods". OK, so the name comes from the inordinate number of temples scattered around this exotic Indonesian island. But if the gods were going to choose a home then this tropical paradise would probably be near the top of the bucket list.
Much of Bali's best beach and surf action is situated on the Bukit Peninsula which juts out of the south of the island like a geological afterthought. This is where most visitors tend to head, and with good reason. For the surfers the west coast is the place with a string of world class breaks culminating in Uluwatu. The south coast of Bukit is wilder with beaches like Nyang Nyang that stretch for miles with barely a soul in sight. Head to the east coast and you are firmly in luxury territory with Nusa Dua sporting an array of 5 star resorts.
Many visitors don't make it far beyond the airport and the lively beaches around Kuta and Jimbaran. For those willing to explore there is the other 95% of Bali's coast which has no shortage of stunning beaches whichever way you head. And why limit yourself to the mainland; a short ferry ride will take you to the little island of Nusa Penida which is home to a disproportionate number of Bali's most beautiful beaches.
But with so many incredible beaches to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. That's why we've compiled a list of the best beaches in Bali, giving you all the information you need to pick the perfect spot to relax, unwind and soak up the sunshine.
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1. Kelingking Beach // Nusa Penida
If the beaches of Bali aren't quite stunning enough for you then hop on a boat and make the short trip over to the island of Nusa Penida, you won't be disappointed. Although it's a tough call, in terms of sheer wow factor, Kelingking Beach is possibly the best on the little island. The competition is pretty stiff with spots like Atuh and Suwehan beach being jaw-droppingly beautiful,… read more »
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2. Padang Padang
Great for:- Snorkeling
- Swimming
- Surfing
Padang Padang beach, so good they named it twice! One of Bali's finest beaches, this cosy little spot sits on the northwestern coast of the Bukit Peninsula, home to some of the best surf spots on the planet, of which Padang Padang is one.
The beach here is a hundred metre long stretch of pale-golden sand dotted with some huge boulders. Often described as a hidden beach, Padang Padang certainly is… read more »
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3. Bingin Beach
Julia Koefender Great for:- Snorkeling
- Swimming
- Surfing
Bingin beach is situated on the west coast of the Bukit Peninsula in the south of Bali not far from Uluwatu. Despite being one of the best beaches in the area it is also a little more low key.
Nestled between Dreamland Beach and Padang Padang, Pantai Bingin is somewhat hidden. Most first time visitors think they've come the wrong way when they end up down a back alley.… read more »
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4. Diamond Beach // Nusa Penida
Deaamannda Great for:- Snorkeling
- Swimming
The little island of Nusa Penida sits 20 km across the Badung Strait from Bali. For such a small island it certainly punches above its weight in terms of beaches with several of the very finest in Indonesia found here.
Competing for the title is Diamond beach, along with neighbouring Atuh beach and Kelingking on the other side of the island. All three of these beaches have their own… read more »
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5. Atuh Beach // Nusa Penida
Great for:- Snorkeling
Atuh beach is yet another of Indonesia's most picturesque beaches situated on the little island of Nusa Penida. Along with neighboring Diamond beach and Kelingking beach, this trio are certainly amongst the most photogenic on the archipelago.
The most recognisable feature of Atuh is the giant rock arch attached to the island just off the coast. It's actually bigger than it looks and for this reason it attracts a fair… read more »
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6. Crystal Bay Beach // Nusa Penida
Magul Great for:- Snorkeling
- Swimming
The island of Nusa Penida is home to several of Bali's very best beaches and Crystal Bay is up there too. Unlike the other beaches on the island this is not so much one for the photographers and Instagrammers, but a beach to actually relax on and enjoy.
Crystal Bay is one of the easiest beaches to get to once you are on Nusa Penida. There is now a good road… read more »
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7. Green Bowl Beach
© balinature Great for:- Snorkeling
- Surfing
This secluded strip of white sand is located in the far south of Bali. For the Bukit Peninsula it is something of a hidden gem, although it isn't really that much of a secret anymore. Even so, being a little off-the-beaten-track keeps it pretty quiet and usually there are just a handful of beachgoers and surfers trying to avoid the crowds.
That said, things could have been different. In the not… read more »
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8. Nusa Dua Beach
Jumilla Great for:- Snorkeling
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Surfing
As you would imagine, a beach lined with some of the most prestigious 5-star resorts on Bali is not going to be too shabby. Nusa Dua beach certainly doesn't disappoint with its stretch of soft white sand, clear blue seas and air of laid back indulgence. With a backdrop of palm trees and lush tropical vegetation you could even forget you were in Bali's resort central.
The water at Nusa Dua… read more »
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9. Suluban Beach
wavehaven.com Great for:- Surfing
Suluban beach is the spiritual home to surfing in Indonesia and home to one of the best waves on the planet. Surfers will just refer to it as Uluwatu and most of them will barely pay attention to this pretty little beach as they pass through the cave and head out into the surf.
The beach here is a small patch of white sand set at the bottom of tall, steep… read more »
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10. Nyang Nyang
F-GSPY Great for:- Snorkeling
- Surfing
Despite only being a kilometre or two along the coast from Uluwatu Temple, Nyang Nyang beach has a surprisingly remote feel about it. This is the far south of Bali and this particular corner of the Bukit Peninsula is largely undeveloped. The result is a 1.5km long stretch of pristine white sand and clear blue waters backed by sloping grasslands and limestone cliffs.
Facing due south, directly into a huge fetch… read more »
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11. Broken Beach // Nusa Penida
I Ketut Arnaya Broken beach is one Bali's (or Nusa Penida's) most instantly recognisable beaches. An almost perfect circle of tall limestone cliffs surround a shallow pool of turquoise water. I say almost perfect as this beach is "broken", in fact the Balinese name for the beach is Pasih Uug, meaning "damaged beach".
So what is broken about this beach? Well this could refer to the impressive rock arch that links the beach to the… read more »
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12. Balangan Beach
Discover Corps Great for:- Snorkeling
- Surfing
Situated on the Bukit peninsula, not far from Bali's surfing spiritual home, Uluwatu, Balangan beach is another of the island's legendary surf spots. To non-surfers this is one of the lesser-known beaches on this wild-west stretch of coast.
The beach at Balangan is a pale-golden ribbon of sand set at the foot of steep craggy cliffs which are draped in lush greenery. Down on the sand there are a few palms,… read more »
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13. Dreamland Beach
wavehaven.com Great for:- Snorkeling
- Swimming
- Surfing
Sitting between Balangan and Bingin on the west coast of Bali's Bukit Peninsula is Dreamland beach.
For some reason Dreamland gets described as one of Bali's "hidden beaches" - this may have been true 30 years ago but with the development of numerous resorts and a golf course on the cliff tops above there isn't really much hiding this beach. In fact Dreamland beach gets pretty busy these days.
Since… read more »
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14. Kuta Beach
chee.hong Great for:- Swimming
- Surfing
Probably the best known of all Bali's beaches is the ever popular Kuta Beach. Since the 1970s this has become many visitors to Bali's first stop, in fact this is more or less where tourism here began. Situated only 15 minutes from the island's airport it is certainly easy to get to; and with a host of beachfront resorts and places to stay, there is good reason for its popularity.
The… read more »
