Padang Padang Beach (Pantai Labuan Sait)

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 tucked away. Set at the bottom of high, green cliffs, you will have to make your way down some steep flights of steps before squeezing your way through a gap in the rocks onto this little slice of paradise.

Once on the beach you can relax and take in the scenery. It usually isn’t too busy and the climb down / entry fee (around $1) put plenty of people off. There isn’t much in the way of amenities on the beach itself but you can buy drinks snacks and even fresh coconuts of beach vendors.

Padang is said to be the best surf spot on the whole of Bali, but this is no place for beginners. This is an extremely powerful, barrelling wave that breaks over a very shallow coral reef. It takes a lot of swell before there is good surf here so many visitors will leave completely unaware they have just visited a world class surf spot.

One last word of advice - watch out for the monkeys! The local long-tailed macaques are very cute and amusing, that is until they decide to steal your hat, sunglasses, food and pretty much anything else that isn’t tied down!