Don’t you all picture beautiful rice fields and mysterious Hindu temples when you’re reminded of Bali? Rice fields like in Ubud , temples like the Tanah Lot and magnificent waterfalls like those in the Island of the Gods. Better yet, Bali has great beaches to offer… if you know which ones to go to. You don’t?
Let me help you do that! Here’s my selection of the best beaches in Bali, Indonesia! I haven’t listed them in order of preference but we’ll proceed by region so that you know which ones you can go to if you happen to be there. Have a look at the map below.
The 10 best beaches in Bali:
- Keramas Beach
- Jimbaran Beach
- Balangan Beach
- Dreamland Beach
- Bingin Beach
- Padang Padang Beach
- Nyang Nyang Beach
- Gunung Payung Beach
- Kelingking Beach
- Atuh Beach
1. Keramas Beach
Location :https://goo.gl/maps/VrpM3h7cuFR2
Keramas Beach is located east of Bali. I went there when I stayed at the amazing and newly inaugurated Komaneka at Keramas Beach resort. As you can see, it’s not a white-sand beach but rather a black-sand one. I’m not used to sand being this color but apparently, it’s quite common in Bali and it’s due to the fact that the island has many volcanoes, namely Agung and Batur. So the black sand is in fact volcanic rocks turned into sand by the sheer force of sea waves.
It might not look as sexy as a white-sand beach does but I liked the time I spent there. You don’t walk on black sand every day so it was kind of special for me, especially that you don’t see many tourists around either.
2. Jimbaran Beach
Location : https://goo.gl/maps/4seNjaAF7Sz
South of Bali is definitely where it’s at and Jimbaran Beach is one the best southern Bali beaches you can visit. As you can see, Jimbaran Beach looks like more ordinary beaches where sand is more on the yellow side of the color spectrum. There are many seaside hotels and resorts there like the famous Ayana Resort, which is quite frankly one of the best in Bali.
What’s interesting in Jimbaran is its night market where you can buy delicious seafood and eat it on the beach. You can order fish or seafood at the market, a restaurant will be charged of preparing them for you and you can eat them on the beach when they’re ready.
It’s not very expensive and you get to eat fresh food for only a few bucks.
3. Balangan Beach
Location : https://goo.gl/maps/TNZ8HBfRej72
We’re still in southern Bali and this is Balangan Beach. Despite its beauty, tourists are not rushing to come to this beach, probably because it’s a bit difficult to access but you can totally do it on a motorbike, for the sake of this beautiful cliff-side view of the ocean.
4. Dreamland Beach
Location : https://goo.gl/maps/ChAsEdfkHg82
It’s really not far from Balangan Beach and it is one of the best beaches of Bali. It’s certainly more popular but is not too crowded either. There’s a restaurant there where you can eat and enjoy the ocean view.
5. Bingin Beach
Location : https://goo.gl/maps/qmJgoJoxSC42
Go down those stairs and find yourself in Bingin Beach. Don’t miss out on the view while you’re going down those steps!
This beach is visited mostly by young people and especially surfers. If you’re interested in learning how to surf, you can book classes online when planning your trip to Bali. Check out this link to book surfing classes, all levels are welcome!
You’ll also find nice bars where you can sip on a good cocktail and listen to relaxing music. The rocks you see in the picture below can be very slippery so be careful!
6. Padang Padang Beach
Location : https://goo.gl/maps/dRW2eaBv4Gx
Surfers like Padang Padang Beach and so do non-surfers and families. It’s one of my favorite beaches in Bali and swimming there was delicious and refreshing. Padang Padang has the most crystal-clear water I have ever seen in Bali!
If you want to find a hotel near Padang Padang Beach, I highly recommend the Kutuh Manak Guest House. I stayed there for 2 days and it was unforgettable!
7. Nyang Nyang Beach
Location : https://goo.gl/maps/K4wLsGfJ4sG2
Nyang Nyang Beach is for when you’d rather go for a walk and take deep breaths of fresh air than swim. Almost no tourists go there so you’ll have all the beach to yourself but you might come across paragliding amateurs here and there.
8. Gunung Payung Beach
Location : https://goo.gl/maps/i4seUZJcd5E2
Let’s wrap up southern Bali beaches with this gorgeous deserted beach. If you’re looking for somewhere quiet, this beach is where you need to go!
9. Kelingking Beach
Location : https://goo.gl/maps/zbsUvURitJ82
I can’t list the most beautiful beaches of Bali and not mention the outstanding Kelingking Beach in Nusa Penida, can I? Access to the beach is quite difficult and sometimes even dangerous but when you do get there and feel the sand under your feet, it’s an otherworldly feeling! Being surrounded by the huge cliffs of Kelingking Beach is one of my most cherished memories of Bali.
10. Atuh Beach
Location : https://goo.gl/maps/hi7vKZitu2o
We’re still in Nusa Penida, wrapping up this list with the splendid Atuh Beach and its sublime cliffs. If you plan on traveling to Bali, you absolutely need to get yourself down here.
We’re done with this top 10! Note that Nusa Dua and Kuta Beach didn’t make it to this list because they get too much tourist attention to be worth visiting, in my modest opinion.
What’s your favorite beach in Bali ? Let me know in the comments below!
If you’re just as passionate about Asia as I am, you can follow my travels on my Facebook page, Instagram, and Youtube.
See you around,
MF