Without a doubt, beaches in Bali are decked with heaps of beauty. Unfortunately, due to the number of visitors coming to this island seems to go up every year, it’s not easy to find a nice beach without having an elbow room to treat yourself to some relaxation. Most of the beaches in Bali are indeed overcrowded these days. Sometimes, on your vacation, all you want is to escape the crowds and get away to find yourself a solitude spot. Well, you can always look a bit harder to discover under-the-radar beach destinations.
Honestly speaking, there are innumerable beaches in Bali that have been called ‘secret’ or ‘hidden’, but they actually don’t deserve that title. In a popular tourist destination like Bali, there are no secret beaches anymore. However, we can still discover a few gems hidden away from the gaze of the mobs. The true beauty of Bali lies in these hidden beaches. You may find these lesser-known beaches mentioned below useful for your next trip. At the end of the day, whichever beach you would finally end up, a little sand between your toes always takes away your woes.
Tegal Wangi Beach
Very popular for pre-wedding and after wedding photo shoots, this beach is located in the southern part of the island, reachable through a paved road just next to the Ayana Resort & Spa. From the cliff, you can appreciate the clear blue water as the curling waves hit the beach below. Most of the people who have visited this beach have magnetically been drawn back to the beautiful waters that appear painted in blue as well as the coral reef undertones. To avoid the crowds, hike down before 4PM. The absence of people will make the beach seem all the more pristine and simple.
Nyang Nyang Beach
On the way to Uluwatu Temple, this beach is well deserving of the title ‘hidden beach’. If you don’t ask people, you won’t find this beach. Even Google map isn’t going to work. There are no signs, no clue, no nothing. Here’s the insight; turn into a dirt track somewhere before you reach at Uluwatu Temple, waddling through fields and follow the path until you reach the edge of a cliff. By then you will see ‘Nyang Nyang Beach’ handwritten on the ruins. Next thing you have to do is to walk down a steep flight of stairs that leads to the beach. Once you are at the beach, believe me, you will be the only person there!
Bingin Beach
This beach is located in between of Uluwatu Temple and Padang Padang Beach. This is one of those beaches that you will need to make an extra effort to get to. To reach the beach, from the parking area you still have to walk 15 minutes down the stairs in a narrow alley surrounded by trees. Many travellers find it difficult tracing the exact location, even on their second and third visits. Probably this is the primary reason why the beach doesn’t attract visitors. Bingin Beach is famously known for its ever-evolving scenes. Around the beach, you can see some unconventionally stylish lodgings offering the antique experience you probably are seeking for.
Gunung Payung Beach
This beach is actually located next to the famous Pandawa Beach on Bali’s southern Bukit Peninsula but not many are aware of the existence. You won’t find the signpost to locate the beach. The trick is to find Pandawa Beach, but keep on driving a bit further until you find the second intersection. Turn right, and there you go. As you drive into a dirt track, you will see a vast golf course on your left and the blue ocean wide just hundreds of metres ahead. The parking lot was quite neat and clean with food stalls centralised in one spot. The beach is 500 or so steps down from the cliff. However, your efforts will be paid off straight away as you see the blue water and the verdant green of the trees on the cliffs separated by the warm yellow hue of the sands. Such a sight to behold!
Balian Beach
Located in the west coast, this sparkly black sand beach doesn’t attract many crowds but you will certainly find either local fishermen busy casting their nets or surf junkies ready to ride the waves. This is the perfect place to ‘get off the grid’ for a few days. This beautiful rocky beach is a cool and laid back place to chill out with a warm and romantic feel. Imagine this, palm trees and paddy fields swaying under the salty breeze!