Uluwatu

The Uluwatu area, occupying Bali's dramatic Bukit Peninsula, offers a completely different Bali experience from the island's crowded southern beaches and central rice paddies. Here, towering limestone cliffs drop hundreds of feet to turquoise waters below, creating some of Indonesia's most spectacular coastal scenery. The area is named after the iconic Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu), one of Bali's six key spiritual pillars, perched on a cliff 70 meters above the crashing waves.

Uluwatu is synonymous with world-class surfing, hosting some of Bali's most challenging and celebrated breaks including the famous Padang Padang Beach and Bingin Beach. These powerful reef breaks attract professional surfers from around the globe, though several beaches offer gentler waves suitable for intermediates. The area's beaches are dramatically different from Bali's typical sandy shores - most require descending steep staircases through limestone cliffs, rewarding the effort with pristine white sand coves like Suluban Beach surrounded by towering walls and crystal-clear water.

For those seeking a more relaxed beach experience similar to Nusa Penida's pristine shores, Melasti Beach offers expansive white sand and calmer waters perfect for swimming and sunbathing.