For us, the best beaches are located south, in the Bukit-Pecatu Peninsula. Some of them are: Balangan, Dreamland, Padang Padang e Blue Point (Uluwatu).

Balangan – this was the first beach we visited as soon as we landed in Bali, 2013. It was near the hotel, and we could get there by foot. At that time, there were some bars/restaurants with balconies facing the beach. It was a nice spot to observe the sea and take surf photos. It ended up being destroyed by a fire, later on, and up to the present, we haven’t returned here.

Here, the waves are perfect, as in any other beach in Bali. Depending on the time of the year, waves range from half a meter to 3 meters. The wave breaks to the left, above the coral reef, and it lies far from the beach – which is good for warming up to the outside. It has various sections, which avoids the crowd being located at the same spot.

The beach has a section filled with palm trees and sand along the coast. The bottom is coral made, and may not be the perfect place for those who are just going for a dive or lay at the beach, however, it is perfect for surfing!

At the end of the day, you can watch the sun hiding on the horizon, making this place one of the prettiest to watch the sunset.

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Dreamland – Gorgeous, with a boardwalk guiding us to the beach. Being the nearest beaches smaller, this one ends up to be the best option for those who want to enjoy sunshine. This year we opted not to visit it. We acknowledged this beach has seen its original name changed to “New Kuta”, and just for the fact of having the word Kuta we were a little weary. We explain here how we feel about Kuta.

 

Bingin, Impossible e Padang Padang – These rank among our top 3 beaches of Bali. They have the best of both worlds: Cat can enjoy the beach as she likes, and the waves are perfect for me to surf…

 

Bingin – This is the best alternative to escape from Padang Padang crowd. 5-Star Wave, challenging and powerful. It’s a beach that is starting to be more exploited, but still manages to keep its natural beauty.

Impossible Beach – Prime example of magazine covers where you watch perfect waves, but then it does not do justice to its name, at least by the time I went there. As the name suggests, the wave is so fast it’s almost impossible dropping out the barrel.

 

Padang Padang – To get here, you need to leave the scooter near the bridge and take a breath to climb down the stairway that gives access to the beach. First time we visited it, it was almost a deserted beach, however, this year there’s plenty of offers on restaurants and local trade.

By the time I surfed in Padang, the waves stood up to a meter. There are two surf spots: one having the fastest and most powerful wave which you can access by rowing along the hillside; the other one stands in the middle, filled with surf schools, but you can surf either to you right or  left.

When Padang Padang is at its best, the wave rides above 2 meters and starts to break from the left side of Padang exiting at Impossible. Pure adrenaline and perfection.

Blue Point (Uluwatu) – This is an almost surfer’s exclusive beach. Going down to beach you pass by some restaurants and local trade. Depending on the tide, it’s a good beach to rest, nevertheless, the water rises up quickly and ends up swallowing sand. The name Blue Point makes even more sense when you take into consideration the turquoise blue water merging with the blue sky.