In Bali you can’t miss a visit to Uluwatu. This area in the south of Bali is known for its cliff top views, its beaches, waves and luxury resorts. The name comes from the word ulu meaning ‘lands’ end’ and watu meaning ‘rock’. On a visit it is clear why this was the chosen name for the area. We explored it for four days.
DAY 1
– Accomodation: The Ulus Klumpu
– Sunset at Single Fin´s
– Dinner at Warung Makan Made
DAY 2
– Breakfast at Bread Basket
– A relaxing day at The Edge
– Sunset at Karang Boma Cliff
DAY 3
– Breakfast at Suka Espresso
– Thomas Beach / Padang Padang
– Nusa Dua beach
– Lunch at Warung Nasi Ayam Ibu Oki
– Pantai Tegal Wangi beach
DAY 4
– Padang Padang surf school
– Smoothie bowl at Beetroot
– Dinner at 2080 Burger
– Ice cream at Gelato by Massimo
DAY 1
After three days in Ubud it was time to move to another location, Uluwatu. But before we left, we headed to Açai Queen which is around the corner of the Ubud market. We ordered the True Brazilian and the Red Dragon bowls plus a pineapple juice. This was definitely the most expensive breakfast we had in Ubud (200.000 IDR) but it was a great healthy start to the day. We dropped off our scooter at the hotel and had coffee at Arak Coffee Lana Penestanan before starting the 1.5 hour drive. Instead of taking a local taxi we used the online taxi provider Grab. We were quoted 500.000 IDR for the drive compared to 300.000 IDR on Grab. But be careful, there is a taxi mafia active on Bali and they will do anything to stop tourists using online taxi providers. Our Grab driver was hiding in a side street to not be noticed by the local taxi drivers. In the end it saved us 200.000 IDR which we gladly spent on food. Although the drive to Uluwatu is only 50 kilometers, it will take almost two hours to arrive. Bali does not have a highway so the road is shared by scooter, pedestrians and cars. When we arrived to our hotel, The Ulus Klumpu, we ordered some fried rice for lunch and relaxed for a bit. Around 4 o’clock we jumped on our scooter and headed to Single Fin’s for sunset. This venue is set high upon the cliff with an amazing view of the ocean and therefore a perfect spot for sunset. But be warned, the sun is extremely hot and we were sweating so much that we had to cover our faces. Around 6 o’clock it became bearable and we enjoyed the view with a cold Bintang beer. Just like our morning restaurant, Single Fin’s prices are set for the tourists. Therefore, instead of having an ‘expensive’ meal again we headed to a local venue. For 25.000 IDR you can get a full meal at Warung Makan Made. All night it will be busy with both locals and tourists.
Tip! Across the road of Warung Makan Made you will find Jasmine Massage. This massage place is known as one of the best in Uluwatu. Make sure you book beforehand.
DAY 2
We started our morning with breakfast at Bread Basket. This European looking café serves traditional breakfast items like Eggs Benedict and Smashed Avocado. On the top floor we saw people with their laptops working, socializing and reading. This diverse group of people makes it an easy going place to have a coffee and a meal. With our bellies full we hopped on the scooter and drove to The Edge. This luxury resort features 8 ocean-view villas on the clifftops. Unfortunately we were not sleeping here, but we booked a day at their pool at the VIP deck. For 550.000 IDR per person you will get a big sunbed including towels, free water, granita and 450.000 IDR to spend on food and drinks. Although this is not a cheap day outing we were so happy we did it. The pool was warm, the drinks cold and the beds comfortable. The six hours flew by and we wished we could have stayed longer. The Lemon Meringue dessert was delicious and we would definitely recommend ordering this dish!
Our day ended with a sunset at Karang Boma Cliff. We parked the scooter close to the cliff and walked a small path to Karang Boma. Instagram has made this a famous spot for couples to take a sunset picture. We were the only ones around 17.30, but in the next 15 minutes more couples showed up. There is a local selling soft drinks for people sitting and watching the sunset. Since we were tired from an entire day at the pool and stuffing ourselves with delicious food we went back to the hotel after the sunset and went to bed on time.
DAY 3
It is no surprise that Bali is home to the best breakfast places and we experienced that first hand in Uluwatu. Our second morning started with breakfast at Suka Espresso. This popular spot is set along the road next to Padang Padang beach aka Thomas Beach. You can also find them in Ubud. We ordered the Banana Brulee Hotcakes, Piggy Benny and a Red Velvet Latte. Everything was incredibly delicious and if we had had more time in Uluwatu we would have definitely come back. Our next stop was Thomas Beach which was opposite Suka. The locals call this beach Padang Padang so look out for signs saying this. The road to the parking lot is very bumpy so watch out driving a scooter here. At the parking lot you will find small temples where locals hold ceremonies. Next to this temple there is a path that leads down to the beach. The walk down is easy, but be aware that the walk up around midday is a challenge in the heat and humidity. The beach is filled with sunbeds and restaurant owners will walk up to you to offer a bed for 50.000 IDR. We found a spot in the shade on the left side of the beach next to the rocks to lay on our towels. But be careful, we ended up laying in a red ant nest and Bibi got bitten several times. We moved a bit to the right and we had no problems anymore. The beach is raved about online as being non touristy and having beautiful clear blue water. However, when we went into the water it was filled with seaweed and trash. Also the ‘sand’ is actually dead coral so it is not as comfortable to walk on than at a normal beach. Nevertheless we spent about 1.5 hours relaxing at the beach.
After some Googling for a beautiful beach we ended up at Nusa Dua Beach. This area has many 5 star hotels and private beaches. With the scooter we followed the navigation to the beach, only ending up in front of the gates of the hotels. From the cliffs we could see people in the water a bit further out and decided to follow the road there. What we witnessed was more than we expected. A walk down some stairs and through rocks brought us to a secluded shallow beach with lots of shade and crystal blue water. Local kids were playing and adults were fishing giving it such an authentic feeling. Our GPS coordinates were -8,8199 (latitude) and 115,2245 (longitude) if you are looking for this spot. As unplanned as the visit was, it ended up being our favorite beach. We spend hours relaxing in the warm water, reading in the shade and looking at the locals enjoying themselves. For lunch we stopped at Warung Nasi Ayam Ibu Oki, famous among locals and with over 3000 reviews on Google. For 25.000 IDR you will get a full plate of chicken and rice. They ask you if you would like it spicy and we opted for the spicy option. Since it is a local venue, don’t get fooled by the spice level, it is no joke. After the dish we headed to McDonalds for an ice cream. Here a local lady tried to scam us saying we had to pay 1000 IDR for parking in front of the McDonalds. She was sitting on a plastic chair in the corner of the parking lot with no official signs. We refused to pay and she left us alone after a while. Don’t get fooled! The locals try to get your money for everything.
However, a day in Uluwatu is not complete without a sunset. This time we drove to Pantai Tegal Wangi, a secluded beach in the South-West. But don’t be fooled, around sunset it is definitely not secluded. The beach was packed with locals and a handful of tourists. The tide was so high that it was almost impossible to sit down on the beach. We ventured for a bit along the beach to find the hidden cave but unfortunately weren’t able to find it. With every corner being packed, we decided to leave before the sunset and head back to our hotel for an easy dinner.
DAY 4
Then the day came that we were looking forward to the most. Today we spent our entire morning surfing. We opted for semi-private lessons for the both of us at Padang Padang Surf School. This surf school teaches at Padang Padang beach which is known for its beginners waves. For 100 GBP total it included two surf lessons of two hours, rental board plus wetsuit and a private teacher. We started at 6 o’clock in the morning with a briefing on the beach and practicing standing. Luckily we both managed to stand on the board and even catched some waves. But don’t underestimate surfing. The paddling back after every wave was exhausting and with the burning sun on our heads we were already tired after our first lesson. With a break of an hour we decided to head to Beetroot for a smoothie bowl to give us the energy we needed for our second lesson. The second lesson was extremely hard because we were both tired and the waves were getting bigger. Nevertheless it was an amazing feeling to ride the waves and being able to say you surfed. We would definitely recommend doing a surf class while you are in Uluwatu because this part of Bali is known for its waves.
After a nap in the afternoon, we drove to 2080 Burger for some big juicy burgers and fries. We ordered the I’m Hungry Burger and the El Matador, both 45.000 IDR. Inside the little restaurant it was extremely hot, but we took a seat next to the fan and it made the meal more comfortable. It was a nice change eating something else than rice. Afterwards we had an ice cream at Gelato by Massimo to end the night.
DAY 4
Our last morning in Bali. Before we took the taxi to the airport, we jumped on our scooter and had breakfast at Nau Tapioca House. This Brazilian place is known for their tapioca dishes, but we just had an açai bowl and some fruit. The açai bowl was delicious, thick and creamy. Just how it should be!
We headed back to our hotel and ordered a Grab taxi to the airport.
Uluwatu had been a pleasant surprise after the busy and touristic Ubud. Read our Ubud story here.