Bali is easily the most well known travel destination in Indonesia. Each year, millions of visitors flock here for one thing – the beautiful beaches! Their long stretches of beautiful golden and white sand, crystal clear water and strong waves make for the perfect destination to stay and play. For those on the hunt for beautiful beaches in Bali, they will likely not have to look for very long, the area has a beach for every occasion.
Nusa Dua Beach
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Although Nusa Dua Beach has a number of luxury hotels built around it, it still hosts a beautiful and wild atmosphere. Surrounding this long stretch of golden sand is a variety of fragrant flowers, orchids, tall palm trees and wild mangroves. Nusa Dua Beach is amongst the best beaches in Bali for swimming, likely adding to its popularity. There are only low waves and a weak current amongst the crystal clear water. Most visitors enjoy swimming and snorkelling off shore. The surfers will want head north or south for better surf though.
Balangan Beach
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For a beach with a more hidden paradise feel to it, visitors will have to travel a fair bit. Balangan Beach is located out in rural Bali across from the greens of Uluwatu. While travelling the rough roads to get there, guests will see the small local villages and cattle grazing land that most tourists don’t get to see. Balangan Beach is small and quiet with strong currents off shore and high waves making for decent surf. It’s not recommended for swimming, but at low tide it is perfect for strolling as the waves lap at your heels.
Nyang Nyang Beach
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Nyang Nyang is another secret hideaway in Bali, but not quite as long a trip to get to. Nyang Nyang is just a couple kilometres from Nusa Dua Beach, but the difficult trip to get there usually keeps the tourist crowds down. Getting to the beach requires traversing a hilly street and running through a forest before climbing 550 slick mossy steps to get to the sandy shore. The effort will be well worth it once visitors get a glimpse at the secluded white sand beach and clear blue ocean waters. Beachgoers are more likely to spot locals gathering seaweed here than they are of spotting another tourist. This beach only has high currents during high tide, so visitors should reserve their swim time for when the tide is low.
Pdang Pdang Beach
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For a long time, Pdang Pdang Beach used to be a secluded little hideaway nearby Uluwatu temple. However, in recent years, thanks to its new ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ fame, the popularity of this beach has soared. While Pdang Pdang has it’s white sand stretches, it is primarily populated by big rocks, overgrown plants and monkeys. After guests traverse the narrow passage and steep steps to get to the beach front, they can enjoy a day full of exploring the tide pools around the rocks or spelunking in the number of small caves in the surrounding area. The water surrounding the beach is also great for swimming; however swimmers should beware of sharp coral and prickly sea urchins that dot the sandy ocean floor.
Lovina Beach
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Lovina Beach is famous among Bali visitors for its curious black sands. The black sand on this northern Bali beach is made from the cooled lava of the resident volcano, Mt. Agung, all crushed up and mixed with powder fine sand. This unique blend not only makes the sand black in colour, but makes it super reflective. It is the perfect place for sunbathers to go and get an excellent tan. For those getting too warm on the sand, the calm sea and low waves also makes for some of the best stretch of swimming ocean in Bali. Further down the beach, visitors should be sure to check out the small fishing village, not just for the culture and friendly locals, but for their thermal, volcano-heated hot springs.
Kuta Beach
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Further down the road from the eternally popular Nusa Dua Beach is Kuta Beach. While Nusa Dua is where tourists flock for swimming, Kuta Beach is where the surfers go for some of Bali’s biggest waves. This, of course, makes for poor swimming conditions, but visitors usually hang around this beach for the electric vibe. Surfers from the area and from abroad both love a good party, so once night falls; the beach comes alive with bonfires and beach parties.
Sanur Beach
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Located on the south of Bali, Sanur Beach is the middle ground between all Bali beaches. It has medium waves that are only good for beginner surfers, while not impeding the excellent swimming in the area. The beach stretches on for kilometres with golden sand and small corals. This is an excellent beach for the beach combers that want to collect shells, corals and other various things that wash up from the ocean. Beach walkers also have a decent chance to spot a starfish on the shore, but are urged to put it back into the water to help preserve them.
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