Uluwatu Guide For Bali: 20 Top Things To Do

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Uluwatu is a scenic, hilly area in the southwest corner of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula. It’s named for a famous temple perched on the cliffs, but there are lots of other things to do in Uluwatu Bali than just see the temple!

This area is known for its blue waves, white sand beaches, impressive sea cliffs, quality surfing, and fancy beach clubs.

There’s something for everyone here, and you can reach the Uluwatu area in about 1 hour of driving from Kuta, Canggu, and the other popular tourist hotspots in Bali Indonesia.

We’ve visited Uluwatu and the Bukit Peninsula many times over the years, but it seems like we’re always discovering new things to do and see here.

Read this travel guide for our complete list of what to do in Uluwatu Bali!

Where To Stay

How To Get Around Uluwatu Bali

The Uluwatu area is big and spread out, so if you want to go exploring all the beaches and such, then you’ll need transportation.

The main way to get around Uluwatu is to rent a scooter or hire a private car and driver (both of these can be booked online). Airport transfers to Uluwatu from the Bali airport can also be arranged with your hotel or booked online.

Ride-hailing apps like Grab and Go-Jek can be used for short taxi rides around Uluwatu Bali, but since it’s such a spread out area there aren’t a lot of drivers available. Hopefully that’ll change in the future.

Top Things To Do In Uluwatu Bali

1. Uluwatu Temple

Of course you have to start your Uluwatu travels by visiting the epic 1,000 year old temple that gave this area its name!

Uluwatu Temple sits on the edge of a big sea cliff and it’s one of the most popular places to watch the sunset in Bali, Indonesia.

Hide your sunglasses! The monkeys at this temple are known for trying to snatch anything they can.

Read More: Uluwatu Temple

       

2. Bingin Beach

Bingin is a photogenic beach with exotic boulders and seaweed covered rocks. It’s great for photos or surfing, and it’s less crowded than some of the other beaches in the area.

There’s a bit of trash and rubble lately from hotel construction, but some high quality accommodation and restaurants are starting to spring up here.

       

3. Pemutih Beach

Pantai Pemutih is a popular surfing spot with some cliffside hotels and a small (but nice) white sand beach.

Not too many people seem to know about this beach, which makes it that much better. If you want to stay directly on the beach, check out Rock N Reef Hotel Uluwatu!

4. Padang Padang Beach

Padang Padang is a neat little beach tucked into the cliffs. To get to it, you have to squeeze through a narrow passage in the rocks and then walk down some steps.

This beach is a popular spot for surfing, or you can just sip a fresh coconut and hang out on the white sand with the monkeys.

5. Balangan Beach

This is a nice free beach with white sand and blue waves. Like many beaches in Uluwatu, it’s a great spot for sunset.

Balangan Beach is also popular for prewedding photoshoots because of the cliff above the beach, where you can get amazing views of the ocean scenery and the whole coastline.

It’s still fairly quiet here and not too commercial. You can access the beach by going down some stairs, and there are two parking areas — one for the beach, and one on the cliff above it.

6. Thomas Beach

This is one of Bali’s nicest beaches, and chilling here is one of our favorite things to do in Uluwatu. It has a long strip of white sand scattered with boulders, and not too many people.

7. Suluban Beach

Suluban is a secluded beach with caves and huge rocks to explore, plus surfable waves, but my favorite thing is the restaurant view. This little warung on top of the cliffs has amazing views of the coastline.

We pulled up a chair here and enjoyed some drinks with the scenery, and even got greeted by a monitor lizard sneaking around on the cliffs! It’s an epic place to grab breakfast while exploring Uluwatu Bali.

       

8. Batu Jaran Hill

This is a huge cliff near Uluwatu Temple, but there are no crowds and no safety fences to block your view of the waves crashing on the rocks below. It’s undoubtedly one of the best things to do near Uluwatu Temple!

You can see the Uluwatu pagoda in the distance, and we even spotted a few sea turtles swimming in the waves. It’s an incredibly photogenic spot that most tourists don’t seem to know about yet.

Read More: Batu Jaran Hill

       

9. Karang Boma Cliff

This is another steep cliff near Uluwatu, but it’s on the south side of the temple and requires a short walk from a separate parking area.

It’s a great spot for sunset, and you should have the place mostly to yourself. We just discovered this viewpoint recently, but it’s one of our new favorite things to do in Uluwatu!

       

10. Nunggalan Beach

Also called Nyang Nyang, this is one of the longest white sand beaches in south Bali. The walk down and back up is a bit of a killer, but you’re rewarded with a huge private beach and a cool wooden shipwreck for pictures!

11. Melasti Beach

Melasti is a highly developed beach with a road carved into the tall limestone cliffs, giving it a stunning background.

This beach has a long strip of white sand, clean turquoise water, plenty of parking space, and a bunch of different fancy clubs lining the beachfront: Cattamaran, Minoo, and Palmilla. You can also reach Karma Beach Club from here by walking.

Normally I’m not a big fan of seeing once-empty beaches get so developed like this, but I think Melasti was actually done pretty well. There’s sometimes a little bit of trash, but overall it’s surprisingly clean and nice.

       

12. Green Bowl Beach

Green Bowl is one of my favorite hidden beaches in Uluwatu.

It may not be a very big beach, and the steep walk down is tiring, but it’s a nice white sand beach with good sunset views.

Surfers come to Green Bowl for the waves, and there are two caves to explore on the beach as well. This can be a nice place to hide if the sun gets too strong.

13. Gunung Payung Beach

This is a hidden beach overlooked by cliffs and a quiet Hindu temple.

You have to go down a long stairway to reach the beach, but then it’s all yours. If you walk along the coast, there’s even a big sea cave.

       

14. Dreamland Beach

Dreamland has a nice long stretch of white sand lined with sunbeds you can rent.

Sadly this beach has gone a bit downhill in recent years because of trash washing up from the ocean, but hopefully things improve again.

15. Tegal Wangi Beach

Tegal Wangi is a pretty small beach, but it’s still a secret to most Bali tourists, so it’s never crowded.

This beach has two sea caves. The first one is pretty small, but if you keep walking further down the beach there’s a second bigger cave. At low tide, there are also natural pools you can sit and soak in while enjoying the views.

We came here at sunrise, but actually the best time to visit is at sunset. Since the beach is facing west, you’ll have a great view of the sunset from inside the caves!

UPDATE: Tegal Wangi is currently closed to visitors, but hopefully they reopen it soon.

       

16. Uluwatu Cafes

The Uluwatu area is loaded with hip cafes and restaurants to suit every niche.

Some of our top picks would be Suka Espresso, Nalu Bowls, La Baracca (Italian), Mango Tree (Mexican), and The Loft.

       

17. Uluwatu Beach Clubs

The beaches and cliffs around Uluwatu are just perfect for clubs, so naturally it has quite a few of them.

The way these clubs usually work is that you pay an entrance fee (anywhere from 100k to 500k Rupiah), and then you get to use that as a food and beverage credit, plus you get access to a lounge with a pool, sunbeds, and WiFi.

Depending on the club, your view from the lounge could be a nice beachfront, or an infinity pool — or both! Sipping drinks by an infinity pool is a great way to watch the sunset in Uluwatu.

Some good clubs to check out are Ulu Cliffhouse, Sundays Beach Club, Palmilla, El Kabron, and Oneeighty.

Our absolute favorite club for sunset is the Oneeighty cliff pool at The Edge! The pool has a glass bottom and amazing views of the Uluwatu cliffs.

       

18. Uluwatu Massage & Spa

Practically every third building in Bali is a massage shop, and Uluwatu has plenty of them too.

Balinese massage is fantastic and the prices can be very affordable, at 100k Rupiah ($7 USD) or less for a 1 hour body massage or foot massage.

A few of the highest rated massage places in Uluwatu are Laniakea Spa, Zahra Spa, and OurSpa Uluwatu. These places are terrific and you may need reservations, although honestly you can go to just about any spa in the bukit peninsula and get a good experience.

Many of the high end resorts in Uluwatu also have their own spa and massage centers, which are usually pricey but top notch.

We’ve never had a bad massage anywhere in Bali. It’s the perfect way to unwind after a full day of hiking or touring.

19. Surfing Uluwatu

The Uluwatu area is famous for its world class surfing spots.

There are a bunch of them, but check out Padang Padang or Pemutih Beach for starters. Another popular spot is Dreamland Beach.

20. Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK)

This is a cultural park in the center of the Bukit Peninsula, about 20 minutes from Uluwatu Temple.

It’s used for exhibitions and Balinese cultural events, but most people know it for the giant statues of Hindu figures.

The centerpiece of the park is a statue of the god Vishnu riding the mythical bird Garuda. At 120 meters tall (400 feet), it’s one of the tallest statues in the world.

       

Things To Do In Uluwatu At Night

There are lots of good things to do in Uluwatu at night.

If you’re looking for a cultural experience, you can catch the sunset at Uluwatu Temple and watch the Balinese ‘Kecak’ (fire dance), otherwise you can head to one of the many beach clubs and cliff bars in the area.

The Uluwatu sunset is legendary in Bali, and there are so many good places to experience it. Check out the Ayana Rock Bar for a romantic dinner by the waves, or Sunset Point Uluwatu for a more budget friendly option.