Filipinos grow up with some of the best beaches in the world, making us beach snobs. In terms of natural beauty and overall beach experience, how do the beaches of Bali compare?
Here are the beaches I got to visit in July2017, ranked from least to most favorite:
Bali Beach#6: Kuta Beach
✔️ Surfing beach
✔️ White sand, but not Boracay/Bohol/Palawan white
✔️ Sunset beach
Kuta and Seminyak are known tourist traps, with concrete shops and airconditioned malls everywhere, but sometimes it’s also nice to be where the crowd is. Spent my Saturday morning in Kuta, where I got accosted way too many times by local surf teachers.
Bali Beach#5: Seminyak Beach
✔️ Surfing beach
✔️ White sand, but not Boracay/Bohol/Palawan white (it’s the same coastline as Kuta)
✔️ Sunset beach
Booked a lunch table at Potato Head Beach Club, one of the institutions in Seminyak which feels like Baler meets Boracay Station1 but with less beach front and way better music.😎 I then moved to Ku De Ta for the sunset, another (supposed) must-visit in Seminyak. Any beach will make me happy, but the vibe I picked up in Seminyak was run of the mill and I was much happier in other beaches.
Bali Beach#4: Balangan Beach
✔️ Surfing beach
✔️ Golden pebbly sand
✔️ Sunset beach (facing Southwest)
A good stretch of beach lined with elevated warungs or shops/restaurants. Plus points for the chill, unpretentious vibe. I’ve never been to La Union but would think it has the same #chillax vibes. Almost 2 hours from Ubud.
Bali Beach#3: Jimbaran Beach
✔️ Swimming beach
✔️ Long and wide stretch of soft white sand with areas that are grey/black
✔️ Sunset beach
Jimbaran Beach is the beach adjacent to the International Airport of Bali. It used to be a fishing village but over time drew the attention of top hotel and resort chains. There’s an area in Jimbaran that is known as the Millionaire’s Row of Bali.
The beach itself is a 6-km stretch of flat sand, so there were the usual suspects: seaside cafes and happy hour promos, beach soccer, lots of sunset selfies. What was unique to Bali: kites! There were so many kites in the sky!
Bali Beach#2: Dreamland Beach
✔️ Mostly for swimming, with big waves
✔️ Pockets of soft white sand in coves
✔️ Sunset beach (Southwest Bali)
I had a dream years ago that I was swallowed whole by a big wave. Dejavu to that dream when I saw my first wave in Dreamland Beach. I sat by the balcony of the lone cafe for a good while, mesmerized by those waves so close to the shore. The blues here rival Boracay blues. But with waves. Ang ganda.😍
Dreamland is open to the public, but access is via the New Kuta Golf club, which has a number of resorts throughout the complex. Guests are brought to the beach by free shuttles. FRom the drop off point, there’s a line of souvenir vendors facing a canal/river that leads to the beach. AirAsia umbrellas litter the main beachfront, but there are quieter coves a short walk away. It was the prettiest beach I saw in Bali (those pretty blue waves!), but I only ranked it 2nd because of limited accessibility (need for shuttle, walk through concrete to get to the beachfront, plus I’m assuming it’s off access at night) and limited activities and facilities.
Bali Beach#1: Sanur Beach
✔️ Mostly for swimming, water sports (strong winds here in July!)
✔️ Golden pebbly sand with slight incline
✔️ Sunrise beach 😍😍
When I visit beaches and seaside communities elsewhere, I always try to look at things they’re doing right that we can also implement back home. Sanur has a lot of the good stuff I look for in a beachtown.
Sanur is a sunrise beach. It was so peaceful to watch the sunrise here.
There is a 4-km paved beachwalk where people run and bike every morning. It’s a narrow 2-lane path fronting the beach and quirky restos of Sanur, which is the quieter, more family-oriented district of Bali. I went on the bike path everyday (up before 6am!) and it was really my Bali highlight. Beach, sun, sand, #bike–yay🙏🙏🙏
If I were to live on the beach, I’d like to be literally on the beach as much as I can. Sanur is set up to make this not just possible, but easy. It isn’t overdeveloped with massive concrete buildings, and there are many accommodation, dining, and activity options for every taste and budget. Sanur is also where I got to connect with locals and entrepreneurs at the Genius Cafe, which was what gave my Bali visit a worthwhile anchor.
Key insights from beachhopping in Bali:
- The dream beachtown I envision is like Sanur but with significantly more permanent housing options over hotels and tourist accommodations.
- The beachwalk is such a great way to engage the community and encourage daily fitness activities for residents.
- Again, the emphasis is in attracting the right community.
