Beyond Kuta and Seminyak, Bali hides beaches that feel like they belong to you alone. Some require a hike. All of them are worth it.
Bali's famous beaches — Kuta, Legian, Seminyak — are famous for a reason: they're beautiful, well-serviced, and endlessly entertaining. But they're also crowded. The moment you venture beyond the well-trodden path, Bali reveals a different side of itself: hidden coves, cliff-framed bays, and stretches of black or white sand where the only footprints are yours.
Uluwatu Peninsula
1. Nyang Nyang Beach
Getting here requires a 20-minute walk down steep cliff steps — and that's exactly why it's almost always empty. Nyang Nyang is a wide, white-sand crescent with powerful waves and dramatic cliff backdrops. Bring water, sunscreen, and nothing else. There are no vendors, no sun loungers, no WiFi. Just ocean.
2. Green Bowl Beach
Hidden beneath a temple compound in the southern tip of Bali, Green Bowl requires descending around 300 steps carved into the cliff face. The reward is extraordinary: a sheltered bay with calm, turquoise water perfect for swimming, and a natural cave carved into the rock. At low tide, the cave reveals itself completely.
3. Gunung Payung Beach
One of the most pristine beaches on the Bukit Peninsula. The approach takes you through coconut groves, and the beach itself is wide and rarely visited. The snorkelling around the rocky outcrops is some of the best on the island.
East Bali
4. Pasir Putih (White Sand Beach)
A short boat ride or bumpy road from Candidasa, Pasir Putih is East Bali's finest secret. The sand is genuinely white (unusual in Bali), the water is calm, and the handful of warungs serve cold Bintang and fresh seafood grilled over coconut husks.
5. Amed Black Sand Beach
Amed on Bali's northeast coast is a world-class dive destination that somehow hasn't been overrun by mass tourism. The volcanic black sand beaches feel otherworldly, the underwater landscape around the USAT Liberty shipwreck in nearby Tulamben is extraordinary, and the Agung volcano backdrop is unforgettable at sunrise.
North and West
6. Pemuteran Bay
Northwest Bali's best-kept secret. Pemuteran is home to the world's largest coral reef restoration project — the Biorock coral garden — and the diving and snorkelling is stunning. The bay itself is calm year-round, the village is quiet, and there's a genuine community feel that's rare on the island.
7. Balian Beach
A surf spot that the Canggu crowd hasn't completely colonised. Balian sits at the mouth of a river on Bali's west coast — a black sand beach with consistent left-hand waves, a handful of surf camps, and a soulful backpacker energy that feels like Bali used to feel.
The Other Three
- 8. Bias Tugal — tiny cove near Padangbai, calm water, fishing boats, local feel
- 9. Crystal Bay, Nusa Penida — requires a boat but the diving is world-class; manta rays guaranteed
- 10. Karma Beach, Uluwatu — technically a beach club but the descent via cable car and the cliff setting make it feel completely removed from the world
The best time to visit any of these beaches is early morning — before 8am, most are entirely empty even during peak season. Stay close to your base by booking a villa on bavilla.com with easy access to the Uluwatu peninsula or East Bali coast.
