A guide to the best of Bali — Part 3: The Bukit Peninsula

Located on the southern tip of Bali, the Bukit Peninsula offers a wild landscape and some of this region’s best surf breaks – it’s also home to some of Bali’s most popular and luxurious holiday destinations, each entirely different to the other, and offering their unique spin on an island idyll.

Ulu Cliffhouse. Image: © Natalie Bannister

Beach Breaks & Clifftop Luxury

The four-kilometre arc of sand that runs along the bay of Jimbaran is perfect for lovers of barefoot luxury, and the torchlit seafood buffets that spring up here every evening are a testament to the toes-in-the-sand romance.

The world-famous surf breaks on the coastline of Uluwatu make this sacred ground to surfers, while the clifftop region of Ungasan boasts not only some of Bali’s premier luxury resorts but unparalleled beauty, with spectacular ocean vistas and secluded beaches.

Meanwhile, for those who prefer to have their every whim and desire catered for without having to leave your hotel or resort, the he exclusive enclave of Nusa Dua boasts international resorts and hotels and an exciting array of water sports available for the more actively inclined.

Above: Karma Beach Bali; Sundays Beach Club; Manarai Beach House. All images courtesy the venues.

The beach clubs of the Bukit Peninsula really set the benchmark for the island’s most beautiful day-trip destinations. 

Chill out on the loungers or pull up a beanbag on the sand at one of the area’s exclusive resort beach clubs, many of which are accessed via awe-inspiring inclinators that career down the face of stunning limestone cliffs. 

Sundays Beach Club is a little piece of paradise tucked at the bottom of the cliffs at the luxurious Ungasan Clifftop Resort, where (for an entry fee) you can while away the day swimming and sunbathing, sipping on cocktails and stand-up paddleboarding in the crystal-clear lagoon.

Karma Beach Bali is another classic destination, offering a windswept beach cabana and open-air thatched-roof restaurants beside private lounging quarters on the sand. Dance barefoot beneath the stars to some of Ibiza and London’s hottest DJs, or bliss out at Karma Spa’s enchanting seaside tent.

Note: Note: Karma Beach Bali at Karma Kandara resort in Bali sadly recently suffered a fire. While the beach destination undergoes a re-design and re-build, in the short term there is a pop-up Karma Beach Bali utilising the beach and existing structures including the Tiki Hut and BBQ area, Karma Spa and the Yoga Bale.

In Nusa Dua, look for the blue-and-white parasols of Manarai Beach House, which spills out from the haven of Sofitel Nusa Dua Beach Resort. This is the first beach club to bring the swanky Seminyak style to this usually sleepy strip of sand, with two swimming pools surrounded by daybeds and shaded outdoor lounges just made for kicking back, cocktail in hand.

Ulu Cliffhouse. All images: © Natalie Bannister

Then there’s the beach clubs with an elevated difference, like Ulu Cliffhouse, which has fast cemented its reputation as a preferred haunt for Bali’s creative crowd since opening in 2017. A day spent here promises plenty of pleasures, whether enjoyed from your poolside lounge or one of the hammocks strung between palms, or from the jaw-dropping ocean deck with nothing but azure sea stretched out before you. Sip on inventive drinks and nibble on ocean-inspired classics and small tapas plates from the menu created by world-renowned Peruvian chef Diego Muñoz. Then wander halfway down the cliff face where you can access the private beach cove at low tide.

Continue your clifftop indulgence at OMNIA, a day club perched on a 100-metre-high plateau overlooking the ocean, complete with infinity pools with a swim-up bar, VIP cabanas, an ever-changing line up of international DJs, and
a showstopping giant crystal cube atop the main bar. It’s paradise found for party people – OMNIA is strictly adults-only, with entry restricted to those 21 years of age and over.

Above: Kayumanis Resto, Jimbaran. Image courtesy Kayumanis Jimbaran Private Estate & Spa.

For a complete change of pace, head to the sleepy seaside hamlet of Jimbaran, which offers a quieter holiday experience and some great dining options. Foodies will love Kayumanis Jimbaran Private Estate & Spa’s impressive restaurant Kayumanis Resto, housed within a replica of a traditional Javanese joglo (a style of timber home). The menu is all about authentic Indonesian cuisine, with distinctive dishes that honour different regions from around the archipelago, all made using locally sourced ingredients.

Uluwatu is a dream destination for surfers, thanks to its incredible surf breaks, but you don’t need to be a pro frother to make the most of this idyllic location. A hike down the steep cliff steps of Blue Point Beach beckons the adventurous to paddle in, while the less inclined can kick back and watch the line-up from the safety of the legendary clifftop bar, Single Fin, nestled neatly just above the warungs and below the beautiful Blue Point Hotel. There’s an epic Sunday session here, with a regular roster of international DJs and live acts.

Several kilometres between Bingin and Uluwatu lies Padang Padang Beach, one of Bali’s most famous surf spots. It can only be accessed down a narrow flight of stairs, but you’ll be rewarded for your effort with a picture-perfect white sand beach, set between the dramatic limestone cliffs and crystal-clear aqua water. Feel familiar? It’s a location that fans of the movie Eat, Pray, Love will recognise from one of the flick’s many romantic scenes. 

Although the big waves beyond the reef breaks are the territory of confident surfers only (definitely not suitable for beginners), novices can tackle the smaller waves in the right conditions, and there are board-hire places conveniently set up on the beach if you’re inspired to give it a go. The shoreline is also great for a leisurely swim, and there are local stalls and warungs along the beach where you can grab a fresh coconut or a lunch of freshly-caught seafood. 

Couples could easily book a holiday to centre around the Bukit Peninsula and soak up a different kind of experience every single day. From the wild and rustic beauty of the landscape to the pumping surf breaks and hidden beaches, and the unique array of luxury beach clubs hosting epic beach parties on the daily, it’s all here on Bali’s southernmost tip. 

This story was featured in the April 2019 issue of Holidays for Couples magazine.

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