Secret sands of South Bali

PANDAWA BEACH KUTUH

Having a private beach to enjoy is the ideal luxury for people who enjoy activities in the sand and sea. Whether you like surfing in the waves, playing in the water or just laying around feeling the sun, a nice and quiet beach boosts the fun compared to those packed with people. 

Overcrowded beaches can ruin a supposedly-happy occasion, especially when you have to deal with swarming beach hawkers, insistently pleading with you to buy their merchandise. This kind of inconvenience is common in beaches located at famous tourist spots such as Kuta, Jimbaran, Sanur or Nusa Dua. But, if you happen to spend some time in those areas – which you most likely will when you visit Bali – there are places where the disturbance from hawkers is minimal or even non-existent. Yes, the highly developed South Bali still has a few beaches where you can enjoy solitude without people offering you stuffs to buy.

KUBU BEACH 

Located in the Ayana Resort & Spa in Jimbaran, a guarantee that you will not be disturbed by beach hawkers. There are few stairs to climb down, but not as steep as most of secluded beaches in Uluwatu area. The golden sand is just perfect with a small green lagoon behind it. The cabanas are designed in
traditional bamboo structures. To add the luxury feeling, you can also order bottles of champagne from the hotel and enjoy your hot lazy afternoon with style.

GREEN BOWL BEACH

If you know the way to Bali Cliff Resort, then you should be able to find this place. The spot is located at the southernmost point in South Bali; once you pay a very small entrance fee of Rp 2,000 (20 US cents), you will have to climb down some stairs to get to the beach. Note that you should come prepared, because there is hardly any economic activity on the beach below – and the trip back up is really challenging because of the steep steps and long stairs to climb. Great waves await you down below and there are also small caves to see. Take your time at the beach and replenish your energy. Have we mentioned the challenging way back.

PANDAWA BEACH                                                        passing the Jalan Pantai Kutuh, you will find a street with limestone towering on each side of the road and you are on your way to Pandawa Beach. The place is more convenient, offering direct road access to the beach. However, there are few shops available at the beach - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as there are no hawkers persistently roaming around and those shops really come in handy when you fancy a drink or some instant noodles. An ongoing project is carving a hole at the limestone cliff where a statue will be placed inside – an interesting landmark to see.

GUNUNG PAYUNG BEACH

This spot is almost identical to Green Bowl Beach, in that you’ll have to use stairs to get to reach it. However, the stairs here are less challenging and are not as steep. They are, however, just just as long. Once you reach the beach you can find some shabby-looking shacks; one is abandoned; the other rents surfboards, although the shack does not look like much. The beach itself is really stunning. Atop the stairs you can already see how clear the water is – really tempting for a dip in the sea.

BALANGAN BEACH

 If you are not fed up with stairs, then you should go to Balangan Beach. Located near Dreamland Beach, you will a find minimum disturbance here – the shops are much more like those at Pandawa Beach. As the beach stretches for some distance, there is plenty of space to run around. You can also find strong waves here that are great for surfing. The place is an attractive alternative if Padang-Padang Beach and Dreamland are too crowded for you.

 SOURCE  : The JAKARTA POST TRAVEL