South Bali, Bali: things to do, prices and tips 2026

Things to do in South Bali (Bali): Uluwatu Temple & Kecak Dance, Melasti Beach, Padang Padang Beach, Tanah Lot Temple. Prices, opening times and the author’s tips.

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What to see

🔥Uluwatu Temple & Kecak Dance

A temple on the edge of a 70-metre cliff above the ocean. At sunset there's Kecak, a trance dance accompanied by a chorus of a hundred voices.

Price Temple about IDR 50,000 (sarong included), Kecak IDR 150,000

Insider tip Kecak tickets go on sale an hour or so before the show, so come early. The local monkeys steal glasses and phones: keep everything in your hands.

🏖Melasti Beach

White sand at the foot of limestone cliffs, reached by a road cut straight through the rock.

Insider tip Swim at high tide: low tide exposes the coral. You won't see the sunset from here, but in the morning the beach is nearly empty.

🏄Padang Padang Beach

A small cove you reach through a gap in the rock, the beach from "Eat Pray Love".

Insider tip The surf here is a legendary wave for pros; beginners are better off at nearby Bingin or in Canggu.

🌅Tanah Lot Temple

A temple on a rock in the surf and one of Bali's great symbols. At low tide you can walk across the stones to the rock.

Price Paid entry (raised in April 2026, check on site)

Insider tip Arrive an hour and a half before sunset and grab a spot on the cliff to the right. Don't leave straight after: the car park jams.

🛹Canggu & Batu Bolong Beach

The surfers' and digital nomads' neighbourhood: coffee shops, beach clubs and gentle waves for first lessons.

Insider tip Book a surf lesson in the morning, when the wind is lighter. In the evening, watch the sunset from the sand with a coconut instead of from a pricey club.

🍹Seminyak

The south's most stylish area: boutiques, restaurants, spas and a wide beach with sunsets.

Insider tip Shop during the day: in the evening Seminyak's streets are jammed and walking is faster.

🦞Jimbaran Seafood

Tables right on the sand, grilled fish and prawns and the sunset over the bay.

Insider tip Prices are by weight: ask them to weigh it in front of you and confirm the total before it's cooked.

🏄Bingin Beach

A small beach under the cliffs of the Bukit: you reach it by stairs past cafés and guesthouses clinging to the cliff. At low tide rock pools with fish appear, and surfers ride the reef.

Price Free; bike parking is a few thousand rupiah

Insider tip Swimming is best at high tide; at low tide the reef underfoot is sharp, so wear reef shoes. The sunset is one of the best in the south. The stairs are long, and the climb back up is noticeable.

🌊Water Blow, Nusa Dua

Indian Ocean waves smash into a narrow cleft in the rock and shoot up in a burst of spray higher than the viewing deck. Around it is a manicured park with lawns and ocean views.

Price Entry to the ITDC park is free or nominal (up to ~25,000 Rp); parking is paid

Insider tip Check the tide table: the biggest blasts come at high tide with a good swell, most often in July–August. Stay behind the railing and keep your camera covered: the front row gets soaked. The deck closes in storms.

🏝Nusa Dua Beach

A long white beach with turquoise water sheltered by a reef: almost no waves, so this is the calmest sea in South Bali. A paved promenade runs along the shore past the resorts.

Price Free; parking 5,000–10,000 Rp

Insider tip The best beach for kids and weak swimmers. Swimming is easier at high tide; at low tide the water retreats a long way. You can walk along the promenade to Water Blow.

🗿Pandawa Beach

The road to the beach is cut through a limestone cliff, with statues of the five Pandava brothers from the Mahabharata standing in niches in the rock. Below: wide sand, a calm lagoon and kayaks for hire.

Price Foreigners 25,000 Rp entry; bike parking 2,000–3,000 Rp

Insider tip Arrive before 10:00, before the tour buses. Stop at the viewpoint by the cliff with the statues. Grab usually picks up only at the main gate, about 500 m from the beach.

🏄Balangan Beach

A half-kilometre crescent of white sand between the green cliffs of the Bukit. Bamboo warungs on stilts line the shore, surfers ride the reef, and the clifftop gives one of the best sunsets in the south.

Price Free entry; parking 5,000–15,000 Rp

Insider tip Swim only at mid to high tide: at low tide the sharp reef is exposed, so wear reef shoes. Low tide, though, reveals rock pools with fish, and you can walk along the shore to neighbouring Dreamland. Surf beginners need an instructor here.

🦖Nusa Penida: Kelingking

The "T-rex" cliff above a turquoise bay, and how to survive the road there.

Secret spot: details and the map pin are in the full guide

💎Diamond Beach, Nusa Penida

A white beach under a sheer cliff, reached by stairs carved right into the rock.

Secret spot: details and the map pin are in the full guide

All of Bali

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