Bingin Beach, Uluwatu

Not really. The seabed is coral and rock, waves break near the sand and nobody is on lifeguard duty, so this is a beach for surfing and wading. When the tide is out and the swell small, the reef shelf forms pools to sit in, wearing reef shoes against sharp coral and urchins. For a proper swim, head 5 to 10 minutes south to Padang Padang.

On 21 July 2025 Bali's governor and the Badung regent oversaw the start of demolition on 48 cliffside villas, restaurants and homestays. The government said they stood on state land inside a protected coastal setback without permits, and had ignored three written warnings. Sand and surf remained accessible throughout, while the cliff became a bare site, still partly covered in debris, waiting for redevelopment.

Yes. It never closed, and people still surf and sunbathe there. You reach the sand on a rough track through the demolished area, and in mid-2026 the beach had only a few drink sellers, umbrellas for hire and one surf school, but no toilets, showers or restaurants at beach level.

The old staircase between the warungs, somewhere between 150 and 190 steps by various counts, went with the buildings. A steep, winding path and broken steps now take about eight minutes through the rubble. Badung's first phase of works includes a three-metre-wide staircase, so the route may shift during 2026 and 2027.

No. Expect a steep take-off into a quick, tubing left above barely covered coral, plus a busy lineup where locals come first. It is a wave for advanced riders, and for strong intermediates only when the swell is modest. Learners are better served by lessons at Baby Padang, or at Balangan and Dreamland when the swell is small.

Mid tide, preferably falling, on a south-west swell of head high to roughly one and a half times that, with offshore south-east trades. Low tide makes it short, fast and risky over very shallow reef. On a larger swell a higher tide is surfable, although rising water pulls a stronger current across the reef.

No ticket is needed and there is no gate. The only charge is parking at the top, IDR 5,000 for a scooter or IDR 10,000 for a car, paid in cash. An umbrella on the sand costs about IDR 100,000 for the day, so carry small notes.

Only just. In mid-2026 the beach had a couple of vendors with cold drinks, coconuts and snacks, but no toilets, showers, loungers or restaurants. The first phase of Badung's works adds public toilets, showers and a clean water supply. Until those open, eat and use the facilities at the plateau cafés, such as Salty Coffee by the car park.

Surfers will say yes: the wave is as good as ever and the lineup thinner than before 2025. Non-surfers staying close by will get a pleasant low-tide hour out of the pools and the outlook. If you want to swim, sit in the shade and eat lunch without climbing back up, choose Thomas Beach, Dreamland or Padang Padang until the new facilities open.

Both are close. Head south about 3 km along Labuansait Road and you reach Padang Padang in a 5 to 10-minute scooter ride. Dreamland is the northern neighbour, inside the Pecatu Indah estate, and takes between 5 and 15 minutes by road depending on your route. Allow 15 to 20 minutes for the 7 km to Uluwatu Temple and 40 to 90 for the airport.