Best Beach Destinations

Canggu is a small area on the southwest coast of Bali nestled between bustling Seminyak to its south and Tanah Lot to the north. Known among expats as “The Gu,” the area was once a sleepy surfing village, completely unknown to the tourism industry. Canggu is now, arguably, the place to be seen on the island, whether at one of the contemporary cafes or mellow, beachfront bars. This place oozes chicness and can be reached in just under an hour from Denpasar airport.

Nusa Dua is known for its long, sandy beach lines with international luxury hotel chains. Situated on the southeast coast of Bali, Nusa Dua can be reached from Denpasar by taxi or private car in around 35 minutes.

Set on the southeast coast of Bali, directly east of Kuta and north of the Denpasar airport, Sanur can be reached in around 25 minutes via car. This beach town offers a less intense atmosphere than Kuta, Legian, or Nusa Dua. It also has more Balinese than visitors, the atmosphere is laidback, and the nightlife is mellow. In spite of its relaxed atmosphere, visitors won’t have to look very hard for memorable things to do.

Jimbaran is known as the seafood capital of Bali. The bay has a beautiful sunset, punctuated by jetliners landing at the nearby Denpasar airport.

Candidasa, formerly known as Teluk Kehen, is known as one of Indonesia's incredible diving destinations – people come here especially to see manta rays and sea turtles. Despite its coastal location, don’t count on the beaches in Candidasa – concrete breakwaters run along the shore for the length of the town. Narrow, black-sand beaches beyond the town often disappear entirely at high tide.

Benoa — full name Tanjung Benoa — is a peninsula on the southeast coast of Bali. This peninsula extends north from Nusa Dua to Benoa village and is reachable from Denpasar airport in under 30 minutes. It’s best known as the best destination on the island for water sports like paragliding and jet skiing.

Amed refers to a long stretch of coastline that starts at the village of Culik and stretches about 8.7 miles (14 km) to the east. It comprises the seven villages of Amed, Jemeluk, Bunutan, Lipah, Selang, Banyuning, and Aas. You can get there within a 3-hour drive from Ubud or Kuta. If you’re looking for a relaxed holiday, this place—with its slow pace and enchanting scenery— will definitely tempt you.

This remote area in southwestern Bali is seldom visited by typical tourists but is well-known in the surfing community for Medewi Beach and its epic left-hand surf break. Medewi offers the flavor of old Bali with its endless rice fields, simple villages, and long black sand beaches. It’s great if you’re a surfer or just looking for an authentic place to really get away from it all. Medewi is located in Jembrana Regency, a 2.5-hour, 46.6-mile (75-km) drive west of Denpasar.

Tanjung is a beach town on the north west coast of the island of Lombok in Indonesia. Tanjung is traversed by a single two lane road that follows the west coast of the island from south of Ampenan and continues northward to circumnavigate Mount Rinjani in the north of Lombok and then traverses the greater part of the east coast toward the south.

Located in Bali’s northwest corner, this island is home to pristine reefs, unspoiled white sand beaches, beautiful Hindu temples, and an abundance of wildlife both in and out of the water. Menjangan (“Deer”) Island is named after the herd of rare Java rusa deer found wandering its savannahs or bathing at its beaches. The island is part of West Bali National Park’s marine reserve. It’s about a 4.5-hour drive from Denpasar to nearby Pemuteran Beach and Labuhan Lalang, where travelers hire motorboats for the 30-minute trip to the island.

Tulamben is a small village located along Bali’s northeastern coast, about 2.5-hour drive from Ubud and a 3-hour drive from Kuta. Although not mighty impressive on the surface, this place is Bali’s best diving spot—and one of the best in the world.

You’ll find the Bukit Peninsula on the southernmost tip of Bali, which is home to world-famous surf breaks, long, white sand beaches, and jaw-dropping cliffside resorts. Most parts of the Bukit Peninsula are reachable within 45 minutes from the Denpasar airport in a taxi or private car service.