One of the best breaks to surf is located in Uluwatu and should be added to your Bali itinerary as well. Especially when you stayed in Canggu, Seminyak, or Kuta before, you’re longing for nice, clean beaches and Uluwatu offers you exactly that. Uluwatu is smaller than Canggu, yet everything is far apart from each other. Even if you’re staying in the city center, renting a scooter/motorbike is a must there, with a scooter/motorbike switching places is not a problem anymore.
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Accommodation
It was very hard to find an Airbnb or a hotel in Uluwatu, especially when your budget is limited. We found a decent place that was surprisingly good. The Wooden Puri Guesthouse was our home for five days and since everything is far away, having a scooter is a must in Uluwatu. The guesthouse is approximately a 10-minute ride away from the center.
Things to do
One of the most popular things to do is explore the beaches that Uluwatu has to offer. In comparison to Canggu, Seminyak or Kuta has this part of the island much nicer beaches than the others. Cream white sand and clear blue water will await you. I personally made it to Nyang Nyang Beach which has a very long and wide sand beach and was good for making some steps. If you’re looking for relaxation I’d definitely recommend Dreamland beach. It’s perfect for bringing your own book and just enjoying the sun. Unfortunately, Dreamland beach only has one restaurant to get refreshments and food, and I didn’t make a good experience there. The food is pricey and the service is okay. I’d spend your money somewhere else and bring your own food to the beach.
If you google "What to do in Uluwatu" then you'll find visiting the Pura Luhur Temple and its fire show at the very top of the list. The traditional fire show takes place every sunset. We did visit the temple but didn’t go to the show. The temple itself is nothing outstanding and there are nicer ones in Ubud. Though, walking around in the temple area made the visit worthwhile. While walking around the temple, you get an exclusive view of the open ocean and the cliffs.
I’d recommend visiting the temple around sunset time and walking around the temple area and finding a nice place to watch the sunset. Additionally, you will meet lots of monkeys as well (enough to skip the monkey forest in Ubud), but be aware, they like sunglasses and other personal things, so watch out for your belongings.
Speaking of sunsets, at Single Fin Beach Club you get the best view of it. So, visiting Single Fins has to be on your to-do list. If you’d like to have the best seat to watch the sunsets, you must be early, they are rare and popular.
Another thing you can do at Uluwatu is party and visit the beach clubs because they’re having a lot of it and the lineup sometimes is next level. Big stars are coming to this place, and I mean really big. Justine Bieber, Marshmallow, OffSet, and the list goes on. Sometimes the entry is free and of course, if they’re having a special guest, you have to pay an entry fee. Keep your eyes open for the parties, they’re advertising it everywhere. If you’re having a beach club you'd like to visit in mind check the dress code first, it’d be a pity not to get inside, just because you’re wearing flip-flops. A recommendation of mine is the beach club with the amazing sunset view I mentioned above. Sundays at Single Fin are legit. Why? It’s free, has a relaxed vibe (definitely okay to dance with your flip-flops on), and great atmosphere. Just perfect to make this night unforgettable.
Food and drinks
I discovered Suka Espresso in Uluwatu for the first time and had the best shakshuka for breakfast there. The tomato sauce, with the freshly toasted bread and well-cooked eggs in the middle, thinking about it makes me hungry. We repeatedly ate there and had high-quality smoothie bowls, with a good amount of smoothie, granola and fresh fruits, tasty coffee and matcha, and other different kinds of breakfast. Overall, whatever you want to eat there, you won’t get disappointed. The good news is, they have even more locations! One in Ubud and another one (Lusa/bySuka) in Canggu. Make sure to visit it once, highly recommend it!
Three steps coffee is located right in front of the entrance to the temple area and has an unbeatable breakfast promotion: Breakfast dish + coffee for only 50’000 IDR (3$). They offer a huge selection of food, from breakfast to dinner, so you will definitely find something.
On the main road, a small homely cafe awaits you. If you don’t keep your eyes open, it can be easily missed. The Land’s End Cafe is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant and follows a zero-waste program, which means, that no food is prepared beforehand, so you need to be patient, and don’t get there too hungry.
Regrettably, we tried out Habitat Village on our last day, because it was a great spot to eat. The service was very friendly, the food extremely fresh and good and the interior was very inviting. The restaurant had enough sockets, so I definitely could have imagined working from there as well. On this day, I had the vegetarian poke bowl, made with fresh ingredients.
When you drive through the center of Uluwatu, you can’t miss the place. Endless light bulbs will catch your attention when you see The Place with no Name. The food quality was very good and everything was well presented. Try out the poke bowl, and don’t be disappointed by the portion size of it, it only looks small but that fools. I wasn’t even able to finish the bowl and I’m a good eater though.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the name Warung Local on Google Maps. If you’ve read my blog post about the best places to eat in Canggu (if not, you can read it here) then you already know, that Warung Local is my favorite restaurant in Indonesia. Local food with lots of vegetarian and vegan options, freshly made, high quality, and for an unbelievably cheap price. The restaurant in Uluwatu is much bigger than the one in Canggu and offers an à la carte menu as well. But if I were you, I’d just check out the endless options for the Nasi Campur and try whatever catches your eye.
While watching the sunset at Single Fins, we got really hungry and decided to dine in. The price for the dishes was surprisingly reasonable for a beach club and tasty. Of course, the view is unique and a good spot for a romantic dinner.
A bit is hidden on the same road as Suka Espresso, you find Ulu Garden. On the basis of its name, it must belong to Ulu Cliffhouse. A nice outdoor eatery, with lots of light bulbs for a nice atmosphere. Again, the service was super friendly, and the menu is small, but offers enough and adaptable.
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