I recently spent nine idyllic days on the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia, including four days in the southern part of Bali known as the Bukit Peninsula. This part of Bali is known for its upscale resort hotels, beach clubs, seaside cliffs, great surf, high end shopping, cultural activities and beautiful Hindu temples.
Awhile back I came across a promotion advertised on Travelzoo, that included ten nights at two luxury hotels in Bali, including five nights at the Sofitel Dusa Nua, and five nights at the Viceroy Bali in Ubud. Too good to pass up, I purchased the package, and reserved the hotels for nearly two years later.
The Sofitel is located in the Nusa Dua (meaning two islands) resort area of the Bukit Peninsula. Nusa Dua is located on the east side of the peninsula, and contains a collection of luxury hotels, golf courses, and shopping areas facing wide, white sand beaches. Our flight arrived at ten in the evening, so after clearing customs, retrieving our luggage, and meeting our transfer driver, we finally reached the hotel after midnight. Therefore, we only had four full days to spend in Nusa Dua. Prior to our arrival, I had researched some of the best spots to visit, and narrowed my list to account for the amount of time it takes to travel within Bali.
Day 1 – Lounging at the Sofitel Nusa Dua
We spent our first day relaxing at the hotel, taking the time to adjust to our jetlag. It was a good way to explore the Sofitel’s grounds and amenities, and lounge at the pool and beach.
The Sofitel Nusa Dua is shaped in a long U formation, with two wings containing suites facing a luxuriously landscaped public area containing a series of pools, restaurants, bars and recreation areas. The pool area has multiple attractive pools, including a lazy river, where some of the hotel suites have direct pool access. The pools also have lounge chairs situated within shallow water, as well as private cabanas. The pool area leads to a wide fine white sand beach lined with thatched umbrellas and massage cabanas.
The Sofitel has three restaurants, including Kwee Zeen, Cucina, and Toya Beach Grill. We ate breakfast daily at Kwee Zeen, which includes multiple food and drink stations, including a coffee bar, fresh juice bar, egg station, patisserie, Asian noodle station, and an area that served western and Asian style breakfast dishes. Each morning I created my own udon noodle dish topped with veggies and soy and chili sauce, and provided it to a cook to fry up. I loved trying the delicious lndonesian pastries flavored with rice, pandan and coconut. Cucina serves Italian dishes, while Toya Beach Grill serves western and Asian dishes and a barbecue buffet set up on the beach. Adjacent the beach area is the Manarai Beach House, a beach club with an outdoor lounge, two pools, bar and restaurant in a relaxing Balinese atmosphere.
The Sofitel also offers other amenities including a large fitness center, spa, a kids club, outdoor game facilities and wedding facilities.
Day 2 – Exploring beaches and temples in Uluwatu
We hired a driver through the hotel concierge to take us to the Uluwatu area on the west side of the Bukit Peninsula, known for its seaside cliffs, sunsets, and world class surf. We spent the day visiting stunning beaches and ended the day watching a fire dance show at a Hindu temple, with the sunset as a backdrop.
Padang Padang Beach – After an hour of driving, we reached Padang Padang Beach, a popular spot for surfers. In fact, Padang Padang hosts international surfing events, with the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang the most popular. The beach was also a setting in the 2010 film Eat, Pray, Love, starring Julia Roberts. After paying a dollar entrance fee (15,000 Rupiah), we descended a series of steps through a limestone cave before reaching the beach. The first thing I noticed were the monkeys along the stairwell, ready to snatch people’s belongings. In fact, throughout Bali, wherever there are monkeys, firmly hold on to your hat, phone, eyeglasses and water bottles.
After taking photos of several monkeys, I was greeted by a gorgeous view of fine white sand, teal colored water, and limestone rock formations on each side of the beach reaching toward the water. The natural beauty of this relatively small coved beach is what makes it so popular. The beach was crowded with a mostly young, suntanned and healthy looking international crowd. After securing our towels and bags in a large shady alcove of a rock formation, we took turns bathing in the inviting, perfectly warm water.
The edge of the beach is lined with a variety of vendors selling everything from food and drinks to jewelry and t-shirts. The back side of the beach adjacent the cliff has several inexpensive restaurants and bars. I would have liked to spend several hours lazing here, but we only had an hour due to our tight schedule and other stops.
Uluwatu Beach – From Padang Padang, our driver took us to nearby Uluwatu Beach, sometimes referred to as Suluban Beach. Here the waves can reach up to 15 feet, and like Padang Padang, is a popular spot for surfers. To reach the beach you need to descend the cliff through a stairwell that leads to a large cavern at sea level, and eventually the beach.
We climbed some stairs to the Delpi Café, a restaurant perched above the cliff that offered a fantastic view of the beach below. Looking out toward the ocean, we saw just how huge the waves can be here, attracting dozens of surfers. The café is the perfect place for enjoying a sundowner.
Uluwatu Temple and the Kecak fire dance – Our last stop was the Uluwatu Temple, the second most important temple on Bali, dedicated to the spirits of the sea. The temple sits high on a cliff overlooking the western coast of the Bukit Peninsula and is made almost entirely of petrified coral. Our main interest here was to watch the famous Kecak dance during sunset. It’s recommended to purchase tickets for the dance ahead of time, as this popular event sells out quickly. We purchased our tickets the prior day through our hotel concierge. Tickets are still required to enter the temple and can be easily purchased at the entrance.
Monkeys proliferate throughout the temple, and we witnessed several people’s eyeglasses stolen. We explored the temple and observed the beautiful surrounding views of the ocean and cliffs. A little later we headed to the nearby amphitheater to watch the dance, and were directed to a seat near the top, offering a perfect view of the ocean and sunset in the distance. The one hour performance tells the story of Ramayana, a Sanskrit epic from ancient India. It begins with a large group of Balinese men in sarongs chanting the Ramayana monkey chant in rhythm, without any musical instruments. The drama gradually builds up to dancing, and includes characters in beautiful and colorful cultural costumes, including a white faced monkey who entertains the crowd by joining them in the bleachers. It also includes periods of trance rituals which include a fire kicking dance.
Day 3 – A Day Trip to Nusa Penida Island
We purchased a day trip through Viator to Nusa Penida, an island located about 15 miles east of Bali, known for its numerous scenic cliffs and beaches. Nusa means “island” and Penida means “priests” in Balinese. At one time, locals believed the island was inhabited by dark spirits, banished to the island by the priests of Bali. Nusa Penida is technically a part of the province of Bali. The only way to reach the island is by speedboat or ferry, as there is no airport on the island. While a day trip allowed us to see some of the highlights, spending a few days here would be ideal. Our day trip included the roundtrip ferry to the island, a driver with stops at several scenic places on the island, lunch, and snorkeling, at a cost of approximately $75 per person.
We hired a Grab driver (similar to Uber or Lyft) to take us from the Sofitel to Sanur Harbor, where we took a ferry to the island. Keep in mind that traffic along the highway to the harbor is extremely congested, so make sure to build in extra time in reaching the harbor. We found our ferry check-in point, and were given a color coded lanyard which was used to identify the boat we would be taking. There are numerous ferry companies at the harbor, and the ferry terminal area seemed chaotic, but the workers were good at guiding us to the right boat. We sat on the lower level of the crowded ferry, listening to a soundtrack of loud rock music, before arriving at the island an hour later. At the end of the pier, we met our driver, arranged through our Viator tour. For those who don’t have a pre-arranged tour, there are numerous motorbike rental companies, or you can hire a driver at the port. Currently, the Grab and GoJek ride hailing apps are not available on Nusa Penida. Many of the roads on Nusa Penida are narrow, twisty and in poor condition, so hiring a driver may be a better option for those more cautious. Visiting the highlights of Nusa Penida through an organized tour, however, helps to reduce the stress associated with navigating the roads on your own, finding parking, and paying parking fees.
There is an entrance fee of 25,000 Rupiah (less than $2) for tourists arriving at Nusa Penida at the port. The fee for children is 15,000 Rupiah. This fee covers entrance to the main attractions and beaches on the island. We had to pay the fee separate from our overall tour price. Once we got in our driver’s car, we headed up the hill to visit several sites on our itinerary.
Broken Beach – Our first stop was Broken beach on the west coast of Nusa Penida. Broken Beach is a circular cove with an archway that wraps around the bay, allowing water to flow in and out of the cove. It is truly a stunning site. There are no paths to the cove itself, but there are several boat tours that go to the cove when the water is calm.
One distraction was the hoards of other tourists, many posing for their glamour shots. Another negative aspect was the poor condition of the trail, and the litter that was scattered along it. I was surprised that a major tourist spot isn’t kept in better condition, especially with the fees that are collected.
Angel’s Billabong – Around the corner from Broken Beach is Angel’s Billabong, a tide pool overlooking the Indian Ocean, appearing similar to an infinity pool. The pool is created by a rock formation holding seawater at certain tides. The experience here will depend on whether you arrive at low tide or high tide. At low tide, the clear water allows you to witness the textures and patterns beneath the surface, especially if the sun is out. There were a lot of tourists walking along the rocky formation above it. Extra care should be taken when walking along the jagged rock.
Kelingking Beach – One of the most iconic, spectacular and Instragram worthy views in Bali overlooks Kelingking Beach. From above, you’ll see a vegetated rock with steep cliffs extending into the teal colored ocean, with a small cove holding a pristine white sand beach. The rock has been named the Kelingking ‘T-Rex’ because it appears as a dinosaur with its jaws wide open. A path follows a wood fence and provides numerous spots for taking the perfect photo. If you have time, you can take a trail with steep stairs to the beach, which takes about an hour each way. Keep in mind that the trail is somewhat strenuous.
Snorkeling at Nusa Penida – The last portion of our itinerary included a snorkeling excursion along the west coast of Nusa Penida. After eating lunch at a local restaurant, our driver delivered us to our snorkel shop near the port, where we were fitted with our gear. Once everyone in our group was fitted, we walked a short distance to a boat tied up on the beach.
Our first stop, Manta Bay, was supposed to be a good location to spot Manta Rays. Manta Rays, which can have a 15 foot wingspan, are known to swim in the water around Nusa Penida and tend to be very friendly. I was a little shocked once I jumped into the cold water, as I was expecting it to be warmer, especially since we weren’t wearing wet suits. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any Manta Rays here. My disappointment dissipated once we reached our next two stops, including Crystal Bay and Gamat Bay. The water was more to my liking, and it was here that I explored some of the most beautiful and colorful coral and tropical fish I’ve ever seen. We only had about 30 minutes at each of the bays, but I would have loved to have stayed much longer.
Day 4 – Exploring Nusa Dua
The last day on the Bukit Peninsula was spent exploring a few sites near the hotel in Nusa Dua, including the Museum Pacifika Bali, Peninsula Island, and the upscale Bali Collection shopping center.
Museum Pacifika Bali – I started thy day at the Museum Pacifika Bali, an art museum with over 600 permanent pieces of art as well as temporary exhibits. The museum showcases the styles and forms of the Asia Pacific region, and includes art includes pieces from Indonesian, European, and other Asian artists, including Paul Gauguin and Henri Matisse. The museum also includes a significant collection of large wooden Balinese sculptures and textiles. There is a small entry fee to visit the museum.
Bali Collection Shopping Center – Across the street from the Museum Pacifika Bali museum is the Bali Collection shopping center. This pleasant open air shopping center has 40 shops, over 20 restaurants, and entertainment venues in an attractive and relaxing atmosphere. The beautifully landscaped open air mall provides shaded seating areas and tranquil pools with fountains, all in a unique Balinese architectural style. There are several shops that offer a variety of Bali souvenirs. A free shuttle provides service between the shopping center and the various Nusa Dua resorts.
Peninsula Island – Nusa Dua is named for two small islands at the edge of the coast, including Nusa Dharma Island, and Peninsula Island. The two islands are actually small hammer shaped peninsulas, as they are connected to the mainland by a narrow piece of land. The two peninsulas separate different sections of Nusa Dua Beach. They both provide multiple recreation opportunities, including hiking, beaching, and swimming. Trails along the perimeter offer great views of the beach and rocky shore.
The Garden of Hope is located on Peninsula Island, and includes landscaped gardens, an expansive lawn and large Balinese statues. The most popular spot on the island is a water blow site where the funneling of the Indian Ocean waves causes the water to shoot up to 90 feet into the air. An observation deck allows visitors to safely watch the show. A small entry fee is required to reach the blow site.
Pura Geger Beach – Off the beaten path at the far south end of Nusa Dua is beautiful and secluded Pura Geger Beach, which is made of white sand surrounded by limestone cliffs. The beach sits at the base of Pura Geger Temple. A small staircase leads from the parking lot to the beach. Make sure to go during low tide, as the beach disappears during high tide. Pura Geger Temple overlooks the beach, and is one of Nusa Dua’s most important cultural landmarks. While the interior of the temple is closed to the public you can visit the temple’s outer grounds or peer through the gates. A shrine located on the eastern corner is devoted to a deity, Ida Batara Dalem Pamutih, and local villagers refer to the temple by its longer designation: Pura Geger Dalem Pamutih. Another shrine is dedicated to the Hindu god of the seas.