8 BEST NUSA DUA BEACHES – The Ultimate Guide
Nusa Dua has some of the best beaches in Bali with soft golden sand and calm turquoise blue waters, perfect for swimming. The Nusa Dua beaches are easy accessible with plenty of facilities around. Because most of Nusa Dua is focussed on 5 star hotels there are some parts that belong to these Bali resorts. But there are also plenty of public beaches where you can relax, rent a sun bed and enjoy the beautiful beach vibes. But if you’re looking for more action, then there are also a few fun water sports activities to do at the Nusa Dua beaches. Read in this blogpost about the 8 best Bali Nusa Dua beaches and the things to do.
General travel must haves for Bali
Before we dive into the best beaches in Nusa Dua, let’s check a few things to make your travels in Bali easy and safe.
Have you thought about how to get around in Bali? A scooter is the easiest way if you’re comfortable driving one yourself.
- Book your scooter or motorbike here to get around in Bali. This is the most convenient way to arrange your rental motorbike. Especially because it gets delivered and picked up for free to your accommodation within Ubud, Canggu, Kuta, Nusa Dua, Denpasar, Seminyak, Uluwatu, Kerobokan, Jimbaran, Sanur. Requirements: 20 years old; international car (B) drivers license for scooters (or moto (A) license for motorcycles); copies of passport and drivers license.
Do you prefer a private driver for the day and the freedom to create your own itinerary?
Did you already book your accommodation?
Are you insured during your travels?
- Buy your travel insurance here. Safetywing not only includes coverage for travel delay, lost checked luggage, emergency response, natural disasters and personal liability. But also covers all your medical expenses for hospitalisation.
How to get to Nusa Dua Bali
Nusa Dua is located on the south eastern tip of the Bukit Peninsula and takes about 45 minutes driving from the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali. You can book a taxi from the airport to get to Nusa Dua. However if you rent a motorbike it will be easier to move around between the different Nusa Dua beaches.
Book your scooter or motorbike here in advance so you don’t have to look for it after arrival. With this service your scooter is dropped at your accommodation and will be picked up after the rental period is over. Super easy!
Best time to visit Nusa Dua
The best season to visit Nusa Dua and enjoy the Bali beaches in general is during the dry season that roughly goes from May until October. In the rainy season there will be more cloudy and rainy days. In terms of the best time of the day to visit the Nusa Dua beaches, you can enjoy the beach all day long of course, especially with an umbrella to give you some shade. But to be sure to have a sun bed and umbrella it is best to arrive around 10 – 11 AM before the crowds arrive.
Best Nusa Dua activities and tours
Besides relaxing on the best Nusa Dua beaches it is also a lot of fun to plan some activities and tours to explore southern Bali. Because of Bali’s popularity it is highly recommended to book your tours in advance as it is likely that tours sell out. So don’t wait with booking until you get to Bali. Choose your favorite tours here and secure your booking! All of these tours include air conditioned transport with hotel pick up and drop off, certified guides and sometimes also lunch and the entrance fees. You can reserve now and pay later, with cancellation up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund.
- Uluwatu beaches, GWK Cultural Park and Uluwatu Temple Tour. A combination of the best culture and nature activities that southern Bali has to offer. Explore the most southern region in Bali with a private driver and English speaking guide to learn more about the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park and soak in the sunshine at Uluwatu’s best beaches. You will finish the day with a spectacular sunset at Uluwatu Temple and watch the famous Kecak Balinese Cultural Dance.
- Watersports Fun Package Nusa Dua: Jet Ski, Parasailing and donut boat. Have the best of three watersports activities in Nusa Dua. Soar in the air while parasailing, drive a jetski yourself and have fun on the donut boat.
- Uluwatu private beach club hopping tour. This private tour will take you to the best Uluwatu beach clubs to enjoy a day of relaxing at some of the best infinity pools and beaches that Uluwatu has to offer.
- Jet Ski experience in Nusa Dua. Drive a Yamaha 700cc jet ski for 30 minutes yourself along Nusa Dua’s coastline and feel the adrenaline pumping. Hotel pick up and drop off included.
- Uluwatu white sand beaches tour and sunset at Uluwatu temple. Discover some of the best beaches in Uluwatu during this private tour. While visiting the beautiful white sand beaches you can swim and snorkel in crystal clear waters or rent a jet ski, fly-board or banana boat at your own expense. After the beach fun you will visit Padang Padang beach before watching the sunset at Uluwatu Temple and see the traditional Kecak dance show overlooking the sea.
- Underwater Sea Walking Experience Nusa Dua. Explore Bali’s stunning underwater life while walking on the bottom of the ocean with a professional guide. The sea walker is a soft dive system that is designed specifically for those who are not confident swimmers or do not wish to dive.
- Fly Board experience Nusa Dua. Fly high over the ocean with a Flyboard and get the adrenaline pumping!
8 BEST NUSA DUA BEACHES
Nusa Dua beach
The main, and probably most beautiful one of the Nusa Dua beaches is Nusa Dua beach. Also known as Mengiat beach by the locals. This beautiful wide beach has perfectly calm turquoise water that is great for swimming. In general the Nusa Dua beaches are very clean because they are being well maintained by the resorts that are located along the beaches.
At Nusa Dua Beach you can rent a sun bed with umbrella to have a relaxing and comfortable beach day. And if you’re in for more action, then there are plenty of water sports activities to book.
The parking fee is 2000 IDR for motor bikes.
Location: Benoa, Kuta Selatan, Benoa, Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80363, Indonesia
Things to do at Nusa Dua Beach
- Rent a glass bottom boat to explore the underwater sea life without getting wet
- Go snorkelling to see some fishes
- Visit the water blow to see the power of the waves crashing against the rocks
- Watch the sunrise from Nusa Dua Beach. Facing east this is the perfect spot to watch sunrise in Bali
- Rent a jetski for some adrenaline fun
- Go parasailing to see Nusa Dua from a higher perspective
- Rent a kayak to explore the bay and get some exercise
Sawangan beach
Sawangan beach is also known as Nikko Beach and is a very quiet beach with only some guests from the Hilton hotel. The short stretch of beach has perfectly soft wide sand and is a perfect fit for the ones looking for a less popular beach away from the busy areas in Nusa Dua.
There are not much facilities around, so if you plan on some time of relaxing here, bring your own drinks and snacks. However, you can also buy a drink at the swimming pool of the Hilton hotel that welcomes visitors from outside, as long as you buy something in return.
Location: Karang Duwur Ayah, Kebumen, Indonesia
Pantai Tanjung Benoa
Benoa used to be an old Fishermans village but nowadays the area is full with luxury resorts. This takes away the charm of how this place used to be, and to be honest we didn’t like this beach that much to relax. It isn’t the cleanest beach in Nusa Dua and seems more like the centre of where all the water sports activities take place. You will see lots of banana boats, jet ski’s and Fishermans boats here. So for a relaxing beach day Tanjung Benoa isn’t the best option, but if you want to book a fun tour it is the place you have to go!
Find all the water sports activity tours here:
- Watersports Fun Package Nusa Dua: Jet Ski, Parasailing and donut boat. Have the best of three watersports activities in Nusa Dua. Soar in the air while parasailing, drive a jetski yourself and have fun on the donut boat.
- Jet Ski experience in Nusa Dua. Drive a Yamaha 700cc jet ski for 30 minutes yourself along Nusa Dua’s coastline and feel the adrenaline pumping. Hotel pick up and drop off included.
- Underwater Sea Walking Experience Nusa Dua. Explore Bali’s stunning underwater life while walking on the bottom of the ocean with a professional guide. The sea walker is a soft dive system that is designed specifically for those who are not confident swimmers or do not wish to dive.
- Fly Board experience Nusa Dua. Fly high over the ocean with a Flyboard and get the adrenaline pumping!
Samuh beach
Samuh beach is directly next to Nusa Dua beach located. Also at this beach you will find some sun beds and umbrellas for rent. Along the beach there are some cafes that can serve you some refreshing drinks and tasty snacks. No need to bring your own food here.
The sea at Samuh beach is also very calm which makes swimming a great activity. However, the sand wasn’t as nicely soft and clean as on Nusa Dua Beach and there were more boats docked on the beach and in the shore when we visited.
Location: Benoa, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Pura Geger beach Nusa Dua
Just to clarify, Pura Geger Beach and Geger Beach are both two different beaches in Nusa Dua. Pura Geger Beach is located near the temple that is situated on a cliff and looks out over the ocean. This beach is very small but has some beautiful rocks and cliffs to explore. However, it needs to be low tide if you want to walk on the beach. With low tide you van explore the little caves and temple that is tucked away between the cliffs. This is absolutely a beach for the ones that are looking for an off the beaten path experience. Here you won’t see any other tourists and the views on the green cliffs are incredible!
Entrance to the beach is 5000 IDR.
Geger beach
Geger Beach is the bigger brother of Pura Geger beach and is located at the other side of the temple that separates both beaches. Here you will find a long stretch of soft sand accompanied by resorts and tourists enjoying the beach. There are much more facilities around here. You can rent a sun bed and umbrella. Or if you want a more luxurious experience you can get a day pass to enjoy the beach and facilities at the 5 star resort Mulia. You will also find a few restaurants and beach cafes here for when you need a refreshing drink or some food.
Gunung Payung beach
Gunung Payung beach is a real gem near Nusa Dua. This beautiful beach takes a bit more effort to get to and is therefore probably not a very busy beach. However it has a beautiful stretch of soft sand, lovely turquoise water to swim in. And.. even a very cool cave to explore! Once you arrive at the entrance of Gunung Payung beach, you will have to pay the 8000 IDR entrance fee. Then you can park your vehicle where you will find the warungs, and from there the little hike down to the beach starts. You will have to conquer 500 steps down until your feet hit the soft sand. Definitely worth it for the ones looking for an off the beaten path beach in Nusa Dua. You will maybe see some surfers in action, or locals trying to catch dinner (fish). There are no beach shacks down at the beach. So be prepared and bring some drinks and snacks if you’re planning to spend some time down at the beach.
Pandawa beach
Pandawa Beach is another beautiful white sandy beach on about a 30 minutes drive from Nusa Dua. The biggest difference with Pandawa beach in comparison to the Nusa Dua beaches is that this beach is surrounded by high limestone cliffs. Also here you will find the aqua blue water of the Indian Ocean. The approximately 1 km long beach is flanked by two small capes on the left and right side as a kind of barrier. It makes the beach look like a crescent moon when seen from the sky. With stunning panoramas and a serene and quiet atmosphere, this beach is perfect for a day of relaxing, snorkeling and enjoying one of the best beaches in Bali.
Read in our complete guide everything about Pandawa beach
Where to stay
If you plan on staying in Nusa Dua then there are plenty of luxury cliff top resorts, hotels and private villa’s to choose from. But of course also the affordable guesthouses and bungalows can be found. It totally depends on your budget. We have stayed at some of the most amazing cliff top resorts and villa’s, so hereby our recommendations.
→ Check out this great tool to compare prices on hotels around the world and book your favorite hotel!
Luxury resorts in Uluwatu
Book here your stay at Alila Villa’s
Alila Villas Uluwatu is some of the most luxurious resorts in Uluwatu, and even in whole Bali. The modern Balinese-style villas boast an elevated outdoor pavilion with private swimming pool. The 46 meters wide outdoor swimming pool, two restaurants, Spa and gym will make your stay at Alila Uluwatu complete.
Book here your stay at Bulgari resort
Bulgari Resort features spacious luxurious villas in traditional Balinese design with a private sundeck and plunge pool. It’s 1 km long beach is accessible only through the resort’s elevator. The resort also offers an infinity swimming pool overlooking the ocean, a Spa and gym.
Book here your stay at Six Senses
Six Senses Uluwatu is a fantastic 5 star resort perched on the cliff. With incredible views over the Indian Ocean, private villa’s with swimming pool, a gym, Spa, 2 restaurants, sunset views and a huge main swimming pool there is almost no reason to leave the resort.
More Bali travel inspiration
We hope you enjoyed this blog post about the best Nusa Dua beaches in Bali.
Read more in-depth information in our other travel guides about Bali.
Bali itinerary – Ultimate guide
30 best waterfalls in Bali – The Complete Guide
Hello Ilse, so good to see your beautiful pictures of Nusa Dua, beautiful beaches in Bali. Especially because here in Holland everything looks grey 🙂 The golden sand and turquoise blue waters, wow. It is nice to look forward to these nice places to visit.