PANDAWA BEACH ULUWATU, BALI – The Complete Guide

Pandawa Beach, locally referred to as Pantai Pandawa, is a beautiful white sandy beach in the south of Bali surrounded by high limestone cliffs and aqua blue water. 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. In this blog post you will find everything you need to know about Pandawa beach. From how to get there, what to expect and what to do at Pandawa beach.

Best Uluwatu tours

If you want to explore the best of Uluwatu with a private tour, then it is highly recommended to book a tour with a private driver so you can explore everything at your own pace. 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.
• Uluwatu 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.
• Customisable full day tour along the best spots in Uluwatu. Have your own private driver for a day to visit all the best spots in Uluwatu. Make your own itinerary and explore every location at your own pace.
• 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!
• 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.

How to get to Pandawa beach

Located in the Bukit Peninsula, Pandawa beach is a bit outside of the route that tourists normally take in Bali. But if you’re a beach lover, you have to go south to explore the beautiful white soft sandy beaches in Bali. As most of the other beaches in Bali have black sand due to the volcanic activity.

Pandawa beach is easy to reach with motorbike or car from the busier areas like Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu. It is a 60 – 80 minutes ride to get to Pandawa beach and its all concrete road. Before entering the beach area, you have to pay the entrance fee of 15,000 IDR per person at the toll gate. Then you will get a ticket which you (sometimes) have to show upon entrance to the beach. You will see lots of parking spots at the entrance of the beach and shops to buy drinks, snacks or ice cream.

About Pandawa beach Bali

Pandawa Beach Bali was once only known as a secret beach because it used to be super difficult to access. Located within a deep valley and surrounded by huge limestone cliffs, there was only the option to get down to the beach by a rope.

However, since the local community of Kutuh village made road access to the beach and the opening for public in 2012, it is no longer a hidden beach. It actually became a really popular spot for locals and tourists.

When you arrive to the beach, you will pass high cliffs where you can see carved out arches with large statues of characters of the five pandavas. The path then branches off to two different sections. The east part of the beach is a bit rocky but full of local stalls selling refreshments and snacks. The other part of the beach features a cleaner stretch of sand and provides opportunities for water sports like surfing and grilled seafood. All these varieties of things to do and its features makes this beach exotic and unique.

Read here about the best beaches in Uluwatu

What to expect at Pandawa beach

When entering the beach, you will be amazed by the beautiful panoramas of high cliffs, powdery white soft sand and aqua blue water. It’s definitely worth a day trip. Especially for families, or couples seeking for a quieter beach to relax, but still with the conveniences of a popular beach. Sun beds and umbrellas which are scattered around the beach are for rent. And if you’re hungry or thirsty, there are many shops offering different food. The seawater is calm, shallow and completely safe to swim. What also caught our attention, was the absence of washed up plastic! Maybe it depends on the current, but on most beaches of Bali’s west coast there is always a lot of plastic washed up. 

Things to do at Pandawa beach

The best thing to do at Pandawa beach is just relaxing and enjoying the beach vibes. But if you feel like being more active, or you just want to do something else than hanging on the beach, there are actually lots of activities to do!

Surfing

If you love surfing and there are waves, you can rent a surfboard at one of the shacks along the shore. Depending on the weather, waves are usually shoulder to head high, and lucky ones even can get some barrels.

Stand up paddle board

Another Bali water sports activity you can do here is paddle boarding. Rent a board at one of the shacks along the beach and head out in the afternoon so you can watch the sunset from your paddle board! Of course you need calm water, the locals can advice you what the best time is to go paddle boarding.

Kecak dance

At 6 PM every evening there is a Kecak dance performance close to the beach. For more information, tickets, prices etc, contact Wayan. See his contact details on the picture. Also at Uluwatu temple, there is a Kecak performance every day with sunset. We haven’t been to one of them, so we can’t give you the best advice on which one is the best…

Paragliding

One of the things you will see immediately after entering Pandawa beach are the paragliders above the cliffs. If you’re into paragliding, this is one of the places in Bali where you can book a paraglide flight!    

Snorkeling

In the reef around Pandawa beach live lots of different species marine life. If you have a snorkel set, it’s fun to check out the underwater life here.

Kayaking

There are lots of kayaks on the beach for rent. So if you’re feeling a bit adventurous and sportive, rent a kayak and head out to explore!

More Bali travel inspiration

We hope you enjoyed reading this blog post, let us know if you have any questions! For many other Bali travel tips, check our other blog posts here:

Best beaches in Uluwatu

Best things to do in Bali

Sunset in Bali – the places places to watch

Best waterfalls in Bali