Everyone knows Kuta and Seminyak. But Bali has over 150 kilometers of coastline, and a lot of it stays quiet even in peak season. Here’s where the locals go.
Nyang Nyang Beach
Tucked on the Bukit Peninsula, Nyang Nyang is a thirty-minute hike down a cliff trail — which is exactly why it stays empty. Pack water, wear shoes that can handle loose rocks, and you’ll have a kilometer of white sand mostly to yourself.
Green Bowl Beach
Down a steep staircase (340 steps, by one count) cut into the cliff, Green Bowl has one of the best reef breaks on the south coast and a tidal cave that fills with turquoise water at high tide. Arrive before 10am to avoid the handful of day-trippers who do know about it.
When to go
April to October is the dry season, but the southern beaches work year-round because they’re sheltered from the monsoon winds. Early morning light is best for photos, and the tides sit lowest between 6am and 9am on most days.
