Bingin & Padang Padang

The cliffs of the Bukit peninsula below Uluwatu hide a series of small beaches that are only reachable on foot, and two of them are the best known.

Padang Padang — properly Pantai Labuan Sait — is reached down a staircase and then through a narrow crevice between two boulders, barely wide enough for one person, which opens onto a compact white-sand cove enclosed by limestone. It appeared in Eat Pray Love and has been busy ever since, but the entrance is still one of the more theatrical arrivals to any beach in Indonesia. The cove is small, so it fills quickly; go early. Offshore, Padang Padang the wave is a short, hollow, extremely serious left-hander that breaks only on a decent swell and is strictly for experts.

Bingin, a few minutes north, is different in character. A steep staircase cut into the cliff descends past small guesthouses and warungs built into the rock face to a strip of white sand that all but disappears at high tide. At low tide the reef shelf is exposed and the beach is broad. The wave here is a fast left over shallow reef — again, not a beginner's spot.

Both beaches charge a small entry or parking fee, both involve real staircases, and neither is suitable if you are carrying much.

How do you get to Padang Padang beach? Down a staircase from the road and then through a narrow crevice between two large boulders, which opens onto the cove.

Is Bingin beach hard to reach? Yes — a steep staircase cut into the cliff face is the only access, passing warungs and guesthouses built into the rock.

Are Bingin and Padang Padang good for beginner surfers? No — both are fast waves over shallow reef and suit experienced surfers only; beginners should go to Kuta.

When is the best time to visit these beaches? Low tide, and early in the morning — Bingin's sand vanishes at high tide and Padang Padang's cove is small and fills quickly.

Is there an entrance fee? Yes, a small entry or parking fee is charged at both, payable in cash.