It seems that nearly every second day a new restaurant, night club or beach club is opening in Bali. During the Pandemic they even opened up some new waterfalls. Uma Anyar Waterfall at Gianyar is one such example. It’s not every day that a new beach opens up though, but right now that is the case with Pantai Batu Barak, and already it’s becoming a sensation on the Bali Bukit.
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Now, like waterfalls, beaches are never exactly “new”. They were always there, it’s really just the access that is new. When it comes to beaches along the Bali Bukit, access can be tough, and you either end up with 300 stairs down a cliff, such as nearby Green Bowl Beach, or a carved out canyon through the rock, such as Melasti. In the case of Pantai Batu Barak, it’s the latter, and has to be one of the most incredible drives into a beach in Bali!
Where is Pantai Batu Barak?
Pantai Batu Barak is located on the Bali Bukit, not too far from Nusa Dua, and technically not that far from Uluwatu either. The distance by road (at the moment) makes it a lot closer to Nusa Dua though.
The turnoff to Pantai Batu Barak can be found along Jalan Alas Arum, right in between the turns to Pantai Pandawa and Green Bowl Beach. If you are heading to Pantai Pandawa, you can actually visit Pantai Batu Barak as well, as the road now goes right through and loops back out to the main road again.
How to get to Pantai Batu Barak
To get to Pantai Batu Barak, simply head down Jalan Raya Nusa Dua Selatan from Nusa Dua itself. You will wind up to the top of the cliffs past the Mulia Hotel, Hilton hotel and the Apurva Kempinski. The old, run down road that once existed has now been upgraded, getting prepared for the new “ring road” that is being built around the Bukit. This now leads you directly to the Pandawa turnoff and a minute later the turn to Pantai Batu Barak.
If you are coming from Uluwatu, head down Jalan Pura Batu Pageh toward Green Bowl Beach. When you reach a fork in the road, take the left option that hooks back on itself. This is Jalan Alas Arum, and you will find the turn to Pantai Batu Barak off to the right a couple of minutes up the road.
Otherwise, simply follow any signs in the area toward Pantai Pandawa, and you will find yourself close enough to use the above directions.
HERE is an easy Google Maps location.
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How much does it cost?
Entry fee to get into Pantai Batu Barak is pretty good when compared to other new beaches in the area. I actually thought so at the time, and then I realized that not only does it give you access to Pantai Batu Barak, but also to Pantai Pandawa and by extension, Pantai Timbis. From there, at low tide you can even walk further along to one of my favorite beaches at Pantai Gunung Payung!
So what does it cost?
For a normal tourist it will set you back 15k Rupe, and 2k Rupe for your scooter. As a local, you will get in for 8k Rupe.
If you are a foreigner with a Kitas, you will only have to pay the fee for a local.
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What to expect
The first thing to expect, right after paying your entrance fee, is the incredible drive in. This takes you immediately into a deep, man made gorge through the cliffs that tower on either side of you. Be ready for more than a few influencers stopped in the middle of the road, posing for photos whilst clad in brightly colored dresses and sunhats the size of umbrellas. Not that I can blame them, mind you, as it IS pretty spectacular.
The road winds slightly through this gorge, before emerging into the sunlight as the extraordinary view opens right in front of you. The water that stretches to the horizon is a beautiful, light blue bordering on turquoise – that particular shade that you can only get in tropical places such as Bali. Within two minutes, the drive in has already given you two incredible “wow” moments!
The road will curve left and follow the cliff line as it gradually descends. The views off to the right are amazing, and a short way along you will find a road that turns off to the right, cutting back down to Pantai Batu Barak itself. Take this turn. At the bottom you will find the world’s smallest beach “car park”. My tip here is to make sure you have a scooter, as you can only fit about 3 cars!
From the carpark you will walk down a small section of road to the stairs down onto the beach itself.
The beach is a little like Green Bowl Beach with is located only 400 meters away. It is wonderful at low tide, with clean yellow sand, nice shady spots and even some small caves in the rocks to explore. The water is that brilliant shade of blue that we all adore, and the waters themselves very protected by the outer reef that pounds away with surf in the middle distance.
At high tide though, like Green Bowl, it nearly disappears. This is actually quite a good time to get down there and take some photos, as you will likely have very few others around and the water is gorgeous as it runs up over the thin strip of sand that is visible.
As this is a “new” beach there isn’t much, if any, infrastructure for now. I will update this post if this changes, as it is very likely to. Nearby Pantai Gunung Payung had none for quite some time either. Now, there are shuttle buses, water activities and a restaurant. Things change at these places as popularity rises.
What else is nearby?
The main attractions nearby to Pantai Batu Barak is the other beaches.
On the access road in, if you continue driving down along the cliff face instead of taking the turn down to the beach, after a couple of minutes you will reach Pantai Pandawa. This is one of the most popular beaches in Bali, and especially on weekends you will be sharing it with hundreds of other beach goers. It is a beautiful location though, with restaurants, beach clubs and plenty of activities. It is certainly worth checking out.
The drive into Pandawa has always been very popular, with a similar drive (though not as spectacular) through the cliffs. Here though, there are large statues of the Hindu Gods set into the cliffs that are quite incredible, making it a bit of a religious mecca for the people of Bali and other islands to visit. Hence the crowds on weekends.
Passing through Pandawa beach, you will then come to a sign to Pantai Timbis. This is a smaller beach just a bit further along. You will also find the Timbis Parasailing club along here as well.
From Timbis Beach, at low tide take a walk around the beautiful rocks to the north and you will find Pantai Gunung Payung.
Further afield from Pantai Batu Barak, you have the incredible Green Bowl Beach, which is one of my favorite beaches in Bali. There are over 300 steps down to Green Bowl, so be prepared. You will also have a lot of monkeys to contend with, both on the access road, the carpark, and possibly the stairs down!
Where to stay
The best place to stay that is only about 5 – 10 minutes drive away from Pantai Batu Barak is at Nusa Dua. I have covered most of the best places to stay in Nusa Dua in THIS article. Below though, I will list a few of my favorites that are the closest options.
APURVA KEMPINSKI
The Kempinski Hotels are one of my favorite chains, and the Apurva Kempinski doesn’t disappoint. This incredible hotel is build down the cliff face, and features incredible views from most of their villas. Nearly every single room has its own access to a pool of some description! The central pools and restaurants are amazing, with one underwater Aquarium restaurant. Breakfast is 5 star and served overlooking the beach and the gorgeous sunrises.
HILTON BALI
The Hilton Bali is also built on top of the cliff, and features a glass elevator that whisks guests down to the beach level where the pools and central entertainment are located. Featuring incredible views of the ocean, surf and some of the best beaches in Bali, the Hilton does NOT disappoint.
MELIA BALI
The Melia is one of the biggest hotel complexes in Bali, bar none. The size of the grounds are simply incredible. As would be expected, it offers a range of accommodations from Hotel style to private villas. The main pool is famous throughout not just Bali, but the world, and many come to visit just to see it with their own eyes. Melia Bali also faces onto the beautiful Geger Beach, one of my favorite beaches in Nusa Dua.
GRAND HYATT BALI
If you are looking for a more family oriented option in Nusa Dua, then the Grand Hyatt Bali is for you. This is the oldest and most original Hotel in Nusa Dua, and therefore commands one of the prime locations on the best beach in the area.
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Summary
Pantai Batu Barak is a beautiful new beach in Bali, with access that is incredible enough that it is worth the entry fee even if you are not visiting the beach itself. It is definitely worth checking out the next time you are on the Bukit, or in the Nusa Dua and Uluwatu area.
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