SULUBAN BEACH
- Warsyaan
- November 8th, 2024
- Watch Our Review
SULUBAN BEACH
Located in the stunning area of Uluwatu, Suluban Beach is one of Bali’s most iconic and breathtaking coastal destinations. Famous for its dramatic limestone cliffs, hidden caves, and crystal-clear blue waters, this beach offers a unique and unforgettable experience for visitors.
Access to the beach involves descending a series of narrow stairways and passing through natural rock formations, adding a sense of adventure before reaching the shore. Suluban Beach is especially popular among surfers from around the world, thanks to its consistent and powerful waves.
Beyond surfing, visitors can relax on the sand, explore the surrounding cliffs, or enjoy spectacular sunset views from nearby cafés overlooking the ocean. With its raw natural beauty and exclusive atmosphere, Suluban Beach is a must-visit destination for those seeking a more secluded and scenic side of Bali.
Suluban Beach perfectly blends adventure, natural beauty, and tranquility in one remarkable location.
| Suluban Beach | |
|---|---|
| Location | Uluwatu, Bukit Peninsula, Pecatu |
| Ease of Access | Requires a good level of mobility – 100 steps down to the cave then ducking through a passageway under the cliff |
| Sand Type | White sand |
| Beach Admission Cost | Free |
| Parking Charge | Scooter: 5,000 IDR Car: 10,000 IDR |
| Grab/Gojek | Yes – but you’ll need to walk to the main road for pick up (+5 minutes). |
| Crowding | Moderate |
| Good for Swimming? | Yes – Okay |
| Good for Surfing? | Yes – Excellent |
| Good for Snorkelling? | No |
| Good for Watersports? | No |
Quick Review
If you’re looking for a unique beach experience, Suluban Beach is worth hunting out. Often nicknamed the “hidden beach”, it’s not actually too difficult to find, but it does require a bit of work to get there.
You’ll first climb down 100 or so steps, past several cliffside restaurants and bars, into a small bay sheltered by towering rocks. This is where you’ll find Uluwatu Beach sandwiched between the cliffs. From here, you can enjoy the view and watch the surfers out at sea, but it’s not the main attraction.
From this first beach, you’ll have to duck through a passageway underneath the cliff and climb over rocks to reach Suluban Beach. It’s only a minute or so further and is fairly easy if you have good mobility. We’ve seen people of all ages doing it.
Suluban Beach is a small untouched white sand haven with clear water and gentle waves that are great for swimming.
Crowding here is moderate. It’s not a secluded spot to escape the crowds, but it’s also nowhere near as busy as neighbouring Padang Padang Beach.
It’s only safe to visit Suluban Beach when the tide is out. At high tide, the passageway that leads to Suluban Beach is dangerous. Plus there’s hardly any beach left, so it’s not worth your time. Check the tide times here.
On the cliffs above the beach, you’ll find several restaurants with amazing sea views – we always make sure to stop here on every visit to Uluwatu. We recommend enjoying the sunset at Single Fins Beach Club or La Terrazza.
A Beach of Many Names
For the most part, the names Suluban Beach, Uluwatu Beach, Hidden Beach, and Blue Point Beach are all used interchangeably to refer to the same beach area.
Technically, the first beach at the bottom of the steps is Uluwatu Beach (Pantai Uluwatu). Only after navigating through the passageway under the cliffs are you at Suluban Beach (Pantai Suluban), aka Hidden Beach.
Fun Fact: The name Suluban comes from the Balinese word “mesulub,” which means “to pass under something” – a nod to the fact that you must pass under the cliff to reach the beach.
To further confuse things, Blue Point Beach (Pantai Blue Point), sometimes shortened to Blue Beach, is the nickname of both Suluban Beach and Uluwatu Beach. The name comes from the Blue Point Resort which sits on the cliff above the two beaches.
How To Get There
The best way to reach Suluban Beach is by parking at the top of the cliff near Single Fins Beach Club and following the steps that lead down to the beach.
Here’s a Google Maps pin for the parking areaYou’ll have to descend 100 steps that zig-zag down the cliff. This took us around 7 minutes.
The route is dotted with amazing viewpoints and several restaurants and bars where you can grab a drink and admire the view.
When you reach the bottom of the steps, you’ll find yourself in a large cave sandwiched between the cliffs. This is Uluwatu Beach.
When the tide is out, there’s some room to relax at Uluwatu Beach under the shade of the cliffs. It’s also a popular surf spot. But it’s not the main attraction.
From the large cave, follow the passageway to the left that passes under the cliffs to reach Suluban Beach.
It’s quite a low passageway, so you’ll have to duck to get through and might need to climb over some rocks too. After a minute or so, you’ll exit onto a beautiful untouched beach.
We find the passageway fairly easy and have seen people of all ages going through it, but you might have some difficulty if your mobility is poor.
Make sure to wear flip-flops or go barefoot for this passageway as the tide washes into the caves and gets your feet wet.
Be mindful that it’s only safe to go through the passageway to Suluban Beach when the tide is out. When the tide is in, the waves are too strong and can be dangerous.Alternative Route: You can also park at the end of Suluban Street (Google Maps pin) and follow this path down to the beach. However, we don’t advise this route as it has twice as many steps (we’ve counted them!) and is home to mischievous monkeys that might steal your belongings. You’ll still need to pass under the cave at the end so there’s no benefit.
Can You Get Online Taxis?
Yes, you can get online taxis such as Grab or Gojek to Suluban Beach. They can drop you off in the parking area, however, you’ll need to walk back to the main road when getting picked up. This is an additional 5-minute uphill walk.
What Are the Crowds Like?
In our experience, Uluwatu Beach can get very busy, especially during peak times, but the more hidden Suluban Beach only gets moderately busy.
Many people make it as far as Uluwatu Beach but don’t continue onto Suluban, either because they don’t want to climb through the passageway beneath the cliff or they simply don’t know it exists.
Suluban is a fairly small beach, so it can start to feel busy with just a dozen or so people. It’s not a secluded spot to escape the crowds. But it’s also nowhere near as overpacked as neighbouring Padang Padang.
On a couple of occasions, we’ve seen big tour groups arrive at these beaches (usually groups of friendly Indonesians who find the tourists more interesting than the beach), but they don’t stick around for long.
Swimming at Suluban Beach
Suluban Beach are okay for swimming with clear water and gentle waves due to the tide breaking quite far out. However, you’ll need to be careful of the sharp reef in some areas which can cut your feet.
If you want a better swim spot, we recommend heading down to the south coast of the Bukit Peninsula where Melasti and Pandawa are some of the best in Bali.
Is It Good for Sunset?
Suluban Beach faces west so it makes a great sunset spot, but only if low tide coincides with sunset on that particular day (check tide times here).
Regardless of the tide, we prefer watching the sunset from one of the venues on the cliffs above the beach.
Single Fins Beach Club is a renowned sunset spot in Uluwatu with lots of seating that directly overlooks the ocean. However, it can get very busy so you have to arrive early to secure a good seat.
Rather than fighting for a good spot, we like to watch the sunset from the Italian restaurant beneath Single Fins called La Terrazza. It’s much quieter and you can enjoy delicious Italian food and affordable wine while you watch the sun dip below the horizon.
Is it Good for Surfing or Water Sports?
Yes, the surf breaks around Suluban Beach and Uluwatu Beach were some of the earliest discovered in Bali, with big, powerful waves that are great for intermediate or pro-level surfers. There are shops you can rent a board from on the route down to the beach.
There’s a wide reef so there are five different breaks here. From closest to furthest away, these are Racetrack, The Peak, Outside Corner, Temples, and The Bombie.
While they all break left, each has different optimum tide conditions so do your research first – this guide is excellent.
Suluban Beach Amenities
Cafes, Restaurants & Shops
The cliffs above Suluban Beach are filled with restaurants and warungs where you can buy food and drink. Here are a few we recommend:
Beach Clubs
Delphi Cafe Beach Club above Uluwatu and Suluban Beaches
