Region deep dive
Uluwatu and the Bukit: clifftops, world-class surf and the best drama in Bali
A limestone plateau dropping into the Indian Ocean on three sides. The most dramatic part of the island, and the most logistically punishing. Here's how to do it right.
The Bukit Peninsula is a limestone plateau that drops into the Indian Ocean on three sides. Uluwatu temple sits on the edge of a 70-metre cliff. The surf breaks below are world-class. The boutique hotels and warungs are carved into the rock above hidden beaches reached by steep staircases. It is the most dramatic part of Bali and the most logistically punishing: one main road in, one main road out. Come for the scenery and the surf, not the convenience.
What not to miss
Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu) is one of Bali's six directional temples, on the cliff edge above the ocean, and the Kecak fire dance at sunset is genuinely spectacular. Padang Padang is a small sheltered cove reached by a narrow staircase through a rock cleft, beautiful early before the crowds. Melasti Beach, further south at Ungasan, is one of the most beautiful beaches on the peninsula: white sand, dramatic cliffs, turquoise water and natural rock pools that fill at the right tide, with beach clubs and restaurants along it for a full day. Single Fin on a Sunday afternoon is a Bali institution; the view over the Uluwatu break is the best bar view in the south, so arrive by 3:00pm for a rail spot.
Where to eat
Teja on Jl. Mamo is the standout dinner on the Bukit right now, an open-flame and dry-ageing restaurant run by an Australian-trained chef in a handcrafted space with a balcony out to the jungle and ocean. Arrive at 5:45pm for sunset cocktails at the bar, then move to a table. The four-day dry-aged pink snapper, the pork tomahawk, the scotch fillet and the dark chocolate tart are the order, and the cocktails are built around the golden-hour light. Book ahead, it fills fast. Beyond that, the simple warungs on the main Uluwatu strip do nasi campur for under AUD $5, and Drifter Surf Shop Cafe is the civilised place to eat after a morning session. The Cashew Tree is the reliable health-focused garden cafe for the yoga crowd.