Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from if you purchase something through them. This comes at no extra cost to you!
Hidden from view in a beautiful cove on the turquoise shores of the Uluwatu region in southern Bali lies one of the coolest beaches on the whole island.
Suluban Beach, called Pantai Suluban locally, is loaded with vibey beach bars, interesting caves, steep limestone cliffs and epic waves, making it one of the best beach destinations in Bali. This small, secluded stretch of sand is a highlight of the Uluwatu area and a surfer’s paradise. Being on the Bukit Peninsula and facing west, the sunsets are unforgettably mesmerising at Suluban Beach and it’s the perfect place to spend the late afternoon and early evening with a cocktail in hand from one of the cool bars above.
In this quick guide I’ll explain everything you need to know before you visit Suluban Beach for yourself, like how to get there and what to expect.
- Country: Indonesia
- Population: 4.3 million
- Language: Both Indonesian and English are widely spoken in Bali
- Currency: Indonesian rupees (IDR). £1/$1 = 18,500/15,000 IDR
- SIM cards: You should definitely get a SIM card for your travels in Bali. This means you can use apps like Uber or Grab for cheaper taxi fares but it also means you’re always connected to the world, never needing to rely on WiFi. Get an E-SIM here: Indonesia: eSIM Roaming Mobile Data Plan
Where is it
Suluban Beach is found on the Bukit Peninsula in Uluwatu on the southwestern tip of Bali, Indonesia.
Check it out on the interactive map below.
How to get to there
There are three main ways to get to Suluban Beach.
- Rent a scooter or car
The most popular way to get there is to rent a scooter. You’ll have the freedom to stop along the way and take as much time as you want. A scooter will cost around 60,000 – 70,000 IDR for the day. If there’s a group of you to split the costs, the comfort and safety of a rental car might be more appealing if you want to fork out around 650,000 IDR.
- Hire a driver
Another great option I recommend is to hire a private driver. You can propose you own custom itinerary for the day (6, 10 or 12 hours) or do it the easy way and let them take you to the spots they think are best. For a full day prices start at around 500,000 IDR ($38), which is pretty good considering everything is included. I hired a driver one day, a local legend called ‘Mr Wonderful’, and I really enjoyed my day with him. If you’re keen, book a driver through this link.
Note: A hired driver is not a tour guide. They will be friendly and might feed you some information now and then in the car, but they won’t walk with you to each location like a guide would.
- Book a tour
Day tours provide a stress-free small group experience in the comfort of a private air conditioned vehicle (usually a minivan) while a local guide shows you around. Companies like GetYourGuide and Viator offer great tours of southern Bali, and this one includes a stop at Suluban Beach.
When to visit
The ideal combination of when to visit Suluban Beach would be at low tide and just before sunset.
At low tide more of the small sandy beach is exposed, meaning there’s more places to relax and more caves and cracks to explore. Visiting just before sunset will be far quieter when compared to midday and also means you can tie it in perfectly with watching sunset from one of the beach bars later.
Entrance fees
Motorbike parking costs 2,000 – 5,000 IDR depending on the season and 10,000 IDR if you arrived by car.
The beach itself is free to visit.
How long to allow
The walk down to the beach from the car park is short and doesn’t take more than 10 minutes. I’d recommend allowing around 2 hours in total to check out Suluban Beach and chill at the bars above afterwards, but this mainly depends on many sunset drinks you plan on having!
Thinking of visiting Southeast Asia soon? Don’t miss these essential guides to help planning your trip:
What to expect at Suluban Beach
Once you’ve arrived and paid the parking fee at the small booth, it’s time to begin the short descent to Suluban Beach cave.
Concrete stairs will take you zig-zagging down in about 10 minutes past cool bars, souvenir shops and surfboard rental agencies. Once you’ve descended the stairs you’ll arrive in a large sheltered cave with the beach just a few steps in front of you.
If you fancy going surfing, make sure to check tide times before arriving so you get the best possible experience.
Despite being small, it’s never too crowded here. Spend some time relaxing on the beach and marvelling at it’s beauty before heading up to one of the awesome bars that overlook it for a drink at sunset.
Overlooking the beach from above are an array of cool bars and restaurants that are ideal locations to watch sunset over the Indian Ocean. Find one you like the look of and if you’ve got a drone, this is the perfect place to fly it from!
Where to stay
If you’re visiting from places like Kuta, Ubud or Canggu the drive will be quite long, approximately 1-2 hours, but certainly worth it. I recommend staying in Uluwatu for a few nights to see all that is has to offer.
Uluwatu is packed with accommodation suited to all budgets. Browse Booking.com or Hostelworld to find the best deals in Ubud.
Packing essentials
- Dry bag: Dry bags are great for water-based activities to keep everything safe and, you guessed it, dry.
- GoPro: Capture the surroundings in stabilised high quality with a trusty waterproof GoPro, perfect for wet adventures.
Water: Make sure you pack a reusable water bottle and plenty of water as it will likely be a sweaty day.
- Travel towel: Having a compact and fast-drying travel towel is essential here for obvious reasons!
- Portable charger: Charge you tech on the move with one of these long lasting, high speed portable chargers.
Best tours in Uluwatu
Thank you for reading this travel guide – I hope you found it helpful! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible 
Happy travelling!
HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Accommodation: Booking.com, Hostelworld
Tours: GetYourGuide, Viator, Klook, TripAdvisor
Transport: 12Go, Omio, Trip.com, Rome2Rio
WHO IN THE WORLD IS JAMES?
Click below to learn more about my story, including 5 random facts about me, some travel FAQ’s and my entire travel history.
