With over 400 miles of coastline, Bali has a beach to suit every taste. If you’re looking for a family beach holiday venue head for Kuta, one of the world’s liveliest and most action-packed beaches. If it’s a hip and trendy tropical vibe you’re after then maybe Canggu or Seminyak. For a touch of designer-chic with spectacular clifftop vistas you can’t beat Uluwatu, or for luxury resorts and buck’s fizz on beaches with butler service then it’s got to be Nusa Dua.
If you prefer more active beach time then you’ll find surfing pretty much anywhere on the wave-pounded southern coastline. World-class snorkelling spots abound along the more tranquil north coast, and around the Balinese islands of Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and Menjangan.
Hankering for desert island dream backdrops where a hundred thousand coconut palms sway sedately over sand that’s unblemished even by another footprint? You might be surprised to learn that even this can be found along the rarely visited West Bali coastline.
The best beach hotels in Bali
At a glance
- Hotel with the best view: Alila Villas Uluwatu hotel
- Best five-star hotel: AYANA Resort Bali hotel
- Best honeymoon hotel: Soori Bali hotel
- Best family hotel: Segara Village Hotel
- Best boutique hotel: Lost Lindenberg hotel
1. Lost Lindenberg hotel
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It’s hard to imagine that there’s a 10-mile stretch of beach in Bali that remains entirely free of sunbeds and parasols. Lost Lindenberg, located on a glorious stretch of deserted volcanic sand beach in West Bali, is one of the island’s most excitingly innovative designer boutique resorts. The aptly-named Panorama Suites (facing both jungle and ocean) are set in high timber towers among the canopy of the surrounding coconut palms. While many guests come here simply to get away from it all (or to hone their surfing skills), it’s an ideal base for exploring the spice-scented forested hillsides or the uninhabited jungle that still lies at the interior of West Bali.
Address: Jalan Ngurah Rai, Pekutatan, Jembrana, Bali
Price: From £236
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2. Mamaka by Ovolo hotel
Playful, lively and colourfully decorated, there is something invigorating about a stay in this vibrant property, right on Kuta Beach. The roof terrace with an infinity pool, cocktail bar and private gazebos has irresistible appeal, but its location on Bali’s liveliest beach is definitely part of the attraction of a stay at Mamaka. Then there’s the fact that this is the official Balinese centre for the Rip Curl School of Surf – the team here can get you up and riding (or fine-tune your skills to semi-pro level) either at the Kuta ‘home break’ or farther afield across South Bali.
Address: Jalan Pantai Kuta No.32, Legian, Kuta, Badung, Bali
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3. Hai Tide Beach Resort hotel
Nusa Lembongan – a small island just 11 miles off Bali’s east coast (near the more famous Nusa Penida) – is accessible by fast boat from Sanur harbour in just one hour. A stay at Hai Tide Beach Resort, on picturesque little Mushroom Bay, offers a chance to experience a style of Balinese beach holiday that, some say, has disappeared from the bustling Big Island. While Hai Tide Beach Resort is ideal for relaxing, its real strength lies in the range of activities – specifically one of Bali’s most successful and reputable diving and snorkelling operations.
Address: Jungutbatu, Nusa Penida, Klungkung, Bali
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4. Soori Bali hotel
One of Bali’s chicest beach resorts lies two hours from Bali’s international airport – just far enough to find yourself between an (almost) deserted beach and a sprawling expanse of pristine paddy terraces. The very private, super stylish beachfront villas are popular but we prefer the ever-changing paddy view – never a boring season in the paddies! – with distant vistas of the inland volcanoes. There’s a delightful sense of space here that’s often hard to find in South Bali and you’re ideally placed for jaunts into (uncrowded and undeveloped) West Bali.
Address: Dukuh, Kelating, Kerambitan, Tabanan, Bali
Read more: The best beaches in Bali
5. AYANA Resort Bali hotel
An absolutely immense ‘beach resort’ with, admittedly, access to only a tiny beach. Yet Ayana Resort, set on Bukit Peninsula cliffline and overlooking endless watery vistas, has all the trappings of a highly luxurious beach holiday. A funicular takes guests down to the famous Rock Bar where you can enjoy sunset cocktails just above the spray from crashing Indian Ocean breakers. You might not want to swim in the sea here but there are 14 swimming pools (and 26 food and beverage outlets!) on the Ayana property. The landscaping has been planned so thoughtfully that your spacious villa feels like part of a particularly picturesque Balinese village.
Address: Jimbaran, South Kuta, Badung, Bali
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6. W Bali – Seminyak hotel
W Bali is one of the island’s liveliest beach holiday venues. This big (229-room) resort curves around a vast swimming pool, set halfway up the seven-mile arc of white sand that is Bali’s prime playground. The hotel is just a short taxi ride from either Kuta or Canggu but, if you’re looking for beachfront nightlife, there’s little reason to leave. Woobar Bali (the resort’s nightspot) hosts celebrated international DJs and at FIRE restaurant Indonesian grill cuisine is combined with the Balinese tradition of the kecak (fire dance).
Address: Jalan Petitenget, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Badung, Bali
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7. Puri Dajuma Beach Eco-resort hotel
Two decades after it was built, Puri Dajuma remains one of the best value resorts on the entire island. The 18 suites, five cottages and two villas are spread generously throughout lovely tropical gardens and around two pools, creating a sense of space and nature that is hard to find outside of West Bali. The staff are famously warm and welcoming and the ambience is relaxing. It’s worth travelling halfway around the world just to enjoy the sunset from Puri Dajuma’s beachfront lawns as you gaze towards five picturesque volcanoes on the neighbouring Javanese coast.
Address: Pekutatan, Jembrana Regency, Bali 82262, Indonesia
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8. Alila Villas Uluwatu hotel
Uluwatu is better known for its cliffline than for beaches. Alila Villas Uluwatu’s luxury suites (larger than tennis courts and equipped with plunge pools and personal butlers) offer some of the most picturesque viewpoints on the entire island. The sights are more astounding still from the resort’s Sunset Cabana Bar, cantilevered out over the ocean. Then there’s the (also aptly named) Cliff Edge Spa Cabana. For something cosier head into BATIQUE, one of the world’s most sophisticated and beautifully designed whisky bars.
Address: Jalan Belimbing Sari, Tambiyak, Pecatu, Uluwatu, Badung, Bali
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9. Segara Village Hotel
Often overlooked in the roll call of Bali’s beaches, Sanur Beach is a wonderful option for families and visitors who prefer sheltered wave-free ocean. Segara Village Hotel is a lovely, low-key, low-rise resort with spacious suites set among acres of tropical gardens. Guests step out of the resort straight onto Sanur’s promenade, providing access to well over three miles of beachfront restaurants, cafes and bars (all free from the rowdiness across the peninsula in Kuta and Legian). It’s the ideal option if you’re looking for a great-value resort (with full facilities including a huge pool and the celebrated Byrd House Italian restaurant) but enjoy carefree – and car-free – roaming in the evenings.
Address: Jalan Segara Ayu, Sanur, Denpasar Selatan, Denpasar, Bali
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10. The Laguna hotel
With all accommodation curving sinuously around no less than seven lagoon-style swimming pools, this property is well-named. The Laguna enjoys a prime location at the heart of Bali’s salubrious Nusa Dua resort area. The white sand beach is a constant temptation and most visitors to The Laguna find everything they need without leaving the property. The large suites, with Balinese furnishing and textiles, come complete with comfortable daybeds for siestas on the balcony. The shoreline Arwana restaurant and Kulkul Beach House (the bar with a live DJ) enhance the tropical beach holiday vibe.
Address: Jalan Nusa Dua 2, Benoa, South Kuta, Badung
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Why trust us
The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by The Independent's expert travel writers, each with a deep knowledge of the destinations they cover. Mark Eveleigh has written about Indonesia for some of the world’s most prestigious media, including BBC Wildlife, CNN Travel, National Geographic Traveller and, of course, The Independent. His 2022 travel book Kopi Dulu (which means ‘Coffee First’), describing a 15,000km journey across the archipelago, was first published by Penguin Random House. When picking which hotels to include, he considers his own experience staying in the hotels and evaluates location, facilities, service and all the other details that make for an exceptional stay for all types of traveller.
FAQs
What currency do I need for Bali?
Indonesia uses the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR).
Where are the best beaches in Bali?
Among some of the best beaches in Bali are Jimbaran Bay, renowned for its sunset views, the remote Kelingking Beach, ideal for deep diving and Nusa Dua Beach, lined with luxury resorts.
Also popular with locals and tourists is Seminyak Beach, which offers everything from watersports in the day to DJs after dark, and the black sands of Lovina Beach for bottlenose dolphin spotting.
When is the best time of year to visit Bali?
Bali’s weather is best during the dry season, which is a similar time to the European summer and Australian winter. Yet visiting at this time also brings hordes of crowds. Shoulder seasons – April to May and September to October – are a better choice. If you are not used to high levels of humidity, avoid the wet season peak in January and February.
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