Balangan Beach

One of the trickiest parts about finding a great beach is discovering one that isn’t crowded. Whether you’re a surfer, swimmer or sunbather, if there’s a really good spot that doesn’t involve risking your life just to get to, it’s probably well-known and full of people just like you. In a time of rampant development and high-rise hotels, thank the gods we still have Balangan Beach.

CNN recently listed Bali’s best 5 hidden beaches, placing Balangan Beach at the coveted number one spot.

Here’s an excerpt:

The long stretch of white sand is flanked by rocky cliffs while the shore is lined by an assortment of warungs (local cafes) serving plates of indo mee and ice-cold Bintangs and cheap non-air conditioned huts.

The agenda at Balangan is simple: surf (if you can), go swimming when it is high tide, build intricate sandcastles — the sand here is exceptional for doing so — and laze about in a hammock watching the surfers, young and old, catch the waves.

Mind you, Balangan Beach isn’t isolated and difficult to get to, thanks to a new access road, but it’s maintained that rustic natural environment and laid back surfer atmosphere that brought so many to Bali in the first place.

Top 5 or top 10 lists apparently love Balangan Beach. The World Property Channel also recently included Balangan in its Top 10 Beach Towns In Winter list.

Here’s what they had to say:

Hey, it’s Bali, right? Just saying the word evokes images of a tropical paradise. Of friendly people with ancient customs, traditional ceremonies, and a welcoming attitude toward visitors. Of lush green jungles teeming with species found nowhere else, and tropical fruits and vegetables bursting with color and flavor. Of swaying palms under crescent-moon skies dotted with stars. And of fine (sometimes white) sand beaches fringing the jungle on one side, and the ocean on the other, with autumn bringing extraordinary surfing, and any time of year bringing isolated lagoons and bays where you can stake out your own private piece of paradise. My favorite Bali Beach? Balangan Beach, which hasn’t yet been discovered by the crowds.

Luckily our surfbase is located within easy reach of Balangan Beach, just around 3 km south down the coast.

Read about the surfing conditions at Balangan Beach here.

Balangan Beach

Balangan Beach. Pic: Alex Hanoko (Flickr CC)

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