Bali’s Coast

We stayed in three different places on Bali’s coastline, broken up by trips to Ubud, Flores and Gili Air.

The first stop was three nights in Pemuteran which is on the North West coast, just outside a national park and about an hour from the ferry terminal of Gilimanuk where we had arrived from Java. We had taken a short ferry with lots of locals that had cost about 30p. On arrival at the port however, there was only one taxi driver around, and knowing that he had the upper hand, wanted to charge an exorbitant fee. We instead headed in the direction of the bus station but before we got there we were harassed by one of the usual suspects; a middle aged man sat around doing nothing but smoking with his friends. “You going to the bus station? I’ll show you the way”. We didn’t need his help, we already knew the way. Nevertheless, he announced to all the drivers (and everyone else within earshot) something in Indonesian which surely translated as “Here are some people I have brought to you – I want my commission”. There were no written prices anywhere, and anyone else who we tried to speak to was visibly intimidated by him into not assisting us. We eventually paid the bus driver about twice what we’d read was a reasonable amount, and watched as part of it was handed out of the window to this man. Total scumbag.

This was soon all behind us though as we got off the bus an hour later in quiet Pemuteran; a one-road village which sits just off a beach with calm waters, known for snorkelling and diving. The friendly little homestay where we were spending three nights was modern and quiet. We hired some snorkels on our first day and were really impressed with the coral and marine life just off the beach. We must’ve spent hours swimming around, and even saw a turtle spying on us from a ledge where the seabed starts falling away to the depths.

There were a few artificial reefs being developed, using the electrically grown “Biorock”. It was the first time I’d seen this impressive technology deployed.

We also did a couple of dives along the edge of the nearby island of Menjangan. Both were drift dives – my favourite since you just get carried along with the current and the boat picks you up downstream. Both were along a coral wall and the visibility was fantastic.

After three nights we left Pemuteran for Ubud, stopping at a few sights along the way:

Waterfalls near Munduk

‘Pura Ulun Danu Bratan’ Temple

Our second stop on Bali’s coast was in Amed over on the Eastern side of the island. Like Pemuteran, it’s a one-road coastal village famous for diving, notably the USS Liberty wreck which is literally a stone’s throw from the beach in nearby Tulamben.

Since the wreck is renowned on the island it gets pretty busy – we were in the water by 7.15AM and there were already about ten other divers in the sea, and another ten on the beach who had just come out. It’s a big wreck though so it didn’t get crowded, but I imagine it could get worse in high season.

It was the first time we’d done a shore entry. I was amazed at how much marine life there was amongst the normally unexciting sand and pebbles just metres from the beach; barracudas, sting rays, puffer fish, squid, a shoal of massive bumpheads, and a huge shoal of jackfish.

Our third and final stop on Bali’s coast was around Uluwatu and Jimbaran in the south, which is known for good surfing. I had never learned to surf but was willing to give it a go. We arranged for a lesson and early the next morning we were picked up by local instructor. The night before I had read that beginners were supposed to start on two-foot waves, but after a short beachside demonstration of how to lie and stand on the board, we were literally thrown in at the deep end and taken out to try catching five foot waves. I didn’t manage to stand up completely but got a good feel for what it’s all about and will give it another go at some point. The instructor forgot to teach us anything about etiquette though and I narrowly avoided a collision. I think I’ll do a bit more reading up about it before trying again!

Hiring a scooter is a popular way to explore the south so we took one out for a day, this time remembering to carry our international driving permits, so as to avoid getting busted by corrupt police again. The area seemed pretty popular with surfers, and many scooters had the special side holders that allow you to attach a board. Just down the road from where we were staying was a 24-hour store selling beers with many tables and chairs out the front – a winning combination which naturally proved to be a hotspot for backpackers.

The temple at Uluwatu is worth a visit, although I was equally impressed by the steep cliffs and roaring waves as much as the temple itself.

We arrived here near the end of the day so that we could watch the Kecak dance – a show where a large male choir provides the ‘music’ for a re-enactment of a Hindu story.

We also tried local speciality ‘Babi Guling’ (Suckling Pig) which was was a dish consisting of various parts of pig mixed together with some spicy sides.

If you’re in Bali and want to dive then both Tulamben and Pemuteran are great. The wreck in Tulamben is the best I’ve done so far, but Pemuteran felt more relaxing and had fantastic snorkeling. Around Uluwata and Jimbaran was also good, with a focus on the surfing tourist.