We landed late in Denpasar after our flight from Sydney and made our way to The Room Padang Padang in Uluwatu, arriving just in time to grab dinner and crash for the night.

Day 1: Beaches, Rain and Eating

The next morning, we started the day with a very late breakfast at our hotel–pancakes, coffee, a fruit bowl, and eggs on toast–making the most of the included breakfast. First up, we set off for Padang Padang Beach just opposite our hotel and one of the allegedly “nicer” beaches in Uluwatu. Our excitement was instantly crushed when we arrived to find it absolutely filthy. We were surrounded by wrappers, food scraps and debris–it was like we were sitting in a rubbish dump! I honestly couldn’t believe people were just sitting amongst it all! We lasted about three minutes before leaving in search of cleaner waters at Uluwatu Beach. 

On our trusty motorbike, we got caught in torrential rain, forcing us to seek shelter at Lolita’s Mexican, where we feasted on tacos and hummus dip while waiting for the downpour to pass. It would have been a magnificent view of the ocean had it not been raining! We spent a few hours catching up on some life admin while the wind howled outside. We were a bit limited with what we could do… Once the weather calmed down, we headed back to the hotel to dry off and shower before venturing out for dinner at The Cashew Tree, where we met Miguel from Portugal. For those wondering, The Cashew Tree is the place to be in Uluwatu on Thursday nights! We spent the night chatting and people-watching, enjoying the live band over some drinks.

Day 2: Surf, Nails and Valentines Day

The next morning, we kicked off the day with a workout at 360Move Uluwatu, a great open gym to get a sweat in before a very lazy day. It was Valentine’s Day, so Pat dropped me off in true romantic fashion to get my nails done. I spent a couple of hours chatting to the nail artist’s four-year-old daughter who kept trading roses with me! It was nice to sit and relax after the “go-go-go” of the few days prior. In the meantime, Pat headed back out to brave Padang Padang Beach again for a surf. Even with the waves crashing far from the shore, the water was so disgustingly dirty that he rushed back to the hotel, showered, and brushed his teeth just to feel clean. YUCK.

For dinner, we enjoyed some cocktails and snacks while watching the glorious sunset at Single Fin, one of Uluwatu’s most famous sunset bars. The views were stunning, but the gale-force winds were challenging. We bailed before the real party started, but it was a great spot to soak in the atmosphere (although quite pricey)!

Day 3: Yoga and a Rainy Kecak Dance

On our last full day, we switched things up with a Krama yoga class at The Alchemy, which was tough but fun. Yoga is something neither of us have much experience with, but it was a nice change of pace from everything else we’d been doing in Bali. Afterwards, we grabbed coffee and smoothies at The Alchemy cafe. A wholesome morning.

Pat went surfing at Dreamland Beach to suss out the other end of the coast, while I stayed back to catch up on admin. He reported that it was “not as bad” as Padang Padang, but still pretty gross. It made us wonder–are Uluwatu’s beaches always this dirty, or is it just the wet season?

Later that evening, we headed to Uluwatu Temple to watch a Kecak Dance, a traditional Hindu performance held at sunset. Unlike most Balinese dances, which are accompanied by instruments, the Kecak Dance is performed with a chorus of bare-chested men chanting “cak-cak-cak” in a trance-like rhythm. It tells a story from the Ramayana, where the monkey god Hanuman helps Prince Rama rescue his wife, Sita, from the demon king Ravana. As we watched the chanting and fire-lit storytelling, a storm rolled in and we got soaked, but watching the lightning flash across the ocean behind the performance was absolutely magical.

We wrapped up our time in Uluwatu with a beautiful Japanese dinner at Yuki Uluwatu, which was to die for. It was a perfect final meal before leaving the Bali food-hub for the Gili Islands and Lombok, the last leg of our Indo adventure!

We loved Uluwatu–the laid-back lifestyle, incredible dining, and stunning cliff top views. However, we wish it was a bit cleaner, especially the beaches, so we could have enjoyed the coastline more. That said, the restaurants, bars, and general vibe were amazing, making it a great place to relax, eat well, and soak in Bali’s charm.