Bingin Beach is located on the west coast of Bali on the Bukit Peninsula. Getting there from the airport will only take you 30 minutes by car. Making your way to the beach from the road however, is much more of a challenge. Bukit means ‘hill’ in Indonesian and ‘hill’ is a severe understatement. The trek to the bottom of the cliffs is hectic to say the least but once you are ascending the hundreds of very steep and crumbly steps, the spectacular views will spur you on and everything will become well worth the racing heart. Let’s not mention getting back up the steps after a few Bintangs with the local surfers…
Staying in Bingin is a fantastic alternative to the vortex experience you get somewhere like Kuta, it is a much sleepier way of life in Bukit. There are bucket loads of small but incredible and very affordable places to stay and you will never be without an ocean view as most of the accommodation is built into the cliffs high above the crystal clear water. If you fancy something a little less difficult to access then there are also many homestays and villa options set further back on the plateau before the cliffs.
This part of Bali is still relatively tucked away, which is one of the reasons it’s still so naturally beautiful and undeveloped. Beach bars, cafes and restaurants line the sand but aren’t overbearing or ostentatious at all. They are mostly run by local families and a few ex pats who spend the high season living and working from Bingin.
Above all else, the surf is the main attraction at Bingin. The rugged shallow reefs make it unsuitable for beginners but there are surf lessons close by at Padang Padang beach. Even if you aren’t interested in the surf at first, you will find yourself sipping a beer, reading a book and watching in awe as the perfect sets roll in, one after another. From the brilliant blue ocean, the white limestone cliffs tower over the beach making it a truly breathtaking scene.
