In a nutshell
- Most of the best beach resorts in Bali have a beach right on their doorstep. Others sit on a cliff with an absolutely stunning view of the ocean.
- For a beach vacation on the classic Bali road trip, your best bet is to book a hotel in Uluwatu or on Nusa Penida.
- If your main focus is the beach, any of our picks will work beautifully — just tack on a few extra days in Ubud for sightseeing.
- We’ll show you our top 7 Bali beach hotels, sorted by location and price.
- Our best value pick is the Alana Penida on Nusa Penida — genuinely beautiful, recently opened, and seriously affordable.
Beach Vacation in Bali
You can have a beach vacation in Bali all over the island. For us, though, four destinations stand out:
- Uluwatu: Surfer’s paradise with the most beautiful beaches in Bali
- Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan: stunning islands just off the coast of Bali
- Amed: still really quiet and well off the tourist trail
For each destination, we’ve listed our favorite beach hotels below.
If you’re coming to Bali purely for a beach vacation, any of our picks will be a great fit.
Want to see more of the island while you’re at it? Then we’d suggest tacking on a few extra days for sightseeing in Ubud (right in the heart of Bali). A hotel in Ubud is the perfect base for day trips to Bali’s waterfalls, temples, and Bali’s rice terraces.
Or you can work your beach vacation directly into our Bali road trip itinerary. The route passes through Uluwatu and Nusa Penida anyway, along with a few other seriously beautiful places to stay in Bali. In our opinion, these are the best beach resorts in Bali.
Just give yourself a few extra days at one of the two destinations — or both — to really soak up that beach vacation feeling.
The Room
The Room is all about the color orange. The hotel’s little bungalows are all painted in a bold shade of it.
But don’t worry — you won’t be falling asleep in a garish room. The rooms themselves are bright and minimalist, with just a few subtle pops of color. Our highlight is the bathrooms. They have a rustic feel and are semi-open to the outside, so you can unwind in style at night — and during the day you can enjoy the cool design of the buildings from the pool.
But you’re here for a beach vacation, not a pool vacation. That’s why the hotel sits right on the small Padang Padang beach. It’s especially great if you want to learn to surf. Keep in mind, though, that beach access costs roughly one dollar.
Rock'n Reef
Rock’n Reef comes with its very own private beach. It was built into the cliffs of a steep coastline on several levels, with the beach at the bottom. You truly can’t get any closer to the ocean!
This Bali beach resort also makes our list of top hotel picks for Uluwatu — we simply can’t stop raving about it. It’s decorated in a nautical style, with great attention to detail and a completely individual character. Rock’n Reef consists of several bungalows perched on the cliffs, all with a balcony overlooking the ocean.
When the tide comes in and the beach disappears, there’s still a small pool where you can cool off. Or you can use the time to explore Bali’s top attractions.
One thing to keep in mind: because of the cliffs, you can’t drive right up to the hotel in Bali. The last stretch requires climbing some stairs. That said, the hotel offers a luggage service to help carry your bags.
Alana Penida Hotel
Alana Penida is by far our best value pick and ranks among our top hotels in Bali. For just $50–$80, you get a room with an ocean view right on the beach, including breakfast.
You’ll stay in small bungalow-style buildings, either upstairs or downstairs, arranged around a pool. From some rooms, the ocean view is unfortunately a bit off to the side. But that really doesn’t matter when you’re on the beach in under a minute from your terrace.
The rooms are also brand new, by the way — the hotel only opened at the end of 2023.
Alana Penida is located on the eastern side of the island, which is the area we recommend for beach stays in our Nusa Penida hotel guide.
La Plage Onirique Beachfront
Want one of the best beach hotels in Bali entirely to yourself? Then La Plage Onirique Beachfront is your answer. Here you can enjoy Bali without the tourist crowds.
La Plage is a small, African-inspired vacation home that’s entirely yours. It has a double bedroom, a small kitchen, and best of all: a terrace where the beach begins right at your doorstep. From your bed to the ocean is about ten meters.
The water in front of La Plage Onirique Beachfront is perfect for snorkeling. The coral is gorgeous and there are tons of colorful fish. You can borrow snorkeling gear right from the property.
Book La Plage Onirique Beachfront
Pramana Natura
Pramana Natura isn’t a classic beach resort, but it sits right on the ocean nonetheless. We simply couldn’t leave out the spectacular ocean views. On some days, you can even spot dolphins from your balcony.
You can choose between a suite and a full villa. Each villa comes with at least one private pool, while the suite is more affordable and gives you access to the stunning infinity pool.
The rooms are beautifully decorated in a nautical style, with ocean views from every window. The hotel feels like a little paradise — which is exactly why it’s also one of our favorite boutique hotels in Bali.
Water Blow Huts
Water Blow Huts is one of the best beach hotels in Bali, sitting right on one of the most beautiful beaches on Nusa Lembongan. Dream Beach is a small cove with a wide sandy beach where you can take a refreshing dip in the ocean. Just don’t venture out too far — the currents can be dangerous.
The hotel even has its own private beach section, so it doesn’t matter if Dream Beach gets crowded. In the evening, it’s also a fantastic spot to watch the sunset. On top of that, there’s a pool with seriously stunning ocean views.
And the best part about Water Blow Huts: at such a great price, you could stay forever.
You’ll sleep in your own bungalow and get to choose between a garden view or ocean view.
Aslin Villa
In Amed, we found an entire beachfront villa for you. The villa has two bedrooms, a huge lawn with a pool, and a grill — perfect if you’re looking for family-friendly accommodation in Bali or traveling with a small group.
Aslin Villa is right on the beach. The beach itself isn’t ideal for sunbathing, but you have loungers by the pool and can swim in the ocean — which is also a fantastic spot for snorkeling. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a sea turtle! Gear is available for a small fee.
You’ll also get breakfast every morning from your hosts, even though you’re staying in your own private villa.
