Padang Padang Beach

Padang Padang is more photogenic than expansive: a short strip of pale sand tucked under the cliff, entered through a slot in the rock that opens onto the beach. It is the kind of place that looks bigger in photos than it feels underfoot.

Sunbathers and swimmers on the sand, surfers and their audience on the reef. The wave is not for beginners, so most visitors come for the setting and the watching rather than to paddle out. A small entry fee is usually collected at the steps.

Go early or late to beat both the crowd and the midday heat, and mind your footing on the steps. Facilities are limited, so it pairs best with a stop nearby rather than a full day.

Uluwatu Temple and the Single Fin bar are a short drive south, and Bingin sits just up the coast, so the three make an easy afternoon.