Pandawa Beach

About this place

A beach of white sand and turquoise water on the Bukit Peninsula in southern Bali, once called the secret beach because it hid behind a tall limestone cliff, until villagers cut a road through the rock to reach it. Carved into the wall of that road are huge statues of the five heroes of India's Mahabharata epic, the Pandavas, who give the beach its name. The beach is wide and tidy, with umbrellas and loungers for hire, kayaks for paddling in the calm water inside the reef, and simple seafood restaurants. Seaweed is farmed in the shallows near the shore, so you see villagers at work. The view from the road down the cliff before you arrive is one of the best parts of the visit. Entry is about twenty-five thousand rupiah for foreign adults and about fifteen thousand for children, with umbrellas and kayaks extra. Bali's tourist levy, one hundred and fifty thousand rupiah per foreign visitor, is separate. Come on a weekday morning to avoid holiday crowds, and bring sun cream, as shade is scarce. The beach is close to Nusa Dua and the Garuda Wisnu Kencana park, so it combines easily with them.