Sawangan Beach used to be called Nikko Beach after the Nikko Hotel that stands nearby. However, it’s been renamed now and if you’re looking for a pleasant white sand beach in Bali, you might want to give it a visit during your holiday.
Our guide to Sawangan Beach tells you all you need to know about this excellent location that looks as good in real life as it does in pictures.
Where Is Sawangan Beach?
Sawangan Beach is in Nusa Dua in South Bali on the Bukit Peninsula.
Address: Adat Peminge Village, South Kuta District, Badung Regency, in front of Nikko Bali Hotel
How To Get To Sawangan Beach
If you’re coming from the airport, any of the main beach towns (Canggu, Seminyak, Kuta, Legian or Uluwatu) or Ubud, you can get a Grab or Gojek (ride-share) to the beach.
This will be the most cost-effective and timely way to get there and there is no shortage of drivers around to take you home again when you’re done.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Sawangan Beach
While there’s no best time of year for a visit to Bali (we get 8 hours of sun on average even during the rainy season), it’s fair to say that it’s a bit cooler and less humid on the beach during the dry season.
However, it’s more expensive to take a holiday in most of the dry season than it is in the wet season.
Is There An Entrance Fee For Sawangan Beach?
Yes, the entrance fee is 15,000 IDR per person (that’s $1 USD each or $1.50 AUD). There is also a small charge if you want to use the car park, which is based on the vehicle you want to park.
What To Expect At Sawangan Beach
You need to access Sawangan Beach by heading through the public section of the car park at the Hilton Hotel and onto the little side road there.
You can take a scooter down to the shoreline, but cars will need to remain at the Hilton.
Don’t be surprised if you see someone riding a camel along this beach, the Hilton rent out camels to their guests for this!
What To Do At Sawangan Beach
This beach is just far enough from the beaten path that there isn’t a huge amount of amenities here.
It’s an ideal spot for swimming, surfing and sunbathing, you can lie on the sand all day long (as long as you use plenty of sunscreen) without needing to move.
If you want a busier location, the main beach in Nusa Dua is not far away, either.
Where To Eat Near Sawangan Beach
There are several decent places to eat around Sawangan Beach including:
The Beach Grill At The Ritz-Carlton Bali – if al fresco fine dining on some of the freshly caught fish from Bali’s seas is your idea of a good time, this wonderful restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton has you covered.
Koral: Bali’s First Aquarium Restaurant – if freshly caught fish aren’t enough, however, you can opt for Koral where you can see the fish swimming around you as you dine. It’s an experience for sure, though it feels a bit like a ride at Disney in some ways.
Warung Nelayan Sawangan Beach Cafe – this pleasant cafe at the end of Sawangan Beach is cheap and ideal for tourists seeking a snack while sunbathing. It’s a bit hidden away, and not the best place to eat in the area, but it’s popular with locals in the know.
RAMAI Coffee Eat Repeat – this is a fabulous cafe that does excellent coffee and croissants in the style of 5-star hotel restaurants. The service is very friendly and you’re not going to get a big bill at the end of your meal.
Nusa Dua Beach Grill – this is a great buffet restaurant that specializes in seafood, it won’t cost a lot of money (for the area) and it has a pleasant swimming pool view. But we’d rather be looking at the beautiful beaches in this area when we visit.
Where To Stay Near Sawangan Beach
If you want to stay in the area around Sawangan Beach be prepared to pay for the privilege, the majority of the hotels in Nusa Dua are high-end brand-name resorts. Some of your options include:
The Apurva Kempinski Bali – this resort is hidden a little way from the public section of the beach and it’s a thoroughly six-star experience. It’s home to some of the finest restaurants on the island and nothing is too much trouble for the visitors that grace its rooms.
Hilton Bali Resort – tourists flock to this luxurious resort for its awesome restaurants, swimming pools, loungers for sunbathing, etc. and they stay because when you rent a room here, you’re signing on for amazing service from the locals and that famous Hilton touch on everything.
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The Ritz-Carlton, Bali – this luxury brand is synonymous with high-quality experiences and this location is no exception. You will be happy to go sunbathing on the stretch of white sand beach by this resort as the sun shines down from the bluest sky that you’ve ever seen.
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Kost “Pak Mangu” – this is a local guesthouse and something of a rarity in Nusa Dua, we’ve not stayed there, as yet, as it’s only recently opened. But those who have raved about the huge car park that’s freely available to the tourists who rent their rooms.
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Samabe Bali Suites & Villas – this is another very upscale Nusa Dua resort on the beautiful beaches and hidden away from prying eyes. It’s the perfect place to stay if you want an amazing Instagram photo or two as a souvenir of your holiday.
Other Things To Do Near Sawangan Beach
There are some other things to do around the Sawangan Beach area and these include:
Pura Batu Belig
An attractive shrine that sits near the beaches in Nusa Dua. Visitors are not always allowed into this temple and if they are, there’s a distinct public section and a private area for worshippers.
Geger Beach
This long white sand beach is one of the reasons that Nusa Dua became so popular as a holiday location. The water is shallow and ideal for playing in as a family as the shore is protected from severe waves.
Pura Geger Dalem Pemutih
This is a beautiful temple with amazing views over the ocean and definitely one of the cultural highlights of Nusa Dua. It overlooks Geger Beach and you can easily walk from the sand to this historically and culturally significant site.
Nusa Dua Beach
This beach is one of the most famous on the island and its location is surrounded by high-end luxury resorts from international brand names. Visitors to this part of the island come for the soft white sand and incredible amenities.
Coral Beach
This small beach a little further down the coast from Sawangan Beach is very pleasant. However, the waves can get a bit rough here in the late dry season and early part of the rainy season.
FAQs
Can You Swim In Nusa Dua Beach?
Yes, you can swim at any of the Nusa Dua beaches including Nusa Dua beach itself. The beach has a soft sandy bottom which can really be nice when swimming as a family as it means even the youngest children will be fine.
Is The Sea Nice In Bali?
Yes, generally speaking, the sea is nice in Bali. However, a lot depends on which part of the island you are in and what season it is as to how nice the sea will be.
Canggu, for example, is great for surfing all year round, but it’s not the best spot for swimming. Conversely, Sanur is not great for surfing but is an awesome place to have a swim.
The waves tend to be rougher in the wet season and less in the dry season, but the period from June to August (which falls in the dry season) sees bigger waves than the rest of the season as the onshore winds pick up at this time of the year.
Is Nusa Dua An Island?
No, Nusa Dua is not an island. It’s easy to see how people might think it is, though. There is a group of islands off the coast of Bali called the Nusa Islands (this consists of three islands, Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan).
However, Nusa Dua is a beach town on mainland Bali and it has nothing to do with the Nusa Islands.
There are at least, 44 beautiful beaches in Bali. However, an exact count proves a little difficult as defining the exact area of Bali is challenging and beaches are constantly being renamed here, which can lead you to believe that one beach is, in fact, three beaches.
How To Book A Holiday In Bali That Includes Sawangan Beach
We always recommend that you book a beach holiday in Bali through the awesome Bali Res Centre.
They can find you a great place to stay with friends or family near Sawangan Beach and they can ensure that your accommodation, flights, etc. are all at competitive rates too!
Final Thoughts On Sawangan Beach
Sawangan Beach is a great place for tourists to visit in Bali. It’s ideal for swimming, sunbathing, eating freshly caught fish at local restaurants, spending some time in the upmarket shops in the area, etc.
However, because Sawangan Beach is in the expensive resort town of Nusa Dua, you may opt to take a day trip to this location and spend the rest of your holiday in a cheaper location.
