Padang Padang & Labuan Sait

Padang Padang is the small cove you reach through a narrow gap in the rocks, made famous by the film Eat Pray Love and by the barrelling left-hander that breaks off its reef when the swell is big. On normal days the inside is calmer and there is a sheltered patch of sand that fills with sunbathers.

The road around Labuan Sait, above the beach, is the closest thing Uluwatu has to a main street: a dense strip of cafés, healthy eateries, surf shops, gyms, scooter rentals and mini-markets. It is a convenient base if you want everything within walking distance, although the traffic can be heavy in the late afternoon.

Padang's main beach charges a small entry fee and has monkeys that will steal anything shiny or edible, so keep bags closed. Thomas beach and the quieter coves just north are worth exploring at low tide.