The Best of Uluwatu

Bukit Cafe Tomato Egg Bake and Bacon

Single Fin Sundays

Single Fin

Fresh juice at the Corner Cafe

Bukit Cafe Breakfast Burrito 

Suka

After two months in our Uluwatu nook, we're sad to leave but feel accustomed to life in Southern Bali and ready to release our "Best of Uluwatu" list to link you with some of our favorites.  Many of these places you'll need; some of them, you'll want; others you'll wonder how you lived without.  We agree on most, but for a few categories you'll see our personal thoughts...overall, you'll can't go wrong in Uluwatu.  

The best motorbike rental company...

• Ulu's Family, on the right as you turn off towards Single Fin
• Safe bikes, deals for renting for longer periods of time, personable service

The best place to buy, rent, or customize a surf board...

• White Monkey Surf Shop

The best nightlife...

• Single Fin, Sunday Nights
• You have to get there early to get a table, but even if you can't get one you'll enjoy an epic sunset, bird's eye view of awesome surf, great DJs, and people from all over the world

The best driver...

• Mario, WhatsApp +62 896-9832-4488
• Kind, helpful, and so reliable

The best activity coordinator...

• Agung, WhatsApp +62 896-8393-0428
• Organized Mt. Batur, secret waterfalls, Gili transport and beyond
• We met him back in February and he's a gem

The best laundry...

• Padang Padang Laundry, across from Buddha Soul; this small place accounts for every item when you drop it off, giving you a copy of that record that you bring back for pickup
• Laundry smells great and is nicely folded, but they get busy and often need two full days

The best dive company...

• Bali International Diving Professionals
• Avandy Djunaidi is the Yoda of diving; don't learn anywhere else. (Note: He's not technically in Uluwatu, but he'll arrange transport and he knows underwater Bali better than anyone else.)

The best daytime beach...

• If it's low tide, get down to Single Fin and head left though the caves.
• You'll find a secret beach with shipwreck ruins and a lot of privacy

The best sunset...

• Balangan Beach Sunset Point
• Use maps.me to get here through the Bingin Beach entrance; the black sands are worth it

The best place to get a book...

• Yeye's is an Uluwatu staple- great food, beautiful atmosphere, awesome gift shop, and huge selection of books
• Trade two you've read for one that you want

The best breakfast...

• Bukit Cafe- anything on the menu
• Buddha Soul- the chocolate smoothie bowl, and all of their other healthy options, will keep you coming back 
  • Be sure to try Om Burger for lunch (same owner, epic black rice buns)
• Corner Cafe- There are two, and they're both great.  Cash only, but great prices.

Best juices and smoothies

• Yoga Searcher- fresh, healthy, organic (you can do yoga in the back and even book villas there)

The best Italian food...

• La Baracca is a newcomer to the Uluwatu scene, but the owners are from Rome and their food is exceptional (Jay's Pick)
  • Beautiful nighttime ambiance and personable service
• Rolling Fork is one of our favorite places to enjoy a long, slow, blogging dinner (Chantal's pick)
  • Homemade pasta is a must, and the lava cake will make you wish you started with dessert

The best milkshake...

• Suka Espresso has pretty much the best EVERYTHING
• Their Unicorn Milkshake is unbelievable 
  • This isn't about a milkshake, but the Lemme Wrap (chicken wrap) will change your life.

Kites and Sea Shells

One of my favorite things to do as a little girl was to go to the bay in San Diego.  I always loved the colorful kites, so free in the breeze.  Sometimes we would attempt to fly one, but most often my mama and I would lay on a blanket and watch the kites dance above us.  

Kites are always flying in Bali, and yesterday at Jimbaran Beach took me back to my childhood wonder.  We braved the motorbike and made the 30 ish minute trek to Jimbaran (north of Uluwatu). We stayed all afternoon and into the amazing sunset.  

One thing I know for sure is that the sun does not set the same way in any two places- it's different sizes, and shapes, and paints different colors on different landscapes.  The sun is huge in Bali and sets directly in front of Jimbaran Bay, a ball of fire dropping into a cool blue ocean.

HINDU CEREMONY AND KITE ELATION 

LAST RAYS OF JIMBARAN

As it set, we watched the kites, children jumping and chasing them, men with carts barbecuing corn, and Hindu ceremonies passing by.  The Jimbaran airport landing strip to our right, we watched planes take off and we watched with fascination as the beach restaurants dragged dozens of tables to the edge of the water and transformed the shore into a collage of chatty patrons.

The energy on the beach was electric and it was beautiful to see so many people taking time to appreciate the colors spreading across the sky. 

It was no different tonight, as we adventured to a different beach after exploring Cafe La Pasion and slipping down to Balangan Beach.  This beach goes from white sand, to black sand, to corroded rock structures that create tiny pools of water; the sun glistened off of them in every direction and there were so many sea shells.  Just like the kites, the shells transported me back to one of my favorite childhood past times where my mama and I would collect dozens of shells and glue them on popsicle stick frames.

As the sun slipped down over Balangan, Jay helped me find the best shells and I realized how lucky I am to be with someone who marvels at sunsets and will take the time to look for tiny shells in this vast world: someone who understands that it's all the little things that take us from sunset to sunset.

CAFE LA PASION, ULUWATU