Pererenan Beach and the surrounding area are often described as a way to get near the vibrant nightlife of Canggu while staying somewhere a little less developed.
Well, now, the area is home to amazing restaurants with delicious food, private villas, boutique shops, co-working spaces, and much more.
Pererenan offers a relaxed neighbourhood, black sand beaches, and it’s still a bit of a hidden gem in Bali even though it’s much more popular than it once was.
Our guide to this peaceful setting by the Indian Ocean will share everything you need to know to get the most out of a Pererenan villa rental and much more when you visit Canggu!
Where Is Pererenan Beach?
Pererenan Beach is the last of the Canggu beaches as you go West along the coastline. It stops a distance before the villages of Seseh and Munggu and it’s a bit quieter than the rest of Canggu.
Address: 84XF+RMJ, Jl. Pantai Pererenan No.171, Pererenan, Kec. Mengwi, Kabupaten Badung, Bali
How To Get To Pererenan Beach?
You can easily get a Grab or Gojek to this area from any of the major beach towns or from Ngurah Rai International Airport.
It’s about 60 minutes or so in good traffic from the airport, but if the traffic’s bad it can, as with all journeys in Bali, take a bit longer.
It’s always important to recognise that distance often has very little to do with journey length on the island.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Pererenan Beach?
There’s no bad time of year to visit Bali and the same applies to Pererenan.
The Pererenan weather in the rainy season still offers around 8 hours of sunshine a day on average and while it is hotter and more humid than in the dry season, it’s usually cheaper to rent a room and get flights.
It’s also easier to get reservations at the restaurants in Pererenan and along the Western coast of Bali.
In the dry season, it’s cooler than in the rainy season and it’s better for surfing as there’s a stronger onshore breeze at that time of year.
Is There An Entrance Fee For Pererenan Beach?
No, in keeping with other beaches in Canggu, there’s no entrance fee to Pererenan Beach and you can walk straight onto the beach.
However, if you want to park in the area, you may have to pay a small parking fee.
Things To Know Before You Visit Pererenan Beach, Canggu
The beach at Pererenan offers plenty of attractions but there are a few things that it’s good to know before you visit:
- This is a black sand beach – that means the sand gets really hot in the heat of the day. To the point that it can and will burn your feet severely, always wear sandals, thongs or flip-flops on these beaches.
- Don’t swim – the current is dangerous along this stretch of coastline and you can easily be pulled out to sea. It’s best to stick to swimming in the hotel pool.
- You’re not far from the rice fields – you don’t have to travel far from this beach to see some of Bali’s beautiful rice fields, so if you haven’t had a chance to do so already, this is a good place to make the time for them.
- Sunset is the busiest time of day – the sunset in Bali is world beating and this beach is a great place to see it from.
Things To Do At Pererenan Beach
There are a few things to do around the beach in Pererenan and that includes:
Surf
This is a good beach for intermediate and advanced surfers and you can learn to improve your surf skills with one of the many surf schools keen to take you onto the surf breaks dotting the beach.
You can also easily rent equipment in this area and it’s pretty cheap to do so, it saves bringing your surf gear on the plane to Bali.
Watch The Sunset
Pererenan offers, as with the rest of Canggu, some of the finest sunset views in the world and the chance to watch the sun dip below the horizon of the Indian Ocean is what brings many visitors to Bali in the first place.
The black sand beach is always a great place to watch the sunset as the water on the sand reflects the light in a very different way from white sand beaches. It’s amazing to see.
Go For A Walk
As the beach here is much less busy than in other parts of Canggu, it’s easy to go for a stroll along the beach.
As with most beaches in Canggu, it’s a popular spot for dog walking in the early morning too.
Go Shopping
There aren’t as many shops in Pererenan as there are around Echo Beach, Berawa Beach and Batu Bolong Beach but there are more than enough to keep you entertained.
There are also some great cafes, bars and restaurants in Pererenan.
Where To Stay Near Pantai Pererenan
Of course, when it opens, FINNS Bali Resort will be the place to stay in Canggu and Pererenan, but for now, you might want to consider one of our favourite alternatives.
This spot on the Southwest Coast offers something for everyone from coworking accommodations with private booths to luxury resorts with lush gardens and private pools among the rice green rice fields, to cheap capsule hotels. Check out:
- Villa Arika – this beachfront villa complex is amazing. It’s a very big property and has its own pool area which is perfect for chilling out in the late afternoon before you go out to the local restaurants.
- Shore Amora Canggu – this is often considered to be one of the best hotels in the area and from the airport transfer onwards, you will experience exceptional service from this place. The beds are among the most comfortable that we’ve ever been lucky enough to try.
- IZE Canggu by Lifestyle Retreats – a very pleasant mid-range hotel within a short walk of the beach. The layout is very attractive and the staff is famed for being enthusiastically nice to the guests.
- Tribal Co-Working Space And Accomodation – if you’re a digital nomad who needs excellent Wi-Fi, private booths to work from and all the facilities you’d expect from modern accomodation as well as social space, then Tribal might be the perfect place to stay.
- My Capsule Canggu – at the extreme end of the budget holiday spectrum this capsule hotel offers very small, but very affordable places to sleep and stow your stuff overnight.
Where To Eat Near Pantai Pererenan
The restaurants in Pererenan are among the best restaurants in Bali and while you’re only a short drive from the rest of Canggu and more amazing restaurants, you’re never going to want for good vibes, smoothie bowls and the perfect place for a great meal in this area. Some of our favourites include:
- The Coconut Shack – a very simple beachside restaurant with a great menu with plenty of choices of cuisines and cold beers and drinks. It’s surprisingly chill given the view at sunset and a great place for sundowners and an early evening meal.
- ARTE Canggu – if you love wood-fired pizzas, you’re going to love ARTE as that’s what this Italian restaurant specializes in. We like the garden-style setting and warm welcome that you get here too.
- SISTA Dumpling Pererenan – If you want authentic Chinese dumplings, you can’t get better than the dumplings at SISTA and it’s very reasonably priced too.
- Shelter Pererenan – this Middle Eastern and Mediterranean place within a short walk of the beach serves some of the tastiest food on the island. The cocktail list is amazing too.
- Honey – this homely cafe has real Instagram charm and it’s the perfect spot to grab some breakfast before you explore the rest of the area. They do some amazing banana pancakes.
Other Things To Do Pantai Pererenan
There are plenty of things to do in the area around Pererenan including:
See Popular Echo Beach
While if you drive one way up the coast from Pererenan you will come to some secluded beaches and less visited beaches such as Pantai Munggu, if you go in the other direction you will reach Echo Beach.
Echo Beach is not the beach mentioned in the famous song, but it is a great spot for surfers and it’s near some of the best restaurants in Canggu too.
Party At FINNS Beach Club
This jaw-dropping setting by the Indian Ocean is one of the premier reasons that people choose to visit the island of Bali.
FINNS Beach Club is the world’s best beach club and nearly 1 in 8 visitors to Bali go to FINNS at some point during their stay!
There’s nothing quite like chilling in the fresh air, floating in their infinity pool, with a cocktail and watching the most spectacular sunset on Earth from FINNS.
And don’t miss out on the non-stop entertainment at FINNS, it sets the standards that other beach clubs can only hope to aspire to.
Tanah Lot Temple
Bali is famous for its Hindu Temples and Tanah Lot Temple is one of the most famous temples on the island. It sits on an island just off the main coast and it’s especially striking at sunset.
We recommend going if you’re in Pererenan or Canggu as it’s only a 20-30 minute drive away and it really is a beautiful place. It’s easy to get a Grab or Go-Jek from this area to get back to your Pererenan villa too.
Day Trip To The Neighbouring Islands Of Nusa Penida, Lembongan and Ceningan
After you explore Pererenan, Bali you might fancy heading offshore to get away from the busier beaches of Canggu and checking out the Nusa Islands.
Be warned no matter what the Pererenan weather is like during the wet season, the boat ride can be very bumpy at that time of year.
But otherwise, the Nusa Islands are lovely places to explore pristine beaches, untapped surf breaks, trendy restaurants and enjoy a slice of local culture that you can’t find among the rice fields of mainland Bali.
FAQs
Is Pererenan Worth Visiting?
Yes! Pererenan, Bali is a lovely area and it’s becoming more and more popular. Soon, the rice fields will probably be gone but for now, it’s a gorgeous place with some of the best restaurants in the country.
It attracts digital nomads and families seeking villa accommodation and a more relaxed vibe than some of the other beach towns in the South of Bali.
What Is The Prettiest Beach In Bali?
This is a subject up for much debate and everyone has a different idea of beauty but we think Bias Tugel Beach is one of the most attractive beaches on the island. It’s clean and well-kept and sees fewer visitors than most beaches.
Yet, it has lovely sand and turquoise waters that are almost postcard perfect.
Other beaches in the running for this title would be Nusa Dua Beach which is very popular with those looking for an upmarket resort town with white sands and Kelingking Beach on the Nusa Islands which looks like a T-Rex when viewed from above.
Is Pererenan Beach Good For Swimming?
No, Pererenan Beach is not good for swimming. As with most Canggu beaches, the tides can be violent and unpredictable and there are no lifeguard services.
We strongly recommend sticking to swimming in the hotel pool rather than swimming at this beach. Even highly advanced swimmers can easily be pulled out to sea and find it impossible to return to shore.
What Is The Most Popular Beach In Bali?
While there is no official title for the most popular beach on the island of Bali, we’d hazard a guess that it’s Kuta Beach.
Kuta Beach is a very attractive beach and it was one of the first major tourism destinations in Bali.
Today, it’s lined with hotels, restaurants, bars and shopping malls and is popular with visitors and locals alike.
While the beach can get messy during the day, at sunset it’s breathtakingly beautiful.
Is Pererenan Beach Good For Beginners?
No, this is the one Canggu beach that’s best for intermediate and advanced surfers. The break is very strong here and the currents are unpredictable too.
Is Pererenan Part Of Canggu?
Yes, Pererenan is part of Canggu though it’s the most remote part of the area and is often referred to as the “New Canggu” though that title often also applies to the neighbouring area of Seseh.
Which Is Better Pererenan Or Canggu, Bali?
Pererenan is officially part of Canggu but it’s fair to say that many people do consider the two areas to be separate.
We’d recommend staying in Canggu if you want to be as close to the vibrant nightlife as possible. We’d go with Pererenan if you want to be near the restaurants in Pererenan.
We’d note that you don’t need a private driver to get between the two as they’re right next door to each other, it’s a 10-15 minute drive in a Grab or a Gojek, so you can enjoy everything they both offer while staying in one or the other.
Can You Walk From Pererenan To Canggu On The Beach?
In theory, you can walk all the way along the Canggu Beaches from Pererenan to Berawa. However, there are several large river outflow points between the beaches and you may struggle to cross these.
It’s also worth noting that if you do decide to risk crossing these river mouths, you must opt to do so at low tide as the beaches are all impassable at high tide.
If we wanted a long unbroken walk down the beach, we’d start in Seminyak and head to Kuta or even to Legian or Jimbaran beyond it.
Where Is The Pink Beach In Bali?
There is no pink beach in Bali. There are a few white sand beaches and many black sand beaches but no pink beaches. The nearest pink beach is actually on the island of Komodo (also in Indonesia) and within the Komodo National Park.
This beach has become so popular with tourists that they are starting to limit the number of visitors to the area. So, if you want to brave the sea crossing to Komodo to see this place, it’s best to book a tour a long time in advance.
Final Thoughts On Pererenan Beach Bali
Pererenan, Bali is one of the premier destinations on the island and it’s the ideal destination for a great balance of first-rate facilities but fewer tourists than in some of the busier areas of the island.
However, Pererenan is only getting more popular by the day and there’s no doubt that this spot out in the rice paddies was a lot less developed just a few years ago.
The beach is good for beginners through to experienced surfers and tourists will find that this “new Canggu” is a great place for a holiday.