Pecatu is a region in the west of the
Bukit Peninsula of
Bali. Its hilly landscape creates smaller, more isolated beaches than at
Nusa Dua
Nusa Dua is a resort area built in the 1970s in the southern part of Bali, Indonesia. Known as an enclave of large five-star resorts, it covers 350 hectares of land and encloses more than 20 resorts. It is located 22 kilometers from Denpasar, t ...
on the eastern side of the peninsula. It is popular with surfers and also with nudists.
The
Uluwatu Temple is at Pecatu.
Location and administration
Pecatu is located in
South Kuta District of the
Badung Regency. It is at the western end of the Bukit Peninsula in south Bali, and has a hilly topography with limestone cliffs isolating small, short beaches that have been privately developed. Nusa Dua, on the opposite side of the peninsula, is flat and is a government-run resort with free access. Beaches at Pecatu have historically been popular with surfers and because of limited access, with nudists.
History
Beaches at Pecatu such as
Dreamland Beach, now New Kuta Beach, were well known to surfers and also prized by nudists; Dreamland was named by Australian tourists.
Warungs (refreshment shacks) and cheap accommodations grew up on and near the beaches.
Development started in 1996 with Pecatu Indah Resort, on a site including Dreamland Beach, by Bali Pecatu Graha, a company owned by
Tommy Suharto
Hutomo Mandala Putra (born 15 July 1962), commonly known as Tommy Suharto, is an Indonesian businessman, politician, and convicted murderer. The youngest son of Suharto, the second President of Indonesia, he has long had a reputation for nepoti ...
.
Macadamed roads and a golf course had been created when the
1997 Asian financial crisis caused work to be stopped.
The financial crisis and the
2002 Bali bombings
The 2002 Bali bombings occurred on 12 October 2002 in the tourist district of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali. The attack killed 202 people (including 88 Australians, 38 Indonesians, 23 Britons, and people of more than 20 other national ...
reduced tourism in Bali, but tourists returned and development resumed in the mid-oughties, including Kuta Golf Links Resort, developed in partnership with Made G. Putrawan,
and another golf course resort, Hole 17, developed by Panorama Development Utama.
The warungs were removed and have been replaced with permanent shops that are not on the beach.
The development of New Kuta Beach was planned to include a convention center and several luxury hotels.
[
]
Desalination
The area lacks fresh water. A seawater desalination plant with a production capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day has been constructed.
Waterpark
A waterpark
A water park (or waterpark, water world) is an amusement park that features water play areas such as swimming pools, water slides, splash pads, water playgrounds, and lazy rivers, as well as areas for floating, bathing, swimming, and other b ...
named New Kuta Green Park opened in December 2010[ and fully opened in January 2011.][ According to Tommy Suharto, it was hoped that this attraction would also be affordable to local people who could not afford the resorts.][
]
Beaches
New Kuta Beach
Dreamland Beach is a popular surfing beach concealed by cliffs. Originally named by Australians, it was renamed New Kuta Beach as part of the development of the Pecatu Indah Resort and New Kuta Golf.[
]
Balangan Beach
Balangan Beach is a surf spot located just north of New Kuta Beach. It has road access but is less crowded than Kuta or other surfing beaches in Bali.[
]
Bingin Beach
Bingin Beach is 1 km south of New Kuta Beach, 10 km by road. It is a popular surfing beach but not recommended for novices because of a reef bed. Its beauty makes it more appealing than New Kuta Beach for nonaquatic activities.[
]
Padang Padang Beach
Padang Padang Beach is 3 km southwest of Bingin Beach. The access to the beach is a path between a fallen rock and a cliffside.[ The beach remains natural.]Eat Pray Love
''Eat Pray Love'' is a 2010 American biographical romantic drama film starring Julia Roberts as Elizabeth Gilbert, based on Gilbert's 2006 memoir of the same name. Ryan Murphy co-wrote and directed the film, which was released in the United St ...
'', starring Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles in films encompassing a variety of genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and th ...
.
Suluban Beach
Suluban Beach is west of Padang-Padang Beach; access is through a cave, and the beach is usually quiet. It has a wide expanse of sand even at high tide.[
]
Impossible Beach
Impossible Beach is located between Bingin and Padang Padang, and is so called for its fast racing wave that is almost impossible to surf.
Nyang Nyang Beach
Nyang Nyang Beach is a hidden beach, reached via a jungle pathway and a long stairway. It has large waves suitable for surfing.
Pandawa Beach
The newest beach to be developed in the area, Pandawa Beach is a 20-minute drive from Garuda Wisnu Kencana
Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park ( id, Taman Budaya Garuda Wisnu Kencana), or GWK, is a tourist destination and attraction located at Ungasan, Badung on the island of Bali, Indonesia, about 10–15 minutes drive from Ngurah Rai Internation ...
, and has been developed by Badung Regency in Kutuh Village, South Kuta District. It was formerly known as the "secret beach" because it lay behind two cliffs with limited access. A 1.5-kilometer flanking cliff-cut road now provides full vehicle access. Paragliding
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness or lies supine in a cocoon-like 'p ...
can be done at Timbis Hill, not far away from the Pandawa Beach. There are no hotels or condos in the beach and access road areas, because of opposition from the local Kutuh people.
References
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Tourism in Bali
Landforms of Bali
Beaches of Bali
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...