Discover the sleepy village of Pemuteran

Pemuteran Bali is as far as you can get from all the hustle and bustle in the south of the island. Located in northwestern Bali this village is probably the less visited of all hot spots and travelers who come here often stay for just a day to do one thing and that's diving.

But after staying in Pemuteran for a couple of nights I think it's a really relaxing place which should be included in the itinerary of travellers looking for peace and tranquillity along deserted beaches.

 

Still not discovered by most Bali travelers

 

Ok besides diving and snorkeling there isn't much else to see and do around the village. But then again, you are on a holiday and relaxing at the beach or pool isn't a crime is it?

Pemuturan is about a 30-minutes drive from Lovina and if you are coming from this direction you have almost arrived at Pemuturan and you'll be greeted first with stunning green mountain slopes (during the rainy season) which dominate the village.

 

One one side the mountain slopes dominate the landscape

 

Pemuteran village consists mainly of one main road with mountains on one side, the beach and most big resorts on the other side.

Surprisingly though, between these resorts there are still many little dirt roads that take you to the houses where the local fishermen and farmers live.

That's when you realize that tourism in Pemuturan is still very much underdeveloped and that the Balinese here are relatively poor compared to other parts of the island.

Little houses surrounded by a garden and a cow munching next to the front door is a very common scene here. I can imagine that this is how Lovina or Candidasa looked liked in the 1980's!

 

Here you can still find local people living right at the beach

 

So when you head to this area expect less facilities then at the other popular villages. For one internet access it not widely found here yet so you can try your luck only at the big resorts.

There are no shops selling colorful Balinese souvenirs to take home with you, instead you'll only find those that sell food, drinks and other household utilities.

And one important thing you should know when you plan to stay in Pemuteran is that there are no ATM machines. The nearest is probably Lovina. So bring a credit card to pay at the resorts and some extra cash just in case.

Things to do

As mentioned before the main attraction of this village is Bali scuba diving and snorkeling. Most travelers don't even stop at Pemuteran when they go on a diving tour as the best diving is about 20 minutes drive towards the west around Menjangan island.

However besides Menjangan being one of the best places for diving, just of the coast of Pemuteran you can do some snorkeling as well.

 

 

Most of the resorts have their own scuba diving center while in the village along the main road there are diving shops like Easy Divers and Yos Dive that offer Padi courses too.

The beaches in Pemuteran are unspoiled and look far nicer than most of the beaches in the Bali Kuta beach area. From what we have experienced there are beautiful stretches of beach in front of the Taman Selini and the Taman Sari hotel.

We've also found a deserted beach that is really eye-catching. To get there you need to find a little red sign on the side of the road pointing towards the sea side with 'Pura Pucak Gunung Beratan Pemuteran' on it. It's somewhere near Adi Assri and Taman Selini.

Sounds a bit vague, but I'm sure that once you are there you will easily spot it.

 

Pemuteran still has secluded beaches

 

When you want to do something cultural then there's the Pura Tirta Pulaki. With the mountain wall looming behind the complex, this recently restored temple is a pretty mystical sight.

But while you admire the temple, beware of the naughty monkeys. Like in other places in Bali they can get pretty aggressive so watch out that they don't snatch away your sun glasses or bottles of water.

 

One part of Pura Tirta Pulaki

 

Besides diving you can also go hiking at the National Park West Bali. You can arrange trekking tours at the resorts (around USD30) and bird watching tours (around USD55).

But you can also drive to Labuhan Lalang (the same location if you want to go snorkeling at Menjangan island).

Here at the National Park office they offer one day trekking tours. Tours can also start at Cekik village on the other side of National Park West Bali.

You need an authorized guide to get into the park and depending how long you want to go the price ranges between USD 15 and USD 50 excluding transport and food.

 

Go on a dolphin trip in Lovina

 

Another great thing that you should do when you are in Pemeturan a bit longer is arrange a dolphin trip in Lovina. The resorts can arrange it for you. You have to wake up really early though, but it's great fun and worth the short night of sleep...

Restaurants

You will not find a large choice of restaurants in Pemuteran. You can either eat at the resorts or go for a stroll and eat at the few little restaurants along the main road.

 

Restaurant at Pondok Sari

 

The Adi Assri resort has a nice restaurant near the beach, while Pondok Sari's restaurant has beautiful Javanese furniture set on the beach and inside their main pavilion.

Our favorite resort restaurant so far is at Taman Selini. It's a Greek restaurant which is a nice change after a couple of days of eating only Indonesian food ;-)

 

Cordon Bleu is one of the 'bigger' restaurants along the main road

 

Eating at the resort two times a day is of course always more expensive then eating at a restaurant. However the prices here are not extremely expensive as in some restaurants in Seminyak or Nusa Dua.

Places to stay

As mentioned earlier the majority of the Bali accommodations are big resorts along the beach. Most are located in the village itself, however driving towards Menjangan island you'll see many signs along the main road pointing to other resorts as well.

These are the resorts we really liked and are located right in Pemuteran village:

Adi Assri Hotel:
They have semi detached bungalows leading all the way to their two pools. Their rooms are very clean and once you step through the back door, you find yourself in the semi-outdoor bathroom.

We think the standard rooms with mountain view are really worth the money.

The deluxe rooms are near the pool and the ones at the front are made out of big windows. Avoid these unless you don't care about privacy. (around US$55-US$90 per night)

 

Taman Selini Beach Bungalows:
This Bali boutique hotel is our favorite. It's not as big as the other resorts in the village but their reception, bungalows and verandahs are beautifully decorated with Javanese wooden furniture, giving it a classic and authentic look.

Once passing the rooms you find yourself at their pool, beach with sun beds and their excellent Greek restaurant. (around US$125-US$93 per night)

 

Taman Sari Resort & Spa:
Taman Sari has villas, suites and deluxe rooms. The villas are really massive and look more like private houses with swimming pools.

The suites and deluxe rooms are set in a tropical garden. The whole resort is pretty big including their stretch of beach. This is a good place to do some snorkeling since the resort has recreated a coral garden. (around US$45-USD$150 per night)

 

Aneka Bagus Resort & Spa
This resort is an ideal place to stay if you want to relax while going on a dive or snorkeling trip every now and then.

The Balinese styled bungalow rooms are located in a green garden with views over the ocean or mountains. Their infinity pool is a great place from where to admire them both. Their villa is real value for money (around US$30-US$200 per night)

 

Matahari Beach Resort
As soon you enter this Bali beach resort you will be surrounded by the beautiful Balinese atmosphere and decorations.

On the premises you will find nice Balinese details while decorations in the rooms are all made locally. With its big pool and nice beachfront this resort is a great place to leave the crowd in the south behind. (around US$100-US$500)

 

Amertha Bali Villas:
This beautiful villa complex is a delight to stay at. The villas are set in a big garden creating a spacious feeling. From your villa you have stunning views over the beach, ocean or mountains.

The well maintained villas all have their own infinity pool. You can also go for a suite which comes with a shared pool and kitchenette. (around US$75-US$400 per night)

 

Homestays:
Besides resorts there are also homestays in the village. All of them are located on the mountain side of the the main road, so you won't have direct access to the beach.

But if you plan to do some serious scuba diving only and don't want to spend too much on Bali accommodation then this might be an option as most of the homestays are owned by private dive operators in the village.