Generally
I tend not to give too much of importance to the so-called secret
beaches. However, this is not to say that there are no secret beaches in
the world anymore. Even in an overcrowded tourist destination such as
Bali, I have found a few gems hidden away from the gaze of the mobs.
One
of them is the Green Bowl Beach. It is downright spectacular! On the
other hand, the beach never manages to attract a large crowd thanks to
its remote location and the difficulty in reaching the spot. Earlier,
the Bali Cliff Resort was located near this place but was demolished.
This has kept the Green Bowl Beach off the tourists’ radar. For secluded
beach lovers such as me, these conditions are a saving grace.
Unfortunately,
it also meant finding the place was a rather difficult task even for
experienced backpackers. From Jimbaran, I had to visit the Uluwatu
Temple. I followed a convoluted path towards the entrance of the beach.
Even though I had asked the locals for directions, I found myself
consulting the map on more than one occasion.
The
path led me to a derelict staircase surrounded by trees filled with
monkeys. They seemed rather scary but did not hinder my descent towards
the beach. After walking down what seemed like hundreds of stairs, I
finally reached Green Bowl Beach.
Once
glance at the beautiful panorama is all it took for me to forget all
the troubles I had been through. All your pains will be worth that one
look at this place. They say, ‘find a beautiful place to get lost’. For me, it was Green Bowl Beach.
It’s
dangerous visiting the place during high tide when the waters reach the
staircase. However, I reached the beach during the dying moments of the
tide. As the low tide moved in, the waves began to recede like a
curtain uncovering the magical sands of the beach.
During
my stay at Green Bowl, I met only a handful of people, most of whom
were surfers. Even at low tide, the waves were rather strong making them
perfect for surfing. I thought to myself, ‘Why miss out on all the fun?’
While surfing, I realized two things. First, Green Bowl is one of the
best surf spots in the region. Secondly, novices to the sport should
never try surfing here. It’s quite risky so remain alert.
Of
course, there were other things on the beach clamouring for my
attention. After a mental coin toss, I opted to explore the mysterious
caves that dotted the beach first. The smell near the caves confirmed my
assumption that they are filled with bats. Brave the dark to watch the
beach from inside the caves. You will not be disappointed.
The
gigantic bulky cliffs stand like guardians over the butter coloured
sands. At low tide, I discovered the reason behind the name for this
beach. When the water level goes down, I noticed the rocks covered in
green algae that shared their colour with the water. The sight of blue
green waters is quite remarkable especially when you consider that the
background was filled with forests and cliff sides.
It
was with a heavy heart I left Green Bowl Beach. I felt that I needed
more time to truly appreciate the beauty of the place. Unfortunately,
the beach is only useable during low tides which last for a few hours at
the most.
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