What this solves
Uluwatu Single, Suluban (Blue Point), Padang Padang, Bingin, Balangan, Green Bowl, Dreamland — the famous Bukit breaks all have one thing in common. You have to time the stairway to a tide window. The stairs range from ladder-style to goat-track; some have hand-ropes, some don't. Spring tides (high coefficient) shift the window by an hour each side; neap tides open more options.
Who it's for. Surfers planning a Bukit session, photographers who need to know whether they can even get to the cave, parents assessing if a non-surfing partner can access the beach for the afternoon.
Plan the entry
How to read the result
- Open — stairs accessible without getting wet; safe for most fitness levels.
- Marginal — passable but you'll be wet to the waist or scrambling a wet limestone step. Not for kids.
- Impassable — stairs covered by sea; do not attempt.
- Dangerous — stairs exposed but covered in wet algae, swell surges up the cliff. Surf exit only.
- Arrival window is hours relative to local low tide — a number like "−1.5 to +1.0 hours" means 1.5 hours before low to 1 hour after.
Limitations
- Swell height matters more than tide chart. A 1.5 m swell at high tide is impassable; a 0.5 m swell at the same tide is open. The tool assumes average swell.
- Swell direction (S vs SSW) changes surge patterns — Suluban faces SW, Balangan faces SSW.
- Green Bowl is paddle-in only and weather-dependent; cliffs around it can be impassable even at low tide.
- Tide times in the table are local Bali time (WITA, UTC+8). Tables assume a typical day; for your exact hour check BMKG / Tide-Forecast.
FAQ
Where do I find the exact tide time for today?
Tide-forecast.com (Benoa harbour station) and the BMKG website publish daily tables. Benoa is the closest reference station for the Bukit coast; subtract ~10 minutes for the actual cliffs.
What's a spring tide, in plain English?
Spring tides are the biggest tidal swings of the month — around full moon and new moon. Coefficient above 80 means the high tide is much higher than average, and the low is much lower. Cliff-stair windows tighten at spring tides.
What if I'm stuck at the bottom and the tide turns?
Uluwatu Single: scramble back up to the top of the cliff via the cave ramp — slow but always available. Bingin: walk south along the cliff base to the warungs at Balangan and call a driver. Padang Padang: the small temple beach at the south end stays accessible longer. Always check the exit before you go down.
Is Green Bowl really closed most days?
Effectively yes — there's no formal stairway, you scale a goat-track limestone face at the south end and paddle in across the reef. It needs a small swell, low tide, and a dry scramble. Most visitors are better off at Balangan for the same wave character and easier access.
Related tools
Sources
- BMKG Indonesian tide tables (Benoa station).
- Tide-Forecast.com long-term tables for South Bali reef coast.
- Local surf-school operator briefings across Uluwatu, Padang Padang, Bingin.