Watch Sunset, Drink a Beer | Seminyak, Bali

Bali is famed for its beautiful sunset. However if you are there during the monsoon season, don’t get your hopes too high on watching a magnificent sunset. We tried our luck on two evenings, and twice, the clouds did a great job in blocking the glorious sun. But still good enough for a nice picture or two. :P

We caught this spectacular view at Potato Head.

Watch the Sunset at Beach Clubs

for people who like the vibrancy, music and people-watching

There are 2 famous beach clubs you commonly hear – Potato Head and Ku De Ta. Either place is great to grab a meal or drink in a vibrant atmosphere while waiting for the sunset.

Ku De Ta as mentioned in this blog, “This place used to be the most popular spot before Potato Head.  It has a slightly more chilled out and relaxed vibe but still an amazing venue for watching the sunset, enjoying a few cocktails (Vanilla & Passionfruit Mojitos – Yum!) and listening to some great beats. The standards are very high and staff very attentive.”

But in the end we chose to go to Potato Head as recommended by our friends. Here’s what we learn from our experience at Potato Head:

Seating Options

You can sit on the mat at its grass patch (provided it’s not under maintenance) or the long sofa bed near the grass patch – on a first come first served basis – so go early to queue. If you can’t get one, the other options would be sitting at the bar or the bench by the staircase near the pool.

Otherwise, call to reserve a dining table to have a meal. Note that a few dining tables and the bar seats have not so great sunset view. Then, there’s the coveted daybed and Cabaña. For these options, go early in the morning to secure one or put your name on the waiting list at the reception to have it in the late afternoon/ evening, just in time for the sunset.

More About the Cabaña

Get your own waiter with each Cabaña. It comes with a minimum spending, and if I am not wrong, it’s either about 500,000 IDR or 1mil IDR. There are the ones by the pool, and those nearer to the beach with more privacy.

Our Experience Upon Arrival

The guards at the entrance checked our bags as we entered the Beach club. Not sure if this is the usual case, but it could be because of the travel advisory alert by the US and Aussie government of a high threat of terrorist attack. We reached at about 4.45pm (off peak season in January) to get a place at the grass patch, while our friends queued at 3pm during the peak season in September.

But when we reached, the guy at the reception told us that the patch was under maintenance (Jan 2015). He told us that the only available options were seats at the bar or for a better sunset view, at this bench spot near the pool, by the stairs to the beach. We were not ushered in like the rest, and stumbled our way through to it. But it’s the best ‘free’ spot to sit and watch sunset. You can sit and not order, because nobody came to take our orders for quite a while, until we had to approach them. You could also enter the beach club from the beach entrance.

The Beach Club

It was quite crowded, considering it’s the off peak season. Their famed infinity pool faces the beach and was filled with people soaking in water to be seen and not swim. =X It does take quite a bit of self-confidence to strut into the pool that’s in the centre of the beach club. I reckon you don’t need to be a patron to use the pool; after a soak in the pool, air dry by the side and walk away. Saw a guy doing just that.

Since we were seated near the pool, it was quite interesting to watch the people in the pool – there’re parents with toddlers playing with water, guys standing around acting coolly and watching girls in their shades, uncountable selfie sticks popping out to take pictures for small to big groups of people, and couples or girlfriends positioning at different angles to capture the best of them in the infinity pool.

The Food

Their cocktail selection is apparently quite good and popular. You can also dine at one of three restaurants – ‘Potato Head Bistro’ (Bar food), ‘Lilin’ (East Asian Tapas Dishes) and ‘Tapping Shoes’ (French fine dining). From reviews, their meals seem average, and it’s overpriced for Bali’s standards. Personally, we got beer and a basket of fries for my cravings – and yum yum, the accompanying sauces for the fries were super delicious!

Watch the Sunset for Free

for people on shoestring budget

We thought the only place to watch the sunset is at a beach club, only to find out when we were there that there are alternatives! We could actually watch Sunset without spending a dime or squeezing with the crowd, which I very much preferred.

So if you are on a shoestring budget, bring a mat along to sit or stand around to wait for the sunset. But of course, the beach is not pristine white nor particularly clean (as seen in photo below). Otherwise, wait by the pool staircase at Potato Beach Club (without ordering), and walk to the beach when it’s about sunset time.

P.s. Instead of buying an overpriced drink at Potato Club while enjoying the sunset, simply buy the alcohol from the mini mart!

Watch the Sunset in Comfort

for people who like serenity, privacy and comfort

So we walked out of Potato Beach Club to the beach for a better view of the sunset. We walked down the stretch of the beach, and came to W Hotel. It also has beach access and plenty of Cabanas and beds facing the beach and sunset, just without the clubs’ atmosphere of bustle and loud music. More families and fewer people in swim wear and bikinis. But it has the serenity and easy access of a Cabana without having to get into a waiting list. But do call to confirm. My spot to go to if I ever go back to Bali for Sunset!

Do you know of other ways to watch the Bali sunset?

Do you have recommendations of other drinking places in Seminyak Bali? :) Tell us below or on our Facebook Page or Instagram. 

Bali Itinerary Overview (2015). p.s. Read about our post of how to get a Taxi at Denpasar airport without being cheated – learn from our mistake!