The Melasti Beach area is home to some of the most expensive beach clubs in Bali, but is it possible that there’s a beach club that puts the other beach clubs to shame and doesn’t charge an arm and a leg in this area?
When we heard that Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti was such a place we had to find out if it was true and our team packed their bags to spend a day on the beach listening to the gentle waves on the Southern coast of the island and finding out what this beach club has to offer.
This is what they learned about Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti.
Introduction – Getting To Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti
Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti is on Melasti Beach (Pantai Melasti is the name of Melasti Beach in Bahasa Indonesia) and it’s a little more remote than the other beach clubs in this part of Ungasan.
You will probably want to walk down the cliff to enjoy the natural beauty of this area and to step straight onto the sand at low tide.
You can then find this place located directly on the shoreline and you can walk straight in and, assuming there’s room, sit down and enjoy the sun in the sky above.
Where Is Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti? Pantai Melasti, Jl. Pura Masuka, Ungasan, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80364, Indonesia
Website: Warung Beach Club
Opening Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Nyepi
What’s Inside Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti?
Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti is really a small restaurant on the sand with some sunbeds outside where you can grab a hot meal (such as pizza), snacks or enjoy some cold drinks. There is no pool.
Our Review Breakdown For Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti
We review every beach club in the same fashion to ensure that we compare them on the same basis for fairness and to deliver reviews that are consistent for our readers.
Our team visit the club as guests, they don’t go all together and often do not go on the same day as each other. Each person then comes up with their own scores from 1 (worst) to 5 (best) against the 20 criteria that are listed below.
After we’ve all visited a club, we meet to discuss the scores and vote on a final score that we feel is representative of the general experience at a club.
Then, one of us will write up the review and it’s published. It will then remain in place for a period of, at least, a year before we revisit the club and the scores.
Pre-Club Advertising
Like most small warungs in Bali, there’s no advertising for Warung Beach Club. This is a bit of a shame as we feel that more restaurants and bars in Bali could be busier if people just knew that they were there.
This part of the Bukit Peninsula is an up and coming location thanks to the lovely beaches, safe swimming and surfing and it’s a shame more people can’t enjoy the natural beauty of this area without spending a fortune.
Location
Ungasan is on the Southern Coast of Bali and it’s a long drive from almost all of Bali’s other tourist areas except for, perhaps, Uluwatu and even then, you’re going to find that traffic could keep you in the car for a while.
However, there’s no doubt that the beach here is quite pleasant when you get here and there are plenty of amenities in the area (though they are not all within walking distance).
There is another downside of this location, you will have to climb the cliff to get back out or pay for a motorbike taxi to take you back. You must pay for this ride in cash (10,000 IDR).
Booking Process & Seating Options
This club doesn’t have a website, so it won’t come as any surprise that if you want to enjoy the amenities here, you will have to turn up and hope that they have somewhere to sit.
If you’re in the area, this isn’t a big deal, but if you’re going to drive halfway across Bali for a spot in the sun here, then, it’s a bit of a risk as to whether or not you get a seat.
Given that restaurants can use Chope for reservations, it’s a shame that this place doesn’t even have a basic booking facility.
Entry Fee
We don’t like entrance fees at beach clubs and we’re pleased to announce that there is no such fee at this club.
We think you should be able to visit all of Bali’s beach clubs without paying for the privilege of walking through the door.
Everyone should be able to go in, grab a seat and enjoy a drink or a pizza without paying a door fee.
Minimum Spend
There is also no minimum spend at this beach club. This is both a good and a bad thing. The lack of a minimum spend means that you will have to walk in and see if they have a seat.
There’s no incentive to book seats in advance without a deposit which is always linked to the minimum spend in clubs.
However, it also means you’re not required to pay x amount of cash for food and drinks which can help if you’re on a tight budget.
Welcome And Security
You will get a warm and friendly welcome from the staff here, but there’s no security check of any kind, it’s just not that kind of place.
We confess, we’d still prefer a bag check, the safety and security of guest should be a primary concern at every venue in Bali and it’s not hard to make sure someone’s not carrying any weapons or explosives with them.
Inclusions
There are no inclusions at this club at all and, in fact, you will need to pay 100,000 IDR to rent a sunbed and a towel for a period of three hours.
If you want to stay longer than three hours, you can, but you will need to pay the rental fee all over again.
We don’t think this is outrageous given that there’s no entrance fee or minimum spend, mind you.
Service
If you love traditional Balinese hospitality, you’re going to enjoy spending time at this beach club. The staff are friendly and helpful and will ensure that you’re treated well throughout your stay.
It’s not the sort of service that you get in a highly polished environment like a bigger beach club or a 5-star hotel but it is very good, all the same.
Entertainment
There is no entertainment at this beach club apart from some piped music. It’s not that sort of place and it closes at 6 p.m. just after sunset, so you won’t be hanging around to party the night away.
It’s a place to enjoy some food and drinks on the beach and nothing more.
Pool Quality
Sadly, there’s no pool of any kind at this beach club. If you want to swim, you’ll need to wander down the sand and jump in the ocean.
It’s reasonably safe to swim in the sea here, mind you, but make sure you follow the warning system that’s in place and pick a spot marked for swimming.
Menu/Drinks Pricing
The food and drinks at this club are among the cheapest in Ungasan and compared to some of the other beach clubs in this area, they’re practically giving things away.
We were quite impressed with the level of choice of food too and they offer more than just pizza by the sea.
Food And Drink Quality
For the money, the food is very good and comes in generous portions. No, it’s not going to win any prizes for fine dining excellence but it’s not that kind of place.
The drinks were well mixed and attractively presented, a photo for your Instagram feed will be a must when they serve them to your table.
Sunset View
This part of Bali is pointing in the wrong direction for a spectacular sunset view and you’re also going to want to consider getting up the cliff here before the light fades completely.
You will get some light show in the sky, but if you want a famous Balinese sunset, you need to be in Canggu or Seminyak.
Music And Ambiance
The piped music at this club was completely inoffensive and didn’t add or subtract anything from our experience here.
Overall the vibe is relaxed with a touch of “hippy backpacker” and we liked it.
Payment Options
You can pay by cash or card here, but we’d recommend that you bring cash as if there’s a problem with the card machine things can get pretty awkward.
There are no QRIS or e-wallet facilities.
Exit Process
Leaving the Warung is easy. Getting back to the road is harder. You will need to either pay for a lift to the cliff top or commit to a long climb up the hill.
Transportation
This is one of the worst parts of Bali for transport. If you drove here, you can pick your vehicle up in the clifftop car park and drive away easily.
But if you need a Grab or Gojek, you may have to wait a long while particularly at busy times as there aren’t many drivers in this area.
Worse, it’s rife with taxi mafia and you will be hassled to pay for an overpriced ride while you wait for your ride.
Social Media Presence
They do have a social media presence at this club, but it’s not regularly updated. It offers some fairly amateurish phone snaps of people on the beach and doesn’t give much of a flavour as to what to expect.
Other/General Comments
This place is a restuarant not a beach club and if you keep that in mind, it’s a pretty good spot for some food in Ungasan.
We had a pleasant day here and we suspect you will too.
Our Overall Opinion Of Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti
It’s hard for restaurants to get huge scores when compared to a fully functioning high-end beach club but the score isn’t everything and this place is a lovely local beach bar with food by the sea.
In an area that is brimming with popularity but where most places carry very high price tags, it’s nice to find a place where a plate of food and a cold Bintang won’t cost the Earth.
Sure, it’s got its flaws and it certainly doesn’t compete with places like FINNS but then, it’s not really trying to.
It’s a place to chill on the sand in old school Bali-style and it’s somewhere we enjoyed spending time and would revisit next time we are in this part of the island.
FAQs
Can You Swim At Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti?
You can swim in the sea at this place. But if you prefer to swim in a pool, there’s no swimming pool available at Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti.
What Can You Do At Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti?
You can sit in the sun and enjoy the sight of the ocean to the horizon, you can eat, drink and watch the world go by and that’s about it. This is a place to stop and smell the roses and enjoy a unique Bali vibe that is slowly disappearing from the island’s beaches.
Is Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti A Family-Friendly Venue?
Yes, this club is family-friendly. However, there are no special facilities for children and they will need to make their own entertainment on the sand.
Parents will need to keep a close eye on things too as while the ocean is relatively safe here, kids could still get swept out from the sand if a strong riptide current forms.
Who Owns Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti Bali?
This restaurant is owned by a local family but we couldn’t find a specific name in the public domain for the exact ownership.
Final Thoughts On Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti
If you don’t expect a big beach club but rather a pleasant old school beach restaurant away from the crowds in this area, then Warung Beach Club Pantai Melasti is going to be a good fit for you.
It’s perfect for a few beers and some food before sunset but it’s not a place for partying into the evening or for high-end entertainment or even for a swimming pool.
