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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Medewi
Go for 2 nights if you surf or want a quiet base; skip if you need a swimmable beach, nightlife or a short transfer from the airport.
Medewi is a one-street surf village on Bali's west coast, about 75 km from Denpasar on the Gilimanuk road. The draw is a long, forgiving left-hand point break that works most of the year, plus empty black-sand coastline and rice fields. There is almost nothing else to do, so two nights suits surfers and slow travellers, and everyone else should pass through.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Best months
- Apr–Oct (dry season); Jul–Aug for the biggest swell
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (rain, onshore wind, murky water)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IDR
- Money
- Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rp350,000–600,000 excl. bed · Mid Rp600,000–1,200,000 excl. bed · High Rp1,200,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.
- Emergency
- General emergency 112 · Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 113
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round pins.
- Tipping
- Warung: Nothing.; Restaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.; Drivers and guides: Rp50,000–100,000 a day.; Spa: Rp20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea at a warung | Rp15,000–30,000 |
| Nasi goreng or mie goreng | Rp25,000–50,000 |
| Large Bintang beer | Rp35,000–60,000 |
| Scooter rental, per day | Rp70,000–100,000 |
| Surfboard rental, per day | Rp50,000–150,000 |
| Surf lesson, about 2 h | Rp300,000–500,000 |
| Private car Denpasar–Medewi | Rp500,000–800,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DPS · Ngurah Rai International (Denpasar)
- About 75 km east; 2–3 h by road in traffic. No direct bus to Medewi — private transfer, taxi or scooter.About 47 mi east; 2–3 h by road in traffic. No direct bus to Medewi — private transfer, taxi or scooter.
Typical fares
- Private transfer Denpasar (DPS) → Medewi
- Rp500,000–800,000, 2–3 h
- Scooter rental, per day
- Rp70,000–100,000
- Bemo or local ride to Negara
- about Rp20,000–40,000
Get around
Walking covers the beach strip. Rent a scooter (about Rp70,000–100,000 per day, 2026 estimate) for Pekutatan, Negara and the surf breaks; your guesthouse can usually arrange one. No local public transport beyond bemos on the main road. The coast highway carries trucks and buses — ride with lights on and expect police document checks.
See and do
Known for
- Medewi point break (long left-hander)
- Black-sand and boulder beach
- Quiet west-coast village life
- Rambut Siwi Temple nearby
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rambut Siwi Temple | Scooter or car west along the coast highway | About 20 min |
| Negara | Scooter or bemo west on the main road | About 30 min |
| Bunut Bolong and Pupuan | Scooter east to Pekutatan, then the hairpin lane uphill | About 45 min |
| Balian Beach | Scooter or car east along the coast road | About 45 min |
| Gilimanuk and the Java ferry | Car or bus west on the coast highway | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Medewi Beach strip
- Walk to the point break in minutes; warungs and small inns along the coast highway.
- Pekutatan / Pulukan
- 1–5 km east of the break; quieter, more villas and rice-field views, needs a scooter.0.6–3.1 mi east of the break; quieter, more villas and rice-field views, needs a scooter.
- Yeh Kuning and inland lanes
- Cheaper homestays set back from the road; 10–20 min walk or a short ride to the surf.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Selamat pagisuh-LAH-mat PAH-gee |
| Thank you | Terima kasihtuh-REE-mah KAH-see |
| How much is it? | Berapa harganya?buh-RAH-pah HAR-gah-nyah |
| I would like to rent a board | Saya mau sewa papanSAH-yah mau SEH-wah PAH-pan |
| Where is the beach? | Di mana pantainya?dee MAH-nah pan-TIE-nyah |
| Help | TolongTOH-long |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake then hand to chest; smile; avoid: Firm grips
- Left hand: Give and receive with the right; avoid: Passing anything with the left
- Temples: Sarong and sash; step around offerings; avoid: Standing higher than priests
- Keeping calm: Patience; indirect requests; avoid: Anger in public
- Pointing: Thumb; avoid: Index finger
Scams and watch-outs
- The beach is rocky with boulders and black sand: poor for swimming, and the river mouth and point break have currents.
- Carry your original STNK (vehicle registration) and licence on a scooter — photocopies are not accepted on this route.
- Roadblocks are common on the Gilimanuk highway; allow extra time for airport runs.
- ATMs and clinics are limited — bring cash and any medication from Denpasar or Negara.
- Rip currents and reef at the point break: surf within your level or take a lesson.
Medewi is a quiet village and violent crime is rare; the real risks are the surf and the road. Watch currents at the point and river mouth, keep valuables in your room, and ride the coast highway defensively — it is the main truck route to the Java ferry.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Medewi yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Medewi point break (long left-hander)
- Black-sand and boulder beach
- Quiet west-coast village life
- Rambut Siwi Temple nearby
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Indonesia.travel — official tourism site: www.indonesia.travel/gb/en/home
- OpenStreetMap — Medewi: www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/-8.4395/114.8875
- Wikivoyage: Medewi, revision 5225113 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5225113
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Medewi
Ke alamat ini, tolong
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Medewi; consulates-general are in Denpasar (US, Australian, British and others) — check addresses before you travel.
Cash is king here: bring rupiah from Denpasar or Negara, as ATMs are few and unreliable.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/medewi). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.