Seseh beach, Cemagi and Mengening: the quiet black sand coast north of Pererenan

Seseh beach is where the west coast goes quiet. Walk north from Pererenan along the sand and within ten minutes the music, the beanbags and the rental boards are behind you. What is left is a long ribbon of black sand, grassy ledges above the waves, fishermen casting from the rocks and, a little further on, Cemagi and Mengening, with a small temple sitting on a lava outcrop like a smaller, calmer cousin of Tanah Lot.

This is the coast we send friends to when they ask for something real. It is not a swimming beach and there is almost nothing to buy, which is exactly the point. Here is how to do it on foot or by scooter, and how to stay safe.

The coast at a glance: Pererenan, Seseh, Cemagi, Mengening

• Pererenan beach: the starting point, with the Gajah Mina statue, a few beachfront bars and fishing boats pulled up on the sand.
• Seseh beach: about 1 km north. Grassy picnic ledges, a small concrete viewing area, simple warungs and a rinse shower. Locals come for sunset and to walk their dogs.
• Cemagi beach: the next stretch, wilder and almost empty, good for a long barefoot walk.
• Mengening beach: roughly 3 km from Pererenan. Big basalt boulders, foaming channels between the rocks and Pura Gede Luhur Batu Ngaus on its outcrop.

From Pererenan beach to Mengening is roughly 3 km along the shore. On foot, allow 45 minutes to an hour one way, more if you stop to watch the fishermen. By scooter it is about ten minutes, following Jalan Raya Pantai Seseh and then the lanes towards Jalan Pantai Mengening through Cemagi village.

Walking from Pererenan to Seseh beach and beyond

The walk is best done around low tide, when the sand is firm and wide. At high tide the waves push right up to the rocks and walls in places, and you will find yourself scrambling or heading inland. Check a tide app before you leave and aim to set off two hours before sunset, so you reach Mengening with the light turning gold.

You will cross a couple of small river mouths on the way. In the dry season they are usually shallow. After heavy rain they can run fast, so cut up to the road instead of wading. Bring water: past Seseh there is little shade and nowhere reliable to buy a drink.

If you prefer a loop, walk out along the beach and come back by the lanes, through the rice fields around Cemagi village. It is a lovely way to see the paddies that are still farmed here, and if you enjoy it there is more in our guide to rice field walks around Pererenan and Tabanan.

Sunset at Mengening and Pura Gede Luhur Batu Ngaus

Pura Gede Luhur Batu Ngaus sits on a dark lava outcrop at the edge of Mengening beach, joined to the shore by a natural land bridge. It is an active temple, so the inner courtyards are for worshippers only. Visitors are welcome to sit on the rocks around it, and the classic view is from the beach just south, with the shrines silhouetted against the sky.

Arrive from about 5 pm. Sunset falls between roughly 6 pm and 6:40 pm depending on the month, and the best colour often comes ten to fifteen minutes after the sun has gone. Cover your shoulders, keep off the shrines and give way if a ceremony is happening.

Want the big famous version? Tanah Lot is a short drive further up the coast in Tabanan. Our Tanah Lot sunset guide has timings and tips. Mengening is the one for a quiet evening with a handful of locals instead of a crowd.

Swimming safety on Seseh, Cemagi and Mengening

Please take this part seriously. This whole stretch faces the open Indian Ocean. The waves are powerful, the currents pull hard and the bottom shelves quickly. Do not count on lifeguards anywhere north of Pererenan.

• Seseh and Cemagi: fine for paddling ankle to knee deep on a calm day. Do not swim out, even if you are a strong swimmer.
• Mengening: no swimming at all. Waves break hard over the basalt boulders and the channels between them can knock you off your feet.
• Rocks: they are sharp and slippery with algae. Wear sandals, and never turn your back on the sea when standing on a ledge.
• Rips: if you are caught, do not fight it. Float, raise an arm and swim parallel to the beach once the pull eases.

For a proper swim, it is easier to come home to the pool. At Baliwood Pererenan, three minutes from Pererenan beach, the rooftop infinity pool looks out over the same ocean, and the villa can arrange a scooter on request for the drive up to Mengening.

Where to eat along the way

There are only a few places north of Pererenan, and that is part of the charm. At Seseh, simple warungs and kiosks usually open from around 7 am to 7 pm, selling young coconuts, instant noodles, fried snacks and cold drinks. Past Cemagi, bring your own. The good meals are at either end of the walk.

For the full list of breakfast spots and dinner tables in the village, see our guide to the best cafés and restaurants in Pererenan. And if you would rather watch the waves than walk beside them, the Pererenan and Echo Beach surf guide explains where the local surfers paddle out.