THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Bali and Lombok - page 356

Surya Homestay Side road right off descent to beach 0813 3868 5643, way-
[e-mail] . One of the newest homestays in Balian, this is a pleasant place just
off the hill to the beach with accommodation facing onto a garden of banana trees and chick-
ens. The fi five fan roo ms, all with verandas, offer modest style and modern(ish) cold-water
bathrooms. Rp175,000
Medewi
MEDEWI village sits on the main Tabanan-Gilimanuk road at kilometre-stone 72 and is
famous for its surf - a left-hand wave peels off a cobble-stone point, larger at the back with a
smaller inshore wave for novices. Its black-sand beach is used primarily by local fishermen,
but is fronted by a small enclave of accommodation catering mainly to surfers : the light cur-
rent and fairly benign waves make this a popular spot for novices. That said, since the village
is effectively just a 300m street, there's little else here for nonsurfers save for the appeal of
the wild beach.
As it skirts the coastline, the 25km stretch of road between Lalang Linggah and Medewi
Beach crosses more than a dozen rivers which stream down from the Batukaru mountains
to water kilometre after kilometre of lush land. Rice paddies dominate the landscape, some
even dropping to the shoreline, but this area is also a big producer of coconuts, vanilla pods,
cloves, cocoa beans and coffee.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: MEDEWI
By bemo or bus Medewi is served by frequent bemos and buses (about 2hr from Ubung) -
those that head towards Gilimanuk can drop you at the turn.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
CSB Beach Inn Signposted off the main road about 600m east of central Medewi (also via
beach) 0813 3866 7288. A quiet, well-kept losmen with eighteen spacious, clean, en-suite
fan and a/c rooms (Rp300,000) that off er views o ver ricefields; a 300m track leads down to
the beach. Some rooms have hot water. Rp150,000
Gede Medewi beachfront 0812 397 6668. See this beachfront warung as a surfer crash pad
and its rooms are acceptable - they're primitive, not always spotless and amenities extend
only to a fan and cold-water bathroom. Still, you wo n't find ch eaper beds by the beach on the
west coast. Also offers half-price for solo travellers. Rp100,000
Kelapa Retreat Pekutatan, 5km east of central Medewi 0361 805 3535, kelapare-
treat.com . This small beach resort is in a different league of style (and cost) from anything
else in the area. One- and two-bed villas offer comfortable minimalism and modern furnish-
ings - think in terna tional-hotel style rather than individual boutique character. Has a pool and
spa, naturally. $393