Pemuteran: Naturally Beautiful
Pemuteran is renowned for being a fishing village and has only gained popularity among toruists in recent years. There are a few resorts along the coastline, but it didn't feel overrun.
We stayed across the street at the Dimpil Homestay, a bungalow accommodation for $15 per night, including breakfast.
We stayed three nights, which was ample time for a more remote beach getaway. The ocean was clear and warm, but differed from the south due to it's incredibly calm nature. In fact, we swam laps. The peaceful water is due to the proximity to an extinct volcano crater, which in turn protects the growing coral reefs.
Notably, Pemuteran is home to the largest artificial Biorock reef project in the world. The marine conservation effort was a relief to see in contrast to the more polluted southern waters.
Other than Singaraja–Gilimanuk road that parallels the ocean, there isn't much going on. It was easy to settle into the lifestyle. Selini Cafe and Bakery quickly became our favorite spot, directly across from the Dimpil.
We discovered it on the first day when we read there for hours, with the ocean visible in the distance.
It had an adjacent road that led right to the beach.
That first evening, we walked along the water and stayed for a pretty spectacular sunset. As the sky turned pink, we vowed to make the following day a beach day.
Although we weren't staying at the resort, we were able to rent cushioned, shaded beach chairs. Two were 50,000 IDR ($3.50 USD) for the day.
Since food at the resort was inflated, we walked two minutes to our cafe for lunch, and then back to the beach. We felt like we had it all figured out.
Furthermore, we befriended the kindest German family who shared their snorkel equipment. We swam above the coral growing, creating new marine ecosystems. There were sizable structures underwater, which was jarring to witness, but fascinating.
We recreated that beach day the following day, reserving our chairs early, enjoying more of the amenities from the resort.
I welcomed the shade, but spent most of the time in the water. We'd buy drinks from the bar, and I feel like by the end, most people thought we were staying there.
Although not directly on the waterfront, the Dimpil's basic setup essentially had everything we needed. We'd go on jogs in the opposite direction from the water on a quiet local road.
We passed farmland of temples, running toward the mountains.
The days were hot, and though the road wasn't terribly long, we found it best to go out right before the sun set.
It was a glimpse into village life, with more roosters, agricultural plots, and cows--deemed sacred in Indonesia.
Pemuteran was a beautiful balance between a natural landscape that has the infrastructure for visitors. When jogging down the narrow road, you'd never know it was a tourist destination. Upon returning from one run, sweaty and overheated, we found that we didn't have running water to rinse off. It completely kept our expectations in check, and made us realize how much we take for granted. Not only clean drinking water, but running water. Disclaimer: The water did come back on. We did shower.
Bali was everything I yearned for. It was the first time since we've left that I felt detached. And there's an inherent healing quality to Bali. We slowed down, we didn't rush. At first, I feared three weeks was too long, given everything we want to experience ahead. However, Munduk and Pemuteran were my two favorite places and we likely wouldn't have made it as far north without that extra week. It's bittersweet to leave, but I do feel deeply fulfilled by our time here.
