Our stay at Amarta Beach Retreat

The rugged black-sand coast of Tabanan is beautiful, but doesn’t ring a bell with a lot of Bali visitors. While development has changed the face of many beaches in Bali, Tabanan is one of those regions where you can still find an authentic unspoiled Balinese coastline. One of these beaches is Pasut, home to the Beachfront Amarta Beach Retreat.

While the official classification of Amarta is just three stars, this hotel absolute boxes above its weight with regards to service, rooms and location. We were impressed! It’s a great affordable option for couples looking for a more secluded getaway and we believe it’s definitely suitable for a honeymoon that doesn’t break the bank.

Our pool suite

We stayed in one of their brand new one-bedroom pool suites, which have a more modern vibe but still authentic wooden finishing. From our suite, we had a slight indirect ocean-view, but for proper ocean views it might also be worth staying in the Ocean Suite or even the Ocean Jacuzzi Suite (see below).

We loved our pool and bedroom. When walking in, we were welcomed by flower decorations in the bedroom. It definitely surpassed our expectations and didn’t feel like a 3-star hotel at all. Amenities to make coffee & tea were also present in the room.

Other great rooms for couples

For those keen to have an ocean-view from their room, consider booking the Ocean Suite, a 62 square meter room with panoramic ocean views from it’s balcony. These types of rooms cost a fortune elsewhere in Bali, but are quite affordable at Amarta. The room itself is finished with classic wood, while the bathroom has marble finishing, giving it all a premium vibe.

If that isn’t enough, consider the Ocean Suite with Jacuzzi on the balcony. This one is slightly larger at 86 square meters. You may catch the sunset from the jacuzzi, on which the resort can even arrange flower decorations (extra charge).

Unfortunately we haven’t had a chance to try the Ocean View Jaccuzi Suite yet, but it looks spectacular.

Beachfront Garden

The resort has a spacious garden overlooking the beach, which is perfectly positioned to catch the sun setting over the Indian Ocean. We noticed many couples sitting in quiet corners of the garden during sunset to enjoy the views. Multiple pools are aligned along the shoreline. While the ocean here can be a bit rough for inexperienced swimmers, we totally fell in love with the views.

Lilly by the Sea Restaurant

The Lilly by the Sea Restaurant is situated next to the beach and welcomes outside guests as well. All guests are offered free afternoon tea here as well as breakfast, but the restaurant offers options for dinner and lunch as well. The menu features Indonesian dishes, a lot of seafood options, as well as Western options.

The staff is super friendly, and we liked the food. We had 2 lunches and 2 dinners here as we booked the full-board option, and while it might not be fine-dining level as you may find in some 5-star resorts, we did not get bored with the food at all. Our favorites: Pepes Ikan (fish in banana leaf), grilled fish of the day (we had snapper) and the Italian focaccia.

Things to do nearby

One thing to note is that the resort is quite remote. That’s part of the charm! Just walking along the black sand beach here is lovely. You won’t run into many people, and if you do, they’re more likely local fishermen than other tourists.

Fortunately, there’s a daily shuttle to the nearby Kerambitan Market Area, which definitely is a fun little trip while staying at Amarta as it features mostly local shops that don’t target tourists, making the experience very authentic.

In addition, the resort organizes activities like cycling through Balinese villages, ATV Riding and a workshop to create Balinese offerings. In addition, the Manggar Spa offers an extensive menu of massages, which we unfortunately haven’t tried ourselves yet.

If you would like to make longer day trips from the resort, do consider it might be a little hard to get around, unless you’re confident to rent scooters. Taxi hailing apps are not available in the area, but the resort can help arrange transport. Consider heading to the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces and the Penatahan Hot Springs for a day trip, or checking out Tanah Lot and the more bustling town of Kedungu.

We really felt connected with the ocean while staying here, you may not want to leave at all!

In summary

Great affordable ocean-facing resort for those that don’t mind staying a little bit off the beaten path away from other tourists. Check availability directly on the official website!