Bali's multitude of entertainments can be quite disorienting for the first time visitor. One minute you can be in the midst of the hubbub of Kuta and Denpasar, the next you could be meeting dolphins on Lovina Beach. Art galleries in Ubud can give way to techno music in Seminyak.
To help you get your bearings in Bali, this article will explain the different regions of Bali, and the unique diversions you can find in each one.
Let's start with South Bali, where most of the island’s action takes place: Kuta’s white sand beaches and raucuous nightlife, Denpasar’s urban attractions, and Nusa Dua’s ordered serenity, among others.
After touching down at Ngurah Rai Airport near Kuta, a wide assortment of restaurants and accommodations are just a taxi or bemo ride away. You can spend your whole stay in South Bali, and not feel like you’ve missed anything (we suggest you resist the temptation to stay put, though).
Denpasar
Denpasar is Bali’s capital, and is home to a different kind of Bali experience. The place is good for cheap food, bargain-basement accommodation, and ample shopping; not so good is the city’s congestion and horrendous traffic.
The city is not very tourist-friendly, so you might consider staying in Kuta and coming over to Denpasar just for a day trip.
Denpasar is worth a visit, if only for:
- Pasar Badung market: four floors of cheap shopping, beginning with a fruit and vegetable market on its outskirts and more goods within. (Don’t leave without buying a sarong on the third floor.) You may also want to try the Kereneng Night Market near Jl. Hayam Wuruk, or the night market on Jl. Diponegoro.
- Bali Museum: Learn about the island’s rather colorful history here. The museum’s displays feature artifacts from prehistoric times all the way to the present, divided among the museum complex’s four main buildings. The museum charges 3,000rp for adults (plus 1,000rp insurance), and 1,000rp for the kids.
- Sanglah Hospital: the best hospital in Bali. Let’s hope you don’t end your visit to Bali here, but if you’re unlucky enough to need serious medical care, this is the place to go. Jalan Kesehaatan, Denpasar; phone +62 361 244 574, or +62 361 244 575.
Kuta
Kuta is the where Bali tourism begins and ends – the growth of the tourism industry has transformed this once-sleepy village into a congested hive of restaurants, resorts, and nightclubs. The formerly pristine surfing beach is now lined with tourist establishments, and the urban sprawl now spans the villages of Tuban, Legian, Seminyak, Basangkasa, and Petitenget.
Kuta, for all its flaws, is still a wonderful place for the tourist who knows where to look. The place is home to Bali’s best beach (though its glory days are arguably long over), and its position gazing west over the Straits of Bali offers visitors the best sunset on the island.
Kuta’s beach is great for surfing, less so for swimming (thanks to dangerous currents). This spit of curved white sand stretches for about 5 kilometers, and continues to draw surfers from all around the world (and the vendors who bug them). Due to the number of establishments fronting the beach, the sands are kept constantly clean.
The area also boasts of a wide range of accommodations to fit any budget, and offers the best shopping on the island. You'll also find the most (and best) dining choices within the vicinity, from the budget Warung Indonesia to the upscale restaurants in Seminyak.
