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The South...

Batu Bulan

On the road to Ubud, just out of Denpasar is Batu Bulan, the small village where all kinds of stone statues of hideous fanged creatures, brave warriors and animals rest beneath shady trees. This is a village of stone carvers, where you can watch the artists at work.

Benoa

Located near to the airport, Benoa is one of Bali's major seaports. It is also becoming a centre for leisure and sporting activities, catering for tourists who wish to try parasailing and windsurfing etc. Most of the accommodation is medium priced, but significantly lower than nearby Nusa Dua.

Denpasar

The bustling, smoggy and frustratingly unattractive capital city of Bali, Denpasar is the central transportation hub of the island, has the Bali Museum and Art Center, and is a major market and shopping centre. Most shopping complexes, supermarkets and department stores have fixed prices, and shopping hours are usually between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. with shorter hours on Sundays.

Accommodations and restaurants are available in all ranges but this city offers the casual traveller few real attractions. Most only enter Denpasar to change busses at one of the many bus stations, whilst en-route to somewhere else. Click here to take a look at the Denpasar public bus terminal information, and to check the distances and travel times between various centres around Bali.

The major shopping area is Jalan Gajahmada, which is only a short (Rp.500-800) bemo ride from Tegal bus station (the one that services the south of the island). Ask to stop at the river. This will place you very close to the centre of things--the department stores, the market, the banks, Asian movie houses etc.

Protestant churches are located in Jalan Surapati and Jalan Kresna (pentacostal), and a catholic church is located in Jalan Kepundung. A mosque is located in Jalan Hasanudin.

It is well worth taking a stroll around Denpasar if you decide to venture into the capital. Anyone who hasn't seen an Asian city will be a little shocked at the smoke and dust, and the general living and shopping conditions that will be observed, but none-the-less it is an experience that will be remembered long after the suntan has faded.

Jimbaran Bay

A small fishing village located on a beautiful southern peninsula sandy bay. The few accommodations here range from basic losmen to world class luxury hotels.

Kuta

The most well-known tourist village in Indonesia, with its famous sunset and a wide white sandy beach, tourists from around the world flock to Kuta.

Kuta is the original sleepy fishing village that grew, once the hippy trail turned into a major tourist highway. The aspects that were once its major attractions; the peacefulness of an off-the-beaten-track location and the undiscovered majesty of the perfect beach break have long since given way to discos, pub-crawl party nights and hundreds of shops, stalls, hotels and other establishments geared toward extracting the cash reserves of all who venture here.

Accommodations exist at all standards and in all price ranges, and naturally the shops and restaurants cater to every taste. Many describe Kuta as spoiled, overcrowded, crass and dirty, yet its popularity remains high.

The older central area of Kuta has many possibilities for low cost accommodation, especially in the lanes such as Poppies Gang I, Poppies Gang II and the smaller lanes that link these streets. Jalan Bukung Sari and Jalan Legian also have a number of places to stay in the budget range. All of these are within a short walk of the beach. Just a little further away from the centre of town is Jalan Kartika Plaza, but there are a good selection of places to stay and eat, and the beach area near there is quieter than in central Kuta.

A protestant church is located in Jalan Raya Tuban, and a catholic church is located in Jalan Kartika Plaza Tuban.

While it is worth visiting and even staying a few nights, Kuta should not be the place from which you form your lasting impressions of Bali--stay a few days then move on.

Legian

Once the quiet village adjoining Kuta, the Legian of today is virtually indistinguishable from its more well known neighbor. The many larger international hotels of the area paint a more upmarket image, however this is not sustained beyond their walls.

Jalan Legian (the main road to Kuta) is literally full of restaurants, shops and in the myriad of lanes, low cost places to stay. The Jalan Melasti and the areas to the north offer more upmarket accommodations, and there are no shortage of good places to shop and eat!

A protestant church is located in Gang Menuh, off Jalan Legian on the way to Kuta.

Nusa Dua

A white sandy beach area with a enclave of international hotels. This resort area is well insulated from the day to day experiences of Bali. Only for the well heeled who want tropical paradise in blissful ignorance of tropical realities.

Well heeled tourists may experience one of Bali's largest shopping and entertainment complexes, as part of the benefits of a modern well planned resort development.

Some of the international hotels in Nusa Dua conduct church services.

Sanur

One of the main tourist resorts with International hotels. White sandy beaches and village shops, but lacking some of the feel that is experienced in other parts of Bali.

Some local noise and color may be exprienced in the evenings as the local gamelan (gong) orchestras practice, and the fishermen bring in their brightly painted outrigger canoes.

Tanah Lot

The famous scenic temple of thousands of postcards and set on a tiny rocky isle, Tanah Lot is known as the best place for watching the Bali sunset. Below the waterline, the legends tell of giant serpents that guard this famous temple. Many day-trippers also visit the monkey forest while en-route.

Ulu Watu

Perched majestically on the edge of a steep cliff high above the famous surf breaks of Southern Bali is the important and most spectacular temple, Pura Luhur Ulu Watu. Accommodation is scarce in this area, except for a few basic homestays catering to surfing enthusiasts who come here to ride some of the world's most consistantly perfect waves.

Return to our list of places to visit and stay.

Return to our Bali: The Online travel guide index.

Last updated: January 5th 1996