Retaining non-commercialised culture in the face of traffic congestion and mass tourism is Bali’s trademark calling card for visitors. Three towns where Hindu rituals meet ‘Bintang’ beer drinking surfers, Bali’s main tourist strips offer different options for a variety of travelers.
Kuta For Surfing and Nightclubbing
Tacky, vibrant and cursed with tragic bombings and legends of devils attacking via the beach, Kuta Beach survives as a tourist mecca, despite bad press.
A favourite haunt of surfers and hippies since the 1960’s, Kuta’s 3km of sand is constantly filled with vendors selling everything from beer to surfboards. Renting a deck chair and buying a snack costs little more than pocket change, with some to spare for a handmade souvenir.
Kuta is where the beach bums go to hang out, the night owls go to party and bargain hunters go to forage through the cheap markets – haggling is the name of the game here.
Late afternoon is the best time to stroll on the beach, as the sun sets and the sky flames brilliant orange. For accommodation options try the Hard Rock Hotel, smack bang in the middle of the action.
Legian For Sunbaking and Afternoon Drinks
Although only a short walk from Kuta Beach, the umbrella laden beach at Legian has a quieter, more laid-back vibe. Still busy with vendors and roving beauticians, Legian is slightly more upmarket with more sunbaking and less drinking on the sand.
Families dine across the road from the beach and holiday makers lounge on resort balconies. Surfers and backpackers still reign supreme, splashing over from Kuta’s busy streets, but the pace is slower and relaxation wins out.
For accommodation right on Legian beach, try Legian Beach Bali.
Seminyak For Shopping and Dining
Without a doubt, Seminyak is the hip ‘new kid on the block’ in Bali. Designer clothing and jewellery stores jostle for space on the crowded, narrow streets, cafes with lazy expats sipping coffee are on every corner and five-star resorts line a beach blessedly free of vendors (riptides are dangerous here though).
‘Eat Street’ or JI Laksmana is a lively strip of restaurants and bars, boasting Korean, Thai, Moroccan, French and Japanese cuisine among a long list of options.
During the heat of the day, shoppers stroll through elegant stores before hitting the resort pools and night time comes alive as stylish bars turn up the tunes.
