Stretching north of the airport on the western facing side of South Bali's long peninsula is a seemingly unending stretch of hotels, bars, restaurants and tourist shops. Tuban, just north of the airport, is the most recently developed of the areas, with some shopping centers and upmarket hotels.
The lines between the various beaches are somewhat blurry and depend, as much as anything, on who you're asking. The stretch of beach along Pantai Kuta road is labeled 'Legian' on many many maps and signs, but I tend to think of it as Kuta, while Legian 'proper' starts at the Legian hotel and runs north. Kuta is the oldest district of the area and where you will find the highest concentration of hotels for all price ranges, as well as everything else. It's also the most congested.
Next is the slightly quieter Legian area. The Kuta-Legian beaches are some of the most popular with surfers, and the best places to find lessons for beginners.
Further to the north, Seminyak is the place to stay if you want to be well away from the crowds, but within a short taxi ride of shopping and nightlife. It's not nearly as developed. You'll even see a rice field here and there if you explore the district.
There aren't really and attractions in the area to speak of, aside from the beach. Across the street from the Discovery Shopping plaza around the middle of Kuta is the Waterbom water park. It's a good place for families that enjoy the water but are a little tired of the beach. Further up the street from this is the Kuta Art Market, a small collection of stalls selling local handicrafts. It's not as good as some of the larger markets at Sukawati or Ubud, but it's worth a browse.
After a long trip to Bali, the last thing you want is the hassle of dealing with the crowds of touts offering their taxi services. You can easily book your airport transfer in advance through Viator or other online agencies. By booking in advance through Viator, you'll be sure to get the tours you want, and you won't be surprised at the cost.
There are new hotels opening, and a few old ones closing, all the time in Bali. The constant turmoil and shifting centers make it difficult to recommend specific places. You can use the search box below to find the best rates for Kuta hotels from dozens of on-line booking sites. We've stayed at a number of hotels on Bali over the last few years. See our reviews of all of them.
While most hotels don't yet have in-room internet availability, most have a business center or lobby area with internet access available. As with most things, access in the hotel is more expensive than elsewhere. As in the rest of Bali, there are plenty of shops offering internet access. These include stand-alone shops, "Wartel" shops that offer internet access as well as long distance telephone service, and cafés where you can get food as well internet access.
Like many tourist areas around the world, restaurants can come and go with the seasons. Even good and highly regarded restaurants can lose their leases, or have their chefs retire. The list below displays some of the many places we've tried in the Kuta and Legian areas. Entries are dated according to last visit. For more ideas, check out Bali Eats as well as our suggestions for Seminyak restaurants.
Surfing is by far the number one outdoor activity around South Bali. The beaches around Kuta-Legian are best suited to beginners, and lessons are available along with equipment rental from several outlets along the beach (see Surf School links below).
Catching a wave off Kuta beach on Bali More experienced "hard core" surfers often head south to the many small, almost hidden, coves beneath the cliffs of Ulu Watu. One such place is Sunset Beach, within the compound of a defunct housing project.
4 November 2007
Courtyard of the All Seasons hotel in Legian, Bali My larger than normal guest room. The All Seasons is a relatively new hotel in the inner bowels of Legian. Like most of Accor group's newer hotels throughout Indonesia, the hotel's design features a somewhat retro 70's feel, with clean lines and splashes of bold earth tones.
Rooms are arranged around a central courtyard holding the swimming pool.
1 November 2007
Like the Jayakarta which I stayed in a few months ago, the Bali Dynasty is a very typical big Bali beach hotel, although in this case the hotel doesn't actually have any beach frontage. It makes a good first impression, with low rise Balinese style guest wings laid out around a small garden.
When you get the room, however, a bit of disappointment begins to set in.
25 April 2008
Pool Area of the Bali Garden Hotel in Kuta, Bali I'd noticed the Bali Garden Hotel many times on my frequent visits to Bali on business. To be honest, there were times when I thought it wasn't even open. There aren't many signs of activity when walking past the hotel on the street. However, having walked past the place on the beach, I found out that it was indeed alive and well, and decided to schedule a stay here on a future visit.
27 July 2007
One of the two pool areas at the Jayakarta Hotel The Jayakarta is a very typical big Bali beach hotel. It makes a good first impression, with low rise Balinese style guest wings laid out in a grassy garden and plenty of palm trees to sway in the wind. As you check in at the large open air lobby, you can see the large main double pool, with the restaurant to one side and the crashing surf of the beach beyond.
10 April 2007
My superior ocean view room at the Mercure Kuta Hotel The Mercure Hotel is located at the south end of Legian beach, just off Kuta Square. The hotel is right across the road from the popular surfing beach, and conveniently located for dining and shopping. The Mercure is just four stories high, with most rooms along the exterior wall, off a central courtyard with a garden and ornamental pond at the ground.
4 August 2006
My executive deluxe room at the Ramayana Resort The Ramayana Resort and Spa is located right in the heart of Kuta, just off Kuta Square. Although it's not on the beach, the smallish hotel is just a short walk from the ocean as well as the shops of Kuta Square and Kuta Center. The Ramayana offers a variety of rooms clustered around the main pool. There's a small number of bungalows, a two story low-rise wing and a five story wing housing the executive deluxe and resort club rooms.
21 March 2006
One of the two pools at the Santika Beach Hotel The Santika Beach Hotel is located at the southern end of Kuta Beach. This makes it handy to the shopping and dining options around the Kuta Square area, as well as the main beach around Legian. The hotel is rather large, with 171 rooms, but yet it still feels like a relatively small property. There is a large three story block of rooms near the street entrance, but the rest of the buildings are only one or two floors.
September 2010
The Tune Hotel Double Six is part of Air Asia's new (started in 2007) Tune Hotels venture, using the same "only the basics, pay for the extras" model of the low cost airlines. There are now around a dozen Tune Hotels in three countries, with many more on the way.
On my recent trip to Indonesia I needed a hotel for just one night in Bali before flying back to Bangkok, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to give a Tune Hotel a try.
