Bali's no. 1 Travel Guide
Understanding Bali’s Regions
Bali’s diverse regions each offer distinct experiences, from bustling beach towns to serene mountain villages. This guide breaks down the essential characteristics of each destination, helping you choose the area that best matches your preferences.
The island divides naturally into two types of destinations: the developed south, where most tourists congregate, and the more remote areas that offer glimpses of traditional Balinese life. While southern destinations like Seminyak and Canggu provide modern amenities and vibrant atmospheres, places like Sidemen and Batukaru in Tabanan preserve cultural authenticity and natural landscapes.
Each destination has been rated across key aspects – from nightlife to tranquility, luxury to budget-friendliness – based on current conditions and local insights, helping you make informed decisions about where to stay.
Destination | Party | Culinary | Nature | Small Kids | Culture | Luxury Traveling | Budget Traveling | Tranquility & Traffic | Shopping | Romance | Surfing |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canggu | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
Berawa (Canggu) | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
Seminyak | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
Kuta / Tuban | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
Legian | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
Sanur | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Nusa Dua | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ |
Tanjung Benoa | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Jimbaran | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ |
Uluwatu / Pecatu | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
Ungasan / Kutuh | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
Ubud | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
Gili Trawangan | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
Nusa Lembongan | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
Nusa Penida | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ |
Nusa Ceningan | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ |
Amed / Tulamben | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Tabanan / Batukaru | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
Sidemen | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
Candidasa | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Kintamani | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
Bedugul / Baturiti | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
Padangbai | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
Singaraja / Lovina | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
Pemuteran | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Denpasar City | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ☆☆☆☆☆ | ☆☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ☆☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ☆☆☆☆☆ | ☆☆☆☆☆ |