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Popular Places

Bali's hot sports are well known. Here's a list of popular places in Bali for you to explore.

Seminyak

Formerly a small fishing village (as most coastal areas used to be) in the Bali south coast, north of Legian, Seminyak still maintains that Balinese small town feel with its deeply rooted traditions. One can watch locals perform ceremonies of offerings to the gods at the beach against a fabulous sunset backdrop and gamelan music background.

Canggu

Aside from surf, surf and more surf, Canggu’s appeal lies in its quaint rice paddy-ocean scenery uniquely juxtaposed with one another, quiet images of the water’s journey from mountain to rice paddies and finally out to sea. A 15 to 20-minute drive northwest of Kuta and Seminyak along the coast, this fisherman’s village is the choice for quiet, budget-friendly seekers who enjoy the local feel and lovely views of rice fields but don’t want to drift too far from action-packed Kuta and other social, commercial centers.

Jimbaran

Once upon a time, there was a sleepy fishing village in a cove on the western site of Bali's southern peninsula. It had a remarkable bay with a proud stretch of white sand gently contrasting its crystal blue water. Today the sleepy village has awakened to the spur of the Intercontinental, Four Seasons and the Ritz-Carlton, its beautiful bay never emptied of visitors mesmerized by wonderful sunsets, its warm azure waters of swimmers, windsurfers, and others, its glowing shores of seafood restaurants, joggers or merchants renting out water sports equipment.

Legian

If you like the Kuta action but need a bit of space between, Legian is your kind of place. A beach haven with heaps of shopping covered—from garments to jewelry to surfshops and furniture—and a myriad of delectable restaurants, Legian itself is less hectic than downtown Kuta, (even if it is only a 5-minute taxi ride away) but is not far from the nightlife zone. Here is where old, young, rich, hippie, yuppy, sophisticated locals, expats and tourists find something/s that match/es their interests: ballgames, spa trips, reading, meditation, fitness, culinary adventures, shopping, ad infinitum.

Nusa Dua

Jutting off the southern tip of the island of Bali, Nusa Dua lacks nothing of the gorgeous Bali scenery, only of the old-world, exotic, funky elegance that typifies the rest of the island. Developed in the 1980s to house high-end resorts and conference centers, the area is a 20-minute, 10-kilometer, under-$10-taxi ride from the Denpasar International Airport. More expensive than most anywhere else in Bali, this place is for those who prefer the professional, world class ambience to the funky island aura. There are heaps of 3 to 5-star options, all slick, modern and sophisticated.

Sanur

The 18-km journey from the airport to one of the main beach resort areas on Bali’s south coast will take around 20-25 minutes, northeast bound at a taxi fare of around Rp70,000. This is Sanur, Bali’s first beach resort where tourism in Bali was born. Despite the continuous influx of visitors through many decades, the village of Sanur maintains its reputation as one of the island’s largest traditional villages, a trait that precisely endears foreigners passing through as well as those who’ve nestled in for the long haul.

Ubud

Depending on who’s on the wheel, the drive to Ubud from Kuta will take you between an hour to an hour and a half, cruising northeastwards through around 12 miles of captivating scenery into the district of Gianyar. Called the heart of Bali, Ubud stands nonpareil as an art haven, a seed reputedly born of the massive exodus of Javanese artists, dancers and musician from Java upon the downfall of the Majapahit kingdom in the 15th century.

Uluwatu

Uluwatu in one word would be: breathtaking. Translated, "ulu" means "land's end" and "watu" means "rock." Apart from its world-renowned super swells, which more than many consider Bali's best, Uluwatu’s lure is the absolutely mind-blowing panorama atop 100-meter cliffs, each angle as fantastic as the next. Take your pick of the many warungs perched on the cliffs from where you can drink off the Indian Ocean view while partaking of a hearty meal.

Umalas

The conditioned reflex associated with Umalas is a picture of someone galloping on a handsome horse on a golden sunset beach. It is famous for its equestrian activities and services. Children and rookie riders can avail of rice field and beach tours with a personal guide. Umalas features teaching horseback riding to children that covers lunge lessons, vaulting, dressage, and riding camps, horsemanship.

Aside from that, the rice paddy cum ocean scenery spills over from nearby Seminyak. It is a quiet area that subscribes to Kuta and Seminyak for its commerce and socials.