Bali Guide
South Bali
The triangle of mainly flat land that makes up the south is some of the most fertile in Bali, and also the most densely populated, with more than 650 people resident on every square kilometre. Bali's administrative capital, Denpasar, is here and so too are the island's major tourist resorts: at Kuta and Jimbaran in the west, and Sanur, Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa in the east. This is a genuine surfers' paradise, pounded by some of the most famous and challenging breaks in the world. Most of south Bali comes under the administrative district of Badung which, unsurprisingly given its many advantages and monopoly of the most lucrative tourist resorts, is the wealthiest in Bali – despite occupying under eight percent of the island's total land mass.
Most tourists treat Denpasar as little more than a transit point for cross-island journeys, but it holds the island's best museum and makes an interesting contrast to the more westernized beach enclaves. Instead, the vast majority of visitors head straight for brash, commercial Kuta– Legian– Seminyak which sprawls down the southwest coast just 3km north of Bali's airport and is as famous for its shopping and nightlife – the most happening on the island by far – as its surf.
Across on the southeast coast, beach life is quieter and greener at Sanur, more luxurious and manicured at five-star Nusa Dua, and more focused on watersports at Tanjung Benoa. Offshore lie several islands, among them little-visited Nusa Penida, whose south coast consists of towering limestone cliffs; and resolutely relaxed Nusa Lembongan, with its white-sand beaches and easy access from Sanur. South of Kuta and west of Nusa Dua, the Bukit peninsula offers peaceful, upmarket beachfront hotels at Jimbaran.
Highlights
1 Bali Museum A tantalizing introduction to the island's cultural and religious heritage.
2 Seminyak Some of the finest dining and most sophisticated shopping on Bali.
3 Kuta Scores of easy-going bars, trendy clubs and packed dancefloors make Kuta a great place to party.
4 Jimbaran Fresh fish grilled over coconut husks and served at candlelit tables on the sand.
5 Sanur A green and relatively peaceful resort that makes an appealing alternative to Kuta.
6 Nusa Lembongan Islanders, surfers and sun-seekers mingle on the great beaches and in the rural hinterland.