Where to stay · Bali · Indonesia
Where to stay in Bali
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: LukeTriton, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Seminyak. Boutique villas, beach clubs, designer shops and sunset bars. Best alternatives — families: Kuta and Legian; budget: Canggu.
Key facts
- First visit
- Seminyak
- Families
- Kuta and Legian
- Budget
- Canggu
- Nightlife
- Seminyak
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Families | Kuta and Legian | Long surf beach, inexpensive hotels, malls and party streets |
| Couples | Seminyak | Boutique villas, beach clubs, designer shops and sunset bars |
| Budget | Canggu | Surf breaks, cafés, coworking spaces and rice-field views |
| Luxury | Seminyak | Boutique villas, beach clubs, designer shops and sunset bars |
| Nightlife | Seminyak | Boutique villas, beach clubs, designer shops and sunset bars |
| Food lovers | Seminyak | Boutique villas, beach clubs, designer shops and sunset bars |
| Solo travellers | Canggu | Surf breaks, cafés, coworking spaces and rice-field views |
| Shopping | Seminyak | Boutique villas, beach clubs, designer shops and sunset bars |
| Quiet stays | Ubud | Hill town of dance, crafts, yoga and rice terraces |
| Beach | Kuta and Legian | Long surf beach, inexpensive hotels, malls and party streets |
Bali neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, shopping, food lovers and nightlife
Seminyak
Seminyak is the polished part of the south-west coast, with villa hotels, boutiques along Jalan Kayu Aya and Jalan Petitenget, spas and some of Bali's best-known restaurants. The beach is wide and good for sunsets, though the surf is often too strong for weak swimmers. It is 30–60 minutes from the airport depending on traffic.
- Good
- Excellent restaurants and shops; Sunset beach bars; Villa hotels with private pools
- Watch out
- Heavy traffic; Busy, built-up streets with few footpaths
- Nearby
- Double Six Beach, Petitenget Temple, Canggu, Kuta
$$ · Best for solo travellers, nightlife, food lovers and budget
Canggu
Once a string of rice fields and surf beaches north of Seminyak, Canggu is now Bali's hub for digital nomads, with brunch cafés, gyms, coworking spaces and beach bars at Batu Bolong and Echo Beach. The surf suits intermediate riders; traffic on the narrow lanes is notorious.
- Good
- Lively café and bar scene; Good-value guesthouses and villas; Surf for all levels nearby
- Watch out
- Very congested roads; Construction and noise in places
- Nearby
- Batu Bolong Beach, Echo Beach, Tanah Lot, Berawa
$ · Best for budget, families, nightlife and beach
Kuta and Legian
Close to the airport, Kuta and Legian are Bali's original package-holiday strip, with a long sandy beach that is one of the best places to learn to surf, plus budget hotels, the Beachwalk mall and the Waterbom water park. Nightlife is loud and late around Legian Street.
- Good
- Closest beach area to the airport; Lowest hotel prices; Beginner surf lessons
- Watch out
- Touts and crowds; Beach rubbish in the wet season
- Nearby
- Kuta Beach, Waterbom Bali, Beachwalk Shopping Center, Legian Beach
$$ · Best for culture, couples, food lovers, solo travellers and quiet stays
Ubud
Ubud sits among rice fields and river gorges about 1–1.5 hours north of the airport. The town has the Ubud Palace, where Legong and Barong dances are performed most evenings, the Ubud Art Market, the Sacred Monkey Forest and dozens of yoga studios, cooking schools and spas. Hotels range from family-run homestays to jungle-view resorts.
- Good
- Base for temples, terraces and Mount Batur; Rich cultural programme; Wide range of rooms
- Watch out
- No beach; Traffic jams in the town centre
- Nearby
- Ubud Monkey Forest, Campuhan Ridge Walk, Tegallalang, Goa Gajah
$$$ · Best for couples, beach and luxury
Uluwatu
The limestone Bukit Peninsula in the far south has dramatic cliffs, small coves such as Padang Padang and Bingin reached by steep steps, world-class reef breaks and the cliff-top Uluwatu Temple. Accommodation runs from surfer guesthouses to cliff-edge luxury resorts, and Jimbaran's seafood beach is on the way.
- Good
- Spectacular cliffs and sunsets; Excellent surf; Quieter than Seminyak
- Watch out
- Scattered layout needs a scooter or driver; Beaches involve steep stairs
- Nearby
- Uluwatu Temple, Padang Padang Beach, Melasti Beach, Jimbaran Bay
$$$$ · Best for families, luxury, beach and quiet stays
Nusa Dua
Nusa Dua is a planned resort zone on the south-east coast with large international hotels on wide, reef-protected beaches, a beachfront promenade and the Bali Collection shopping centre. It is calm, clean and convenient for families, but removed from local life.
- Good
- Calm water for swimming; Large resorts with kids' clubs; Close to the airport by toll road
- Watch out
- Resort bubble with little local character; Restaurants outside the hotels are limited
- Nearby
- Nusa Dua Beach, Waterblow, Garuda Wisnu Kencana, Tanjung Benoa
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays, beach and couples
Sanur
Sanur faces east over a reef-protected lagoon, with gentle water, a beachfront path of about 5 km for walking and cycling, and fast-boat departures to Nusa Penida and Lembongan. It attracts families and older travellers and keeps a slower pace than the west coast.
- Good
- Calm, shallow water; Sunrise views; Boats to Nusa Penida and Lembongan
- Watch out
- Low tide exposes the reef; Quiet nightlife
- Nearby
- Sanur Beach, Sindhu night market, Le Mayeur Museum, Serangan
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples, beach and budget
Amed
On the far east coast, Amed is a string of fishing villages with black-sand bays, coral reefs close to shore and Mount Agung rising behind. Nearby Tulamben has the USAT Liberty wreck. It is 2.5–3 hours from the airport, with small resorts and dive lodges.
- Good
- Snorkelling from the beach; Peaceful and uncrowded; Good-value dive stays
- Watch out
- Long drive from the airport; Few restaurants and no nightlife
- Nearby
- Tulamben, Tirta Gangga, Jemeluk Bay, Lempuyang Temple
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Seminyak | $$$ | Double Six Beach, Petitenget Temple, Canggu, Kuta |
| Canggu | $$ | Batu Bolong Beach, Echo Beach, Tanah Lot, Berawa |
| Kuta and Legian | $ | Kuta Beach, Waterbom Bali, Beachwalk Shopping Center, Legian Beach |
| Ubud | $$ | Ubud Monkey Forest, Campuhan Ridge Walk, Tegallalang, Goa Gajah |
| Uluwatu | $$$ | Uluwatu Temple, Padang Padang Beach, Melasti Beach, Jimbaran Bay |
| Nusa Dua | $$$$ | Nusa Dua Beach, Waterblow, Garuda Wisnu Kencana, Tanjung Benoa |
| Sanur | $$ | Sanur Beach, Sindhu night market, Le Mayeur Museum, Serangan |
| Amed | $$ | Tulamben, Tirta Gangga, Jemeluk Bay, Lempuyang Temple |
Getting to your hotel
Ngurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar) is in Tuban, just south of Kuta. Taxis from the official counter and pre-booked drivers take about 20–30 minutes to Kuta, 30–60 minutes to Seminyak, 30–45 minutes to Nusa Dua via the toll road and 1.5–2 hours to Ubud, depending on traffic.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Bali for first-time visitors?
Seminyak. Seminyak is the polished part of the south-west coast, with villa hotels, boutiques along Jalan Kayu Aya and Jalan Petitenget, spas and some of Bali's best-known restaurants.
+Where should families stay in Bali?
Kuta and Legian: Closest beach area to the airport.
+Which area of Bali is best for a budget stay?
Canggu ($$): Surf breaks, cafés, coworking spaces and rice-field views.