• View
• Edit
• History
• Print

Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali

Introduction

Bali is a resort island in Indonesia popular with surfers and Aussies. It is a large island and you'll need to decide how to spend your day here. Outside of shops and homes, you may see Hindu offerings left inside leaf trays on the sidewalk. Don't worry if you accidentally step on one but don't do it on purpose.

Visas

Citizens from 90 countries no longer need a visa for tourism visits of less than 30 days. This list includes Canada, US, New Zealand, UK and most of Europe. Australia was added as of Mar 2016.

• http://indonesianembassy.org.uk/en/consular/visa-info/visa-free-short-visit/
• http://jakarta.coconuts.co/2016/03/21/australians-officially-get-visa-free-travel-indonesia-seriously-real-time

Citizens of countries not on the list need to obtain a visa on arrival which is typically obtained onboard your cruise ship. Cost of the visa is $35 USD plus any processing fee your ship may add. The amount is typically charged to your onboard account.

Where You're Docked

Cruise ships typically use two ports, Benoa Harbour or Padang Bay. For Benoa, most ships anchor offshore and passengers are tendered to a a small cruise terminal in the middle of nowhere. Smaller ships may dock alongside though the approach is tricky. Kuta Beach is 10km away. Cruise terminal website here (no schedule) http://www.balicruiseterminal.com/ Padang Bay is a tender pier located 23 miles east of Ubud.

Money & Tipping

Indonesia's currency is the Indonesian Rupiah. Australian dollars are widely accepted including taxis. Be careful of using your credit card since there is a lot of fraud in Indonesia. Tipping is not a common practice in Asia. Exchange rate on Dec 2015 - 10,000 IRD = $0.73 USD

Local Transportation

You will need to take a taxi to get out of the Benoa port area since there is nothing around. The Bemo (private minvan) drivers have bullied out competitors at the port area so you will need to negotiate for a rate to get out. Keep in mind a metered taxi to Kuta Beach should cost around 100,000-120,000 IRD ($10 USD). Outside the port, Bluebird taxis are abundant, reputable and metered and can take you back to the terminal. Australian dollars are usually accepted. Be aware of copycat taxis. There are buses but schedules are erratic and they only leave when they are full.

Traffic is pretty congested so give yourself plenty of time to get anywhere. Taxi drivers may drive on the shoulder, turn right and then U-turn to bypass the roundabouts to save time.

Hotels

Search hotels in Bali here

Sights

• Kuta Beach - The most popular and most developed beach in Bali. There is a memorial here to the victims of the 2002 bombing.
• Ubud - Considered the cultural center of Bali with many temples and museums. There is a monkey sanctuary here. If you want to take a taxi to Ubud from South Bali, it is best to charter the vehicle for a return trip, otherwise, you'll be hit with a 30% fee for going out-of-town. Metered fares, one-way and not including surcharge, are around Rp 100,000 from Denpasar and Rp 200,000 from Kuta.
• Sanur - This beachside resort town is more upscale and popular with older families.
• Denpasar - The largest city and capital of Bali. There are temples and a central market here.
• Nusa Dua / Tanjung Benoa - Across the harbour from Benoa port, this area has a long beachfront with plenty of resorts. You will need to go all the way around the harbour to get to this area. There is a public beach at Geger.
• Seminyak - An upscale resort area north of Kuta. There are high end boutiques and spas in this area.

You may be tempted to try a fish spa where fish nibble on your feet's dead skin. However, there is a risk of catching an infection (including HIV and hepatitis) from these tanks. http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easier-stuff/225723/the-downside-of-fish-spas

Shopping and Restaurants

• The Kuta Beach area has a few small malls and lots of surf shops. There is a Hard Rock Cafe here as well.
• There are some stalls setup in the cruise terminal and souvenir sellers outside the terminal gates.
• In Ubud, Ibu Oka Restaurant is famous for their roast suckling pig. There are multiple locations and reviews are a bit mixed.

Post Office

The main post office in Kuta is located off of Jl Raya Kuta, just south of Jl Bakung Sari.

Internet

The Kuta Beach area is popular with backpackers and will have plenty of internet cafes. Otherwise, cafes and restaurants may offer free wifi to customers.

Maps (right-click to save)

Badung Area

Kuta Beach

Bali Island

Weather

Denpasar, Bali Weather Forecast

Suggested Port Guides

• Darwin
• Singapore
• Laem Chabang (Bangkok)
• Ko Samui

Comments