Things to Do in Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak

Once a small fishing village, Kuta has developed into the heart of Bali's tourism industry over the past four decades. In fact, it's gotten so big that it's hard to tell where Kuta ends and its northern neighbors of Legian and Seminyak begin (we can barely tell, that's why we grouped them together here). The area's proximity to Ngurah Rai Airport makes it the easiest arrival and departure destination, and it's long sandy beach is close to a wide range of accommodations, shopping, restaurants, and bars.

The Beaches - A long sandy beach runs all the way from Kuta to Seminyak, providing plenty of options for beach-goers. The locals have their own little spots all along where they setup chairs and umbrellas to sell drinks, rent surfboards, and cater to tourists. Others walk the beach selling the typical tourist stuff: t-shirts, towels, sarongs, bracelets. 

The beach directly in front of Poppies Lane I and II is basically the epicenter where the majority of people will be. It's particularly popular for sunset Bintangs and a great place to might like-minded partyers to plan your night out. The aptly-named Halfways surf spot is also right out and front, which can provide some great waves for learners and experienced surfers depending on the swell.

Further north in Legian, the end of Jalan Padma has beach parking and often provides a quieter spot to relax (unless tourist buses from Java show up). It often has fun surf as well, particularly during higher tides. 

As you move north into Seminyak, the end of Jalan Double Six and Jalan Oberoi have beachfront restaurants/bars like Ku De Ta and Potato Head. The beach at Double Six is quite popular and busy, similar to Kuta but north towards Oberoi is more relaxed. 


The Restaurants - This area has a plethora of dining opportunities. Whatever you're craving, you can find it here. And however much you want to spend, you can spend it!

The Kuta and Legian areas tend to have more reasonably priced options. Just walk up and down the streets and you'll surely find something appetizing. Tubes Bar & Restaurant has always been a popular surfer's hangout (which is obvious by the walls plastered with professional surfer photos) and TJ's serves up some nice Mexican food. Sang Ria Grill and Our's Bar & Restaurant are popular in Legian.

Seminyak's Jalan Laksmana (Jalan Oberoi and Jalan Kayu Ayu interchangeable names) has earned the reputation as 'eat street'. Many of Bali's finest dining options can be found here. If you're feeling posh (or you just are posh), have a look around here. Plenty of reasonably priced options mixed in with very upper class establishments. Made's Warung is considered an institution here, and Ultimo serves up awesome pizzas. 


The Nightlife - Oddly, there are plenty of travelers that come to Bali just for its nightlife. Well, they may not come specifically for that but too often people get trapped in the Vortex, the never-ending cycle of partying.

The younger crowd usually focuses its attention on Kuta. Alleycats has developed into a popular starting point, offering cheap drinks early. The famous Skygarden offers five floors of debauchery, each of which is basically its own night club with different DJs spinning a range of music. Skygarden is located right at the junction of Jalan Poppies II and Jalan Legian. From here, walk up and down Jalan Legian to find other hotspots like Eikon, Mbargo, and Bounty. I personally love the laid back atmosphere of the Apache Reggae bar that offers live music most nights (it's still cool even though they removed their sand dance floor a couple years back).

If you're in Legian, check out Jalan Double Six. This legendary area is home to some of Bali's best late-night party options (open every night until 6 am) but plenty of places you can start early too. Walk up and down Jalan Padma and you're sure to find somewhere that interests you.

Just like with dining, Seminyak has a more refined nightlife scene. Don't get me wrong, plenty of hardcore partyers about still! When La Plancha is having one of their beach parties, it seems like everyone is there. Plenty of great places to hang out: Ku de Ta, Potato Head, Hu'u Bar, JP's. 


The Shopping - Bali is ripe with place to shop. This area provides some of the best options in the area. Anything you want, you can get: shirts, hats, sarongs, dresses, customized stickers, phallic symbols (yes, 'penis-head' keychains and such are everywhere!), handbags, and more.

There are plenty of beach vendors walking around in Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak. While you can find some good products from them, they are often over-priced and aiming at tourists (this is one place that bargaining is definitely necessary!).

The street of Kuta are lined shops, with a high concentration along the main road of Jalan Legian and also along Poppies Lane I and II. The new Beachwalk shopping mall offers plenty of higher-end shopping options (Armani, Lacoste, etc.), while Kuta Square mainly houses surf brands (Element, Billabong, etc.).

Legian offers similar shopping conditions as Kuta's Poppies area along Jalan Padma. There are also some higher-end boutique shops in the northern area as you move north towards Seminyak.

Seminyak is home to more high-end boutiques such as Bamboo blonde, Uluwatu Clothing, Blue Glue, and Religion. This must come as no surprise since Seminyak is renowned as one of the most upscale markets in Bali.  

There are plenty of shopping opportunities along Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai (the main road running north just east of these towns). Major surf brands have their outlet stores here, offering some surprisingly good deals if you get lucky! The Bali Mall Galleria can also be found along this stretch, and pretty much has everything a west-world mall has to offer: food court, cosmetic shops, fashion shops, home appliance shops, etc.


The Other Stuff - Kuta is the place to book trips and tours around Bali and elsewhere in Indonesia, just be careful you get a reputable travel agency as there are so many scams around. If you need a break from the beach, you can head to see a movie at Beachwalk or Bali Mall Galleria. There is also the popular Waterbom Park in Kuta. 

Really though, get out of this area and explore! Bali has so much to offer.