Sanur, Kuta, Nusa Dua and Jimbaran, the most visited beaches in southern Bali

If you’re looking for exciting island nightlife, an unparalleled variety of shopping options, and a restaurant serving gourmet dishes from every continent, Kuta is sure to please. So will the waves and sunsets along one of the most famous beaches in the world. If you choose one of the hotels in Kuta or next to Legian that is in its own complex, you will be pleasantly insulated from the noise and commotion. Yet that same noise and commotion helps offset the excitement that draws in millions each year.

Slightly quieter, and generally slightly more expensive, is Sanur, on the east coast of southern Bali and about 20 minutes north of the airport via the highway. Here again, there are dozens of fine hotels, excellent restaurants of all kinds, and boutiques of every description. There is little wave action along the beach, making Sanur the best place for beginners who want to try windsurfing. There are many historical temples and other holy places in the neighborhoods of Sanur. Some, in fact, are located on the ground floor of five-star hotels.

Perhaps the ideal compromise in South Bali is the community now called Tuban. It is a one kilometer stretch along the ocean between the airport and the center of Kuta. Here, the resorts have settled quietly alongside the local town without having any disturbing effect on the people who live in them. Tuban is extremely clean as a result of the cooperative effort between the hotels and members of the community. Signs along the street are restricted. The winding cuadrillas (lanes) of Down Tuban are temples where offerings are made daily. Yet despite the area’s relative tranquility, the excitement of Kuta and Legian are only a short drive away.

Bali’s largest enclave of luxury hotels is in Nusa Dua, a carefully planned district on the eastern edge of the Bukit Peninsula, which dangles from Bali’s southern tip almost like a teardrop. Planning for Nusa Dua began in the 1970s, with the first hotel opening in the mid-1980s. Each of the eight hotels operating along a single stretch of pristine beach is surrounded by sprawling lush grounds. with foliage. It is possible to walk from one hotel to another along wide walkways. There are no souvenir hawkers on the street in Nusa Dua, and every few on the beach, because they are excluded under the terms of the much-admired Nusa Dua plan.

All Nusa Dua resorts offer their guests a complete vacation experience: accommodation in large rooms, suites or bungalows, a wide variety of restaurants and lounges, regular performances of traditional Balinese music and dance, well-stocked arts and crafts boutiques right on the doorstep. the facilities and the opportunity to take guided tours by car, van or bus to other parts of the island. For many travelers from around the world, a week at the Nusa Dua resort will be the easiest and most hassle-free way to experience Bali.

Jimbaran Bay, located at the northern tip of the Bukit Peninsula and just a minute south of the airport, is another increasingly important tourist area. The bay itself forms a backdrop for a wide crescent of beach that is one of the best in Bali. Jimbaran is also known as the fishing village and the hub of seafood restaurants that are spread out along the seashore. Behind the beach rises a range of low hills, two of the island’s most luxurious resorts are already here, with more to come. However, the Jimbaran area is likely to remain less crowded than Kuta or Legian.