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Bali – Where to Stay and Where to Go?

Wonder where you should stay on Bali? There are so many different places on this island - the decision can be hard. Check out this guide.

Are you coming to Bali and wonder where you should stay and where to go? Read about all the different places and areas on this small tropical island. Bali is a small island and is part of Indonesia. The main religion is Hinduism as opposed to Islamism in the rest of Indonesia. This is one reason why for example alcohol is more consumed.

Where to stay in Bali?

Before booking accommodation in Bali, you should be aware of the different areas in Bali. To some, Bali might only be a party and beach place, but it is a lot more. Here are the most important places to know about:

Kuta – the party area of Bali

Kuta, right within Denpasar, the capital of Bali and near the airport, is the party place of Bali. If you are looking for wild nights, this is where you want to stay.

Ubud – the cultural center of Bali

Ubud is much quieter, nevertheless very touristy. Here you find all kind of Balinese art (very gorgeous and sometimes you feel like not having enough space to bring it back home) and restaurants. Of course there are also bars, but this is not the place, where you are having big nights out. One thing to know: There is no beach in Ubud! The popular monkey forest is also in Ubud – for a small fee you get to see lots of monkey – be careful, they like to steal stuff like food and backpacks!

Ubud is linked in the map below.

Canggu – Surfing and Digital Nomads

Canggu is the surf capital of Bali. The waves are particularly strong, which guarantees loads of fun if you surf. Lots of digital nomads are also based here. Canggu offers a number of bars and it’s great for having a couple of drinks at night.

Simanyak – the posh area of Bali

In Simanyak lives the upper class of Bali. This neighborhood is fairly expensive.

Where to go diving?

You can go diving pretty much everywhere in Bali. The best place to do so is in the north of Bali – in Amed. From Amed you can also take ferries to Gili.

Where to visit rice fields?

Rice fields are pretty much spread all across Bali. They are very beautiful! We found the most beautiful ones to be in Sidemen.

Can I see volcanoes in Bali?

Yes, you are in luck! There are 3 volcanoes you can visit on this Island:

Mount Batur: The peak ofmMount Batur is 1717 meter above sea-level and based in the village called Batur and the lake, also called Batur. This volcano is very popular because the hike is relatively easy. Get there in the morning so you can see the sunrise from the top. Due to the popularity many locals will bother you at the beginning for the hike and try to get some money out of you. The hike lasts for about 2 to 3 hours.

Mount Agung: Believe it or not, the highest point of Bali is 3142 meters above sea-level – the Agung volcano! It is the most sacred mountain on Bali and popular for experienced hikers – the hike can last about 6 to 7 hours.

Mount Catur: The Catur volcano is 2096 meters high near lake Bratan. The hike lasts for about 3 hours.

When visiting a volcano, make sure to bring enough water and also some warm clothes – yes also in Bali! It is quite cold that high up. Also keep in mind, that hiking up the volcano is quite exhausting, also if it takes a little time – hiking down is much easier (not so much on your knees though).

Where to go hiking?

If you would like to go hiking (and not volcanoes), you should check out Munduk. Here you are right in the middle of a rainforest among gorgeous waterfalls.

Is it safe to rent a scooter?

If you want to travel around the island, a scooter is the way to go, as it is much faster as travelling by car. Don’t nail us down on whether it is safe or not… Fact is, if you are on a scooter you will always have to be careful and think ahead – not only for you but for all traffic participants. You won’t be allowed to be distracted a lot, but you will also find that doing so, a relatively small amount of accidents happen. The after work traffic jam in the capital is especially intense. Keep in mind, we have also met people who have lost their loved ones in car accidents!

How much is a scooter for one day?

You should not pay more than 50-70.000 Rupiah for one day. Ask at your accommodation, they might provide a great deal. Also, they scooter consume very little fuel and fuel is very cheap in Indonesia. If you travel small distances, chances are there is enough fuel in your tank already, so you don’t need to visit a petrol station. Also: Don’t be surprised if you only need to write down your name (and maybe passport number) in order to rent a scooter.