Bali Travel Guide
Where to Stay in Bali
The base decides the trip. How the main areas differ in mood, beaches, traffic and price, which to combine on a one- or two-week trip, and the hotels we would book in each.
Choosing where to stay is the most important decision you will make about a trip to Bali. The island's areas feel completely different from one another, travel times between them are long, and a hotel in the wrong place can turn every day into a two-hour drive. The best plan for most first-timers is to split the stay between two or three bases: the cultural heartland around Ubud, then a beach area on the coast. Here is how the main areas compare.
Ubud: culture, rice terraces and rivers. Ubud is the inland heart of Bali, set among river gorges and rice fields in the hills of Gianyar. It is the place for temples, dance performances, galleries, yoga, cooking classes and day trips to Tegallalang, Tirta Empul and the Mount Batur sunrise trek. There is no beach. Central Ubud is busy, walkable and full of restaurants; the river valleys and villages around it are quieter and greener, and home to some of the island's most beautiful hotels. Stay at least three nights. For a walkable central base at a reasonable price, Alaya Resort Ubud on Jalan Hanoman puts you a stroll from the Monkey Forest and the palace. For a once-in-a-lifetime stay in the Ayung River valley, Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is in a class of its own.
Seminyak: polish, boutiques and sunsets. Seminyak is the south-west coast's most sophisticated area: design shops, spas, restaurants, bars and beach clubs along a wide sandy beach where everyone gathers for sunset. It is convenient for the airport and has the most choice of dining in Bali, but the streets are congested and the sea is for strong swimmers and surfers only, between the lifeguard flags. The Oberoi Beach Resort offers a calm, green enclave directly on the beach, with Seminyak's restaurants a short walk away.
Canggu: surf, cafes and a creative crowd. North of Seminyak, Canggu grew from a farming village into the island's busiest creative scene, with cafes, coworking spaces, yoga studios, surf schools and beach bars spread between the remaining rice fields. It suits younger travellers, surfers, digital nomads and anyone who wants energy and great casual food. The downsides are traffic, construction and noise in places. Pererenan, just to the north, is calmer. COMO Canggu, formerly COMO Uma Canggu, on Echo Beach, is a polished, design-led base with a beach club and wellness.
Uluwatu and the Bukit: cliffs and surf. The Bukit peninsula at the southern tip of Bali is dry, rugged limestone country, with dramatic cliffs, world-famous surf breaks, cove beaches reached by steep steps, and the cliff-top Uluwatu Temple with its sunset Kecak dance. It is the place for cliff-top villas and sunset views, and it is drier than the rest of the island in the wet season. It is far from Ubud and the roads jam at sunset. Alila Villas Uluwatu is the landmark luxury choice, with private pool villas on the cliff edge.
Nusa Dua: calm water and big resorts. Nusa Dua, on the east side of the Bukit, is a gated resort enclave of large hotels on a reef-protected coast with calm, swimmable water and clean, manicured beaches. It is excellent for families, for a restful stay with every facility and for the first or last nights of a trip, being close to the airport. It lacks local character, but Jimbaran, Uluwatu and the Bukit beaches are a short drive away. The Mulia, an all-suite hotel with butler service in the Mulia complex on Geger Beach, is the most glamorous choice.
Sanur: gentle, old-school and well connected. Sanur, on the south-east coast, was Bali's first beach resort, and it remains relaxed and gentle, with a reef-protected lagoon, a long beach path for walking and cycling, sunrise rather than sunset and many long-stay visitors. It is the main departure point for boats to Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, and about an hour from Ubud, which makes it a practical middle base. Tandjung Sari, a family-run beach hotel founded in 1962, is full of character.
Further afield. With more time, consider the east coast around Amed and Candidasa for diving, snorkelling and Lempuyang; Sidemen, a valley of rice fields with views of Mount Agung; the cool highlands of Munduk and Bedugul; or a night on Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan to see the island viewpoints without the day crowds.
Putting it together. For one week, spend three or four nights in Ubud and three or four in Seminyak, Canggu or Uluwatu. For ten days, add Sanur or Nusa Dua at the end for calm water and an easy airport run, and use Sanur as your launch pad for Nusa Penida. For two weeks, include the east coast or the highlands. In the wet season, from November to March, favour Uluwatu, Nusa Dua or Sanur for your beach stay, as the east-facing beaches are usually calmer and cleaner, and the Bukit is drier.
Villas versus hotels. Private villas with pools are widely available and can be excellent value for families and groups, but check that they are properly licensed, a requirement under the provincial rules for visitors, and read recent reviews carefully. Hotels and resorts offer more services and support, which matters for first-timers.
Price points. Bali has accommodation for every budget, from simple guesthouses in family compounds to some of the most expensive resorts in Asia. Prices peak in July and August and over Christmas and New Year; the wet season brings better deals, and many hotels offer long-stay discounts.