What is the resort of Kuta remarkable for tourists?

1. Firstly, it is considered the most populous;
2. the longest;
3. the safest (because lifeguards constantly monitor the calm around;
4. it is very much promoted by tour companies and here the resort is often cheaper than in the quieter regions of the island. Not knowing Bali, tourists, focusing on reviews, often purchase tour packages here and in vain.

Main entrance to Kuta beach

The beach and the sea in Kuta are not suitable for a resort!

If you are planning to go to Kuta Beach and choose it as a skiing holiday and swimming, then urgently give up this idea.

Especially if you do not plan to learn to surf or if you are invited by a travel agency to spend all the time as a resort.

resort beach Kuta.

Here, even at the quiet time The sea is very rough, with many waves and tides. It is very inconvenient to swim and the pebbles near the shore hits the legs, not very pleasant.

Sea resort Kuta.

Ideal place for surfing. Yes Yes! Kuta resort is only suitable for surfing.

Happy Balinese near Kuta Beach.

Surfers on the beach are looking for more vigorous waves.

Surf surf surf!

Order an inexpensive transfer - a taxi in Bali

Where is the quietest beach holiday on about. Bali?

If you are looking for a relaxing beach holiday on about. Bali, places for swimming, then choose the beaches: Padang Padang beach, Sanur Beach or Amed Beach.

These resorts have a really calm clear sea and no strong waves, there are practically no surfers! Good for swimming!

A plane flying near Kuta Beach carries tourists back home.

There are usually a lot of people on Kuta Beach and its surroundings and it seems as if there is no place more noisy. It gets boring quickly.

Car rental in Bali

Beach services

On the beach you will be offered:

• Buy services: massage, henna drawing, tattoos, rent a surfboard and more. other!
• many goods, ranging from oil paintings to food, fruit, beer.

Harassers (sellers) on Kuta Beach.

Near the beach there are a lot of cafes, seafood restaurants, bars.

Attractions near Kuta Beach.

Massage near Kuta beach.

There are also beautiful places near the beach itself.

Attractions near Kuta Beach.

Kuta Beach is located in the southwest of Bali, 7 km from Denpasar Airport (Ngurah Rai).

Beach features

• The beach is not suitable for couples with children and supporters of a relaxing holiday, as it is aimed at surfers, sailors and youth companies (the beach is the center of the island's nightlife and water activities);
• The width of the beach is 30-40 m;
• The sand is fine and light;
• Water is rarely clear;
• The entrance to the water is gentle;
• The waves are high (1.5-2 m): they not only interfere with swimming, but also pose a danger to children and adolescents;
• The ebbs and flows on Kuta Beach are almost imperceptible;
• There are few palm trees, shade can be found under the trees growing closer to the fence;
• Due to the large number of vacationers (they leave behind a lot of garbage), the beach is not very clean, despite the fact that it is regularly cleaned;
• Kuta Beach is patrolled by lifeguards;
• The best time to relax is April-November (December-March is the rainy season);
• Kuta Beach is famous for its heavenly sunsets;
• Many hotels and entertainment infrastructure in the Kuta area are within walking distance from the beach, unlike other areas of the island (you have to drive from them to the beach strip, which not only creates inconvenience, but also increases transport costs);
• Vacation prices in Kuta are quite low: housing can be found from $10/day, and renting a hotel room with a pool starts from $20/day;
• Rent sunbeds and umbrellas - 100,000-300,000 rupees / day.

How to get there?

Traffic jams

The inconvenience for vacationers may be big traffic jams on the roads of Kuta. When it rains, cars stop moving altogether. The way out is to move on foot or on a rented scooter (if you are not given a helmet, be sure to demand it; the rental price is 30,000-40,000 rupees / day).

Tip: For surfers, it makes sense to rent a motorbike modified to carry boards.

Taxi

Taxi drivers at the airport are quite aggressive: they “pounce” on potential customers with an offer to use their services. The price tag is high (200,000-400,000 rupees), but you can bargain.

Grab/Uber are online taxi companies in Bali. The prices are reasonable, but the cars are unmarked and they don't drive up to the airport's main entrance. The way out is to call the driver, focus on the state number indicated in the application, and track the location on the interactive map.

Blue Bird is an official taxi with reasonable prices. Cars have meters. Call - by phone or through the application downloaded to the smartphone.

A taxi bike can be ordered in the Go-Jek app. Benefit: security + affordable price + mobile tracking.

Directions

The approximate cost of a taxi from the airport to Kuta (15 minutes drive) is 45,000-50,000 rupees, and a motorcycle taxi ride in the same direction will cost about 15,000 rupees.

The Kura-Kura bus runs to Kuta and other beaches. Fares: Kuta, Legian, Seminyak lines - 20,000 rupees, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Sanur lines - 50,000 rupees, Ubud line - 80,000 rupees. Departure - stop DFS Bus Bay.

It is cheaper to take the Sarbagita bus. Popular route: Nusa Dua - Jimbaran Airport - Kuta - Sanur - Batubulan. Ticket price - 3500 rupees.

From the port Benoa Harbor you can get to Kuta from Lombok, Gili and other islands by ferry in 4-5 hours, and by speedboat - in 1-1.5 hours (fare - from 450,000 rupees). Some cruise lines provide a free shuttle service to Kuta (20 minutes).

Walk to Kuta Beach from Seminyak Beach - 45 minutes (via Jl. Panai Legian and Jl. Pantai Kuta), from Legian Beach - 20 minutes (via Jl. Pantai Kuta), from Segara Beach - 9 minutes (via Jl. Pantai Kuta) .

nearby beaches

The beaches of Kuta, Legian, Seminyak and Tuban are one coastline, almost 10 km long.

Relative “neighbors” of Kuta Beach are Dreamland Beach (23.4 km), Balangan Beach (18.2 km), Padang Beach - (23.3 km). The distance is indicated in kilometers that will be covered by car through Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai.

Entertainment

Surfing

Surf spots near Kuta are aimed at beginners and experienced surfers. Experienced instructors from local surf schools introduce students to the theory and guide them through workshops on the water.

Surfing competitions are held in Kuta - they attract professional athletes here.

The surf season lasts all year round.

Surf schools:

• Bali Sunshine Surf School: 1-day course (5 hours) costs 900,000 rupees / 1 person, and 3-day course - 1,500,000 rupees / 1 person;
• Odysseys Surf School: 2.5-hour group lesson (in a group - 4 people) - 455,000 rupees / 1 person. If there are 2 beginners in the group, each of them will pay 585,000 rupees for 1 lesson. Surf rental - 104,000 rupees / 1 hour, 195,000 rupees / 2 hours, 325,000 rupees / day;
• hello surf school : group lesson for 4 people (2.5 hours) - 450,000 rupees / 1 person, and an individual lesson (2.5 hours) - 770,000 rupees / 1 person. Board rental - 100,000 rupees / 3 hours and 200,000 rupees / day.

Aquapark

Aquapark waterbom equipped with:

• attractions (Superbowl, Python, Twin Racers, Fast N Fierce, Pipeline, Flow Rider and others);
• luggage storage (regular locker - 25,000 rupees, and family - 35,000 rupees);
• food establishments (Bali Banana, The Shack, Illy, Wantilan);
• store (on sale - glasses, sun protection, hats, swimwear and other goods).

Ticket price: adult - 520,000 rupees / day, child - 370,000 rupees / day, family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) - 1,630,000 rupees / day.

Night life

The nightlife of Kuta is very rich: until the morning you can move from one bar / club to another. And the streets are lively and lit until at least 3 o'clock in the morning.

Night clubs:

• Sky Garden Bali: the club is equipped with spacious dance floors, excellent lighting and sound system. The best DJs perform here. Guests are treated to barbecue, wings, pizza, pasta, seafood, steaks (price - from 99,000 rupees). Admission: Premiere Event Rs 250,000, Special Event Rs 200,000. Daily admission for girls from 21:00 to 23:00 is free, and for students - on Thursdays (you will have to present an appropriate document);
• Bounty Discotheque: in the club they dance mainly to r'n'b, hip-hop and house. There is a lot of cheap booze (there are 3 bars available: Captain Bar, Tavern Bar, Harbor Bar), foam parties and “battles” of DJs are held, there is a platform for fashion shows, karaoke, billiards;
• Eikon Bar & Club: visitors are spoiled with live music and interesting themed events. The institution has 2 dance floors and 2 bars, decorated in different styles. The entrance is free. If you pay 100-150 thousand rupees at the entrance, drinks will be included.

Massage and Spa

• Young Spa Bali: hot stone massage - 240 thousand rupees / 90 minutes, massage of the shoulders and back - 70 thousand rupees / 30 minutes, shiatsu massage - 175 thousand rupees / 60 minutes, Thai massage - 250 thousand rupees / 90 minutes, Balinese massage Rs 210k/120min Foot reflex massage Rs 65k/half hour Body scrub (60mins) Rs 230k/coffee or herb and Rs 280k/coconut or green tea “cream bath” Rs 190,000/90 mins, hair spa Rs 175,000/60 mins, braiding Rs 30,000/long hair, luxurious facial Rs 125,000/60 mins, waxing Rs 75,000 Rs./upper lip, Rs.100,000/knee legs, Rs.200,000/bikini area;
• Soma Massage & Spa: Soma Relaxing - 455 thousand rupees / 3 hours (foot bath + exotic massage + Luxury flower bath + facial treatments + herbal drink), Soma Well - Being - 275 thousand rupees / 2 hours (foot bath + hot therapy stones + foot reflex massage + herbal drink), exotic massage with warm coconut oil - 225 thousand rupees / 1.5 hours, Indian head massage - 150 thousand rupees / 1 hour, Soma Miracle (4 hands massage) - 225 thousand .rupees / hour, Body Scrub Massage - 250 thousand rupees / 1.5 hours, Back, Neck + Shoulder Massage - 125 thousand rupees / hour (foot bath + manual massage + scrub + mask + moisturizer and spray), Vino Therapy Body Scrub - 550 thousand rupees / 2 hours, Chocolate massage - 385 thousand rupees / 2 hours, Sun Bum Massage - 190 thousand rupees / hour, anti-cellulite massage - 225 thousand rupees / hour.

Where to eat?

• Gourmet Sate House: iced tea with lemon - 13,000, mineral water - 10,000, Sate Udang - 49,000, Sapi - 62,000, tumis sayur - 17,000, campur seafood - 78,000, domba Madura - 37,000 rupees;
• The Box: The establishment is famous for its delicious dishes at attractive prices. You can dine overlooking the beach or buy takeaway food;
• Warung Indonesia: juices (banana, tomato, lemon, melon, papaya) - 10,000, lemon tea - 8,000, Can Kangkung - 15,000, Can Kangkung Seafood - 25,000, Mie Kuah - 18,000, Banana Pancake - 20,000, Nasi Ulam Hijau - 32,000 , Ikan Goreng Asam Pedas - 55,000, Udang Mayo - 42,000 rupees.
• The Pad Bar and Grill On Legian st : Chocolate Cake - 38,000, Ice Cream - 30,000, Pasta Parmigiana - 75,000, Chicken Teriyaki - 65,000, Pad Thai - 55,000, Chicken Cordon Bleu - 75,000, Greek Salad - 60,000, Minestrone Soup - 40,000 rupees .
• Ma-Joly : Sweet Tea Pack – Rs 180,000/Morrocan Pack and Rs 250,000/Sakura Pack, Lunch Menu 3 Courses – 295,000, Balinese 3 Course Tasting Lunch – 265,000, Standard 4 Course Dinner - 445,000, Deluxe dinner (5 courses) - 560,000, romantic dinner on the beach - 998,000 rupees.

shopping

You can buy paintings, national textiles, silver jewelry and other goods from merchants scurrying along the beach.

Other shopping places:

• Kuta Center: here they sell inexpensive clothes, Balinese souvenirs and trinkets;
• Discovery Shopping Mall: the shopping center has shops (electronics, famous brands, sportswear, watches, etc.), food establishments (Burger King, Baskin & Robin, Gold Stone, Chatime, Segara Asian Grill), cinema, hotel [email protected] Condotel, parking (motorcycle parking - 2000 rupees / hour, and car - 4000 rupees / 2 hours);
• Art Market: on sale - a lot of souvenirs, products made of genuine leather, handicrafts, jewelry, clothes, paintings, furniture;
• Night market Pasar Senggol: after sunset, you can enjoy guitar performances in the market, satisfy your hunger with street food (barbecue, noodle soup, smoked corn), get famous brand clothes, souvenirs and even vehicles, such as motorcycles.

Kuta or Nusa Dua

Looking for a quiet place for a family vacation with a measured atmosphere? Bet on Nusa Dua. The “target audience” of Nusa Dua is bathers, although surfers also ride here.

If you are a party goer and active rest, stop your choice on Kuta. There are many establishments ready to entertain visitors until the morning.

Love a comfortable stay? Head to Nusa Dua Beach: there are a lot of 5-star hotels concentrated on the local coast.

Low prices - an important factor? Make a choice in favor of Kuta.

Kuta or Seminyak

Seminyak is a prestigious and relatively calm beach, on the banks of which there are villas and 4-5-star hotels, so housing here is expensive. In this regard, Kuta wins over Seminyak.

Like Kuta, holidaymakers in Seminyak surf as waves are not uncommon here. But renting boards on the latter is more expensive than on the former.

Kuta or Canggu

Accommodation on Canggu Beach, like Kuta, is affordable, with some hotels on Canggu Beach having their own sun lounger areas.

Compared to Kuta, Canggu is not a crowded beach. In the mornings, you can meet only a few joggers and surfers here.

The waves on Canggu Beach are stronger than on Kuta, but in those rare moments when they are not, the beach is quite suitable for swimming.

Canggu Beach has a yoga school and food establishments for vegetarians and raw foodists.

Kuta or Sanur

Unlike Kuta - a beach with high waves, on Sanur with a convenient entrance to the water, there are no waves, and the coast is shallow, which is appreciated by vacationers with children.

Sanur is also suitable for those who do not like to relax in the company of active youth - there are no noisy entertainments here. Sanur is calmer and more respectable than Kut.

You should go to Sanur to go snorkeling and diving, swim, satisfy your hunger in coastal cafes, arrange a photo shoot in romantic gazebos, visit the waterfall and safari park closest to the beach.

Kuta or Jimbaran

Jimbaran is suitable for lovers of seafood dishes: you can try them in local fish restaurants that set up tables right on the sand.

Unlike Kuta, Jimbaran is aimed at couples with children - all thanks to warm water, clean shore and gentle entry into the water (the depth does not start immediately).

Kuta or Legian

Legian is more respectable than Kuta. This long beach becomes wider at low tide, which cannot but please lovers of jogging and leisurely walks.

If the price is important for you, then go to Kuta (a large selection of inexpensive accommodation), and if not, relax in Legian, where accommodation is more expensive.

Legian is an exclusively “surfer” beach: there are strong waves, and lifeguards will not allow you to enter the water without a surf - they will notify bathers about this with a loud whistle.

Weekly tours for two to Kuta Beach start at 113,680 rubles. Pay attention to Bakung Sari Resort & Spa, Bali Summer Hotel, Mercure Kuta Bali and other hotels.

The most developed is the central part of the coast, where the road begins, running parallel to the sea. There are most people here, sun loungers and umbrellas, a lot of boarding and a few daredevils who decide to swim among high waves. Also, peddlers of food, all sorts of souvenirs, etc. walk along the shore. Here on the beach you can order a massage.

Things to do in Kuta

There are no attractions near Kuta. From entertainment - a wonderful Waterboom water park with many slides and everything else. Admission is $31 for adults and $19 for children ages 2 to 12.

shopping

But shopping in Kuta is very good. There are markets, dozens of shops, supermarkets, shopping centers. You can buy food, clothes, shoes, electronics, souvenirs and everything else. Goods of famous brands and electronics are sold at the Discovery Shopping Mall (there are also attractions for children), a large selection of souvenirs at the Art Market, inexpensive clothes at the Kuta Center market. So the shops in Kuta provide a large field of activity for shoppers. If you want to grab a bite to eat, there are mini-markets everywhere, like Alfa Mart, where they sell chips, nuts, and other small things.

One of the best supermarkets is located in the Matahari shopping center. There you can buy vegetables, fruits, rice, eggs and even oatmeal. And all this at very low prices.

How to get to Kuta from Denpasar Airport

The best way to get to Kuta is by taxi, which you can order at the reservation desk in the arrivals area on the 1st floor in

Kuta is one of the most famous and oldest districts in Bali. Actually from here (along with Sanur) tourism began in Bali back in the 60s and 70s.

True, in those days, Kuta was then just a fishing village with a huge endless beach, small houses and unpaved narrow paths along which palm trees grew. Kuta in those years was chosen by tourists, surfers and hippies. Cheapness, rusticity and proximity to nature bribed.

Kuta has changed a lot since then, but one thing has remained unchanged: Kuta still attracts surfers from everywhere and everything is just as cheap and democratic here. Kuta in Bali is distinguished by the fact that there is no dress code here: neither in the afternoon nor in the evening :) Those who come here joyfully put on T-shirts, shorts, flip flops and joyfully stay here all their holidays. Outfits, heels, pants, etc. can be left at home. Here even in night club or you can come to the bar in flip-flops.

Why come to Kuta: hang out every day in huge number nightclubs, meet guys and girls from all over the world, eat cheap local food, don't spend a lot of money, never get bored for a second and, of course, learn to surf.

For more information about Kuta, see my video blog on youtube. Below are various useful information about where to live, where to eat and where to learn to surf.

Kuta. Hotels and inexpensive private hotels.

If you decide to settle in Kuta, then first you need to decide how important the comfort and modernity of your hotel room is to you.

There are many private hotels (guesthouses) in Kuta, which are kept by Balinese families and which are usually quite inexpensive: about $10-20 per room per night; comfort and cleanliness are appropriate. Most cheap guesthouses are located on Benesari, Poppies 1 and Poppies 2 (Poppies I and II) streets and in the neighborhood. You can come to Kuta without booking anything and find everything on the spot. Be sure to haggle on the price if you book locally.

Slightly more decent guesthouses cost about $30-40 per room (it will be clean, beautiful, comfortable; there will be hot water and air conditioning; and even possibly with a pool). By the way, almost always (even in cheap ones) breakfast is included in the price. But in cheap hotels it's local food and not much choice at all.

In the last couple of years, many modern small high-rise hotels (3-4 stars in terms of comfort) have also been built in Kuta. Prices start from $50-70 per night. But there you can expect complete comfort and European food for breakfast. There are such hotels along the beach street and on the main street of Legian.

Cafes and restaurants in Kuta

As I have already mentioned more than once everywhere, there are cafes and restaurants on every corner in Kuta. In general, everywhere is quite cheap. You can easily find a place where lunch will cost you $5-7. There are places that are cheaper (for example, the food court, which I talked about in the video).

In general, many cafes belong to the Balinese and you should not expect that if a pizza for $ 2 is declared on the menu of a cheap restaurant, then it will be as tasty and similar to a real pizza as in an expensive Italian restaurant. If you settled in Kuta, then it is better to leave your inflated requests for food at home :) But at the same time, this does not mean at all that Kuta has bad food. On the contrary, it is cheap and tasty here, you just need to eat more. local food.

By the way, if you are interested in local food, then be sure to read and use the foursquare map, where I marked good places (not only in Kuta) with decent local food.

Kuta beach

Kuta Beach is quite long; on the beach there are sun loungers, umbrellas, points of sale for drinks and in some places even local cheap food, there is also a rental of boards, etc. The beach is ordinary, nothing special. The breaking wave (wave along the shore) is quite strong, especially on the days of big waves, so it is not always possible to swim comfortably. But in principle it is possible.

By the way, leaving valuables unattended on the beach in Kuta is unsafe. Ordinary things will not be stolen, but all sorts of iPods and phones or cameras may well.

Sunbeds cost about $2-5 per day. Bargain :)

In Kuta itself, there are no hotels with their own beach. Since the beach is public and separated from the rest of Kuta by a street.

Nightlife and parties in Bali

Want to hang out and have fun every night? Welcome to Kuta! Again, you can forget about glamor, chic and brilliance. But you will never forget about funny surfer and other parties until dawn. In addition to small bars and various places throughout Kuta, all the main party life takes place on Legian Street. On a small stretch of Legian (between the intersections with Benesari and Poppies 1 streets), an endless number of nightclubs have been collected. The most popular of them are: SkyGarden, Bounty, Apache, Eikon, Espresso Bar, etc.

Many nightclubs have a happy hour around 10-11 pm and pour free cocktails or specials for a cocktail like redbull vodka for $1.5. It’s true that they usually have cheap local alcohol and they say that you can get poisoned with them: (In general, alcohol in Bali is expensive (due to local taxes) and a small bottle of local rum (by the way, I recommend brown Jamaica) costs $ 10. Beer in bars from 3 -5$ for a bottle of 0.33 l The choice of beer is small, almost everywhere there is only one brand - Bintang.

Surf lessons in Kuta

If you came to Kuta to learn how to surf - especially from scratch - then it is better to settle either in Kuta itself or closer to it. Kuta Beach is the main place for beginner surfers to learn. That is why there are so many here. Be sure to read mine, there are answers to many questions.

And although the waves in Kuta are considered quite suitable for learning, I don’t advise you to master surfing on your own: you won’t master it anyway, but you’ll just waste your time. The experience of many people shows that it is possible to master. Why? Just take my word for it now, and then you will understand why!

Practical Issues

In Kuta, everything is at hand: car and bike rentals, currency exchangers, ATMs, massage parlors, board rentals and surf shops. This is what Kuta is good for, if you even came here alone, then you don’t have to worry about where you will find something. Just walk down the street and everything immediately finds you :)

About, so I will write only for the price. Since Kuta is a tourist area and prices are often inflated due to the ignorance and inexperience of tourists, it is necessary to bargain here; well, know the prices in advance. Renting a regular scooter costs about $5 per day, if you rent for a long time, it's cheaper. The car costs from $20 per day. You don't need a driver's license to rent something.

Money it is better to change in official exchangers, which look like real exchangers and do just that. Any obscure exchange points inside shops and shops can deceive with the rate. You can withdraw money from ATMs in local rupees, ATMs issue banknotes of 50,000 or 100,000 rupees. You can withdraw a maximum of 2,500,000 rupees (and even then not in all ATMs). ATMs themselves usually do not take a commission, but your bank will take it. It is usually about 150 rubles for each withdrawal.

Massage parlors in Kuta on every corner. Prices for an hour of massage vary from $5 to $10. Many often complain that they do not do well everywhere; therefore, find “your” massage therapist empirically. Some trusted massage parlors - not only in Kuta - are on the foursquare map. But in good salons (where it is clean and tidy, and the massage is done with high quality), prices are usually $ 10-15 per hour. Of the inexpensive, but proven ones, this is Griya Bugar, which is located on the way to the airport.

The shops- both selling souvenirs and shops with clothes and surf brands - are in large numbers. That is, before a trip to Bali, you should not “buy” summer things at home, it’s better to buy everything here. It's pretty cheap and has a good selection. Well, surf brands like Quiksilver, Roxy, Billabong, Rip Curl and various others have opened in Kuta a large number of specialty shops where you can buy everything from flip flops and shorts, surfboards and special surfwear. For girls, in general, a separate paradise is the Surfer girl store in Legian; all possible surf brands are collected there. It seems to me that on my first trip to Bali, I brought a whole suitcase of clothes from there :)

Transport. You can get around Kuta on foot if you absolutely do not want to drive a scooter. But it is better to rent a scooter, because sooner or later you will want to get out of Kuta and go somewhere else. Distances to other places: to the airport - 15 minutes; to Seminyak - 10 minutes; to Uluwatu - 40 minutes, to Canggu - 30 minutes, to Sanur - 30 minutes, to Ubud - about an hour.

Map of Kuta (click to open in a separate window)

general information

Kuta, as well as its more "decent" and expensive northern neighbors - Legian, Seminyak and Kerobokan (as well as Tuban in the south)- offer a huge selection of hotels, restaurants and shops. There you will find the best Italian, French, Vegetarian, Greek, Spanish, Moroccan, Japanese, Korean, Indian and Indonesian restaurants, as well as shops with a fine selection of handicrafts, local ikat clothing, casual and beachwear in Balinese style.

Be sure to visit the beach, and even if you do not manage to avoid annoying merchants, it will still seem like a quiet, paradise after the bustling city. Do not swim beyond the flags displayed coast guard: Undercurrents and tides can be very dangerous. During sunset, when golden reflections flicker on the water, many locals like to walk along the beach or go canoeing. Young people organize beach soccer or join tourists playing volleyball, while zealous masseurs catch another wave of clients. The night offers a new choice: you can go shopping, go to a restaurant, hang out in a crowd outside a pub, or wait until midnight when the clubs open.

Hippies opened Kuta for tourists in the 60s of the last century. Cheap lodgings, marijuana expanse and hallucinogenic mushrooms have attracted thousands of long-haired romantics from the generation of "flower children" here. Later, the most enterprising of them opened the first hotels and restaurants. Soon, the greedy all-pervading hand of mass tourism, mainly Australian, reached out to Kuta. The hippies retreated to the quieter Legian. In the 80s, the tourist fever swept over Bali and turned Kuta, Legian and Seminyak into one big den. However, each of these three components has its own specialization.

Kuta is preferred by lovers of inexpensive and noisy holidays with a rich nightlife and tough shopping. The beaches are crowded with all sorts of rubbish traders, onlookers and lovers of the original photographs of “me in the background of the sunset”, “me in the background of the sea” and “me in the background of surfers”. The surfers themselves walk importantly with their painted boards, willingly pose under the admiring glances of the girls, but they are in no hurry to swim towards the waves. Unfortunately, such pandemonium does not contribute to the cleanliness of the beach. In the evening, Kuta blooms with myriad lights. On Jl street. Kartika Plaza female tourists are attracted by an irresistible force in the face of the shopping center of the same name. It is surrounded on all sides by restaurants, hotels and the Waterbom water amusement park. The street ends with another Kuta Square shopping mall with Matahari and Kuta Galleries department stores. Further north, Kuta splits into two parallel streets - Jl. Pantai Kuta along the beach and Jl. Legian, interconnected by narrow lanes. Souvenir shops, inexpensive sportswear and surfer accessories are in abundance here. Jl. Pantai Kuta, turning 90° from the beach, intersects with Jl. Legian and forms the small but very remarkable Bemo Corner square (bemo corner), on which bemo randomly accumulate, leaving for Legian, Seminyak and other surroundings. The bemo parking lot to Denpasar is 50 m from here, on Jl. Raya Kuta. If you walk further along this street, you can find the tourist information office "Badung Tourist Office" (Jl. Raya Kuta, 2. Mon-Thu 8.00-15.00, run 8.00-12.00). However, besides polite smiles, its employees cannot help in any way, and advertising brochures can be typed in any hotel.

As evening approaches, various dark personalities go on the offensive, vying with each other offering their dubious services. They are convinced that a tourist should buy drugs from them, pick up a girl of easy virtue and go with her in a taxi to a fish restaurant. In any case, this threatens the simpletons with at least a loss of money. Noisy and busy at first J1. Pantai Kuta, lit up with the lights of the Hard Rock Cafe, empties midway through into the territory of boring 4- and 5-star hotels.

But on Jl. Legian and the surrounding lanes are teeming with life. Bars with live music coexist with shops, Internet cafes, rental offices and other joys of youth - the main contingent of Kuta. Discos "Bounty" and "Bounty-2" after nine o'clock in the evening are filled with Europeans and Australians, "terrible on the face, kind inside." Not far from them rises "Monument of Human Tragedy" - a monument to the victims of the terrorist attack in 2002 in the "Sari" club, and Memorial plaque with the names of the dead, against which those who are more fortunate love to be photographed.

Further north, Kuta flows smoothly into Legian, formerly a separate fishing village. There are fewer people here average age the public passes over 30, the waves on the beach are higher than in Kuta. Legian is for those who like a quieter vacation, but if they want to, they don’t mind having fun, since you can walk to the same Kuta on foot or take a taxi for 1-2 dollars. Legian beach is not separated by a road from the hotels and is not so littered. Not far from the Jl. Legian and Jl. Melasti, a living reproach to prudence, rises the Bali Bangi design for jumping upside down on a rubber band. In the evening, the wealthy crowd gathers in the famous Goa 2001 club, smoothly flowing after midnight into the no less stylish The 66. But this is already the territory of Seminyak - perhaps the most fashionable Bali resort now.

It has a good infrastructure, gourmet restaurants and clubs, as well as the last resort for lovers of the so-called privacy - villas for rent. Noisy companies and honeymoon couples rent houses with a swimming pool, surrounded by a high fence of lush tropical vegetation. A villa can be fashionable and expensive, it can be modest and cozy, but they have one thing in common - absolute security from prying eyes. It offers guests cooks, servants and other whims that can only be obtained for money. The cost of renting small villas is comparable to a room in a good hotel with an incomparable level of comfort and that same “privacy”. The seclusion of the cottage village with all the advantages of urban infrastructure around is the trump card of Seminyak, which has recently attracted more and more vacationers with medium and high incomes. Many houses and apartments are owned by Australian-European expats who have chosen Bali as their permanent residence. They also often own local restaurants and clubs, so the level of service and prices tend to western counterparts. On the northern outskirts of the village rises a small temple Pura Petitenget (Pura Petitenget) founded by the legendary Nirartha (daytime visit, offering).

The coast north of Seminyak, from Petitenget to Berewa and Canggu, is built up with rare expensive hotels and is only suitable for a quiet, quiet holiday and surfing. The currents near the coast are so strong that swimming for unprepared tourists is possible only in the pools, which the hotel staff honestly warns them about.

In general, the resort of Kuta - Legian - Seminyak is designed exclusively for surfers and inexpensive entertainment. Those wishing to spend their holidays on the beach, swimming and sunbathing, it is better to look for other places, of which there are plenty in Bali, thank Brahma.

Surfing

The 8 km coastline of Kuta - Legian - Seminyak is ideal for beginners. Waves are higher in Legian, especially at high tide. South of Kuta, there is a reef of the same name, where surfers are brought by boat, there are excellent left-hand waves. For emergency assistance on the beach in Kuta there is a rescue station, whose attendants play football and start tricks with girls. The village is full of Surfer's Delight shops, but the prices are high. Board rental for a day costs from 30,000 Rp per day.

Surfing lessons can be obtained at special courses in Kuta. The most famous:

• Rip Curl School of Surf (Jl. Pantai Arjuna, Blue Ocean Hotel, www.schooIofsurf.com).
• Odyssey's Surf School (Jl. Pantai Kuta, near Poppies lane 1, www.odysseysurfschool.com).

The cost of a day lesson is about $40, three-day courses with an instructor for open water cost four times as much.

The best time for training is the wet season, when the waves are shallow and do not try to cover the beginner with his head. During the dry season from April to October, the waves get higher and turn into pipes - it's time to feel like a dashing rider from surf commercials! Rescuers at this time put aside tricks with girls and work in the sweat of their brow, pulling out conquerors of waves that have swallowed water. Despite their efforts, the sea annually takes its tribute. The season reaches its peak in July - August, when many uninformed tourists from Russia who come to Kuta are surprised to find that it is absolutely impossible to swim without a board. At the same time, surfing competitions have been held for a quarter of a century.

Night clubs

Kuta and Seminyak are the heart of night Bali, its pulsating rhythm and dancing until you drop. Nowhere else can you find as many noisy parties as flowing in the belly of their lanes and the main dance artery of Legian Street. Top Clubs, the best DJs and the latest music have made Kuta famous as the most fun place in all of Indonesia.

shopping

If Kuta is considered the main shopping area in Bali, then the Discovery and Matahari supermarkets in Tuban are its main pillars. Many small shops in Kartika Plaza, Pantai Kuta and Legian offer summer and sportswear from local and international brands, surf, snorkel and dive equipment, as well as an incredible selection of souvenirs and handicrafts. In the lanes of Poppies-1 and Poppies-2 you can find shops for surfers, books, CDs with music and movies. Souvenirs, batik and art can be bought at the Art Market in Legian (Jl. Melasti).

experienced hands

Beach masseurs in Kuta are a whole organization, some masters have been working here for over twenty years. During the hot part of the day, of course, they prefer to do their business in the shade of a canopy. Before starting the massage, they negotiate a price and make sure there is no sand on you, on the mat or on their hands, otherwise you will feel like you are being rubbed with sandpaper. Massage is central to Bali's healing practices. The "beach" version is the most primitive; most expensive hotels and spas will offer highly qualified services to you.

Tuban, Legian and Seminyak

Kuta Beach can be understood as a small area around the village itself, as well as the entire coast, stretching from the airport north to Legian and beyond. Kuta's neighbors are separate, more comfortable places. In Tuban Beach, which is located south, there are many large hotels, a huge shopping center, a water park loved by many families with water slides and a pool. The beach and streets are quieter in every way, but ocean pollution can be an issue.

Legian, adjacent to Kuta in the north, looks very much like it at first glance: along Jalan Melasti, Jalan Yudistira and Jalan Raya there are also many places to dine, drink and dance. The most idyllic time on Legian Beach is sunrise; surfers show up here with the first rays to try and ride the wave.

Further north is stylish and bustling Seminyak, home to some of the best boutiques and home goods stores on the island, as well as superb restaurants, bars, nightclubs, spas, first-class hotels and luxury villas. Compared to Kuta, the beach is calmer here. Luxurious apartments and chic nightlife attract a respectable audience, mainly from Europe. This place most clearly testifies to how the island has changed in recent years.