Top Oz Tours offers a great range of Bali tours and experiences. You can browse the options here.
The Indonesian island of Bali is home to stunning mountain panoramas, cascading rice paddies, and blue water beaches that draw sun junkies from across the globe.
For many visitors, a Balinese holiday begins and ends in the cosmopolitan resort centres on the southern tip of the island — Kuta Beach, Legian, Seminyak, and up-and-coming Canggu — which offer sophisticated accommodation options, amazing cuisine, cutting edge retail, chic beach bars, and pumping nightspots.
But despite the constant buzz here, it’s not hard to connect with a more traditional Bali. At the heart of it all is a strong belief in family and friendships, and a rich culture that promotes harmony and respect. Hindu temples sit side by side with mosques and Christian churches, and you’ll see canang sari (traditional offerings in the form of small woven baskets filled with flowers, food, and a solitary incense stick) everywhere.
Here’s a checklist of our top ten things to do in Bali on a first visit to Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak.
Browse Bali tours and experiences
1. Learn about local culture at Bali Museum
Bali’s culture is strongly influenced by mythology and religious beliefs, and expressed through art, music, and dance. To gain a basic understanding of this cultural heritage, pay a visit to Museum Negeri Propinsi — often referred to simply as Bali Museum — in the capital Denpasar. Housed across several pavilions, the collection encompasses around 10,000 artefacts, and includes exquisite textiles, paintings, ancient sculptures, ceremonial clothing, and much more. A taxi from Kuta will take about half an hour if the traffic gods smile upon you.
2. See a performance of Barong dance
It’s also worth seeing a performance of traditional Barong dance, which portrays a duel between good and evil. Accompanied by an ensemble of singers and musicians (drums, gongs, and xylophones), dances are staged daily at various locations close to the main tourist hubs. Speak to your hotel concierge to find the nearest option and arrange transport.
3. Visit a temple
Bali is dotted with thousands of Hindu temples, which are places of peace and sanctuary. Western visitors are generally welcome in the outer courtyard of a temple, but the inner sanctum is reserved for prayer by practicing Hindus. You must show respect and cover from your shoulders down to your knees.
The most popular religious sites to visit are Ulun Danu Beratan lake temple, Tirta Empul water temple, Tanah Lot (where ebbing tides allow you to visit the temple before it’s cut off again by the rising sea), and Mount Kawi (where stone carvings have been dated back to the 11th century).
4. See the sunset fire dance at Uluwatu
Plan a sunset visit to Uluwatu temple to see the Kecak — a fiery cultural presentation of dance and drama, which in contrast to the Barong is accompanied only by male chanting. The clifftop setting is atmospheric to say the least, and flaming torches and the sound of crashing waves far below help set the scene. The performance takes place daily at 6pm, but it’s best to arrive early. Booking a tour package will ensure that all the logistics are covered.
5. Hit the beach…
Nothing says ‘I’m in Bali’ quite like a beach massage or haggling for trinkets with the many hawkers plying their trade along the beachfront. The beaches in front of major resorts tend to be cleaner and better appointed, but publicly accessible strips of shoreline will usually have sun lounges and umbrellas for hire along with a pop-up bar of some description. If you don’t want to be hassled by the hawkers, offer a polite smile and a shake of the head, then disengage (having a book handy to bury yourself in works wonders).
6. …or a beach club
Level up at a schmick beach club like Finns on Canggu’s Berawa surf beach. Here you can spend your day completely cocooned from the outside world. Order a cocktail from the swim-up bar, feast on a range of international cuisines, or simply relax on the shoreline as resident DJs spin chilled tunes.
Nearby Finns Recreation Club (formerly the Canggu Club) boasts a waterpark, trampoline centre, ten pin bowling alley, and much more. You can buy day passes for either of the Finns venues, or combine time at both. Kids are well catered for and all activities are supervised.
7. Eat at a local institution
Whether it’s traditional fare served at a humble warung (a small family-run restaurant) or posh nosh dished up by one of Seminyak’s flashest eateries, the food in Bali never fails to impress. Situated in the heart of Kuta, popular Poppies restaurant has been in business since 1973 — and for good reason. The garden setting is a delight and the menu of Balinese specialities draws regular diners time and time again. Babi guling (spit roasted pork) — the island’s signature dish — is a must-try if it’s on the specials list. If not, you’ll just have to come back a second time!
8. Get a great massage
If you’re after some me-time on a massage table, Bali has that covered. Day spas line most major thoroughfares and it’s simply a matter of deciding which venue you like the look of. Stylish Spring Spa — which has five locations in Bali (including in Seminyak) — was previously named best spa in Indonesia by the World Spa Awards.
9. Do a day trip to Ubud
When planning any day trip in Bali, don’t overestimate the amount of ground you can cover. The roads are narrow and traffic across the island is horrendous. Something may only be ten kilometres away on a map, but getting there could well take hours.
While it’s a popular day trip destination from Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak, the hillside town of Ubud is a case in point. It’s a distance of roughly 30 kilometres, but the trip will take you at least two hours each way. However, your patience in the car will be rewarded. Surrounded by emerald-green rice paddies, Ubud is home to some of the best shopping in Bali — alongside attractions like the Sacred Monkey Forest and its centuries-old temples. Just make sure the vehicle you book is a comfortable one!
10. Get social over sundowners
After a hard day of sightseeing there’s nothing better than kicking back with a cool drink in hand at sunset. Head for popular La Plancha Beach Bar and Restaurant in Seminyak, where bean bags spill out onto the beach (think Ibiza’s Cafe del Mar and you have it in one!). Alternatively, make your way to cliff-hugging El Kabron, with its chic vibe, infinity pool, and killer cocktail list.
Need a place to stay?
Mercure Bali Legian
Mercure Bali Legian is perfectly positioned for enjoying the beaches, boutiques, and bars of Kuta and Legian. Trust us, you can’t get much closer to the action than this. There are several room types on offer, including the Deluxe King Rooms with plunge pools. They serve private villa vibes, but offer the convenience of hotel facilities.
Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana
Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana offers a deluxe stay right on Legian Beach. If one of the newly renovated Premium Deluxe Ocean View rooms is available, snap it up! Decorated in earthy tones and featuring a king bed, these rooms guarantee an uninterrupted ocean view from the generously sized balcony.
The Oberoi Beach Resort Bali
The Oberoi Bali’s 60 luxury Lanai rooms and 14 sumptuous Villas sit among stunning gardens on a 500-metre stretch of beachfront in Seminyak. The hotel is traditional in style, and prides itself on discrete and attentive service.
The writer travelled as a guest of Mercure Bali Legian, Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana, and The Oberoi Beach Resort Bali.
Browse our range of Bali tours and experiences here.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of the top things to do in Bali on a first visit? We would love to hear from you. Join the conversation on our Facebook page.
Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
As a travel blogger and photographer, Neil Brook travels the world looking to meet interesting people, taste great food, and find different angles from which to write about his adventures. He is privileged to have lived in Australia, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom. More a traveller than a tourist, Neil prefers to mix with the locals, learn their history and culture, and walk the backstreets to uncover hidden gems worthy of praise in words or quiet moments of private reflection.
Travel essentials
You can book many aspects of your holiday on the Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas website, including flights, hotels, car hire, travel insurance, and more. When you purchase a product or service using the following links from our partners, we receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay, and it enables us to continue to provide readers with amazing travel inspiration.
Flights
Compare airlines, flights, and fares in one place with Booking.com. They don’t charge any credit card fees and you can always see exactly what you’re paying for in the price breakdown. You can book one-way, round-trip, and multi-city flights, and change your travel dates with ease when you opt for a flexible ticket option (an additional cost applies). It all adds up to a great flight! Search for flights with Booking.com
Hotels
If you’re looking for a great deal on your next hotel or homestay, look no further than Booking.com. Their mission is to make travel affordable and accessible to more people, and to deliver seamless accommodation experiences that complement your holiday. Search for hotels and homestays with Booking.com
Car hire
Discover Cars is an award-winning (World Travel Awards) car rental comparison website, which helps customers find, compare, and hire cars at the most competitive prices globally. Search for hire cars with Discover Cars
Day tours & experiences
Search and book day tours, guided experiences, and attraction tickets and passes worldwide with Top Oz Tours and Viator. There are no booking or credit card fees when you book through us, and you’ll have access to the widest choice of activities and most competitive prices. Browse day tours and experiences
Multi-day tours & trips
Top Oz Tours has joined forced with Tour Radar to bring you a fabulous range of multi-day tours and trips from the world’s leading operators. Travel with like minded people and get the best possible price on the holiday of your dreams. Browse multi-day tours and trips
Travel insurance
World Nomads aims to be a part of every traveller’s journey by providing a reassuring range of travel insurance services. Benefits include coverage for emergency medical and evacuation or repatriation, lost baggage, trip cancellation, and more than 150 adventure activities. Get an insurance costing
