Kuta is without doubt the busiest place in Bali, with something to do for everyone who visits, regardless of their age or interests. It is also a place that is more westernized than most other places in Bali, which means that it is the perfect town to visit first and acclimatize to the local customs and traditions, before heading off to the other towns and attractions that this magnificent island has to offer. So, before heading off to explore though, what is there to see and do in this vibrant town?
Kuta Beach
The most noticeable part of Kuta is the beach and this is the place that the majority of tourists visiting Bali will end up in for at least one day of their vacation. The beach is covered in perfect white sand and waves gently roll towards the holidaymakers, all of whom are relaxing on the sand, topping up their tan before heading out into the town later on in their best clothes. Although Kuta can often be described as hectic and garish, this beach represents a slice of paradise in an otherwise busy area.
Other than sunbathing, there are a number of other activities that can be carried out on the beach as well, with the most popular of these being surfing. There are better places in Bali to surf, but nowhere has the proliferation of surf instructors and facilities as Kuta, therefore meaning it is perfect to learn how to handle the waves before trying a new surfing spot. There is also the chance to engage in a number of other watersports, such as jet skiing and water skiing. Essentially, the beach is a playground for all those who love the sea!
Kuta is famed for its nightlife and is the place to be for the younger generation. With loads of bars and nightclubs, many of which open until the early hours of the morning, there are infinite opportunities to meet new people, dance on different dance floors and drink all kinds of strange and exotic alcoholic beverages! Don’t worry though, as they do serve standard drinks as well!
Of all the nightclubs in the area, the two largest are the Hard Rock Café and Kamasutra, both of which are full to bursting every night with eager holidaymakers looking to squeeze the most enjoyment possible out of every hour of the day. Although Hard Rock Café is more westernized than Kamasutra, they are both almost exclusively visited by holidaymakers – Balinese natives prefer to head to the bars away from the expensive shoreline. That isn’t to say that you can’t go to the more Balinese bars too – in fact, they offer a real insight into the way that people live in this town and also cost a lot less as well!
Culture
Kuta isn’t as well-known as other places, such as Ubud, for having important places to visit and for catering to the more cultured crowd, but there are still a number of different places to visit if this is what you are looking for. Be warned though, as unlike other places, there will be lots of hawkers and distractions as you look around!
There are a number of different temples to be found in the locality and getting to them is easy – simply hire a taxi or even jump on a bike. Either way, they are both cheap and, although not the most comfortable, should get you there in one piece! As with the other temples in Bali, most are dedicated to Hinduism and were built to give thanks to the various different gods and goddesses.
Kuta also provides a number of traditional dance spectacles for tourists to watch and these take place every night throughout the city. Perhaps the most spectacular of these is the Kecak performance, which is considered to be the best in the whole of this immensely cultured island. To really get a feel for the way that the Balinese like to celebrate, ensure that you drop in on one of these spectacular performances.
Kuta has a number of different restaurants and other eateries and is also the best place in Bali to find food from a number of different cultures. There is everything from Indonesian, Japanese, Indian, Western and Chinese, mainly thanks to the multicultural nature of this part of the island. Most of the food is also incredibly cheap as well, meaning that everyone can fill their stomachs for just a small amount of money!
To really know what it is like to live on this island, you have to sample some of the food that is sold from the stalls at the side of the road. Although it might not always look appealing, it is generally extremely tasty and will also cost next to nothing – which makes it the perfect mid-afternoon snack!
