Best Places to Visit in Kuta of 2017

In Kuta, amidst the glorious beach destinations and colourful streets, there is a cultural landmark, Vihara Dharmayan Kuta Temple. It is an old Chinese Buddhist temple located at a distance of 1 km east from Kuta’s main coastal area. Its other names are Kongco Leeng Gwan Kuta, Kongco Kuta etc. Its location forces the temple remain unnoticeable but when you take a stroll around the place will show you the bright combination of red walls and murals easily.

History of the Temple: The temple’s emergence dates back 1876 and it acts as a great opportunity to know the history of Kuta well. Though its age is more than centuries, it is kept well maintained by the local devotees. The Chinese descents visit the temple regularly for prayers and rituals and during Lunar New Year, they will come for special communal activities.

Structure of the Temple: The main structures of the temple displays an intricate eastern style architecture and features a vivid sight which does not make its age obvious. The courtyard is built with utmost care so that extends peace and tranquility all the time. The fragrant smoke coming out of the courtyards give the atmosphere a pure spiritual energy. Baktisala is the dominant structure of the temple which has large lanterns in round shape hanging from the roof that is supported by red coloured pillars.

Dharmasala, located next to Baktisala is also an important structure but small where family prayers happen in front of comparatively smaller relics. There is a large banyan tree opposite to Baktisala where people sit for worshipping the Four Faced Buddha. Next, to it, there is a small moat as well and it gives space to turtles.

Timing: 09:00 am to 08:00 pm on all days

A perfect 3D museum or a house of Illusion art which has started in Korea and currently the important piece of attraction in Bali is Dream Museum Zone. The numerous trick arts appear in the museum make its fame glitter. At the entrance itself you can experience the mind-blowing illusion trickery and as you enter the interiors you will be bewitched to see the labyrinth of an Egyptian pyramid.

You will be taken to immerse into the world of imagination and then you will be lead to witness a never expected scenario. Places from Venice to Egypt to the Amazon you will come across and you will unknowingly pose for the best shots of your life. There are 120 art pieces created by renowned illusion artists belong to Korea.

Highlight: Among the attractions, Renaissance and Luminescence pavilions steal the hearts of anyone visiting here. The Renaissance pavilion has a lot of parodies of famous paintings. Mona Lisa carrying a fruit basket or Van Gogh standing with shaving foam or different animal themes paintings are all making the interior quite amusing. You are free to pose as you are really in these places or situations as the 3-dimensional illusion art makes everything look like alive.

Timings: 09:00 am to 10:00 pm on all days.

Entry fee: USD 10 is the entry fee per person.

Location: Jl. Nakula No. 33X, Legian. It is located at a distance of 1.6 kms from Seminyak.

The one and only museum for preserving the precious shell varieties with amazing colors, shapes, and sizes in the Indonesian archipelago is the Shell Museum that was started in 2009. The museum proudly displays 100-year-old fossilized specimens as well and items crafted out of the shells.

Highlights: There are three floors and they preserve the abundant collection of seashells from Indonesia as well as from different parts of the world and the museum consistently grabbed the attention of conchologist or normal tourists and locals from the moment it was opened. The first floor is made gorgeous with a gallery of lamps, home ware and other similar items made out of shells and mother of pearl and you can purchase the most beautiful and intricate items here.

The second floor has an enormous collection of ancient fossils of different sizes and shapes. Among them, the Madagascan cephalopods that are estimated to be more than 300 million years old are also included.

Also, you will see the specimens of extinct marine invertebrates, trilobites etc here. Finally, on the third floor, more colorful items are places to admire like sea urchins, starfish, sharks etc. Totally, there are around 10000 shells and more than 100 fossils sheltered under the roof of this museum.

The room temperature and humidity levels are maintained properly to keep the specimens without decaying or getting damaged. The lighting inside the museum is moderated to prevent the specimens from discolouration. It provides an educational alternative to the common dining, surfing, shopping etc.

Opening hours: The museum will be open on all days from 09:30 am to 09:30 pm

Location: The address of the museum is Jalan Sunset Road 819, Kuta.

The Ground Zero Memorial or Monument was opened in order to pay tribute to those who killed during the massive bomb explosions happened in Kuta in 2002. It came into existence in the year of 2004, on October 12. During the bomb explosion led by Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group, three types of bombs were used claiming 202 lives including people from Australia in a large number, from Bali and other 20 nationalities.

People from different parts of the world come to the memorial to mourn the death of their friends and relatives.

Structure of the Monument: The monument exhibits the name of all those who died during the bombing and there are 22 flagpoles arrayed near the stone that represent the 22 nationalities of people who lost their lives. Also, there is a pool with a fountain in front of it. People come every year from different nations to commemorate the death of their beloved and pray for their souls.

But currently, the condition of the monument is worse as it was not maintained well and cleaned. The pool has green algae in it and diminished the beauty. The flagpoles are empty and the beautiful stone carving decayed by mould. But people hope the Government will retain the monument since it is the major place where people from all over the world will come every year to pay tribute.

Location: The monument is located in the center of Kuta. Walk east from Kuta Beach for 10 minutes approximately and then you are at the monument. You can also visit the Beach Walk Mall, the Bali Sea Turtle Society etc near.

Circus Water Park Bali is the first family theme park in Bali and it is located close to Ngurah Ra airport. There are multiple fun rides exclusively for kids as well as adults. Wave slider, Spiral Slider and Speed Spiral Slider are for adults while Pinisi Boat, Mini Spiral Slider, Spill Bucket, Mini Speed Racer and water plaza are for kids. There are four extensive pools with pure water and proper safety. The park is an authentic station for those who love to have some adrenaline pumping activities with the family.

Highlights: The park is not big as other water parks but it is a great spot to enjoy special occasions like Birthday parties for kids. The circus clowns found in the park extend the happiest time your kid can have at the park.

Entry tickets:

     -Star Package (25 kids minimum) - Rp. 99000/kid
     -Sun Package (25 kids minimum) – Rp. 89000/kid

Timing: Monday to Sunday: 09:00 am to 06:00 pm.

Location: Jalan Raya Kediri. It is located about 5 minutes away from Ngurah Rai Airport.

Jalan Legian Street a.k.a Legian Street is one of the most crowded, flamboyant areas in Kuta. It is the principal walking street located at the most popular beach resort area. It arrays a variety of good shops, bars, hotels and clubs on either side. Kuta and Seminyak are connected by this street. Shoppers or stroll lovers can be found anytime on the street, be it daytime or night. The street becomes lively around 11:00 pm and the roads will be buzzed and filled with enormous traffic till 4:00 am.

Legian Street is a great place for partying and socializing. The shops on the sides will give you countless options to buy colourful stuff but the initial price tags given by the shopkeepers would be inflated. But you can get them at a feasible price after decent bargaining.

Highlights: Daytime shopping centers and night time dining spots are the predominant places brimming with a huge crowd always. The spas and massage shops also will welcome you with a warm heart to experience the best therapies available in Bali. In addition to these, there are major outlets of famous brands where you can buy things at the retail price.

You can visit the Ground Zero Monument which is situated at the southern end of the street. Or else, you will be led to Kuta Beach which can give you an awesome time of leisure. Rip Curl Legian Surf Shop, the Kopi Pot in Bali, Mama’s German Restaurant in Bali, Five Monkeys Bali etc are some of the top notched shops, clubs and dining stations in Legian.

Timing: The Street will be opening its eyes around 11:00 pm at night and extends till it is early morning and this is one of the reasons why visitors love to stroll around Legian Market when they visit Bali.

Location: Legian is located in Kuta and between Kuta and Seminyak. You can reach there from the airport by a prepaid taxi and the drive will take around 20 minutes.

Those looking for a change, transformation, and spiritual awakening, apart from travelling to one of the world’s most affordable and beautiful town, travel to Ubud in Indonesia. It is a home to great culture, food, restaurants, sightseeing, spirituality, and travel. The Hollywood movie, Eat, Pray, Love was shot in Ubud. Ubud is mostly a retreat for yoga, meditation, and many wellness and adventure activities. It is an adventurer’s delight. The green pastures flanked by water bodies and clear sky are enough to set your body clock to the right timing. You can fine tune your bodily vibes and energies when you visit Ubud.

You can as well take a short course in ayurvedic medicine and yoga, live in cottages and resorts, go shopping, and have a great time well spent in this part of Indonesia. The festivals of Ubud are the most vibrant and colorful. Commuting within Ubud is easy by hiring a bike and driving around the town all by yourself. Ride paddy fields, historical places, and dense forests make Ubud one of the most popular tourist’s places to visit in Indonesia. You can attend the beach parties and enjoy the Balinese dance in this town of Ubud in central Bali.

Hectic, Burgeoning and Sprawling – the capital of Bali, has been the nerve center of the island’s wealth and growth in the last half a century. For some, it may look like an appalling or a disorganized place but if you spend a little time on its boulevards in the comparatively affluent government and business district of Renon, you’ll discover a rather more ostentatious side of the city.

The port town situated in the northern region of Bali, Singaraja serves as the seat for the Buleleng Regency. The name literally translates into Lion King in Indonesian. Singaraja also served as the Dutch capital of Bali between the years 1849 and 1953.

The second largest city in Bali, the place consists of a population of over 120,000 people. This destination is covered with greenery that lines the very streets of the place and surviving Dutch colonial buildings that make up for a very charming scenario. The waterfront area that is located in the north of Jl Erlangga is worth exploring too. People spend hours by this charmingly sleepy waterfront as it emits a soothing experience.

Another chief attraction of Singaraja is Lovina – which is not exactly located within the city but merely a few miles away from it.

Singaraja held great importance during the time of Dutch rule as the city helped the latter to remain in administrative dominance in the whole of Bali. In fact, Singaraja now remains to be among those few places that consists of minutely visible traces of the Dutch, Chinese and the Islamic influence. After years of revolving and re-emerging, Singaraja is today recognized as one of the most important centres for education and culture.

There are only two airports in the whole of Bali. The other one is being debated to be built in the Kubutambahan region of Bali which lies east of Singaraja – making it extremely convenient for travellers to visit this place.

Gianyar is primarily known to the rest of the world as a regency situated in the Indonesian province of Bali. While the area doesn’t hold a great space, it certainly holds varied activities and experiences for visitors – especially those visiting for the first time.

One of the primary attractions in Gianyar is the town of Ubud. It is referred to as the ultimate hub of art and tourism. Gianyar is rich not only in terms of wealth, but the kind of experiences it offers to every one who are interested in a quick weekend getaway.

Not only will the travellers be able to enjoy the comfort and luxury at the endless top-rated resorts and hotels of Gianyar but also seamlessly understand the rich prevailing culture of the destination.

Kintamani is a land surrounded by beautiful captivating lively green nature lying in the lap of Indonesia. It is situated at the western edge of Bali. It has gained its fame throughout the world for its most adventurous dramatic view of volcano Mount Batur and charming serene beauty of the Batur Lake.

There are six ancient villages around the cauldron of Batur Lake. These villages are famous as Bali aga village, for their culture, houses and lifestyle of the villagers. Most of the villagers are employees of industrial tourism companies. If one shows respect to the villagers they become very friendly.

Kintamani encompasses a massive land of Mount Batur Caldera, Penelokan, Toya Bungkah, Batur, Kedisan, Abung, Songan and Kintamani villages that sits like a ring around the huge Batur Caldera. As it is, more or less, 1500 m above the sea level, the temperature remains around 15° and even losses down more at night. This cloudy n drizzly pleasurable weather helps to rejuvenate one and gives a romantic impact. Alike the lake and volcano, another tourist attraction of Kintamani is Pura Ulun Danu Batur, a nine directional temple.

Wondering about your stay in Kintamani? There are a lot of hotels in Kintamani that will offer you cosy and comfortable stays such as Kedisan Resort and Resto Apung, Lake View Ecolodge, Hotel Segara, Toya Devasya Natural Hot Spring and Resort, and many others. If you are a complete foodie, you can dine at any of the restaurants in Bali out there like Pulu Mujung Warung, The Amora Bali, Etc.

If you love partying at night, Bali will surely entertain you with a great nightlife. Unfortunately, there is no known nightclub in Kintamani Village. The nightclubs and bars that are really famous in Bali are Kunti Shraya, Kecak Fire and Trance Dance, Rock Bar at Ayana Resort and Spa, etc.

For shopaholics, avoid the yelling vendors trying to sell you all rubbish. Buy fresh fruits instead. A special local orange called Jeruk Kintamani is a must have there. The fruit with citrus flavours is delicious.

Munduk Langki is situated in the Northern Coast hemisphere of Bali. This location makes up for the perfect holiday destination especially given how exotic the place truly is and the numerous, varied experiences that visitors can avail. This village encompasses for an over-all unassuming and is filled with beautiful buildings that hold great secrets.

Munduk Langki’s climate varies but more times than often, one can find a cooler climate prevailing in this village. Due to the given flora and fauna that can be discovered in this location, activities such as trekking through forested hills and hidden villages is among the most favourable things to do in Munduk Langki. One will often find Dutch-built assortment of houses and colonial-style buildings to appreciate that are typically scattered throughout the place.

Tourism wise there is a lot to this place than meets the eye. There is no worrying when it comes to staying in this location. There are a number of home-stays, hotels, restaurants or resorts that you can choose from and are located quite close to the heart of this beautiful town. Moreover, when it comes to basic amenities such as food – such things are well taken care of by the locals. There are so many activities one can indulge in while at this place.

Nusa Lembongan was once the realm of shack staying surfers. Today, it definitely has hit the high point. True, you can very well get a simple room overlooking the beautiful sunsets and the surf breaks but you also have a choice to stay in one of those choicest boutique resort and relish on a scrumptious meal. The growth here has been phenomenal.

This is no way restricts the growth and the planning for future years in Nusa Lembongan. It is a burgeoning Bali island that only gets popular with each passing year. Well, this does not dismiss the fact that Nusa Lembongam is still a mellow place. However, this new found richness for the beautiful island of Indonesia is definitely paving way for substantial changes here. Some of them being: Several young boys riding around in their motorcycles to school, almost all the temples being refurbished and renovated and the remainder in the line, high end supremely comfortable luxury resorts being introduced and the time being marked by the arrival of the tourist boats (that come on package tours) rather than by the fall of a coconut or crow of a rooster. Hopefully, with the passage of years, it will get more popular as a tourist attraction in Indonesia.

Uluwatu is known as the surfer’s haven in Bali. They have the most beautiful cliff top resorts, luxurious villas, and mesmerizing beaches. Located to the South of Bali, it attracts many surfers from around the world every year. The temples of this place are the most beautiful and located in scenic landscapes. If you do not want to surf, you can eat, drink, enjoy the view, go beach walking, and relax at these stunning beaches. Considered one of the best romantic getaways, you can visit this resort town in Bali to get the best of sightseeing.

There are many tourists places to visit in Uluwatu. You can get breathtaking panoramic view at the cliff tops, hike near the caves, discover many hidden beaches, and take photographs of the stunning monuments and temples at this place. You can also check out the reefs, deep water swells if you are an experienced swimmer, and surf at these beaches. You can attend the beach parties, stay in the pool villas, and make the most of your holidays in Bali by visiting Uluwatu. There is one of the most sacred temple situated at this peninsula region that is said to protect Bali from evil.

Tampaksiring is a temple town in the northern part of the Denpasar city in Bali. Those who are interested in the architecture and cultural tours can visit this town for its temples and natural beauty. There are some good restaurants and places to stay in this town that serve home cooked food. You can visit this town during the day and go on sightseeing trips. The Tirta Empul is the famous temple in this town. It has sacred waters in which pilgrims take a dip. This town has a spiritual community and this temple is popular amongst Hindus across the world.

Stretching for miles together, you will find street shops that sell arts and crafts items. None of the shops sell mass produced items, but only handicrafts in wood carvings. The products sold do not have finesse. The spring temple has water arising from the land and is believed to be from infinite waters. There are papyrus inscriptions on the temple that narrate how, Bhatara Indra, the Sun god created this temple. It depicts the interesting tale of the miraculous king, Mayadenawa, who was said to have powers to appear whenever he wants which to his arrogance claiming himself as god. The water of the temple are said to have medicinal properties.

Capital of the Karangasem district, Amlapura is the key transport junction and town junction in the eastern Bali. It is very well connected to almost every part of the Bali. Though being the smallest of the Bali’s district capitals, it is worth a stop to check out the different royal palaces here.

Until the year 1963, Amlapura was known by the name of Karangasem. During that time, the Agung volcano erupted with a massive force and caused devastating damage. This was the reason why Karangasem was rechristened and reborn again as Amlapura so as to get rid of any further "unlucky" association.

One of the most significant attraction of the Amlapura is the puri or the traditional palaces. You can locate the northern, western, eastern or southern puri found at several places in Amlapura. These palaces are till date occupied by the members from the royal family. Of all the palaces, the only one that is easily accessible is the Puri Kangin located on the eastern end. Besides this, you can also plan a visit to the old Puri Agung Karangasem, Palace that was the seat of the erstwhile King of Karangasem. Though not a favourite in the itinerary of the tourist’s visiting Indonesia, you can still plan a visit to check out the vast range of architectural marvels located here.   

Gili Island is an archipelago in Indonesia. Just picture three miniscule desert islands, embellished with the coconut palms and white-sand beaches, nestled in a turquoise sea? That’s Gili Island for you! Regarded as the vision of the paradise, the archipelago has exploded in terms of popularity. It is burgeoning like nowhere else in whole of Indonesia. Here, you can find speed boats zipping the visitors directly from Bali and new and happening hotels coming up just about every month.

Typically, it shouldn’t be hard for anyone to comprehend or understand the unique appeal of Gills for a tranquillity endures and a green consciousness is improving. You’ll never find dogs or motorcycles here. Development here has been more charming than just ferocious or greedy. You can also find some concrete eyesores.  

Lombok has long been overcast by its superstar neighbor, Bali. There’s a constant buzz about this Indonesian island all across the Lombok Strait that reaches the ear of travelers who come here seeking something different from Bali. It is endowed with lush forest interiors, enormous hiking trails that lead you through the rice and tobacco fields, exquisite white sand beaches and epic surf, Lombok is all the way brimming with tropical charisma. You’ll not help but notice the mighty Gunung Rinjani that’s the second highest volcano in Indonesia. The summit here is complete with the beautiful crater lake and hot springs. That’s not enough! Southern coastline of Lombok is nature on a lofty scale – Massive Headlands, Top notch Surf Breaks and Emerald Azure Bays. It is said, that the development of these beautiful beaches will soon happen but till that moment arrives, just plunge in the pristine beauty, simply the way it is.

Lombok is often referred to as the ‘unspoiled Bali’ for its characteristic similarity or the ‘land of thousand mosques’ owing to the vast Muslim population residing here. The best months to visit Lombok are from October to April, when there are rains and the surroundings are in their full bloom.