Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia - Travel Tips and More

I finally found the time to get to sit down and tell you all about our Bali Adventure. I know it has been awhile but due to the busy schedule I had over the past month, it has been a killer to find the time to arrange all the photos and get them arranged to tell you in pictures what one can expect to see and experience in Bali. These Bali articles shall be divided into easy bite sized articles so it'll be easy to digest(and easy on the webpage load time).

Bali is known for surfing and the waves behind me is all the proof that you'll need :) 

To get things started, we were lucky enough to have gotten our tickets from Cebu Pacific, who at the time of this trip flies to Bali Denpasar twice a week. We were even lucky enough to have gotten their special promo rate and was able to only pay for Php7k++ per person round trip. Usually it would be best to try to book your trips with Cebu Pacific months ahead of time and to also be on the look out for special International flight promos. As for our hotel accommodation, we decided to book our hotel through Agoda.com as they have proven to provide the best service in terms of hotel bookings and provides the lowest rates for Southeast Asian Countries. Through Agoda we were able to get to stay in a 5 star hotel along Kuta Beach. The hotel we chose was The Heritage Beach Hotel Kuta Beach, of which I'll talk more about later on.

Things to take note of prior to going to Bali:
- Currency of Bali may surprise many as $1 is = IDR 9700 so a taxi cab ride from Denpasar International Airport to Kuta Beach which was just a few minutes away minus the traffic cost roughly about IDR 70,000. Take note that airport taxi service in Denpasar will try to charge you double especially if they realize it'll be your first time in Bali.

- English is understood but finding your way around to the best spots to go, it would be best to download in your mobile phone the application called TripAdvisor as this was a lifesaver in finding the location of the nearby restaurants and establishments that were highly recommended. This is also going to be a good resource for planning itineraries ahead of time and help you adjust them if need be.

- Balinese sales people are hard sellers, they'll do everything they can and can be highly insistent (if not bordering annoying) on having you try out and purchase anything and everything they have. The prices can be quite bloated most especially in Kuta Beach and in other tourist spots, best to keep a currency converter handy. I'd use the XE Currency converter which is downloadable as an application in both IOS and Android.

- Best to get a rental car/personal tour service for the day so that you can pick where you want to as compared to going with a crowd to get to experience Bali's culture without the hassle of having to go at everyone's pace.  Your tour guide can even be your point person when it comes to haggling over tourist items along the way.

- Make sure you have enough power for your devices, such as smartphones and digital cameras as finding a place to charge them would be quite difficult once on the road. You can also bring a power pack just in case. I personally use a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which was more than capable of keeping up with my needs as a phone and as a camera. You'll find that all the photos featured here are courtesy of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

- Bring OTA medications such as those for diarrhea and insect bites as you can't be too sure as to how your stomach will handle the local food and delicacies and from my experience I had to deal with insect bites near the beach. I personally forgot to bring an insect repellant so that is a good thing to remember to bring to avoid getting bitten by unwanted bugs.

- Make sure you have roaming service ready for those just in case emergencies, if not make sure your mobile unit is unlocked so you can purchase a local sim card to use for phone calls and sms.

- There are many places to change your dollars in Kuta Beach, Bali but only go to the ones that seem legitimate. We had our currency changed at PT. Samudra Artha Utama Valas at JL Lebak 6x Legian Kuta - Telephone: 742 7404/081338592704 or email at samudrautamavalas@yahoo.com. It would also be good to ask the front desk of your hotel to see if they have money changer service and/or if they can recommend one that is close to where you are staying.

With all that out of the way here is Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia in picture:

The Sands of Kuta Beach is quite fine though the slope seems quite elevated compared to the shoreline. 

Kuta Beach and Bali in general is known as a surfers paradise. Here you'll get to see many of the local surfing enthusiasts and tourists alike all lounging about and surfing their time away.

Its a breath-taking view as the Kuta Beach stretches quite wide and can seem endless.

You can also have your own beer box and lounge chair and umbrella set up just for you and your friends.  

The first thing you'll notice once you arrive at Kuta Beach is that there are only a handful of resorts that are actually beach front. Most of them are like the Heritage Kuta Beach Hotel where the beach is separated from the hotel by the Main road and a perimeter wall.  

Scooter bikes are the main mode of transportation for most of the locals in Bali. Tourists can also get a rental bike which you'll find quite handy in situations where traffic gets a little too tight. I personally prefer to walk around and Kuta Beach sidewalks have been built with the pedestrians first mindset. 

Be on the Look out for the big K, That's called circle K and it is their equivalent of a 7/11 shop which is handy at times when you need to buy supplies and there's no other supermarket in sight 

This is one of the most common modes of transportation for most of the locals. It's like a mini commuter bus. 

Bali Architecture is quite evident the moment you land at the Denpasar International Airport and is seen all across Kuta Beach, from the Hotels to even the details on the beach wall. This is what defines Bali over the rest of Indonesia.

The Horse Drawn Carriage rides are a must try and is the perfect way to get to explore Kuta Beach and the many tourist spots within the area. 

Heritage Kuta Beach Hotel Provided the best view of Kuta Beach. With the deal we got with Agoda.com, this was quite a steal. 

We were quite lucky enough that the best place to eat and try out the local cuisine was right beside The Heritage Kuta Beach Hotel. With all these stalls to pick from it became a food adventure right next door. Price of the meals were also quite cheap considering that it was right at the heart of Kuta Beach. 

Bintang Beer is definitely a must try in Bali. It has a bitter sweet taste and reminds me of draft beer in the Philippines.

We also found a reputable money changer in the same area as well and during the time of the photo you get to see the rates. $100 can go a long way here. 

Balinese cooking has its own distinct flavor and can at times be an acquired taste. The ones served though in the food stalls here beside The Heritage Kuta Beach Hotel were a fusion of Balinese and Chinese cooking and was quite tasty.

Coconuts are quite good though you'll have to take them slowly as they have quite a lot in them. :) 

Balinese fried rice with these fried pepper shrimp were just divine. Crunchy all the way, I eventually ate everything except he heads of the shrimp :) 

A little selfie shot to show how happy and satisfied I am with the food :) 

Come nightfall we decided to take a quick stroll to see what was around The Heritage Kuta Beach Hotel. Here's what we found:

Hard Rock Cafe was just a 5 min walk away from the Heritage Kuta Beach Hotel. More on our experience there in a separate article on Hard Rock Cafe Bali.

Along the road you'll get to spot these ATM Kiosks which is quite convenient for tourists and locals alike. It is also near the souvenir shops along Kuta.  

Starbucks is quite  friendly sight to see though since in Bali I would recommend to try out the Balinese coffee and in a separate article you'll get to see the famous Civet Cat Coffee. 

Just a few blocks away and you'll be greeted by an overwhelming number of shops all of which filled with souvenir items to bring home. Just remember that the Balinese sales people can be very persistent. 

Another familiar Coffee Shop but as mentioned earlier, it would be best to hold back on these till you get to try the Balinese Brewed Coffee and Civet Cat Coffee.  

You'll get to see many open air type of cafes and restaurants along the way. Food is quite great and is mostly a fusion of chinese and western cuisine. 

This particular shop sold high quality Balinese souvenirs. Price is also equivalent to it's quality. They accept credit cards just in case you feel like splurging on their items. Staff is quite friendly and not too overwhelming at least when it comes to selling their goods. 

All along Kuta Beach you'll find stalls like these and they pretty much sell everything from typical Balinese clothing and arts to even knock offs of high end brands. You'll have to arm yourselves with some good haggling techniques. walking away if you don't like their last price usually pushes them over the edge to bend over for the price you would want. 

This restaurant stood out not because of it's food but because of the amount of detail they placed on the facade. It's also a pretty cool place to chill out and pass the time over some Bintang Beer.

Be on the look out for specialized stores like these that have a sale as they tend to really be quite a bargain. There are many along the road but you might have to do some walking to find them. 

If you do get a bit tired I guess having a bit of coffee couldn't hurt and coffee bean in Kuta serves it just right. I like the outside setup too as it is just beside these souvenir shops. Its a great place to pass the time watching how other tourists fair with their shopping.

Painting and other Balinese Haute Couture can be quite a find and once you find one you like simply haggle a bit to get to the price you want and grab it. 

Kuta Square is also a good place to hang out and go shopping in. Though I think the best time to go here would be in the afternoon.

Past Kuta Square you'll find an entire strip of restaurants along the Kuta Sidewalk of JL Kartika Plaza

The Seafood House though was the most highly recommended dining stop of this place and with when we got to try it out for ourselves realized why. The food here is really awesome and more so considering that the price of their menu is quite affordable.

The Interiors of Seafood House shows strong influences of the Balinese Culture. From the chandelier to their solid wood furnishing. It set the Balinese ambiance quite well considering that this is a chinese food house.   

Hainanese Chicken with Duck was quite good 

The Squid was also divine. This one is definitely something you should have on your menu.

This one is their garlic pepper squid was also quite mouth-watering and below is their tofu vegetable stir fry mix all of which was worth the walk. 

This is the look of a very happy but full customer :) 

After dinner, we headed off to the Matahari Department Store which is part of the biggest chain of department store in Indonesia. This was where we found really good souvenirs at affordable prices and grocery supplies that we would need for our day tour. There's no haggling here, but with the prices that they offered, you will most likely not need to. 

After Dinner we decided to go out for and grab a couple of beers while we searched for the Bali Bombing Monument. Luckily for us we found one that served the best beer in the world :) San Miguel Beer 

The Bali Bombing Monument isn't hard to miss as everyone in Bali knows where it is and will be more than happy to point you to it's direction. It is conveniently located along a street just behind The Heritage Kuta Beach Hotel. Its also a great place to go shop for souvenirs and drink beer as they are all over this place.  

The Sky Garden Lounge is the best place to drink and party in Kuta Beach Bali and it is right beside the Bali Bombing Monument.  

If dancing and partying isn't your thing and prefer the more sit down type but with an exotic show then the tavern bar is definitely the place to hang out for the night. Also near the Bali Bombing Monument. 

For the surfer ladies, there is this surf shop that has your surfer's taste in clothing all laid out for you to try and of course buy.  

This magic mushroom shop was something that caught my attention and there are many of them along Kuta Beach. I wonder if they are the magic mushrooms that I've heard of that brings about a special kind of well shall we say happiness or something else. I never got the courage to try them out but if any of you have do tell :) 

I really enjoyed Kuta Beach as everything is all within walking distance from each other. From the food to shopping and of course the beach. It has it's ups and downs but so do most tourists places but thankfully enough here its mostly good vibes. If asked if this is a place to visit, I would strongly recommend it especially if you are into surfing and art, both of which are quite abundant in Bali.

Do look out for the next article on Bali as I'll be covering our Tour experience which comprised of Tanah Lot, Bali Civet Cat Coffee and the Grand Palace as well as a special feature on Hard Rock Cafe Bali.

Till Next Time...

-Metz-

PS. If you have some tips and experiences on Bali, Indonesia that you can share with us, simply leave it as a comment here. We would be more than happy to hear about your experiences as am sure the other readers too.