It seems that almost all the time, Kuta appears at the top of the itinerary list when one begins their plan to visit Bali. “If you haven’t been to Kuta, you haven’t been to Bali,” as the saying goes.
It is often confusing when the word Kuta is mentioned. Try doing a Google search and you’ll come up with at least a hundred different hotels and restaurants. Officially speaking, Google is right. After all, Kuta actually represents the name of a district in Bali, covering a total area of 17.52 km2. But the heart of Kuta, where all the thrills happen, kids build their sandcastle, novices learn to surf, stretches only about 1km long.
The beach line in the Kuta district is segmented into three parts: Tuban Beach, Kuta Beach and Legian Beach. So the next time you head to Bali, be sure where you’re going. As its name suggests, Kuta Beach is a “central” beach, accessible from Jalan Raya Pantai Kuta. In recent decades, Kuta Beach has evolved into Bali’s central magnet. As you enter Jalan Raya Pantai Kuta, you will be greeted by the Hard Rock establishment. Due to its aggressive marketing in places like Singapore, many first timers who come to Bali for a short period of 3 days and 2 nights think that Hard Rock is the best that Bali has to offer. As you walk down the street (Jalan Raya Pantai Kuta), you will find Harris followed by Mercure Hotels. Personally, I think these three hotels are comparable. The view from the Mercury pool is unbeatable. As you continue to walk through the streets, you can find a wide variety of dining options, from Pizza Hut to McDonalds, from Nanxiang Restaurant offering excellent Chinese cuisine to Vivo Rosso offering a dinner and lounge experience.
If you prefer something that is small on the budget but great on taste, there is a food court located right in the center of Jalan Raya Pantai Kuta. You can choose from Chinese seafood to traditional Indonesian and Western dishes. Just be prepared to be aggressively courted by stall vendors. They won’t force you to buy, just politely tell them you want to look first before deciding on your choice.
As you make your way down the road, a few more decent hotels (Grand Istana Rama, Kuta Seaview Cottages, and Kuta Bali Hotel) add to your list of accommodation options. Pick one of these hotels (along the main street) only if you plan to spend your entire days doing nothing but hanging out on Kuta Beach. Otherwise, smaller (but no less decent) hotels or inns offer cheaper alternatives.
Kuta beach
Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Kuta Beach every year. In the absence of major disasters or disruptions, the beach is crowded year-round. This is a place where many Balinese (and even immigrants from lands as far away as Java and Sumatera) depend for a living.
What you can do. At Kuta Beach, there are many things you can do. You can simply bring your own towel or sarong (or buy one if you didn’t bring one), lay it out on the sand, and begin your tanning treatment. If you want something uncomplicated, you can rent one of the beach canopies and even the wooden or plastic chair (if you prefer not to sit on the sand). If you are a bit more adventurous, you can sign up for a surf lesson that covers a bit of theory and practice. After all, Kuta Beach used to be a favorite surfing destination. Today, due to the crowd, advanced surfers are forced to look for greener grass. Or if you want to know how it feels to be Queen of Kuta for a day, you can choose one of the places under the tree. Sit on the towel or chair. Pamper yourself from head to toe. Hair braiding will set you back anywhere from $2 to $5, depending on how many knots you make (and, of course, your negotiating skills). The tattoo costs you between US$2-3 and lasts 2 weeks. Manicures and pedicures cost between $5 and $10 each. The foot or back reflexology massage costs US$3-5 for 90 minutes each. (Did you cover everything from head to toe? I hope I didn’t miss anything)
After you are a Royal Queen and start to feel hungry, you can try some of the stalls. There’s sweet Rojak (Javanese style), nasi padang (Sumatera), nasi uduk (Jakarta), bakso (Obama says it’s delicious). When you get thirsty, try Teh Botol (bottled iced tea). But keep in mind that these stalls do not come with a hygiene guarantee. So try them at your own risk and if you think your stomach can cooperate with your taste buds.
Just sitting by one of the stalls, enjoying the soft touch of the sea breeze and watching people of all kinds (age, race, nationality and fashion) would make my day. In the evening you can sit back, relax and watch the sun disappear over the horizon.
With so much to see, do, taste and discover, it’s no wonder that Kuta is probably one of the most famous beaches in the world.
To access my digital travel diary, click here.
