A guide to the best of Bali — Part 2: Legian & Kuta

Look past the notorious nightlife of Kuta and the crowded traffic jams of Legian, and you’ll find yourself in classic Bali, where you can do as much or as little as you like, with ease. 

Above: Quiet back streets of a busy Kuta. Image: © Natalie Bannister

Kuta has earned itself a reputation for too-loud bars and the kind of tourist crowd that, we’re betting, most couples and honeymooners would rather avoid. But, dig beneath the surface and you’ll strike gold: Kuta is home to some of Bali’s original resorts and hotels – the kind where your day is spent swimming up to the pool bar, strolling down to the beach for a massage, or just lazing on a sun lounger under the swaying palms and doing as little as possible. 

For those who want to be close to the action with an escape option on hand, head to the far less hectic area of Legian. Nestled between Kuta and Seminyak, it’s home to one of the most iconic beach strips in Bali (hello, romantic sunset strolls!). The streets of Legian really are made for walking, but therein lies the beauty, as this area has some of Bali’s cheapest and best shopping, as well as some great dining options, ranging from rustic local warungs to fabulous beachside fine-dining establishments.

Kuta and Legian are full of simple pleasures, like afternoons that roll into evenings on the beach, or the joy of pulling up a beanbag at one of the many beach bars, toes in the sand, cold beer in hand, to watch surfers, tourists and locals.

Above: Azul Beach Club. Image:  © Natalie Bannister

Above: Azul Beach Club; Bali Mandira Beach Resort & Spa; A traditional Balinese guardian statue; Street scenes in Kuta.

All images: © Natalie Bannister

As the sun slowly dips below the horizon, and the sky is washed with orange and red, you’ll no doubt be feeling hungry, and Chez Gado Gado has been our preferred port of call for dining under the stars on this beach strip for more than a decade. The food here is fantastic and the relaxed setting never fails to impress.

The bar scene in Legian has come a long way in recent years, with a fresh crop of notable establishments popping up: think chic rooftop lounge bars with to-die-for ocean views, and wonderfully relaxed beach clubs that beg you to linger a little longer. The tiki-styled Azul Beach Club, with its three-storey thatched bamboo pavilion, is a fave of ours. It’s a part of the fabulous Bali Mandira Beach Resort & Spa fronting Legian Beach, with an open-air restaurant including the sandy bar on the lower deck and an expansive second floor, where couples will love cocooning in one of the sunset pods overlooking palm trees and beach.

Easy and affordable, this classic Bali destination may be busy, but it also combines convenience and fun in one locale. You can happily skip between a day of shopping and sightseeing to a night of debauchery and dancing, with plenty of relaxation to be found stretched out on a daybed on the beach or lounging by your resort’s pool. 

This story was featured in the April 2019 issue of Holidays for Couples magazine.

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