Which Beach Area is best to stay in Bali
 

Hi,
We (A group of 8) are planning to be in Bali for 4 nights towards the end of March. We would like to stay at the beach which has a not too rough sea and be near to some night life. Which area would you recommend to us to stay at. Also my son daughter & myself do some scuba diving, so is there any dive shop operation that you could recommend.
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Imtiaz

If you're not surfing, then Sanur is probably the best place to stay. An alternative is Lovina, on the north side of the island. Beautiful place, but a long haul from the airport.

As I recall, the better dive spots are around the northeast coast. There are dive shops in Sanur, but I haven't used them, yet.

imtiaz, I don't think there is any beach in Bali that provides everything on your wish list.

The best areas for diving are the Northwest (Menjangan)and middle eastcoast (Amed area). The middle eastcoat beaches are severely eroded, though there are some pleasant resorts in the area, like the Alila Manggis.

The North coast is very pleasant, but not a destination for beaches -- they are black volcanic -- and certainly not for nightlife.

You can stay in the south where the main beaches and tourist activities are and "commute" to the dive areas. It's a long day though, and you'll only get one dive. I can't recommend any particular dive shop, but they will all arrange transportation for you wherever you stay. If you decide to stay in North Bali I'd recommend the Taman Sari.

As for Southern beaches there are several areas. Sanur has a nice swimming beach and a good selection of restaurtants. Same for Nusa Dua and Jimbaran. There is a fair choice of nightlife, but none of these areas is known for after-dark activities.

The big surfing beach that stretches along the west coast from Kuta to Seminyak can be rough for swimming, though a lot people do swim. This is where you get the concentration of shops, restaurants, clubs, spas -- with Kuta being the youngest and liveliest area, Seminyak more upscale and sophisticated.

So it's a tradeoff.

hi,

Already have driver+car ? I can help with this.
Seminyak the good place to stay, beach, nightlife, shopping, and food.

check the driver on [email protected]

thanks,

mariska

No advertising is allowed in the forum, Mariska.

Sanur = "Snore" (no nightlife)

I agree with the opinion that, for 4 nights of beach + nightlife, you'd be best off in Seminyak. Take an over-night excursion outa' there to Padang Bai for diving, and you'll manage to patch together all that you request.

Best compromise beach would be Jimbaran Bay, which is only about a 10 minute drive from the airport. Great beach, no surf, close to beachside restaurants, and accommodation - while limited - is still wide ranging in terms of price. Kuta is about a 20 minute taxi ride, so you are still close to the nightlife. The Keraton has recently been upgraded.

I think the idea that Sanur = "Snore" is a very old attitude that doesn't reflect the current situation. There are some really fantastic restaurants in Sanur. No, there is not much of a party scene, but that doesn't mean there is no night life.