Located on a perfect little bay, tiny Padangbai is the port for ferries between Bali and Lombok, and passenger boats to Nusa Penida. It is also a popular place to break a journey and relax while you plan your assault on Bali or Lombok (depending on which way you’re heading), and it’s a smaller, quieter, more beachy option than Candidasa. It takes about 10 minutes to walk from one end of town to the other. Take time to choose one of the many places to stay and eat; they’re all very close together.
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The most developed island for tourism is the delightfully laid-back Nusa Lembongan, which is free of cars, motorcycle noise and hassles. It has a local population of about 7000 people, mostly living in two small villages, Jungutbatu and Lembongan. Tourism money means that the power now stays on around the clock.
Lovina manages to exude a sedate charm even as the number of hotels and other tourist places grows. Almost merging into Singaraja to the west, the town is really a string of coastal villages – Pemaron, Tukad Mungga, Anturan, Kalibukbuk, Kaliasem and Temukus – that have taken on this collective name.
Most day-visitors come on organised tours and stop at the crater rim at Penelokan for views and lunch; most overnight visitors stay in the villages around the lake. The views both from above and from lake level are truly wonderful – if you hit the area on a clear day.
The capital of Bali, Denpasar, has been the focus of much of the island’s growth and wealth over the last 20 years. It has an important museum, an arts centre and lots of shops. Denpasar means ‘next to the market’, and the main market (Pasar Badung) is the biggest and busiest in Bali. Denpasar still has some tree-lined streets and pleasant gardens, but the traffic, noise and pollution make it a difficult place to enjoy.
Driving inland from the humidity of southern Bali, you gradually leave the rice terraces behind and ascend into the cool, damp mountain country around Danau Bratan. This lovely area is an excellent place to relax and use as a base for hiking around the lakes and surrounding hills.
Tourist development ran amok in Candidasa and now there’s shoulder-to-shoulder development, an unattractive proposition for many. The main drawback is the lack of a beach, which, except for the far eastern stretch, has eroded away as fast as hotels were built. Most of the coastline has breakwaters, so you can’t even walk along it. The main drag is noisy and doesn’t get sea breezes.
Sanur is a slightly upmarket sea, sun and sand alternative to Kuta. The white-sand beach is sheltered by a reef. The resulting low-key surf contributes to Sanur’s nickname ‘Snore’, although this is also attributable to the area’s status as a haven for expat retirees. Some parents prefer the beach at Sanur because its calmness makes it a good place for small children to play.
Perched on the gentle slopes leading up towards the central mountains, Ubud is the other half of Bali’s tourism duopoly. Unlike South Bali, however, Ubud’s focus remains on the remarkable Balinese culture in its myriad forms.
The big attraction here is the wreck of the US cargo ship Liberty – among the best and most popular dive sites in Bali. Other great dive sites are nearby, and even snorkellers can easily swim out and enjoy the wreck and the coral. Tulamben’s beachfront is quite different from other beach resorts – heavy, black, round boulders and pebbles make it unappealing for sunbathers or casual swimmers. Services beyond the hotels are few.