Kuta: The Worst Place In Bali

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Don’t let these pretty pictures fool you — Kuta may be the most vile place on Earth.

If you’ve researched Bali tourism, you may have heard that – but for me, I found that guidebooks mostly glossed over this fact. However, many travel bloggers wrote eloquently about this, none of them better than Wandering Earl.

Kuta is Bali’s primary resort town and it’s particularly popular with Australians. But don’t come here expecting culture, temples and quiet beaches. Kuta is a mess, a lost paradise, a great opportunity twisted into a burned-out shell.

It’s the bumper stickers and t-shirts sold on every block that read “UP THE BUM NO BABYS” and “WHAT PART OF DEEP THROAT DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?”

It’s the fact that come nightfall, the streets are filled with vomiting holidaymakers who wouldn’t think twice about pouring beer on nearby onlookers.

It’s the trash-filled beach, making swimming in Kuta akin to wading through a watery landfill.

If it weren’t for the spiritual offerings placed on the ground in front of each business, the streets of Kuta might as well be part of Cancun or the sleazier areas of Las Vegas.

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Now, I have no problem with a debaucherous weekend in Vegas or Cancun. God knows I’ve done my share of them. So why did Kuta bother me so much?

The Balinese people.

The Balinese people are among the kindest and friendliest people that I’ve met in Southeast Asia. They’re inquisitive, helpful and incredibly polite. They’re gentle. They’re intensely family-oriented. Their spiritual beliefs shape their lives, and many aspects of their lifestyle haven’t changed in centuries.

So to see the home of such wonderful people turned into a disgusting tourist mess really saddened me. I do know that this environment brings in jobs and revenue to many Balinese people, but it upsets me nonetheless. Why here? Why Bali?

Who knows?

I honestly believe that Kuta is past the point of no return. As long as they continue catering toward these kinds of tourists (and as long as Kuta remains right next to the airport), I genuinely believe that nothing is going to change.

So if I knew that Kuta was this bad, why did I even go in the first place? Surfing.

Kuta is an ideal place for a beginner to learn to surf. If you’ve never surfed before, take advantage of learning in a safe and easy place like Kuta. I loved my surf lesson on a quiet beach and though I’ve taken surf lessons in South Africa, Mexico, and El Salvador since, I’ve never done as well as I did in Bali! You can book surfing lessons for beginners here.

READ MORE: How to Protect Your Belongings on the Beach

I stayed in the Kuta region for four days. During that time, I learned to surf in the nicer, cleaner beach of northern Legian. I enjoyed cocktails in ritzy Seminyak with Theodora of Escape Artistes. I made more Indonesian girlfriends that I ever imagined and hit the clubs with them.

These were all great experiences – and they are proof that if you look beyond the obvious vile aspects of Kuta, you can still enjoy yourself here.

If you want to make the most of your time in Kuta, I suggest staying at an excellent Kuta hotel — the Anvaya Beach Resorts Bali is droolworthy — and spend your days doing cool excursions like doing a sunrise trek at Mount Batur, sailing to a private island for the day, or going on a street food tour. Not sure where to stay? Check out the best deals on Kuta hotels here.

Where to Go Instead of Kuta

Kuta may be the most popular destination in Bali, but here are three excellent alternative destinations a world away from Kuta’s trashy atmosphere:

Seminyak

There are three towns connected along Bali’s southern beachfront — Seminyak, Legian, and Kuta — but the difference between them is like night and day. Seminyak is the best and most beautiful of the three. Here you’ll find upmarket resorts, charming guesthouses, and the best restaurants and nightlife in southern Bali.

Best things to do in Seminyak: Take a Balinese cooking class with a market visit, go on a mountain biking tour, or visit a luxury spa for the afternoon. Check out more activities in Seminyak here.

Best hotel bets in Seminyak: For luxury, you can’t beat the Double Six Luxury Hotel with its pool overlooking the beach, top-notch spa, and butler service. For midrange, the Ping Hotel has beautiful rooms, a pool, and a rooftop terrace. For budget travelers, Stellar Capsules is a clean and well-located hostel with both dorms and private rooms. Check out the best deals on Seminyak hotels here.

Ubud

Ubud is the Bali of Eat, Pray, Love. Riding bicycles around rice paddies, seeing traditional dance performances, wandering through the monkey forest, doing more yoga than you ever thought possible. Ubud is inland, so you won’t have beach access, but it’s the best place on the island to dive into Bali’s cultural offerings.

Best things to do in Ubud: Explore temples and rice terraces, go whitewater rafting on the Ayung River, learn how to make traditional Balinese herbal remedies (just like Wayan in Eat, Pray, Love!). Check out more activities in Ubud here.

Best hotel bets in Ubud: For luxury, Maya Ubud Resort and Spa is an environmentally sustainable retreat set among Bali’s rice terraces; don’t miss their afternoon tea! For midrange, the Udaya Resorts & Spa has great value for money rooms and stunning pools. For budget travelers, Ojek’s Homestay is a traditional Balinese home with both private rooms and dorms as well as traditional meals. Check out the best deals on Ubud hotels here.

Nusa Dua

If you’re looking for beaches but want a calmer environment with no “UP THE BUM NO BABYS” shirts in sight, consider heading to Nusa Dua instead. This southern getaway is a great choice for a peaceful getaway where the only thing on the menu is relaxation. (Image: Glen Scarborough.)

Best things to do in Nusa Dua: See the Devdan contemporary dance and acrobatics show, visit Ulawatu Temple at sunset, learn how to scuba dive. Check out more activities in Nusa Dua here.

Best hotel bets in Nusa Dua: For luxury, the award-winning St. Regis Resort Bali might be the best luxury resort in all of Indonesia, due in part to its spectacular grounds, insane views and butler service. For midrange, Merusaka has a traditional Balinese atmosphere and rooms that can fit all sizes of families. For budget travelers, The Studio One at Nusa Dua provides simple, clean rooms in a central location. Check out the best deals on Nusa Dua hotels here.

Want even more Bali? Consider a tour.

Bali is the kind of destination that lends itself well to a group tour, even if you’re not a tour kind of person.

G Adventures is one tour company I’ve traveled with before and highly recommend. They do small group tours and they get to lots of off-the-beaten-path type destinations that you couldn’t find on their own. Their 8-day Best of Bali tour visits mostly offbeat spots; their 14-day Classic Bali and Lombok tour is divided between Bali and the next-door island of Lombok. They have 19 different trips that cover Bali!

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READ NEXT: Adventurous Kate Gets Shipwrecked in Indonesia

Essential Info: My best advice for avoiding the worst of Kuta is to stay in nearby Seminyak instead. Seminyak is ritzy and beautiful, yet not too far from Kuta and the airport. Find the best hotel deals in Seminyak here.

Even better? Book a tour of Bali that goes all over the island. G Adventures has several Bali tours that stridently avoid Kuta and instead take you to the most beautiful places on the island.

No matter where you go in Bali, be sure to book travel insurance. Travel insurance saved me when I was shipwrecked in Indonesia and lost all my possessions, and it could save you too, whether you get injured and need to go to the hospital or if you get robbed and need help getting money. I use and recommend World Nomads for trips to Bali.

129 thoughts on “Kuta: The Worst Place In Bali”

  1. Mrbiggs

    I’m in Bali now. I stayed in Kuta for the first week because I didn’t know any better. Now I’m in Canggu which is much better.

    I originally planned on staying for at least a month, I’m leaving next week because it’s not an ideal place for a digital nomad. Internet is very bad. Plus the roads are so bad and the driving here is nothing short of anarchy. It makes Thailand look like Singapore.

    Reply
  2. yuli

    I think i need to clear this up, most people in bali aren’t balinese, and they don’t go to partying especially girls, I feel offended little bit when you said making friends with balinese. The women’s mostly address themselves as balinese and they originally from java . You should becarefull. They aren’t the same with balinese

    Reply
  3. yuli

    I think i need to clear this up, most people in bali aren’t balinese, and they don’t go to partying especially giirl. The women’s mostly address themselves as balinese and they originally from java . You should becarefull. They aren’t the same with balinese

    Reply
  4. Bali Parwa Tour

    Hi, I’m balinese.
    thx for visiting my country.

    kuta is not the best beach in bali, you can visit padang2 beach, virgin beach, pandawa beach, green bowl, etc

    So to see the home of such wonderful people turned into a disgusting tourist ghetto really saddened me. I do know that this environment brings in jobs and revenue to many Balinese people, but it upsets me nonetheless. Why here? Why Bali

    Reply
  7. bagus

    I do agree..start from oct till feb kuta beach and most beaches in bali are full of trash,cause rain season n windy..but from march till august are pretty n clean..to kate,you wrote a bad place of bali is kuta..but u have write a good place around bali u like..(every place has agood n bad side)just like us..no one perfect

    Reply
  9. Micky Drew

    I just spent a month in Kuta and I found it to be endearing and quite beautiful. Yeah, the culture and living standards aren’t up to scratch with the Western world… but if it were, it would be boring. I never saw or experienced anything close to what you have described. To me it sounds like you have not enjoyed yourself and you are painting a poor picture of the city to anybody else considering visiting. I loved it. The people, the culture, the nightlife, the shopping, the beaches, everything.

    Reply
    1. Big Dreamer

      Thank you! I needed to see this after such negative comments. At first I was absolutely dreading my holiday ( in a few days, booked hotel in Kuta) after looking forward to it for months. Reading all of those comments I began to feel disheartened about the choice I made. Kicking myself for not doing better research. After reading your comment I feel much better!!! I’m going with a complete open mind and feeling excited already. I’m going for a week and also have a hotel booked one night in Ubud and one in Seminyak so hopefully I should see for myself:-)

      Reply
  11. Patrick

    I can’t believe that the negative comments on here are from “tourists” who picked the cheapest airline and hotel living on a shoestring then arrive in booked place and expected Capri….. Well WELL from personal experiences of traveling for 17yrs around the world that obviously you all have travelled shite if you really think Bali / Kuta is so bad – my god just imagine if you were in Mexico that is so corrupt and dangerous or Venuezuela where I was mugged for my shoes or maybe Sardinya at the Billionaires Club ( a lot of you probably don’t know it exists) where all the bottle prices are $30000 euro and it comes with a Russian whore with attitude then you get mugged in Capri just because you r there or in Miami on Southbeach and being peddled drugs n girls / New York/ London/ Dubai / LA/ Amsterdam/ Germany / Ibiza – huh the most depraved and sick influx of tourist for drugs/alcohol/sex…, I can continue but I won’t unless requested…. Never in all my travels have I come across a country whose government is as corrupt as any other b the world but the prime themselves have a quality unequal to to any other in service/ smiles/ helpfulness and just plain decent (albeit they of course would like something in return) but when told no they don’t stalk you call your names or just mug u like every Western country I have travelled in.

    So my point—–

    Try and travel more than once a month per year to as many different cultured countries before laying sate to one that does the best it can with a smile and a heartfelt thank you when you show the slightest appreciation for the service they gave…

    Otherwise. – stay home…!!!!!!!

    Reply
  12. Mark

    Hi Kate, me and my partner are on Bali for 2 months, we are staying south of the airopt in a nice quiet place 5 minutes from Jimbaran. Thanks for the heads up about kuta, we had our suspicions about the place.

    If you wouldn’t mind could you help us out with a couple of insider tips for the more culturally interested? Pm me if you want.

    Reply
  13. Ronnie pilkington

    Currently in Kuta. Quiet little charming village, a beach about four miles long, with no one on it. Fabulous beaches 20 minutes away by motorbike. Lots of cheap little tourist resteraunts. Everything shut by 11.00 pm. Nice place, if you are going to Lombok. Only slight downside is the female sex tourists and the local men obliging. Otherwise a great place. So glad to be here after the farce of Kalimantan. Stuck in a city for the best part of a week getting quoted thousands of U.S. Dollars for excursions worth very little, going around in circles, getting no where.

    Reply
  14. leachka

    Thank you fọr this helpful article! When you have an OPINION and take the time to (rather eloquently) voice it, you always open yourself up for attack. Some people are so bored they just wait for something/someone to pounce on just so they can say the opposite and it’s so sad. Anyway, thanks for being brave.

    I’m in Ubud now and trying to decide where to next for two days (preferbly near the airport) so I appreciate YOUR OPINION as I figure Ă­t out. (And welcome any suggestions.)

    Reply
  15. adam

    people complaining about kuta obviously didn’t do enough research or have been reading fairy tales. Of all the places we visited in Indonesia, kuta was the most like a European beach resort. Having said that it still had enough about it for us to enjoy it. The artwork (in both shops and on walls throughout kuta) is amazing and at night there was a pleasant buzz which puts you in the mood for a few drinks.

    the party vibe is NOTHING like ibiza (which some people have suggested on here). If you are comparing ibiza and kuta then you clearly have never been to ibiza.

    Yes the beach is fairly standard but i enjoyed watching the surfers etc. This is not a place where you are going to find secluded beaches and culture but we still had a pleasant few days in kuta

    Reply
  16. Jacqui

    Hey guys,

    Sounds like Kuta is a place to avoid. I went backpacking in the philippines and Boracay sounds pretty much like the same sh** happening. I much preferred the quiet islands of Malapascua and Bantayan.

    I was wondering for those who have stayed in Legion/ Seminyak which hostels you recommend me staying at? I will be traveling solo and want to meet other like-minded people who loves nature and traveling off the beaten path.

    Much thanks,
    Jacqui

    Reply
  17. franz chong

    I am debating whether to go back next year or not.Price wise there isn’t much between Fiji and Bali but with the latter I am getting a much better resort and more sightseeing.Basing the latter on staying in a nice hotel in Seminyak plus flights,insurance and transfers.Safety tells me the Fijian option is better but I have zero experience so have no idea what to expect but I did go to Bali way back in 2000.I will be discussing this with my family and future work place before I do anything.Seeking a change from the usual Vanuatu and New Caledonia cruises I have been doing over the years but not ready to recommence Singapore or Hong Kong due to presence of relatives in either place.

    Reply
  18. truthiness

    Kuta sucks is an understatement. Only Indonesia could take a pristine tropical paradise inhabited by the one of the most unique cultures in the world, and destroy it completely for cheap profit.

    The best possible solution is a natural disaster that destroys the area completely and to start from scratch again. Jimbaran is on the way out due to over development as well.

    Reply
  19. Greg

    I must sadly agree with this article. As someone who lived in Jakarta and Surabaya, I have spent more weekends in Bali than I can count. My first piece of advice to anyone going to Bali is to avoid Kuta like the plague if you are aiming to have an upscale holiday. It does however serve its purpose as it caters to a lower-end market and hosts some of the more rowdy/seedy night time locales.
    Stay in Seminyak or Nusa Dua and venture into Kuta for a day if you’re interested to check it out, but I would by no means recommend staying there as I have heard far too many bad reviews from both Indonesians and foreigners alike. But again like a lot of destinations, Phuket comes to mind, there are different strokes for different folks in different areas.

    Reply
  21. Paul Norman

    I spent many a time over many years in Bali, Lombok and Java. Kuta has always been the obvious arrival and departure location. Initially I hated every aspect of Kuta. Then, after staying there for a lengthy period, I got to know the scenes behind the scene. I made friends with Indonesians, visited their places and got to know every gang in the maze, which makes up the Kuta region. It was fun and very different from being just another tourist. Yes, there are many nice people who live/work in the Kuta strip, and yes, there still are nice and fun places to be found in Kuta (that includes Legian and Seminyak).
    However, I have to agree that the Kuta strip and in the longer term, the whole of Bali is destined to choke in it’s own sewer and plastic. The beaches are disgusting, the traffic congested and the beautiful rice fields are disappearing as fast as glaciers in the Alps….
    Tourism can be a wonderful thing, of course, but only if it is sustainable, well planned and if the profits are shared with the local communities. When greed and perversity rule the tourist industry, places like Kuta will be the result. The fact that Australia, with a powerful currency, is on Bali’s doorstep hasn’t helped. Though not exclusively Aussies, many low life beer swilling morons from Down Under unfortunately could afford to travel to Bali to indulge in whatever their dollars could be exchanged for: cheap accommodation, cheap beer, cheap food, cheap sex, cheap watches…..
    Like the Poms, Germans, Dutch tourists destroyed many beautiful coastal towns and cities in Spain (Costa Brava), the Aussies left their ugly marks on Bali. Bintang singlet on ( or bare chested), long neck in one hand, the other hand scratching the anal zone, tattoos from top to bottom, stinking like an animal and compulsively swearing at anything and nothing, it has been this breed of tourist that has polluted a once Paradise Island most…. And not only it’s environment: Hedonism is hardly an endemic aspect of Indonesian culture. Yes, in Hindu Bali the tolerance level is much higher than in neighbouring island cultures, but public drunkenness, foul language, tattooed tits hanging out, fat asses barely covered goes a bit beyond the level of self respect. Unfortunately the Balinese people have succumbed to the temptation of easy dollars in return for prostitution of their Island. At least they – up till now- have still managed to somehow maintain their culture behind the scenes.
    But for how long? Will the pollution put an end to all this first? Or, more sinister: another crazy bomb blast by radicals, to punish the Balinese for their tolerance?
    I love Bali and the Balinese. But Bali as it was and should still be… is all but dead.

    Reply
  22. armando

    please help !!!!!!!….im off to Bali in august 2017….we planning to start in Kuta ……if its as bad as wat got mentioned on these replies …. is there other alternative to Kuta ….we staying there for for 4 nights …is that to long ????

    Reply
  23. Drs

    I liked kuta…there are great diners where locals go. I sat in a bar overlooking kuta beach and watching all the characters from around the world. My favourite hotel is in kuta…family kuta is the name. Always spare rooms. Except hard to find.

    Kuta is gritty and the music is a bit loud from the clubs but it has an atmosphere on a news years eve like nowhere in the world. It is nice to escape from Kuta to see bali….but it is nice to get bad to easy access of shops and diners at night.

    I don’t do sleaze but I like a bit of gritty kuta atmosphere near my hotel. I heard bangkok is where the real sleaze is (gogo bars) but that’s another story.

    Everyone goes to Bali and criticises Kuta, but always return..lol.

    Reply
  25. Rohan Tandon

    Hey Kate!

    Great article. I didn’t have the chance to explore Kuta while in Bali, although now I’m glad I didn’t. However, I’m currently writing a piece on Bali in my newly launched blog 50FirstSteps, and I was wondering if you’d be cool with me linking to your article when I mention Kuta?

    Thanks,
    Rohan

    Reply
    1. Kate McCulley

      Hi Rohan — Welcome to blogging and good luck! Yes, you may link to me, and in the future, feel free to link to anyone without asking. There’s no need to ask permission to link. 🙂

      Reply
  26. Rosa Pradina

    I partly agree with you. According to what you’ve written on your reviews that Kuta has many rubbish and it’s dirty, I think that’s because of many tourists whom don’t care about the cleanliness of Bali, especially Kuta. But, I think that’s a common thing that every tourism place will be a lot of dusts nowadays. Even though, there are many volunteers who dedicate theirselves to clean the tourism places in Bali step by step. Hope it will be helpful to make Bali becomes more clean. Of course it will be nice if all of the tourist are taking care for it, too.

    Reply
  27. Tony Hancock

    Read all the comments above, if you feel that way about Bali DON’T BOTHER COMING isn’t it funny most couldn’t find one nice thing to say. We will return and enjoy the friendly locals and have a good time

    Reply
  28. Dave

    Monika, your own site is shocking! Badly laid out, bad advice & just basically advertising anything you can get a link to. It doesn’t help a potential Bali traveller in the slightest.

    Reply
  29. Diane Tozer

    Thank you for your article.
    I travelled to Bali and stayed in Kuta in the early 70’s. I have not been able to return as “life got in the way”. Just yesterday I saw photos of the “now Kuta” I am totally appalled and extremely saddened. Back in the 70’s this place was so magical, beautiful and undeveloped. How could this happen, how could the Balinese government let this happen. Such a disservice to the local Balinese People. I wholeheartedly agree with you that the Balinese people are the kindest peoples, I would say on earth. I am an Australian living in the U.S.A. To the Balinese People I am so sorry westerners have ruined this previously most beautiful magical place on earth.

    Reply
  31. Rich

    I went in 2019 and there was no trash on the beach. I did not see those rude T-shirt’s. I stayed there for 25 days. I did not.see people throwing up, maybe I was not. In the heart of the city

    Reply

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