Kuta Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Bali, and Kuta, Bali is one of the top tourist destinations on the island, but what is there to do when you get here?
That’s not a short answer. In fact, we’ve found 40 fantastic things to do in Kuta, Bali. So, check out our guide to this awesome part of the country!
40 Awesome Things To Do In Kuta
Enjoy A Meal At A Local Warung
A warung is an authentic Indonesian eatery. You can find them everywhere in Kuta, Bali, but some of the most popular are in the vicinity of Kuta Beach.
The good news is that they can be very modern and the food that they serve is both excellent and cheap.
Try some nasi goreng washed down with a cold Bintang for a wonderful introduction to Balinese cuisine.
Shop & Eat On Poppies Lane
Poppies Lane is one of the main highlights of Kuta’s shopping districts. It takes its name from the Poppies Bali Restaurant, which is a warung that was established here back in the 1970s.
It’s a great place to come for a bite to eat and to pick up some Balinese souvenirs for the folks back home.
You should be aware that haggling is both normal and fully accepted in this part of Kuta.
Visit Kuta Night Market
Everyone loves a night market, they’re full of colour, adventure and fun and they even, occasionally, have something you want to buy at a bargain price.
Kuta Night Market is the biggest in the area, but if you can’t get there, the Open Night Market is also an option, so is Kuta Market.
See The Ground Zero Monument
On the 12th of October 2002, there was a terrorist attack on Kuta, Bali.
Jemaah Islamiyah, a renegade Islamist group, would eventually be found guilty of carrying out these attacks.
202 people died at Ground Zero (including 88 Australias, 38 Indonesians, 23 British, and people from another 20 countries).
The Ground Zero Monument commemorates the lives lost in the attack, and it’s brightly lit up at night.
Please be respectful. At this most sombre of Kuta attractions, the Bali bombing memorial is a tribute to a very recent event that affected the lives of many locals.
Visit Mads Lange’s Tomb
Mads Lange was a Danish adventurer who had an important place in Balinese history.
The Dutch colonialists and the local powers had tense, fraught relations, and Mads worked to help bring them together and to reduce friction.
His tomb is on a 5-acre site, which is very attractive and a nice place to take a rest from the heat of the day.
Surfing Off Kuta Beach: Halfway Kuta
If there’s one sport that Bali is famous for, it’s surfing. While there are plenty of places to surf in Bali (and the area around the Uluwatu Temple is the most popular), the most surfed part of Kuta is Halfway Kuta.
It’s on a stretch of Kuta Beach, about 2 kilometres long, and its popularity stems from how the waves break. They provide the maximum amount of time on the board riding.
Vihara Dharmayana Kuta: Buddhist Temple
This old Chinese Buddhist temple has been in Kuta town for over 200 years now.
However, don’t let its age fool you. It’s still a happily active place of worship and community.
You can see people praying here or catch them celebrating Buddhist holidays. Make sure to keep an eye out for the Buddha image with the four faces. It’s really cool.
It’s one of the best old Chinese Buddhist temple sites in Southeast Asia. We love to visit at Chinese New Year when the temple really comes to life.
Visit A Turtle Hatchery & Release Sea Turtles Into The Wild
Bali’s native turtles are Olive Ridley turtles, and because they are a mildly endangered species, there are turtle hatcheries on the island.
During turtle hatching season, you can see the babies hatch from the turtle eggs at a hatchery, and then you can help release them into the sea.
This is a really delightful experience. Visit between April and October, and make sure to turn up early (before 4:30 p.m.) to get your ticket for the release.
See The Sea Turtle Conservation Centre (And Join The Bali Sea Turtle Society)
The Sea Turtle Conservation Center is a great place to visit, especially if you missed the hatching season.
Take your kids and learn about all things related to turtles. Then, join the Bali Sea Turtle Society if you want to help support their efforts in the future.
Make A Splash at Waterbom Bali
Waterbom Bali is a relatively well-known waterpark on the island. There are plenty of waterparks in Bali, but Waterbom Bali is probably the biggest.
There’s no need to book ahead, though. No matter how busy it is, you can usually get into Waterbom Bali just by turning up.
Enjoy Upside Down World Bali
Upside Down World Bali is Kuta’s trick museum, in which everything appears to be upside down.
Photo opportunities abound at Upside Down World Bali, and it’s a huge amount of fun. Don’t be shy. You can ask the staff to take the pics while you pose with your friends and family.
If you’ve got young children, they will love Upside Down World Bali.
Get Spiritual At St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church
Let’s be fair about this: most people don’t come to Bali to pray. However, this church is a great way of connecting with the development of Christianity in Indonesia.
It also has some excellent murals on the walls that help you understand the relationship between the locals and the church.
Tour The Mangrove Conservation Forest (Temporarily closed)
A trip to Kuta, Bali, isn’t complete without spending some time in the wilds, and the Mangrove Conservation Forest is a wonderful place to be.
It has that calm air that you’d expect from the great outdoors, and photos here will look awesome on your Instagram feed.
There are over 600 hectares to explore if you want to, and the park has a great information centre that teaches you all about the place.
Admire The Patung Dewa Ruci Statue
The Patung Dewa Ruci is one of the oldest statues in the town of Kuta, and Wayan Winten built it.
It sits on the JL Bypass roundabout, where it entertains all 12 lanes of traffic at once.
Like the Ground Zero Monument, this statue is lit up at night, and it’s very photogenic.
Play Some Beach Volleyball
You’re in Bali, if you’re not on the beach, you’re not trying! Beach volleyball is the perfect sport to spend some time on the beaches of Kuta and Legian.
You don’t need any previous experience or formal training in the game. When you see people setting up to play, ask if you can join. They’ll help you grasp the rules in no time at all.
Go Kite Flying
Kite flying is a traditional Balinese sport. In fact, there’s even a festival of Kite Flying here in Bali.
But you don’t have to be a pro to have a good time with a kite. Kuta town has plenty of stores that will be happy to sell you a beginner’s model to get you started.
Don’t worry if you’re struggling. Some kind local will soon be over to offer you some advice.
Experience The Beachwalk Shopping Centre
One of the nice things about The Beachwalk Shopping Centre is that not only is it packed with international brands, but it also has quite a few duty-free stores to make your budget go further.
If you’re visiting Bali and want to do some shopping, there are definitely worse places to do it. We like the cafes lined up along the semi-outdoor avenue that runs through it.
Do The Bali Reverse Bungy Jump
Yes! There’s a Bali Reverse Bungy, and yes, it’s terrifying!
Instead of jumping off a cliff or platform with a rubber rope around your wase, they catapult you into the sky and let that rope bring you back down to ground level.
Given the enormous adrenaline rush that this ride brings, we feel we ought to point out that it’s not a good idea for people with heart conditions.
Buy A Kebaya
The kebaya is the local garment for women that every tourist finds elegant and exciting.
It’s the national costume of Indonesia, in fact, and it’s perfectly fine to buy one and take it home to wear.
We recommend buying yours from one of Kuta’s many boutique kebaya stores rather than from a mass-production line sold in a mall.
Encounter The Satria Gatotkaca Statue
This awesome statue shows the battle between two interesting figures in Hindu mythology.
Price Karn and Galot Kaca are rendered with such intricate detail that you might find it hard to tear your eyes away.
It’s on the way to Kuta from Ngurah Rai International Airport, and it was built in 1993 but still looks almost brand new!
Take A Balinese Cooking Class
We’ve got a great list of all the best Balinese cooking classes in Bali, and many of them are to be found in Kuta.
These classes aren’t like going back to school, though. They’re great fun. Most begin with a tour of a local market and explain the different ingredients, how they’re farmed, how they’re prepared, etc.
Then, you spend a couple of hours making your own Indonesian feast before devouring it with your fellow students.
It’s a great way to learn more about Balinese culture and history and to pick up some kitchen skills that you can show off to your friends when you get back home.
Nasi goreng, anyone? Yum.
Go Horse Riding
Horse riding is always great fun, of course, but what could be better than a horse ride on a white sand beach at the end of a day’s sightseeing as the sun sets and the sky blazes with glorious colours?
Nothing. That’s what. Horse riding is a really great thing to do here in Bali, and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy a walk along the beach. And yes, it’s safe.
If you’re a more advanced rider, you might also fancy a horse tour of some of the local areas and rice paddies.
Bali is a wonderfully attractive island, and on horseback, you can see parts of it that others never will.
Be Spiritual At Pura Petitenget Temple
Pura Petitenget in Kuta is a temple that was built back in 1876, and it’s a very popular place to visit.
Annoyingly, its entrance is on a very busy road, and if you have to cross to enter, it may take some time to do so safely.
It’s very much a “cultural landmark”, and you’ll absolutely love the dragon motifs that run throughout.
This temple is designed to protect Bali from the power of the Indian Ocean.
See The Art At Ikat Gallery
The Ikat Gallery is a wonderful place that showcases both contemporary and Indonesian art.
It has a specific focus on furnishings, and if you want to buy a luxury colonial-style piece for home and have it shipped back, this is the place to do it.
However, you don’t need to buy anything to appreciate what’s on display, and there are a lot of museum-quality pieces on display here.
Get Some Ceramics At The Jenggala Factory Outlet
If you love ceramics and all things table-related, then you should stop at Jenggala on Sunset in Kuta.
This is a factory warehouse store, and it means you’re going to get the lowest prices on these products possible.
Just make sure to check each piece for defects before you buy, as all sales are final.
Join In The Beach Football On Kuta Beach
Every day around 4 p.m. on the section of beach between the Discovery Shopping Mall and the Hard Rock Cafe, you will find people setting up goalposts for a game of beach football.
It’s perfectly fine to walk up and ask to join in, or you can kick back and watch the fun.
Walk Kuta Beach Walking Street (Jalan Pantai Kuta)
Jalan Pantai Kuta is Kuta’s walking street and it begins where Legian’s main shopping strip ends.
It’s full of art kiosks, souvenir stores, beauty salons, motorbike rental companies and money changers.
Play A Round At The New Kuta Golf Course
This is a very nice championship-grade golf course with a wonderful view over the Indian Ocean.
The 15th hole is famous for its views of Balangan Beach and the Indian Ocean, and you probably shouldn’t dwell on the fact that it’s called “The Cliff Hanger”, honest.
Have A Seafood BBQ At Kedonganan Beach
On an island nation, there’s no finer food than the catch of the day cooked on the beach in front of you over an open flame.
There are plenty of places in Bali where you can have an amazing seafood BBQ, but Kedonganan Beach excels at the freshest fish available.
You can buy the fish to take home with you and cook it, but we recommend handing it over to one of the many restaurants and warungs here to let them cook it for you.
De-Stress With A Balinese Massage
Balinese massage is the kind of massage that we pay hundreds of dollars for back home.
It’s all about alleviating stress with a deep-tissue full-body massage, and it’s way better than the massages offered in Thailand.
Kuta’s spas aren’t usually as luxurious as some spas in some of the other areas of town, but they are the best bang for the buck.
Why not try a tea ceremony after your massage? Most spas offer this as a standard extra in Kuta.
Stay At A Luxury Resort
Kuta attracts its fair share of the backpacker market, but there’s another world of tourism far away from the budget crowd in the area, too.
Kuta’s luxury resorts are among the finest in Bali and in the world, and if you want to be pampered non-stop, well, why not? You deserve it.
The Ayana Resort is the finest resort in the area, but there are plenty of other choices.
You should see our piece on the best luxury resorts in Bali to catch up on all your options for this kind of holiday.
Stop To Watch The Sunset Over The Ocean
There’s no moment in Bali as magical as when the sun goes down, the skies light up with bright colours, and the beach and ocean are bathed in that spectacular light.
Find a beach bar and grab a seat, order a cocktail or two and appreciate how amazing it is to be alive, right here and right now, watching that sunset.
It’s the perfect way to chill before an evening of fun and frolics in Kuta’s nightlife zone.
Sunbathe On Kuta Beach
Yes, we know that sunbathing can have negative effects on your health if you do it too often, but if you cover yourself with sunscreen, it’s a lovely way to spend some time on the beach in Bali.
Sunlight helps to promote the body’s natural production of Vitamin D, which is essential to help ward off infection and to feel healthy.
And the warm white sand feels wonderful under your body. Seriously, try it, even if just for a little while, and find out for yourself.
Grab Some Souvenirs At The Wake Bali Art Market
If you want high-quality souvenirs at a fixed price, with no haggling, this is the place to go in Kuta.
Their prices might be a little higher than at the other markets, but they still represent excellent bang for the buck.
Try Flow Board Riding At Armada Flow House
Armada Flow House is a really good place to give flowboarding a go.
They provide synthetic waves to surfers of all skill levels who want to improve without risking anything in the ocean.
Escape The Pandora Experience Bali
This fun escape house experience is the best of its kind in Bali.
The Pandora Experience Bali is a good way for a family or small group of friends to spend a couple of hours in friendly competition.
Spend Money At Discovery Shopping Mall
We recommend spending some time at the Discovery Esplanade, which is a cross between a shopping street and an amphitheatre on the beach.
They even have Kecak (fire dancing) at some points during the year.
Pick Up Some Culture At The Colourful Kuta Art Market
This small beachside shopping complex is a lovely place to buy some local arts and crafts to take home with you.
Buy From Boutiques At Jalan Kartika Plaza
Jalan Kartika Plaza offers a collection of local boutique stores and small shops to up your island fashion game.
Take A Day Trip To FINNS Beach Club
It’s not a trip to Bali without a visit to the best beach club in the world, so why not take a day trip to FINNS in Canggu?
Places That Have Closed In Kuta
The pandemic years were not entirely kind to Kuta, Kuta Theatre, Bali Underwater Scooter, and Museum Kain were all casualties.
Though these places often appear on things do in Kuta lists, they’re all closed now.
Final Thoughts On Things To Do Kuta, Bali
If you come to Kuta, you’ve got to spend some time on the world-famous Kuta Beach, but there’s much more to Kuta than one beach, and you will never be bored on a holiday here.
Use our guide to make your time in Kuta, Bali, fun and varied and take full advantage of all the awesome things to do that this popular place has to offer you.
