Asia/ Indonesia

Guest Post: Five Things to do in Seminyak, Bali

Hello and welcome to first of my two guest posts! As you read this, I’ll be exploring the Hungarian city of Budapest so the guys from When Two Wander have kindly put together this post. While I loved Bali, we spent most of our time in Ubud and didn’t get round to checking out glamorous Seminyak. So if you do decide to go, here are five things to do in Seminyak! Take it away Sam & Katherine…

Bali often gets an unfair reputation as a hedonistic hotspot for young holidaymakers looking for cheap booze and great beaches. And yeah, it’s true, Bali does have great beaches – and it sure does have lots of cheap booze – but there is more to the famous island than the cultural wasteland of downtown Kuta. Kuta’s more stylish sister town Seminyak has plenty to offer, and is a little more upmarket. Here are five things to do in Seminyak!

Boutique hopping

Seminyak is bubbling with retail therapy opportunities. If you’re looking for big brands, you could head to Seminyak Village shopping centre, which is sure to satiate any of your fashion desires. Alternatively, you could stick around the main streets of Seminyak which are lined with hundreds of boutique shops selling one-off and limited edition garments.

We spent a few hours wandering in and out of various small, and locally-owned, stores and loved looking at some of the sustainable products. Unfortunately we were travelling on a rather tight budget, so we were stuck with window shopping. However, if you can stretch just that little bit further than $25 a day, you might be able to walk away with that new sundress you have your eyes on!

Sip Bintang and learn to surf on Seminyak Beach

Bintang is the national beer of Indonesia and goes down very nicely with sea-soaking and sunbathing on the beach. Luckily, Seminyak has plenty of beach and plenty of Bintang, so you should 100% spend a day chilling out with both. When we stretched out on Seminyak beach, we’d had a long day of travel from the Philippines so this was the perfect jetlag remedy.

But it doesn’t stop there, it turns out that Seminyak beach is a cracking place to learn to surf. There are a few surf schools in Seminyak, and although Kuta is often the preferred surfing spot for pros, Seminyak’s less crowded surf makes for more comfortable lessons. We had already booked surfing lessons in Australia so we didn’t jump in in Seminyak, but there were several people out wobbling on the water, waiting for that perfect wave.

Fight off a giant crocodile at the 3D Trick Art Museum

One of the top attractions in Bali is the Fantastic Trick Art Museum (3D Dream Museum Zone – it has many different names locally!) and it is located in Seminyak. It’s an art gallery with a difference – you’re allowed to touch the art and it jumps out at you. This gallery is a very clever space, and although the art looks distorted when you look at it, the photos you come away with take on a whole new dimension. You can fight off prehistoric creatures…

Punt the rivers of Venice…

Climb the stairway to heaven and some other cheeky stuff…

La Favela

Even though Kuta is the hedonist’s heaven, Seminyak still has a cracking nightlife. The top after-dark spot in the town is a large club called La Favela. It’s boho design, great DJs, and packed atmosphere makes for a great night out. There are several rooms, an outdoor area, and strong drinks for good prices. In the four days we were in Seminyak, we visited this bar/club hybrid twice.

Before you head in though, get your drinks at the convenience store opposite. The front steps of this store are like a university house party; tons of people standing around chatting to each other necking cheap beer arguing about the best time to go to the club. In the end you’ve consumed so much cheap beer that you can’t even be bothered to go out anymore. Still, it’s a great night out!

Potato Head Beach Club

Easily the most stylish place in Seminyak, Potato Head Beach Club has all the perks of an exclusive club, without the hefty price tag. There is a cracking infinity pool, huge, comfortable cabanas big enough for a group, and a swim-up bar. If you can stay until the late afternoon then you will be treated to the most magnificent sunset. Who needs Jimbaran when you can have this?

The only catch is the relatively heavy price of drinks, but that stops worrying you when you consider the great time you are having. It has a great vibe for backpackers and anyone travelling on a budget, and you only pay for your drinks.

All-in-All

For those budget backpackers, Seminyak is the place to go in Bali for your nightlife, culture, and food. Kuta has lost its way down the years and has deteriorated into depravity and uncultured tourism. Legian, Nusa Dua, and Uluwatu – Bali’s classier resort areas – are for flashpackers, loaded holidaymakers, and newlyweds heading for some honeymoon romance. There is plenty to occupy your time in Seminyak, and we hope our list has helped inspire you on your trip.

Have you ever visited Seminyak? Or has this post inspired you to visit?

About WHENTWOWANDER

We’re Sam and Katherine, a 20-something British couple on a backpacking adventure wandering the world. We both adore the travel life and we are now living out our dreams exploring around this beautiful world we live in. WhenTwoWander is the story of our journey which will teach us about ourselves and the world, and we’d love you to join us! Check out our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest for more travel inspiration.