Choosing where to stay in Bali can be the difference between a dream trip and a week stuck in the wrong part of the island. You probably want the best area to match your vibe, whether that’s beach clubs, rice fields, or quiet family resorts. Right now, you might be juggling tabs on Canggu, Seminyak, Ubud, Uluwatu, and Nusa Dua, worried you’ll book the wrong spot.
This guide cuts through that noise with clear, honest recommendations for the best areas to stay in Bali for couples, honeymoons, families, and a one week itinerary. First, let’s list all the best areas to stay in Bali so you can see how they compare at a glance.
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The Best Areas to Stay in Bali
Below are the best areas to stay in Bali, with a quick look at who each place is best for so you can choose the right base for your trip. This will help you narrow down where to stay in Bali.
Kuta
Kuta is Bali’s original tourist hub, known for its long sandy beach, budget hotels, surf schools, and a loud nightlife and shopping scene near the airport. It can be a convenient base for a night or two at the start or end of your trip, but many travelers now choose other areas as their main base unless they specifically want cheap stays and bars.
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Seminyak
Seminyak sits on Bali’s southwest coast just above Kuta. It blends stylish beach clubs, sunset bars, and upscale restaurants with boutique shopping and chic villas. It’s one of the best areas to stay in Bali for couples who want nightlife without Kuta’s party chaos, and it works well for a week if you like beach time mixed with day trips around the island.
If you plan to do a lot of tours, most operators will start from Kuta or Seminyak, since that’s where most tourists stay.
When I plan my trip, I usually look at each city I’ll travel to and check all the activities offered on Get Your Guide to get an overview of what’s available and at what price.
Canggu
Canggu is Bali’s hip surf town, packed with cafes, coworking spaces, beach clubs, and beginner friendly waves that attract digital nomads and younger travelers. This is one of the best areas to stay in Bali if you want a social scene, sunset drinks, and a good mix of villas and guesthouses, though traffic and crowds can feel intense in high season.
This district sits just above Seminyak, and while Kuta and Seminyak are packed with buildings, here you can still see some rice fields. But to be honest, more and more digital nomads and foreigners are choosing to live in Bali, and Canggu is the main area to build villas, so the nature is disappearing quickly.
Amed
Amed is a quiet fishing village on Bali’s northeastern coast, known for black sand beaches, laid back vibes, and some of the island’s best snorkelling and diving right off the shore. It is one of the best areas to stay in Bali for couples who want a peaceful escape, relaxed homestays or villas, and easy access to dive sites rather than nightlife and shopping.
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When you travel abroad, your phone current plan often doesn’t include internet. Buying a local SIM card can be expensive and takes time at the store. With Yesim, you can purchase an eSIM in advance (just make sure your phone supports it) and get connected instantly upon arrival. That way, you can book your Uber straight from the airport instead of paying for an overpriced taxi.
Ubud
Ubud is Bali’s cultural and wellness hub, surrounded by rice terraces, waterfalls, and jungle, with yoga studios, art markets, and small temples on almost every corner. It’s a classic choice for where to stay in Bali for honeymoon trips and for couples who want boutique hotels, private pool villas, and cool evening air instead of beach parties.
I really loved Ubud. Temples are literally everywhere here, and the architecture feels unique, with red brick and gray stone details that give even small shrines a dramatic look. It’s a special place to wander on foot, just soaking up the doors, gates, and carvings as much as the big “must see” sights.
Uluwatu
Uluwatu sits on dramatic limestone cliffs at the southern tip of Bali, famous for its surf breaks, cliffside temples, and luxury resorts with infinity pools over the ocean. If you ask where to stay in Bali for couples who love views, sunsets, and romantic private villas, Uluwatu is often the first answer, though beaches usually require stairs and scooters to reach.
I surfed here and really enjoyed the waves, but the beaches themselves weren’t as beautiful or clean as I expected. The views from the cliffs are stunning, yet once you get down to the sand you’ll often see trash and rougher shorelines, so come for the scenery, surf, and sunsets rather than postcard perfect beaches.
Nusa Dua
Nusa Dua is a gated resort area with manicured grounds, calm beaches, and large all inclusive style hotels that feel very different from backpacker Bali. It is often considered the best area to stay in Bali for families and relaxed honeymoons because of safe swimming, kids’ clubs, and polished service, though it lacks the local village feel you find elsewhere.
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Sanur
Sanur is a mellow beach town on Bali’s southeast coast with a long seaside promenade, shallow water, and a more traditional, low key feel than the west coast. It is another top pick for the best area to stay in Bali for families, especially with younger kids, and it is also the main jumping off point for boats to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida.
Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan is a small island about 30 to 40 minutes by boat from Sanur, known for clear water, relaxed beach bars, and easy access to snorkelling and diving. It offers a more laid back alternative to Nusa Penida with more accommodation options and is a great choice if you want island vibes, surf, and day trips without too much partying.
Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida is wilder and more dramatic, with high cliffs, viewpoints like Kelingking Beach, and manta ray snorkelling or diving that draw adventure travelers. Stays here tend to be simpler than on Nusa Lembongan, but if you are deciding where to stay in Bali for a week and want a couple of nights focused on epic landscapes and day trips by scooter, Nusa Penida deserves a spot in your itinerary.
Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan, technically part of Lombok, is often combined with Bali because fast boats connect it easily to the island, and it offers white sand beaches, turquoise water, and no cars. It’s known as the party island of the Gilis, but there are quieter areas on the north and east coasts, which makes it a solid option for social couples or groups who want beach time, snorkelling with turtles, and sunset bars in a compact package.
I really enjoyed my time on “Gili T.” It’s pretty impressive to be somewhere where you literally hear no engines at all, just bikes, horse carts, and waves – at least until there’s a power outage and the generators kick in.
The Best Area to Stay in Bali for Your Situation
Where to stay in Bali for couples?
For couples, the best areas to stay in Bali are Uluwatu, Seminyak, and Ubud, depending on how you like to travel. Uluwatu is ideal if you want dramatic cliffs, sunset views, and romantic villas; Seminyak works if you prefer stylish hotels, beach clubs, and great restaurants; Ubud suits couples who want jungle views, spas, and slower evenings.
Where to stay in Bali for honeymoon?
For a honeymoon, think about splitting your stay between Ubud and either Uluwatu, Nusa Dua for the beach part of the trip. Ubud gives you private pool villas, jungle views, and romantic dinners, while Uluwatu and Nusa Dua offer luxury resorts, ocean views, and easy, pampered days by the pool and beach.
Where to stay in Bali for a week
If you have one week in Bali, a classic combo is 3 to 4 nights in Ubud and 3 to 4 nights on the southwest coast in Seminyak or Canggu. This split lets you experience rice terraces, temples, and waterfalls from Ubud, then finish with beaches, sunset bars, and day trips from Seminyak or Canggu without too much packing and unpacking.
Best area to stay in Bali for families
For families, the best areas to stay in Bali are Sanur, Nusa Dua, and Seminyak, with Kuta or Canggu as add ons for older kids who love action. Sanur and Nusa Dua have calmer water, stroller friendly promenades, and many family resorts, while Seminyak offers easy access to restaurants and attractions, though it is busier and better suited to school age kids and teens.
Ready to Choose Your Bali Base
Bali is bigger than it looks on the map, so don’t be afraid to split your time between two or three bases if you’re staying longer, or two bases if you only have one week. That way you can wake up in the jungle, fall asleep by the ocean, and still keep your travel days light instead of spending hours in a car.
If this guide helped you narrow down where to stay in Bali for couples, a honeymoon, a week, or a family trip, the next step is simple. Pick the area that feels most like your version of a “perfect trip,” book the stay, and start daydreaming about that first Bali sunset. And if you’re planning to visit other parts of Indonesia but don’t know where to start yet, there are more detailed guides waiting for you right here.
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