Legian Beach Kuta – Everything You Need To Know

Triple C follows B for Bali, Cocaine, Clubs, Crowds – Kuta Legian Beach

Where Ed Sheeran’s Perfect blares out of every bar, the song I will always associate with Bali.

Arrival in Denpasar, Season: February
Airport experience & need to know info:
It was Pouring rain. Ladies with umbrellas greeted us at the airplane stairway and walked us to the waiting bus. Immigration: Do not have your phone on and go one at a time to the immigration booth (couples separate) – the Process was easy but very unfriendly, especially after super friendly Singapore.  Make sure your entrance paper is filled out before proceeding to exit.

SIM – as soon as you get out of the luggage area, go right and head to the last shop on the left. It is all pink and says internet. 30 GB for 350,000 Rupias / US$27

ATM: Not one machine in the entire airport worked. Huge line ups of frustrated travellers. WARNING: throughout our stay in Bali, 2 credit cards and one debit card were eaten by ATM Machines, so be careful and have backup. There are many ATM machines, but our card did not work in most of them, however the Western Union bank machine did work.

Taxi / Transportation: all official taxis are the same price. Go to the taxi counter or speak with any guy with the blue flowered shirt.

Weather: February is rainy season and it was pouring when we arrived.

Insider Tip: Kuta Night Market was recommended by our taxi driver. He says the food is very good and the price also. Suckling pig is a specialty, and Ayam means chicken ie. Ayam Goreng means chicken noodles.  We did not go, let me know in the comments below if you did, and what your experience was.

Legian Beach, Kuta
Our Hotel: Grand Bimasena – is it for you?

Eat – well, we did:
Apache Reggae Bar / Our Kitchen
– D’Medina Bistro

The Beach: Beautiful long stretches of light brown, sandy beach with light waves rolling in make Legian Beach the perfect water area to learn how to surf. The numerous surf schools and surfers support this fact.

Beginners are busy trying to catch the perfect wave and stay standing for longer than 5 seconds before falling or crashing into someone and determinedly getting back up for another go.

Unfortunately, this picture perfect view is destroyed by the massive amount of garbage laying all over the beach.
Locals flock in groups, setting up for a day out with family and friends while tourists sunbathe amongst them. We are told this (February) is low season, therefore very quiet; I can not imagine how crowded it must be in high season!

We strolled the not too busy beach before scooting across the road to an affordable Circle K convenience store, grabbing some drinks and sitting at a beach view table watching the world go by.

 Our day was gorgeous sunshine until the skies clouded over and opened up and poured at around 6:30 pm.

Laundry: We dropped off our dirty clothes at a little place beside our hotel. Many laundry places offer 3 hour service, where we dropped our clothes, it is next day. Went back the next morning (dropped previous morning) and they told us no, it will be ready at 3 pm; went back at 4 pm and they told us nobody is there, come back at 5 pm which is when they said tomorrow. Frustrated, we informed them that it is impossible because we leave and then they had it ready in 5 minutes. One large bag $2.

Motorbike Rental / Highway Permit: Do Not Drive on the highway without an international drivers license and a highway permit. The permit can be bought at any convenience store for 5000 IDR (practically free) and it is a value card. We did not know, were pulled over by the police, were allowed to pay the 5000 IDR. Our license was not international so we were told to take the bike back immediately and do not rent a bike again.

The police officer in this case was very friendly and helpful. He told us at least 3 bike accidents a day occur in this area with tourists and because they do not have an international drivers license, their travel insurance does not cover the hospital expenses. Good to know. He also said Indonesia has the 5th highest transportation mortality rate in the world.

Drink / Night: Roti Cafe has great bucket deals – 3 beer, 60,000 IDR / €3.55 / USD$4.36

Cocaine and marijuana can be bought / is offered everywhere on the street and in the bars.  I would strongly recommend not participating, but each to their own.

Kuta / Legian did not live up to my expectations, however, one can understand the draw for the party crowds.

Bali Bombing Memorial: Take time to visit the 2014 Bomb Memorial. This touching dedication lists all of the names of people who lost their lives in this senseless act of terrorism.

Leaving to Ubud after 3 nights: Uber did not work so we used Grab. The lady who picked us up told us that we need to pay 50,000 IDR on top of the agreed app fee of 150,000 IDR for a total of 200,000 IDR.

Want a private driver? I can recommend Gita: Whatapp Tel: +62 87861653398

**Please be careful when using Grab as it is known the Ubud taxis beat up Grab drivers. Best is to act as if it is a friend picking you up.

Links of interest:
Kuta / Legian Beach
….⇒ Stay: Grand Bimasena
    …..→Eat/ Drink: Apache Reggae Bar
    …..→Eat: D’Medina Bistro 
    …..→Drink: Roti Cafe


Location:  Asia > SouthEast Asia > Indonesia > Bali Island > North Kuta > Legian Beach

Apache Reggae Surfer Bar Our Kitchen

Happy hour, live music, food and fun! When the Bali sun sets in Legian Kuta, it is time to head to the Apache.

Restaurant NameApache Reggae Bar / Our Kitchen / Apache Surfer Bar
Address: Jl. Raya Legian No.146, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia

Note:  This is an independent restaurant review based on my personal experience.

The Restaurant / Bar: has Happy Hour two for one and themed nights of live entertainment including rock, reggae, and chart performed by great bands. There are several bars, a dance floor, high seating and table seating.

On the first night when we arrived, a super duper Indonesian live band was performing cover music of hits from the 80’s to present.  People were dancing, drinking and having an all round good time.

It is a fantastic atmosphere with disco balls, patio lanterns, palm leaves and neon lights. They say “the air is charged with the positive energy of love and sweet music” and from what we saw, we have to agree.  Bands start playing at 11 pm.

They serve Indonesian, Chinese, Western and Mexican food from 11 am in the morning until late.  We ordered Satay Campur and Ayam Sambal Matah.  Both dishes were fantastic, I think the Satay was some of the best we had on the Island.

Cost:  Our night including our meals, 4 beers and 2 slings cost 344,500 IDR / €19.50 / US$25


Opening Hours: 11 am to 3 am
Contact: Apache Club


It is definitely worth a visit; whether you love dancing, good music or crazy fun vibe, it is hard not to have fun.


Get There:


Location:  Asia > SouthEast Asia > Indonesia > Bali Island > Kuta > Kabupaten Badung > Apache

 

Canggu Bali – See Do Eat Drink

Simply because there is never enough info about this luscious area in the incredibly popular Bali.

What is it about Bali that makes everyone want to rush there and never leave?  Canggu was one of my personal favourite spots in Bali and although it is not everything the hype would make you believe, it is a great place.

Here is a general outline of our experience.  Please feel free to add your comments below.

Dubbed the quieter Kuta / Legian, Canggu is simply not as drunk, or I mean the tourists. The vibe here seems to be self important, I’m so pretty and do you know who I am. Heads turn the other way to avoid eye contact with non-conforming fellow travellers. Six packs, veganites, long hair, tattoos, beards, bikinis and the list goes on with the youthful beautiful wanderers.  Before you tie your? in a knot and starting posting nasty comments below, question whether this applies to you and if it does not, then it does not ?? !

This wandering arrogance is so disheartening when compared with the Balinese locals who are such friendly, outgoing people pleasers with true belief and understanding of karma – the very thing the tourist masses claim to be here for.

Definition of  karma: noun 1.(in Hinduism and Buddhism) the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences. 2.Informal, destiny or fate, following as effect from cause.

At the bottom, I will post links to the places we ate, happy hours and where we stayed.  Again, if you have recommendations or favourite places, please post them in the comments for others to find.

Beaches:  The surf is up and this is the perfect opportunity to learn how to surf or to hone your skills.  The two main beaches in Canggu are Echo Beach and Old Man’s Beach.  Both were nice to visit and each has it’s own vibe. I personally liked Echo Beach a little more, but I really can’t point to anything specific to say why.  Is one better than the other for surfing?

The worst thing about Bali is the tourists. The best thing about Bali is the locals!

Laundry: It cost us 75,000 IDR / €5 for 2 bags and was washed, dried and pressed in 24 hours.  It was located basically right across the road from La Pan Nam.

Happy Hour really varies in meaning.  Sometimes it is 2 for 1, or it can be buy 3 get 1, or only beer, or only mojitos.  You get the idea what you get is as varied as the times it happens!  Let us know your favourite place and what they are offering.  Our Happy Hour experiences is linked below.

Grab Taxi Wars – this is a very real and big problem.  Our Grab app was not working when we wanted to return from Echo Beach, so we were forced to take a taxi. Our Grab to the Beach had cost 12,000 IDR / €0.71 / US$0.84; the Taxi wanted 60,000 IDR / €3.55 / US$4.20. We tried to barter, but they ALL insisted 60,000 IDR or walk. We agreed to their mafia structure and got in the cab. Not only did the cab stink, the driver asked again where to and we told him. He asked “where” again before we figured out he didn’t speak any English. Finally we fired up our phone and showed him where to go. We have never had any of those problems with Grab.  What is your experience?

Which brings us to Motorbike Rental.  Of course, after that experience, we decided to lower the risk and get our own transportation.  Super great way to get around and very affordable at 50,000 IDR / €3 / US$3.65 per day. Freedom!

We rented the bike from our Guesthouse, but we did see places renting all over.  Bring on your favourite rental places and prices in the comments!

Now you have the freedom to go where you want, but where do you go?  Just touring around can be fun.  Stop for a smoothie here a coffee there, check out the beaches and the surfers, take in the rice fields, but do not forget visit
Tanah Lot & Batu Balong, it really has a wow factor.  Again, I have the link below.

To sum it up, basically, the worst thing about Bali is the tourists. The best thing about Bali is the locals!

Links:
….⇒ Stay: Sleepy Gecko Guest House
    …..→Eat: Breakers Tavern 
    …..→Eat: La Pan Nam Warung Restaurant
    …..→Eat: My Wahrung
    …..→Eat: Wahrung D’ Pererenan
 …..→Drink: Where to Drink / Happy Hour
…..⇒ Go: Temples Tanah Lot & Batu Balong
…..⇒ Do: Top Fun Things to Do 



Location: Asia > SouthEast Asia > Indonesia > Bali Island > Badung > Canggu