The south of Bali is one of the most popular parts of the island. If you’re looking for things to do in South Bali you will find that the this part of the island has a lot to offer. There’s the shopping, beaches, water sports madness and the partying. It’s a great place for tourists and an exciting place to explore.

Also Read:

36 Incredible and Fun Things to do in Bali
The Essential Guide of Things to do in Ubud
From Pirates to Pilates: 13 Unique and Fun Things to do in Nusa Dua

So in no particular order, I’d like to share with you 15 great things to do in the South of Bali. Let’s start. 🙂

Essential Things to Do in South Bali

1. Enjoy a Sunset Cocktail

The south of Bali has some of the best places to hang out for a drink and enjoy the sunset in Bali. While drinks can be expensive, hey there’s a big tax on alcohol in Indonesia, it’s well worth it for the views. You can find some of my favorite sunset bars in the south of Bali below.

Rock Bar

One of the best bars in the south of Bali is Rock Bar. The bar is managed by the Ayana Resort Jimbaran. Thanks to the beautiful views it’s a favorite with locals as well as tourists.

La Laguna

This vintage style beach bar and restaurant, located in Canggu, is definitely one of the most Instagramable spots in Bali. It’s a great spot for sunset and food and drinks don’t cost too much. You can find their Facebook page here.

Nalu Bowls

Nalu Bowls (this is not located by the beach, but it has a beach vibe) has quickly become a firm favourite. You can find the Bali smoothie bowl shack in several areas: Seminyak, Uluwatu and Canggu. The one in Uluwatu is probably my favourite.

2. Relax at a Luxury Resort

If you want to stay in a beach resort in Bali there’s a good chance you’ll end up in the south of the island. That’s no bad thing. In comparison to resorts in Aus or Singapore the price of resorts are affordable. And everything is close. The beaches around the south of Bali are calm and beautiful. There are lots of nice shops and restaurants nearby. In fact many resorts have all of these facilities and more. Some of our favorite luxury resorts in the south of the island include The Laguna and Grand Mirage (two of the most affordable resorts in the South of Bali). If you want to treat yourself make sure to check out Samabe (it looks like Santorini).

3. Chill on a Beautiful Beach

Island life is always about beaches. Some of my personal favourites are Petitenget Beach (beaches in this area are also great for the sunset), Balangan Beach and Nusa Dua Beach. I am sure that there are plenty of other nice beaches in the south of Bali you can visit.

4. Enjoy a Massage and Spa

You’ll be surprised how cheap it is to get a message or spa in Bali. And the best part of it is, they offer a great service. Jari Menari is one of the best places for a massage, you can find them in Kuta, Seminyak and also Nusa Dua.

For more premium option, there are plenty of hotels with their in-house spa and massage services, one of my favourite is definitely Thalasso Bali. They have plenty of spa packages. The Island Spice – Island Fruit package (120 minutes) for couple is a great option. It costs US$170.00++ for two people.

5. Take Some Retail Therapy

The south of Bali is great for shopping. If you are on a budget you can check out the streets of Kuta or Legian. If you have money to spend you should definitely check out Seminyak. Besides being a great area to find surf brands and bikinis (that most of the time are on special offer), you can also find accessories (a lot of friendship bracelets and statement necklaces scattered around the south of Bali).

Some of my personal favourites that I think you should check out are:

Jewel Rocks. A great place to go if you want a hippie kind of style of jewelry. Besides bracelets and necklaces, Jewel Rocks also sells some personal finds from the owner who collects things as he travels around the world, like cute fabric from Peru.

Address: Jalan Petitenget No.1 A, Kuta Utara, Bali 80361 (Google Maps)

Ni Luh Djelantik. Go here if you are looking for comfy and high quality shoes. Ni Luh Djelantik is famous for offering hand made goods of great quality. There are two stores in Kerobokan.

Address: Jl. Raya Kerobokan, Kuta Utara, Bali 80361 (Google Maps) and Jl. Raya Kerobokan No.144, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta, Bali (Google Maps)

Bamboo Blonde. There are a lot of clothing stores in Seminyak, but Bamboo Blonde is definitely one of my favourites. There are three Bamboo Blonde stores around Seminyak.

Address: Jalan Raya Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali (Google Maps), Bamboo Blonde Oberoi, which is the flagship store (Google Maps) and Bamboo Blonde Seminyak Village (Google Maps).

Joger Bali. Joger is a must-go shopping place for locals, especially people who are visiting Bali for the first time. Joger items are considered a souvenir from Bali. You can get Joger sandals, t-shirts, key-chains, etc. It is like getting an Eiffel Tower key-chain when you go to Paris.

Address: Jalan Raya Kuta, Kuta, Bali (Google Maps)

Geneva Handicraft Supermarket. Looking for souvenirs from Bali? You can find almost everything here. Super crazy stock and varieties. My foreigner friends spend hours at this supermarket, which has a great collection at a reasonable price (and no need to bargain!).

Address: Jalan Raya Kerobokan, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361 (Google Maps)

Alternative Ideas for Things to Do in the South of Bali

6. Go Cafe Hopping

If you are a big fan of coffee or sweet desserts, there are several places that I would recommend trying. Well… There are actually a lot of nice cafes that I haven’t got the chance to try, but here are my favourites.

Anomali Coffee – Seminyak

Anomali Coffee is one of the best places to go if you would like to taste coffee from across Indonesia. It is like a chain and you can also find Anomali coffee in Ubud (check my things to do in Ubud here) and also in Jakarta.

Mugshot Coffee – Legian

Mugshot Coffee isn’t very fancy. The place is mini, but they do have very tasty coffee.

Angelita Patisserie – Kerobokan, Seminyak

This cafe is located on Jalan Raya Kerobokan (no. 10A to be exact). It is a great place for dessert lovers. Some good friends of mine said that this is the best place to be if you are talking about pastry.

Corner House – Seminyak

Though a lot of people like to come here for the food, I come here for their coffee. Other than that, the restaurant (especially on the second level) is relaxing. There are high ceilings, big windows and it’s very airy. It’s also a very comfortable place to work or read your book. Here’s a link to their fb page.

Machinery Cafe Bali (MCB) – Canggu

Machinery Cafe Bali, which is located in Canggu was opened in September 2015, is quickly becoming one of the favourite places to get brunch and coffee. I love their fruit platter (dragon bowl) to the moon and back. You can find their fb page here.

7. Take to the Surf

Bali is synonymous with surfing. Whether you are an expert or just learning how to surf, Southern Bali can accommodate it all. Kuta, Legian, Canggu, Uluwatu, and also Nusa Dua, all have plenty of surfing spots. Be careful of the busy surfing places like Kuta, local surfers can be quite aggressive about getting the waves.

8. Explore the Underwater World

The south of Bali is great for dicing. Tulamben is one of the best diving spots (yes, according to me) in Bali. There is also Nusa Penida, which is an island located to the southeast of Bali. It’s also close to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan.

Nusa Penida is famous for its Mola-mola (Ocean sunfish), usually you can see them from July – October, and also Manta rays. Keep in mind that you need to be an advanced certified diver or have logged a large amount of dives if you want to go here. Nusa Penida is famous for its strong current.

Even if are not interested in diving, I’d still recommend Nusa Penida. A lot of people say that Nusa Penida is like Bali several years ago. You can catch a speed boat or public boat from Sanur harbour, Padang Bai harbour or Benoa harbour to the island.

9. Watch the Devdan Show in Nusa Dua

While the Ramayana Ballet performance is one of the things that you should watch while you are visiting Yogyakarta, Devdan Show is the best attraction in Nusa Dua. If you are into cultural performances and would love to see Indonesian art in a nutshell, you definitely should check out this show.

The show is held Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (from 7:00-8:30 pm) and involves hundreds of dancers and performers. It is a mixed theatrical performance, with dance and also acrobatics. Though there were a lot of interesting scenes, my favourite part of Devdan Show is the duo strap.

10. Make the Most of the Night Life

There is no end to discussions about the nightlife of southern Bali. You’ll see plenty of young tourists go out around 9 pm to enjoy the nightlife and party until the early morning. There are so many places to party here, especially around Kuta, Legian and Seminyak and up to Canggu. If you have a favorite party spot in South Bali then let me know in the comments below.

11. Spoil your tummy

There are a lot of amazing restaurants with great food scattered around the South of Bali. It seems like there are new restaurants popping up every single day! Here are some of my favourite restaurants to try in south Bali:

EatWell

A big fan of meat? EatWell is a great place to go. There is plenty to try ranging from the pork, beef, lamb through to chicken dishes. I personally like their burger, it is super tasty. One major problem here is the super tiny parking lot, but still it is worth the struggle. You can find their fb page here.

Address: Jalan Raya Basangkasa, No. 36, Seminyak, Kuta, Bali 80361 (Google Maps)

Motel Mexicola

If you are looking for a Mexican splash during your time in Bali, Motel Mexicola is the one. Guacamole, tacos, tortillas and other Mexican dishes are provided here. Besides the tasty food, they also have a great interior design that is very Mexican!

Address: Jalan Kayujati No. 9 X, Petitenget, Bali 80361 (Google Maps)

Nook Bali

It is still possible to enjoy meals surrounded by rice fields in the south of Bali. Come to Nook Bali and you’ll be able to have your Indonesian or western meals in the open air. Good atmosphere and tasty food. You can find their fb page here.

Address: Jalan Umalas 1, Kerobokan Bali (Google Maps)

Secret Cafe

Indra the owner of Secret Cafe is a really friendly person. She decorates her little cafe in a surfing theme with a positive vibe. You can get tasty salad, sandwich and great coffee here. Check out their fb page for more info.

Address: Jalan Siligita No.27, Nusa Dua, Bali (Google Maps)

Layali Lebanese Restaurant and Lounge

If you are looking for a relaxing place to have a shisha fun time, Layali can be a great choice. It is located in Legian and provides great shisha and mint tea.

Address: Jalan Raya Legian Kaja no.445, Kuta, Bali 80361 (Google Maps)

12. Go Bird watching at Serangan Island

I passed Serangan Island when I came back from Lembongan Island to Bali last year. If you are into bird watching and also photography, you should visit this island. Anyway, there is one lady that is really into photography who I followed on Google+, her name is Novita Listyani. She has a lot of beautiful pictures of Bali, starting from the beaches, sunsets, sunrises and everything else in between.

I noticed that Novita also shares a lot of bird pictures, and a lot of them are from Serangan Island. Curious and want to know more about it? Watch this beautiful video – she wrote, the island is considered to be the best spot for migrant waders in Bali.

13. Watch Sunset at Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu Temple is one of the most beautiful temples in Bali (I also adore Ulun Danu Bratan temple by the lake Bratan). Visiting Uluwatu Temple is a must, though you should be extra careful about the monkeys in Uluwatu (yes, they are much more aggressive than monkeys in Ubud). Also don’t miss out on the opportunity to watch the sunset and Kecak dance at the temple.

14. Make the Ocean Your Playground

Banana boat, parasailing, jet ski, snorkelling, stand up paddling, underwater scooter, yup, name it and you’ll find it in the south of Bali. The most happening thing at the moment is fly-boarding. I never tried, but enjoyed watching people try to fly. It costs around USD 75 for a 20 minute ride and it looks like a lot of fun.

15. Take a Cooking Class

Bali is famous for its cooking classes, though you might have heard that the best cooking classes in Bali are available in Ubud, worry not because there are also great options in South Bali. Besides cooking class that are provided in the hotels / resorts (which most of the time are great-I joined a complimentary cooking class during my stay in Samabe Resort), there is also this awesome cooking class hosted by Warung Eny (located at Jalan Petitenget No. 97, Seminyak, Bali).

Bottom line is you should consider to take a cooking class while you are in Bali. You’ll be very proud once you know how to prepare the tasty Sate Lilit Bali and / or the famous Nasi Goreng. Indonesian food is interesting to explore and learn how to prepare. Cooking classes are also a great opportunity to see a bit of local life. Some of the cooking classes give you the chance to visit a traditional market, shop for the ingredients and then prepare the meal.

***

So, what would like to add to the list things to do in the south of Bali? Let me know if you have any best Bali attractions that I missed out here.