Until international borders open again, we’ll be right here, day dreaming about all our favourite spots in Bali. So let’s take a trip down memory lane – literally! Here are the Bali streets you need to know.
Jalan Pantai Kuta
Jalan Pantai Kuta is one of the most iconic streets in Bali – you might say this is where it all started for Bali tourism. The street runs parallel to Kuta Beach (“pantai” is Indonesian for beach”) and is home to some of the most long standing establishments on the island. The giant surfboard in front of Hard Rock Café as well as the entrance to Beachwalk shopping mall have become popular photo spots, especially for domestic Indonesian travellers. Not sure about you, but we prefer to take our holiday snaps down by the beach – Kuta still has some of the best sunset views on the island!
Jalan Legian
Party animals welcome! The long and winding Legian Street is home to many of the most long-established bars and clubs on the island – names like Sky Garden, Bounty, Paddy’s Pub and Espresso Bar will most definitely ring a bell to long time Bali goers. Perfect for a pub crawl, the street offers a seemingly endless selection of watering holes and discotheques neighbored by minimarts, boutiques and souvenir shacks. Legian might not be everyone’s cup of tea – sophisticated this street is not! – but if you keep an open mind, it’s almost guaranteed to offer a fun night out.
Sunset Road
Sunset Road is the main highway running through southern Bali, connecting the airport to Kuta, Legian and all the way to Seminyak. For visitor staying in these popular areas, this busy road offers a gateway to other parts of Bali – who’s up for a daytrip? If you’re looking to shop for essentials, Sunset Road offers huge supermarkets and outlets, including Carrefour and Grand Lucky, as well as the large Mall Bali Galeria shopping mall.
Jalan Kayu Aya – aka Eat Street
Foodies, this one’s for you! Seminyak’s iconic Eat Street is home to many of the most popular and most buzzed-about restaurants, cafes and night clubs on the island. This is where you’ll find some of Bali’s most well-established and well-loved restaurants, including Ultimo, Corner House and Sisterfields – to name only a few. If you’re looking for some after-hours fun, La Favela is known as the place to party, while Red Carpet across the street serves lethal martinis. Follow the street far enough and you’ll reach the ever-popular Ku De Ta beach club and the much photographed façade of Sea Circus. It’s a delight to stroll down Jalan Kayu Aya each time you visit Bali, as there’s always a new and exciting opening taking place.
The Shortcut
The Canggu Shortcut might just be the most infamous road on the island. Connecting the surf borough of Berawa to central Canggu, this narrow little road takes you through cascading rice paddies which, sadly are seeing more and more construction and garish billboards popping up. Back in the day, this might have been “the scenic route” but these days, it’s more of a punchline with countless memes dedicated to cars that have ended up in the paddies. This one’s not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure! During the quiet months brought on by the pandemic, people have even started posting wistful images, reminiscing about the “good” old days when a drive from Berawa to Canggu might include a good hour spent stuck on the Shortcut.
Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong
Canggu has exploded as the trendiest area in Bali and Jalan Batu Bolong is one of the best spots for getting a feel of what all the fuss is about. What was once a long and winding street surrounded by local houses is today dotted with hip cafes, boutiques, tattoo shops and more. There are some long-established heavy hitters in the area, including Deus Ex Machina, Old Man’s and The Lawn (all great for live music and a fun night out), plus an ever changing cavalcade of new comers, each one trendier than the last. The street’s also become a shopaholic’s paradise – check out our guide to shopping on Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong.
Monkey Forest Road
Arguably the busiest street in Ubud (or at least used to be, before all of this went down), Monkey Forest Road shot to world fame when Elizabeth Gilbert gave it a shout out in her mega best selling memoir, Eat Pray Love (you might have heart of it?). The hilly street stretches from the imposing Ubud Palace past Ubud Art Market (pictured below) and all the way down to the famous Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. As Ubud has grown in popularity, the street has become densely lined with boutiques and cafes and honestly bears very little resemblance of that peaceful Balinese hamlet you might be expecting – it can get very busy. For a feel of that elusive “real” Bali, it’s best to head out of town – but to do some souvenir shopping and to check some must-visit items off your bucket list, Monkey Forest Road is wort a ramble.
Dive deeper into all things Bali with our Bali travel guide!
