Kuta, Legian, Seminyak (Bali) > Reviews > Kuta-Legian a delight at the right time

Author's product rating:   

Value for Money
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around
Family Friendly

Advantages:	Cheap, quiet, fun
Disadvantages:	Weather can be dodgy

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I just got home from a couple of days in Kuta - a reasonably good trip despite the lousy weather.

I arrived at Denpassar Airport - which despite the name is just south of of the Kuta Legian region. I was met at the airport by a bemo driver who normally drives for my parents when they are in Bali. From the moment we met he treated me with respect and concern - he told me about many of the scams to avoid while in town and where some of the better places to eat and shop were located.

I stayed at an older and somewhat less popular accommodation called Kuta Bungalows on the corner of Jl Benesari and Melasti Lane. The owners were delighted to meet me as my parents have been visiting them regularly for years - everyone I spoke to knew my mother and spoke of her with great and I think genuine affection. I paid a reasonable price for the room and they made sure I had the best available. This is no 5 star resort - it is a simple compound with basic, but clean and functional rooms, a small restaurant, a pool and a bar. They offer a free security box for your valuables.

Outside the front gate are two well known spots - Midnight Oil - a restaurant and bar that is well known for its special mushroom omelettes (for anyone foolish enough to try the enlightening "magic mushroom" this is "allegedly" the place) - also nearby is a great little restaurant or "warung" called Brasil - run by Nyoman and his wife also called Nyoman - just watch out for the monkey by the toilet door - he can get a little excited at times - he has given many people a scare!! Anyway Brasil is cheap as chips and quite safe to eat in... a breakfast of toast, eggs, fruit, and tea or coffee will set you back about 6000Rp (thats about 40p)...

Just around the corner on Jl Legian is Aromas cafe - the best coffee I could find was here in this vegetarian restaurant/cafe - the food is really great as well - albeit slightly more expensive than the little warungs - but a main course still comes in under a pound.

I recommend this area in the off season and after January 5/6 is a particularly good time because it is quiet and you can actully wander the streets in comfort, unless of course you get hit by a storm like I did the other night - but even then the spectacle of watching people negotiate the main street as the floodwaters rise is entertaining in its own right!!

I provided my own floor show when, as I left, I stepped into a hidden drain and sank upto my thighs - just keep smiling!!

As I said the lack of tourists at this time means less mayhem. I loved just sitting in the cafe with a beer and a snack and reading in the relative peace and quiet - something that is not always achievable during peak season.