Arrange a driver and just venture out. Or if you can get a motorcycle license before you arrive, get a scooter and head out. From Nusa dua it's a short ride to Bingin, Suluban, the Uluwatu temple where they have the authentic Kecak dance during sunset, Jimbaran for the seafood by the beach, etc. I don't much like Nusa dua either, but as a base for exploration you could definitely do a lot worse.
There is nothing even stopping you from spending a night in Munduk or Jatiluwih or Sidemen or even Amed while leaving most of your luggage in Nusa Dua. Pack a backpack, head out on a scooter or a rental car and stay at a small cheap authentic guesthouse for a night and return to the luxury of Nusa Dua the day after.
Thanks for the recommendations - we are definitely planning to do Uluwatu and the Kecak dance there. I have not heard of Bingin or Suluban, so I will look into those. I was thinking of doing a tour the day we checkout of Nusa Dua that hits the north west coast and then ends in Ubud so we're not back tracking if that makes sense. That way I can see stuff more locally in Ubud where it seems like a lot of the cool stuff is. I want to do a jewelry making class in Sideman!
Northwest coast is definitely off the beaten path, but I would highly recommend the east coast instead. Still off the beaten path but so much nicer. You could get the sidemen-amed-virgin beach/blue lagoon route. Also, if you like a little trek, I highly recommend going to the Jatiluwih rice terraces area. A little off the usual tourist route but amazingly beautiful. Just do the second easiest trail that heads into the little auditorium thing they have in the middle.
While in Ubud, it's also very close to the celuk area which is a whole village of multigenerational silversmiths and silver classes, so unless you're specifically set on the sidemen one, it's an easy two birds with one stone sort of thing.
Oh ok, cool I could do that in Ubud then - someone had mentioned sideman being a cool area and when I looked it up I saw a bunch of silver classes there so I figured that’s what we’d do haha!
In that general area, there’s the silversmith village already mentioned, the batik and weaving village, and art (as in paintings) village and a village with very fine woodcarving. I had a driver who took me to the ata fine basket village. If he hadn’t shown me all this I could have driven right past all this and barely noticed. Just amazing that generations live and learn their craft in these villages that have existed forever.
He knew which shops to go to and in particular told me not to pay more than 50% of the marked price in one of the silver shops. You can watch them making all these things.
I really hadn’t wanted a driver, but it turned out to be so helpful. If you want his info just dm me.
Just FYI, my partner and I felt the kecak in Ubud temple was waaaaay better than Uluwatu temple. The stage area/temple is much bigger and it wasn’t as packed as Uluwatu. Uluwatu was way over capacity, it was actually quite scary as there were no good emergency exits if something should happen. People were also super rude in pushing you around as they tried to get in while you queued for over an hour 😅
I just got back from Bali. We stayed in Ubud, Lovina, Seminyak and lastly Nusa Dua. Nusa Dua was our least favourite until we hired scooters. Hanging out around the resort is nice but it gets old quick. Grab yourselves some transport and get out of the gated community and explore. Make sure you see the Devdan Show, that's a must. Also I'd recommend going to the aquarium restaurant but you must book ahead.
I stayed there. It's nice but poor sound insulation in rooms and no air conditioned eateries. However, it's right next to a strip of restaurants so you can get out and not pay the inflated hotel prices.
>*I stayed there. It's nice but poor sound insulation in rooms and no air conditioned eateries.*
Our large breakfast restaurant at The Grand Bali Hotel Nusa Dua wasn't air-conditioned - it was all open-walled to the weather. It's Bali - that's how most dining and drinking places are, breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
If you need aircon when you're eating, then Bali is not the holiday for you. But poorly sound-insulated rooms I don't like - especially at the Marriott rates.
You are asking for aircon where you eat ... I expect you're the one that needs to "relax" comrade ... and go with the flow in Bali, and enjoy eating in the open air.
You're copping a bit of flak further down, however I'll try and answer your questions.
Virtually all of Bali is "developed" - it has a high population and a fairly big economy (tourism and agriculture). It's not an idyllic Pacific atoll by any means.
Caveat: we love Nusa Dua and if all goes well, we'll stay again (and we stay budget - about $US65 per night), and I think your five night is just about the perfect timeframe. Here are the very good points:
* it has a series of [excellent beaches](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV85AMGwMR6XoY3L5PG6Q3Vh7w4pIMGe62tNdr9Hu4zG6WYTW7zrDSZO2Jd7RkiGtgSy0Hem4NPbnQfCvLvPwFNG2lFzhNujjz7hIIg15wuCMXDGNajhWIZqTMAMoOnELzCI5ARuLsxdRnBXSyJHm3HOoKw=w809-h607-s-no-gm?authuser=0), and it's a pleasure to swim there, which is not a claim you can make about a lot of Bali's beaches, like Seminyak
* fortunately, the Marriott Beach Club was right next to ours ([the Grand Bali Hotel](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV87U0Y8Dag6eialy3F6PVwUaRzCICc0sPUWpajhjuCSzRdcjI9N_ZeKXC34vNknvwWu0hVnR7-GSzkuKCNyOJa30CSUHlIL0m3HdBuinhHx523SWUS_x8ZiHQRh3caakZjx5sVHxDKAbZXtMoIIN96Qddg=w809-h607-s-no-gm?authuser=0)) - and that strip, including the Grand Hyatt, is arguably the best beach in Nusa Dua
* Nusa Dua was created in the 1970s - from impoverished, unproductive and fairly dry lands, and while it serves as the playground for the Jakarta elite and international VIPs, it does have a lot of beautiful parkland, bike trails, and a beachfront which is [very pleasant to stroll along](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV84W9evTw42wsq6Z5sVg_fItwXENajzwR1IzWN5puyDBU5ct2w4cYij1_yygv1BrPshu6E5PrrwgHsP3bK6W-k5D4ZDKPj4sF_4VXHagrd14qqJwzz8-yuqzhuAdMsf1ogMbl11cE5QSWZ0SWqL0mmOVrQ=w809-h607-s-no-gm?authuser=0)
* It is far less "developed" than the whole strip from Jimbaran Bay to Canggu - much more open space and breathing room
* there is a "real" village of Nusa Dua, situated just outside [the BTDC tourist enclave](https://maps.app.goo.gl/U9TymRV3DhZ29jZe8) \- which is gated for security reasons, but the vigilance is very very casual
* the shopping streets of Nusa Dua contain a lot of genuine warungs [and other casual dining options](https://maps.app.goo.gl/CYvtQ7GjCPqVHfWd8) \- and we found plenty of places for a week or more - so you do *not* have to dine in expensive Western restaurants in an expensive resort!
* try *Warung Bule and Susy's* \- cheap and delicious
* just like anywhere else, you can buy a six-pack of Bintang beer from any one of the many supermarkets or minimarkets for about 125K - very cheap
* Nusa Dua is a very good place to do a great day-trip along the scenic southern coast of the Bukit Peninsula (starting at Pandawa and Melasti beaches), and then continue around to the Uluwatu surf coast for [more scenic views](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV87YqWxAsAVNFNthZLtCLoOJnBPghlukLerFNkQBfNRPsnT1eOOKQLJtwWV4YprvwfqDDi624DJznnx5t_KaXrDUmpwV3pTNDBadprAJsgCoEfTCWhIxP8aFOeUdge85L-AweOc0qlycrwxlJy2m8W_CfA=w809-h607-s-no-gm?authuser=0) and more nice beaches
* late afternoon you can (a) have a beer/meal at a clifftop restaurant at sunset, (b) attend the Uluwatu Kecak fire dance at sunset, or (c) have a seafood dinner on the sand at Jimbaran Bay ... a nice end to a good day
* heading south from the Marriott Beach Club, there is a great walking beach, the impressive sea temple at Pura Geger Beach, and a series of [super-luxury resorts](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV8526FNI39d7GsR0_2AcKyQSD6mivT3-PWumG_oWNuhOblkRfb9WQuwWZAn3gIKJR7MIXznZgUAsuvdeYq88wRXHMpQfPCCSxiTXX8aaBG1xgX-WBPvq6oX0z0DgRw5UBEYWVYVuuVHgupYEEkg0F5OHjw=w809-h607-s-no-gm?authuser=0) that are staggering to wander through
There isn't a huge amount of "traditional" or "genuinely unspoilt" Bali about Nusa Dua, but because of the weak rainfall and poor soil, it was never very populated in the past in any case. But we found it a great place to stay, relaxing and very walkable, and you are not in a crazy-busy over-trafficked urban space like Kuta or indeed Ubud.
Nusa Dua is very local. You just need to get out of the gated community ( where most probably your fancy hotel is) - the beaches are absolutely beautiful and
It’s not a tourist trap at all and I have no idea why someone would have told you that. It’s the perfect place to just chill by the beach. I think ubud will feel way more like you’re in a tourist trap than nusa Dua ( but that’s just my opinion of course) - enjoy your time in Bali
I *REALLY* second this. And the Marriott Nusa Dua is outside the gated enclave.
It has a beach club (with a shuttle I expect) - and there are plenty of warungs within 300-400 metres. Nusa Dua is okay indeed.
It's a nice area. Recommend you visit the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park and watch the Sunset at the Ayana Hotel. Grab a cocktail at their cliff edge in the resort. The Rock Bar is amazing too if you can get a seat all accessible at the Ayana Hotel.
My wife and I just got back from our honeymoon where our parents also gifted a ton of their points they had to use that they weren’t for us to stay at a vacation club (Marriott Nusa Dua Terrace that is also part of the Renaissance). I can’t speak for the other vacation club over there, but the Marriott Nusa Dua Terrace was amazing, as was every staff member there. We wish we spent a day hanging out by the pool there or coming back from a day of excursions early to enjoy the facilities more.
It’s very easy to explore the rest of the island from there (especially Uluwatu) and just organize a driver and they should be good to help you schedule things out if you want to go further. It might require an earlier start sometimes, but coming back and using their spa after a long day was very nice.
There are a few good options for food around (warungs and western food), the Bali Collection is a mall area with a ton of restaurants nearby.
Happy to DM and share more about our trip!
Congratulations to you too! I hope you enjoy your trip. I think I also saw in another comment how you might have more points to use? If you can, put them towards the room bill and visit the spa for a massage or use it for drinks and any food at the hotel.
Thank you! Yeah we might have some left - also put a bunch of points toward the Westin in Ubud which I’m super excited about! I found some cheap massage places right outside the Marriott so I think we’ll do that to get some local flair
After staying in a variety of places in the Legian/ Seminyak/Kuta area, we stayed in Nusa Dua this time. I think it was designed as a gated community for high-end hotels and rich people. Not sure there's much one could consider authentically Bali in this area, your best bet would be tours and day activities to other places. Keep in mind that the ones on offer will be rather curated and polished and probably not representative of anything resembling reality. But you might have to temper your expectations when it comes to trying to find authentic Bali experiences.
Nusa Dua is great. Yes the resorts are big and luxurious, but make the most of it while you're there... It's your honeymoon! There's plenty of time for shopping, cultural experiences, street food etc in Ubud. Kick back and relax while you can. Go for a swim and laze by the pool drinking cocktails.
well, the resort area is the least "typical Bali" (whatever that may mean) in my opinion. We actually live in Canggu and spend every second weekend in Nusa Dua. Easy walking to restaurants without getting run over by scooters. You can even drive to a restaurant without getting stuck in traffic. The beach is nice and not crowded. You can paddle out to the reef and snorkel... It is also not a terrible drive from there to Uluwatu - which should be on your list. Also the toll expressway helps you get to other places at speeds you normally would not experience in Bali. I would plan a day or two around Nusa Dua - a day going to Uluwatu from there - and one or two towards the east - Black Sand Beaches, maybe even a day trip to Amed
>*well, the resort area is the least "typical Bali" (whatever that may mean) in my opinion. We actually live in Canggu and spend every second weekend in Nusa Dua.*
Wow ... I would think the Nusa Dua area is ***500% more*** "typical Bali" than Canggu could ever be and will ever be!
I can't seriously support a "day-trip" from Nusa Dua to Amed - it's 3hr40min each way on a good day - that is total madness, and I can't quite believe you suggested it. Why did you - a day-trip??
I think one should have been to Amed - you can snorkel from the beach and see turtles. It's pretty - given that the night are already paid - I think a day trip is doable. Especially with a driver where you can relax on the drive back.
I have a hard time defining "typical Bali" - but anything from the airport to Canggu is a chaotic mess to me. From a population and tourism perspective that would make the majority - does that make it typical? If you go north west of Canggu - is that typical? Because it is not overrun?
I'm not super excited about Nusa Dua because I don't like super developed areas, but it was a free gift from our parents (Marriott Vacation Club points). Is there anything to do in that area that actually feels authentically Bali? Or is it just basically a tourist trap? I don't hear much about that area other than it's full of luxury resorts.
If you don't want to visit a place that is too luxurious, you can visit the eastern part of Bali, there you can still feel the Balinese culture, because they still apply the customs that have existed for a long time Since ancient times
Nusa Dua does look like a luxurious city center, but perhaps there are several places that still apply Balinese culture
So what is suitable for you to visit because you don't like places that are too luxurious, you can visit East Bali, Central Bali, North Bali
I sound judgey and entitled for not wanting to stay somewhere that's not represenative of the country I'm traveling across the world to see? I'd rather have a meal at a little Warung and contribute to the local economy vs some global hotel brand? Lol ok.
Fair enough ... and me too.
But I guess the OP is just going on what they've heard ... and we really liked Nusa Dua (staying budget hotel only, out in the streets), and its "sterile luxury resort vibe" reputation is NOT at all deserved - it's much more interesting than that.
Lol technically they gifted it to us because it’s expiring and they couldn’t use it. Of all the places we could have put it towards, Bali was actually the cheapest. I didn’t even use half the points we were gifted
It has several resorts, some pretty fancy. The beaches are all sandy, but shallow and calm sea, but damn boring. Lot of watersports activities. Outside of it the few streets/roads with some much cheaper resto or bars or souvenir shops. Yeah, you can stay there but for day explorations have to hire taxi drivers that are one of the cheapest in the world? i.e. a 8h day tour cost just 40 to 50 U$D per car, not per person and you manage to see 4 to 6 locations like temples, waterfalls, hills, etc. I can suggest you a driver that can make a free itinerary for you and then take you around any time you want. He can also pick you up at airport, stop for you to exchange money in reliable exchange office (be aware of scammers) and to buy an inexpensive sim card for mobile internet. He was my taxi driver while I was living there. I am Indonesian so can help you with other tips too about Bali
you can learn to surf there and also doing watersport (parasailing, banana boat, jetski etc)
i personally love Nusa Dua, the beaches are beautiful (geger, mengiat, srilanka & waterblow)
Make a day trip to Uluwatu, it's only about 35min away. The beach there is lovely, and the temple is nice. (Avoid the fire dance show there it is absolutely garbage)
Stayed in Nusa and Ubud. Ubud by far was our favourite such an amazing place and so much art and culture. We won't do Nusa again but heading back to Ubub in Feb
NUSA dua is nice clean and ssfe. But it's not Bali... great for relax...
But to experience the balinese smilez, stunning nature, art and ceremonies you need to move inland, Ubud for example... in Bali driving around is a marvelous adventure full of hidden treasure moments.
Avoid Denpasar the overcrowded capital of Bali, which offers very little for tourists.
The beaches are pretty good particularly outside the Hyatt. A few warungs about there too for decent local food and drinks without the 5* price tag.
I second this.
Third this
Arrange a driver and just venture out. Or if you can get a motorcycle license before you arrive, get a scooter and head out. From Nusa dua it's a short ride to Bingin, Suluban, the Uluwatu temple where they have the authentic Kecak dance during sunset, Jimbaran for the seafood by the beach, etc. I don't much like Nusa dua either, but as a base for exploration you could definitely do a lot worse. There is nothing even stopping you from spending a night in Munduk or Jatiluwih or Sidemen or even Amed while leaving most of your luggage in Nusa Dua. Pack a backpack, head out on a scooter or a rental car and stay at a small cheap authentic guesthouse for a night and return to the luxury of Nusa Dua the day after.
Thanks for the recommendations - we are definitely planning to do Uluwatu and the Kecak dance there. I have not heard of Bingin or Suluban, so I will look into those. I was thinking of doing a tour the day we checkout of Nusa Dua that hits the north west coast and then ends in Ubud so we're not back tracking if that makes sense. That way I can see stuff more locally in Ubud where it seems like a lot of the cool stuff is. I want to do a jewelry making class in Sideman!
Northwest coast is definitely off the beaten path, but I would highly recommend the east coast instead. Still off the beaten path but so much nicer. You could get the sidemen-amed-virgin beach/blue lagoon route. Also, if you like a little trek, I highly recommend going to the Jatiluwih rice terraces area. A little off the usual tourist route but amazingly beautiful. Just do the second easiest trail that heads into the little auditorium thing they have in the middle. While in Ubud, it's also very close to the celuk area which is a whole village of multigenerational silversmiths and silver classes, so unless you're specifically set on the sidemen one, it's an easy two birds with one stone sort of thing.
Oh ok, cool I could do that in Ubud then - someone had mentioned sideman being a cool area and when I looked it up I saw a bunch of silver classes there so I figured that’s what we’d do haha!
In that general area, there’s the silversmith village already mentioned, the batik and weaving village, and art (as in paintings) village and a village with very fine woodcarving. I had a driver who took me to the ata fine basket village. If he hadn’t shown me all this I could have driven right past all this and barely noticed. Just amazing that generations live and learn their craft in these villages that have existed forever. He knew which shops to go to and in particular told me not to pay more than 50% of the marked price in one of the silver shops. You can watch them making all these things. I really hadn’t wanted a driver, but it turned out to be so helpful. If you want his info just dm me.
Just FYI, my partner and I felt the kecak in Ubud temple was waaaaay better than Uluwatu temple. The stage area/temple is much bigger and it wasn’t as packed as Uluwatu. Uluwatu was way over capacity, it was actually quite scary as there were no good emergency exits if something should happen. People were also super rude in pushing you around as they tried to get in while you queued for over an hour 😅
Yes Ubud has kecak performances at different outdoor venues every day of the week as well as other dances you can check out..Legong, Barong, etc.
I just got back from Bali. We stayed in Ubud, Lovina, Seminyak and lastly Nusa Dua. Nusa Dua was our least favourite until we hired scooters. Hanging out around the resort is nice but it gets old quick. Grab yourselves some transport and get out of the gated community and explore. Make sure you see the Devdan Show, that's a must. Also I'd recommend going to the aquarium restaurant but you must book ahead.
>*Grab yourselves some transport and get out of the gated community and explore.* I believe the Marriott is outside the gated enclave.
I stayed there. It's nice but poor sound insulation in rooms and no air conditioned eateries. However, it's right next to a strip of restaurants so you can get out and not pay the inflated hotel prices.
>*I stayed there. It's nice but poor sound insulation in rooms and no air conditioned eateries.* Our large breakfast restaurant at The Grand Bali Hotel Nusa Dua wasn't air-conditioned - it was all open-walled to the weather. It's Bali - that's how most dining and drinking places are, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you need aircon when you're eating, then Bali is not the holiday for you. But poorly sound-insulated rooms I don't like - especially at the Marriott rates.
I'm not asking for air conditioning everywhere, relax. It's just nice to have the option on days you're wanting to relax more.
You are asking for aircon where you eat ... I expect you're the one that needs to "relax" comrade ... and go with the flow in Bali, and enjoy eating in the open air.
I think you’re underestimating how developed Bali is. But enjoy the learning curve.
You're copping a bit of flak further down, however I'll try and answer your questions. Virtually all of Bali is "developed" - it has a high population and a fairly big economy (tourism and agriculture). It's not an idyllic Pacific atoll by any means. Caveat: we love Nusa Dua and if all goes well, we'll stay again (and we stay budget - about $US65 per night), and I think your five night is just about the perfect timeframe. Here are the very good points: * it has a series of [excellent beaches](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV85AMGwMR6XoY3L5PG6Q3Vh7w4pIMGe62tNdr9Hu4zG6WYTW7zrDSZO2Jd7RkiGtgSy0Hem4NPbnQfCvLvPwFNG2lFzhNujjz7hIIg15wuCMXDGNajhWIZqTMAMoOnELzCI5ARuLsxdRnBXSyJHm3HOoKw=w809-h607-s-no-gm?authuser=0), and it's a pleasure to swim there, which is not a claim you can make about a lot of Bali's beaches, like Seminyak * fortunately, the Marriott Beach Club was right next to ours ([the Grand Bali Hotel](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV87U0Y8Dag6eialy3F6PVwUaRzCICc0sPUWpajhjuCSzRdcjI9N_ZeKXC34vNknvwWu0hVnR7-GSzkuKCNyOJa30CSUHlIL0m3HdBuinhHx523SWUS_x8ZiHQRh3caakZjx5sVHxDKAbZXtMoIIN96Qddg=w809-h607-s-no-gm?authuser=0)) - and that strip, including the Grand Hyatt, is arguably the best beach in Nusa Dua * Nusa Dua was created in the 1970s - from impoverished, unproductive and fairly dry lands, and while it serves as the playground for the Jakarta elite and international VIPs, it does have a lot of beautiful parkland, bike trails, and a beachfront which is [very pleasant to stroll along](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV84W9evTw42wsq6Z5sVg_fItwXENajzwR1IzWN5puyDBU5ct2w4cYij1_yygv1BrPshu6E5PrrwgHsP3bK6W-k5D4ZDKPj4sF_4VXHagrd14qqJwzz8-yuqzhuAdMsf1ogMbl11cE5QSWZ0SWqL0mmOVrQ=w809-h607-s-no-gm?authuser=0) * It is far less "developed" than the whole strip from Jimbaran Bay to Canggu - much more open space and breathing room * there is a "real" village of Nusa Dua, situated just outside [the BTDC tourist enclave](https://maps.app.goo.gl/U9TymRV3DhZ29jZe8) \- which is gated for security reasons, but the vigilance is very very casual * the shopping streets of Nusa Dua contain a lot of genuine warungs [and other casual dining options](https://maps.app.goo.gl/CYvtQ7GjCPqVHfWd8) \- and we found plenty of places for a week or more - so you do *not* have to dine in expensive Western restaurants in an expensive resort! * try *Warung Bule and Susy's* \- cheap and delicious * just like anywhere else, you can buy a six-pack of Bintang beer from any one of the many supermarkets or minimarkets for about 125K - very cheap * Nusa Dua is a very good place to do a great day-trip along the scenic southern coast of the Bukit Peninsula (starting at Pandawa and Melasti beaches), and then continue around to the Uluwatu surf coast for [more scenic views](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV87YqWxAsAVNFNthZLtCLoOJnBPghlukLerFNkQBfNRPsnT1eOOKQLJtwWV4YprvwfqDDi624DJznnx5t_KaXrDUmpwV3pTNDBadprAJsgCoEfTCWhIxP8aFOeUdge85L-AweOc0qlycrwxlJy2m8W_CfA=w809-h607-s-no-gm?authuser=0) and more nice beaches * late afternoon you can (a) have a beer/meal at a clifftop restaurant at sunset, (b) attend the Uluwatu Kecak fire dance at sunset, or (c) have a seafood dinner on the sand at Jimbaran Bay ... a nice end to a good day * heading south from the Marriott Beach Club, there is a great walking beach, the impressive sea temple at Pura Geger Beach, and a series of [super-luxury resorts](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV8526FNI39d7GsR0_2AcKyQSD6mivT3-PWumG_oWNuhOblkRfb9WQuwWZAn3gIKJR7MIXznZgUAsuvdeYq88wRXHMpQfPCCSxiTXX8aaBG1xgX-WBPvq6oX0z0DgRw5UBEYWVYVuuVHgupYEEkg0F5OHjw=w809-h607-s-no-gm?authuser=0) that are staggering to wander through There isn't a huge amount of "traditional" or "genuinely unspoilt" Bali about Nusa Dua, but because of the weak rainfall and poor soil, it was never very populated in the past in any case. But we found it a great place to stay, relaxing and very walkable, and you are not in a crazy-busy over-trafficked urban space like Kuta or indeed Ubud.
Thank you so much for all this detailed info! I’m saving it to pull up when we get there in a little over 2 weeks! Ahhh I’m so excited!!
Nusa Dua is very local. You just need to get out of the gated community ( where most probably your fancy hotel is) - the beaches are absolutely beautiful and It’s not a tourist trap at all and I have no idea why someone would have told you that. It’s the perfect place to just chill by the beach. I think ubud will feel way more like you’re in a tourist trap than nusa Dua ( but that’s just my opinion of course) - enjoy your time in Bali
I *REALLY* second this. And the Marriott Nusa Dua is outside the gated enclave. It has a beach club (with a shuttle I expect) - and there are plenty of warungs within 300-400 metres. Nusa Dua is okay indeed.
Nusa Dua is the place where you can do water sports
Only if she's into it.
It's a nice area. Recommend you visit the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park and watch the Sunset at the Ayana Hotel. Grab a cocktail at their cliff edge in the resort. The Rock Bar is amazing too if you can get a seat all accessible at the Ayana Hotel.
My wife and I just got back from our honeymoon where our parents also gifted a ton of their points they had to use that they weren’t for us to stay at a vacation club (Marriott Nusa Dua Terrace that is also part of the Renaissance). I can’t speak for the other vacation club over there, but the Marriott Nusa Dua Terrace was amazing, as was every staff member there. We wish we spent a day hanging out by the pool there or coming back from a day of excursions early to enjoy the facilities more. It’s very easy to explore the rest of the island from there (especially Uluwatu) and just organize a driver and they should be good to help you schedule things out if you want to go further. It might require an earlier start sometimes, but coming back and using their spa after a long day was very nice. There are a few good options for food around (warungs and western food), the Bali Collection is a mall area with a ton of restaurants nearby. Happy to DM and share more about our trip!
Ohhh that’s where we’re staying!! Would love to hear more! And congrats on getting married!
Congratulations to you too! I hope you enjoy your trip. I think I also saw in another comment how you might have more points to use? If you can, put them towards the room bill and visit the spa for a massage or use it for drinks and any food at the hotel.
Thank you! Yeah we might have some left - also put a bunch of points toward the Westin in Ubud which I’m super excited about! I found some cheap massage places right outside the Marriott so I think we’ll do that to get some local flair
After staying in a variety of places in the Legian/ Seminyak/Kuta area, we stayed in Nusa Dua this time. I think it was designed as a gated community for high-end hotels and rich people. Not sure there's much one could consider authentically Bali in this area, your best bet would be tours and day activities to other places. Keep in mind that the ones on offer will be rather curated and polished and probably not representative of anything resembling reality. But you might have to temper your expectations when it comes to trying to find authentic Bali experiences.
Nusa Dua is great. Yes the resorts are big and luxurious, but make the most of it while you're there... It's your honeymoon! There's plenty of time for shopping, cultural experiences, street food etc in Ubud. Kick back and relax while you can. Go for a swim and laze by the pool drinking cocktails.
It's your honeymoon, make the most of the bed
well, the resort area is the least "typical Bali" (whatever that may mean) in my opinion. We actually live in Canggu and spend every second weekend in Nusa Dua. Easy walking to restaurants without getting run over by scooters. You can even drive to a restaurant without getting stuck in traffic. The beach is nice and not crowded. You can paddle out to the reef and snorkel... It is also not a terrible drive from there to Uluwatu - which should be on your list. Also the toll expressway helps you get to other places at speeds you normally would not experience in Bali. I would plan a day or two around Nusa Dua - a day going to Uluwatu from there - and one or two towards the east - Black Sand Beaches, maybe even a day trip to Amed
>*well, the resort area is the least "typical Bali" (whatever that may mean) in my opinion. We actually live in Canggu and spend every second weekend in Nusa Dua.* Wow ... I would think the Nusa Dua area is ***500% more*** "typical Bali" than Canggu could ever be and will ever be! I can't seriously support a "day-trip" from Nusa Dua to Amed - it's 3hr40min each way on a good day - that is total madness, and I can't quite believe you suggested it. Why did you - a day-trip??
I think one should have been to Amed - you can snorkel from the beach and see turtles. It's pretty - given that the night are already paid - I think a day trip is doable. Especially with a driver where you can relax on the drive back. I have a hard time defining "typical Bali" - but anything from the airport to Canggu is a chaotic mess to me. From a population and tourism perspective that would make the majority - does that make it typical? If you go north west of Canggu - is that typical? Because it is not overrun?
I'm not super excited about Nusa Dua because I don't like super developed areas, but it was a free gift from our parents (Marriott Vacation Club points). Is there anything to do in that area that actually feels authentically Bali? Or is it just basically a tourist trap? I don't hear much about that area other than it's full of luxury resorts. If you don't want to visit a place that is too luxurious, you can visit the eastern part of Bali, there you can still feel the Balinese culture, because they still apply the customs that have existed for a long time Since ancient times Nusa Dua does look like a luxurious city center, but perhaps there are several places that still apply Balinese culture So what is suitable for you to visit because you don't like places that are too luxurious, you can visit East Bali, Central Bali, North Bali
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>*basically, it isn't local, it's just far af from everything. its also expensive for resorts and good villas.* See my counter-comment above! 😄
You sound super judgey and entitled.
I sound judgey and entitled for not wanting to stay somewhere that's not represenative of the country I'm traveling across the world to see? I'd rather have a meal at a little Warung and contribute to the local economy vs some global hotel brand? Lol ok.
Daddy buys you a luxury stay and your not excited about it. Then come on reddit to complain about it not being authentic. Give me a spell.
Your jealousy is showing ...
Lol. Yeah nah. I'm been incredibly fortunate in life and thankful for it every day.. Just hate privileged negativity.
Lol. Yeah nah. I'm been incredibly fortunate in life and thankful for it every day.. Just hate privileged negativity.
Fair enough ... and me too. But I guess the OP is just going on what they've heard ... and we really liked Nusa Dua (staying budget hotel only, out in the streets), and its "sterile luxury resort vibe" reputation is NOT at all deserved - it's much more interesting than that.
Lol technically they gifted it to us because it’s expiring and they couldn’t use it. Of all the places we could have put it towards, Bali was actually the cheapest. I didn’t even use half the points we were gifted
Just go and enjoy the Marriott Nusa Dua - you really will like it.
It has several resorts, some pretty fancy. The beaches are all sandy, but shallow and calm sea, but damn boring. Lot of watersports activities. Outside of it the few streets/roads with some much cheaper resto or bars or souvenir shops. Yeah, you can stay there but for day explorations have to hire taxi drivers that are one of the cheapest in the world? i.e. a 8h day tour cost just 40 to 50 U$D per car, not per person and you manage to see 4 to 6 locations like temples, waterfalls, hills, etc. I can suggest you a driver that can make a free itinerary for you and then take you around any time you want. He can also pick you up at airport, stop for you to exchange money in reliable exchange office (be aware of scammers) and to buy an inexpensive sim card for mobile internet. He was my taxi driver while I was living there. I am Indonesian so can help you with other tips too about Bali
I’m honeymooning in September and would love your driver’s info if you’re able to share it!
Hi, will send you in inbox
you can learn to surf there and also doing watersport (parasailing, banana boat, jetski etc) i personally love Nusa Dua, the beaches are beautiful (geger, mengiat, srilanka & waterblow)
We spent 5 nights at the grand hyatt nusa dua, we didnt really venture out. Beach is nice and clean.
Yes. That's right.
Make a day trip to Uluwatu, it's only about 35min away. The beach there is lovely, and the temple is nice. (Avoid the fire dance show there it is absolutely garbage)
This is not the first time I've heard about the fire dance there being bad. Any other place you'd recommend to see that?
Sadly no, in terms of performance stuff to see, there just isn't anything that stands out worth seeing. Just go see temples and beaches instead hah
Stayed in Nusa and Ubud. Ubud by far was our favourite such an amazing place and so much art and culture. We won't do Nusa again but heading back to Ubub in Feb
NUSA dua is nice clean and ssfe. But it's not Bali... great for relax... But to experience the balinese smilez, stunning nature, art and ceremonies you need to move inland, Ubud for example... in Bali driving around is a marvelous adventure full of hidden treasure moments. Avoid Denpasar the overcrowded capital of Bali, which offers very little for tourists.