Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange There are ATMs on all main
shopping streets and exchange at most central banks.
Embassies and consulates Most foreign embassies
are in Jakarta (see p.184), but residents of Australia,
Canada and New Zealand should apply for help in the first
instance to Bali's Australian consulate at Jl Letda Tantular
32 in the Renon district of Denpasar ( T 0361 241118,
W bali.indonesia.embassy.gov.au). The US consulate is at
Jl Hayam Wuruk 188 in Renon ( T 0361 233605, W jakarta
.usembassy.gov/bali_consular.html). The UK consulate is
in Sanur (see p.254).
Hospitals Sanglah Public Hospital (Rumah Sakit Umum
Propinsi Sanglah, or RSUP Sanglah) at Jl Kesehatan
Selatan 1, Sanglah ( T 0361 227911, W sanglahhospital
bali.com; Kereneng-Tegal bemo and Tegal-Sanur bemo)
is the main provincial public hospital.
Immigration o ce Jl Panjaitan at Jl Raya Puputan,
Renon (Mon-Thurs 8am-4pm, Fri 8-11am, Sat 8am-
2pm; T 0361 227828; Sanur-Tegal bemo).
Internet There are cyber cafés inside the main shopping
centres including the Ramayana Mal Bali on Jl Diponegoro.
Pharmacies Several along Jl Gajah Mada and inside all
the major shopping centres.
Police There are police stations on Jl Patimura and Jl
Diponegoro. The main police station is in the far west of
the city on Jl Gunung Sanghiang ( T 0361 424346).
Post o ces The most central post o ce is on Jl
Rambutan, north of Puputan Square. Poste restante
(Mon-Fri 8am-7pm & Sat 8am-6pm; Sanur-Tegal
bemo) arrives at the GPO on Jl Raya Puputan in Renon.
Shopping Good-quality crafts from Mega Art Shop, Jl
Gajah Mada 36 (Mon-Sat 9am-5pm). Department stores
(daily 9am-9pm): Ramayana Mal Bali, Jl Diponegoro 103
(Kereneng-Tegal and Tegal-Sanur bemos), and Matahari,
Jl Dewi Sartika 4 (Tegal-Sanur bemo), with a small
basement bookshop.
trashy in Kuta to the chic in Seminyak
and Petitenget, though drugs,
prostitution and gigolos (known as
“Kuta cowboys” or “mosquitoes” because
they jump from woman to woman)
feature all over. Although the resort's
party atmosphere was shattered in 2002,
when Islamic extremists from Java
bombed Kuta's two most popular clubs,
and again when Kuta Square was attacked
in 2005, the good-time vibe has
resurfaced. A Monument of Human
Tragedy now occupies the 2002 “Ground
Zero” site.
Accommodation, shopping and
restaurant options broadly fit the same
geographical pattern, with Kuta the
destination of party-going travellers,
Legian the choice for families and
couples, and Seminyak favoured by those
with style and/or money. Kuta stretches
north from the Matahari department
store in Kuta Square to Jalan Melasti,
while its southern fringes, extending
south from Matahari to the airport,
are defined as Tuban . Legian runs from
Jalan Melasti as far as Jalan Double Six
(Jalan Pantai Arjuna); Seminyak goes
from Jalan Double Six up to the Oberoi
Hotel , where Petitenget begins.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
BY PLANE
Ngurah Rai Airport All international and domestic
flights use the modern Ngurah Rai Airport ( T 0361
751011), which is in the Tuban district, 3km south of Kuta
Square, not, as is often assumed, in Denpasar. There are
ATMs, currency exchanges and hotel reservation desks
here. The domestic terminal is in the adjacent building.
The 24hr left-luggage o ce is outside, midway between
international arrivals and departures (from Rp20,000/
item/day).
Airport transport The easiest transport from the airport
is by pre-paid taxi: rates are fixed (though you may be
asked for a little more; be firm) and are payable at the
counter just beyond the customs exit doors: Rp65,000-
90,000 to Tuban, Kuta, Legian or Seminyak. Metered taxis
are cheaper, but you have to walk out of the airport
compound to hail one. Cheaper still are the infrequent
dark-blue public bemos (daily 5am-6pm; around
Rp10,000 to Kuta/Legian, double with luggage), whose
route takes in Jl Raya Tuban, about 700m beyond the
airport gates. The northbound bemos go via Kuta's Bemo
Corner and Jl Pantai Kuta as far as Jl Melasti, then travel
4
KUTA, LEGIAN AND SEMINYAK
Crammed with hotels, restaurants, bars,
clubs, tour agencies and shops, the
KUTA-LEGIAN-SEMINYAK conurbation,
10km southwest of Denpasar, is Bali's
biggest, brashest beach resort. he beach
itself is one of the finest on the island, its
gentle curve of golden sand stretching for
8km, and lashed by huge breakers that
bring experienced and novice surfers
flocking. Be wary, however, of the strong
undertow and always swim between the
red- and yellow-striped flags. Everyone
else comes to shop and party, fuelled by a
pumping nightlife that ranges from the
 
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