What to Do

What you do with your time in Bali is up to you. There’s no shortage of ideas and here is a rundown of what is available.

Activities For Children include Banana Boat Riding, Bird-Watching, Bull Racing, Camel-Riding, Dolphin-Watching, Dune Surfing, Elephant Safari, Jungle Trekking, Kayaking, Paint Ball, Reptile Park, Surfing, Water Park, Wayang Kulit.

Activities & Sports include Bird-Watching, Bungee-jumping, Bull-Racing, Climbing a mountain, Cycling, Diving and Snorkelling, Golfing, Bali Golf and Country Club, Bali Handara Kosaido, Bali Nirwana Golf Club, The Grand Bali Beach Golf Course, Horse-riding trek, Jet-Skiing, Jungle Trekking, Kayaking, Paint Ball Jungle Skirmish, Rice Paddy Trekking, Skydiving, Sport Fishing, Surfing, Volley Ball, Water Park, White Water Rafting, Windsurfing,

Dance & Music include Balinese dance performances.

• Surfing:
Surfing in the Mentawai Islands Indonesia
Bingin Bali: What’s there and who is it good for?
Balian: Surf spot in West Bali
Surfing in Bali
Mentawai Islands Sumatra: Best surf destination in the world
Indonesian Surfing Championship Schedule
Chocky’s Place: Bingin Bali

• Scuba Diving:
Scuba Diving
Diving tips for Bali
Komodo Diving: Liveaboards in Indonesia
Candi Dasa diving centers
Learning to dive in Gili Trawangan Lombok

• Fun Activities:
Bali Sling Shot: Catapult ride in Tuban

• Snorkeling:
Snorkeling in Candi Dasa in East Bali

• Hiking:
Climbing Gunung Abang in the highlands of Bali
Hiking a volcano in Bali
Climbing Gunung Abang in the highlands of Bali
Hiking Gunung Batukaru Bali
Exploring the mountains of Bali
Hiking in Munduk & Tamblingan
Munduk & Tamblingan in the highlands of Bali
Hiking in Tirtagangga and Budakeling
Lovina area hike: Asah Gobleg to Selat

• Watersports:
Watersports in Lovina Bali
Watersports in Tanjung Benoa Bali

• Exploring:
South coast of Lombok: A taste of the unexplored
Walking tour of Denpasar:
North-Central Bali: What to do on a 3 day trip
Road map for exploring Bali
Exploring the highlands of Bali

Visiting a waterfall:
Waterfalls in Bali

• Lawn bowls:
Lawn bowls in Nusa Dua Bali

• Festivals:
Nusa Dua Festival in full swing

• Sporting Events:
Wismilak tennis tournament in Nusa Dua Bali
Buffalo Races in Lovina Bali
Makepung: Buffalo Races in Negara

• Shopping:
Pasar Seni: Kuta Art Market

• Sailing:
Sailing in Jimbaran Bay

• Marine Reserve:
Bali Barat National Park and Marine Reserve: Bali

Golf - Bali has 3 proper 18 hole golf courses, one in Nusa Dua at the Bali Golf & Country Club, one in Tanah Lot at Le Meridien Nirvana and one in Bedugal in the highlands at the Handara Kosaido Country Club. There is a 9 hole course in Sanur at the Grand Bali Beach hotel. Bali Discount Golf can hook you up. (0361) 285935

Tennis - many large hotels and resorts have tennis courts. Every year Bali hosts the Wismilak tennis tournament in Nusa Dua. This international event was won last year by Lindsey Davenport.

White water rafting - SOBEK operates a whitewater rafting operation in Sayan, just west of Ubud. Bali has a range of Class 2 to Class 4 rivers, which run from December to April (wet season). After that the flow of the rivers slows down. Almost every hotel in Bali has a day tours desk offering rafting, so booking is very easy. There are many companies and SOBEK offers other locations as well as Sayan.

Kayaking - Kayaking is an option on some of the quieter rivers and also on Lake Tamblingan

Canoeing - Canoeing is provided at Lake Batur, many locals will offer you boat rental, although you will have to negotiate for a good price.

Bungee jumping - (if that’s a sport) is offered a couple of locations, the best of which is AJ Hacketts at the end of Jl. Double Six in Seminyak.

Mountain biking - Riding around the city areas is not really that enjoyable due to the traffic. SOBEK and Bali Adventure Tours provide mountain biking trips from Mt Batur and Mt Batukaru.

Football (soccer) - If you like watching of playing football, just head down to the beach area in Kuta in late afternoon. There are dozens of pick-up games going on with mostly Indonesian playing. They often make a goal by placing to poles in the sand about a meter apart and the action is fast and furious. If you ask to join you’ll probably be able to.

Aussie Rules - Bali has an Aussie Rules team called the Bali Gecko’s. Their club house is the Bottle Shop on Jl. Kunti, which also serves as home base for other sports related clubs. The Gecko’s practice at the soccer field across from Cafe Moka in Seminyak. They play other expat teams from all over Indonesia and by all accounts are pretty good.

Bowling - Kuta Paradiso Billiard and Bowling on Jl. Kartika Plaza is a handy place to take the family for an afternoon. They have good pool tables, plus one full size snooker table and about 18 bowling lanes. Kuta Paradiso Billiard and Bowling also serves food and drinks. Another great place for pool players in Buddha’s Belly, a lounge bar type place with a restaurant and 14 beautiful pool tables.

Cricket - The Bali Cricket Club is based in Sanur and is mainly expats. Stop in and introduce yourself.

Sailing - A friend of mine, Ebong, operates a sailing boat in Jimbaran and will take people out for a couple of hours. The boat is the next size up from a Lazer. You’ll have to contact him to find out the costs at they are negotiable (Ebong 0811398074). Other sailing operators in Bali include Real Adventures.

Fishing - Check out the wonders of the deep and go fishing for the day.

Bali has a lot to offer as well as these mainstream sporting activities.