Short stop in Bali: stay in Denpasar or go to Ubud? (page 1 of 2)

Hi everyone,

This September, my partner and I are heading to North Sulawesi for 3 weeks. Our international flight is with Malaysia Airlines, departing from Paris. We have a layover in KL, then fly to Denpasar, followed by a domestic flight from Denpasar to Manado. We land in Bali Denpasar on 05/09 around 12:00 PM, and our flight to Manado is on 07/09 at 1:30 AM. The plan was to have at least one night (from the 5th to the 6th of September) between our international flight and our flight to Manado, just to recharge a bit since we're not 20 anymore 😛. My question is, given the very short stop in Bali (a day and a half), is it better to stay in Denpasar rather than go to Ubud for the night? I’ve been to Bali before, and from what I remember, even though the distances are short, transfers take a long time because of the extremely heavy traffic—but I was there in July, not September. I’m not sure if that makes a big difference? If the answer is "it’s better to stay in Denpasar," are there any nice places to visit? There’s very little feedback about the city since tourists usually don’t stick around. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Hi,

I think you already know the answer 😉

Between Ubud and Denpasar, it’s pretty much the same conurbation these days...

But at least around Ubud, you can get a bit of peace and quiet.

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your reply. You're absolutely right about the issue you mentioned with the "conurbation." We’ll give it a bit more thought, but yeah, in Ubud we might find some peace in the surrounding rice fields.

My question is, given the very short stop in Bali (a day and a half), is it better to stay in Denpasar rather than go sleep in Ubud?

Neither. I’d head to the seaside in Jimbaran—it’s only 15 minutes from the airport. Nothing extraordinary, but you can find some peace, eat fish on the beach, and there are a few nice places to stay right by the water.

Hi Djalma,

I’ll admit the beach option never even crossed our minds. But why not—worth looking into. Thanks for the suggestion.

Hi there

Instead of dealing with the traffic jams, I’d also recommend taking a day to relax in Jimbaran: colorful fishing boats arrive in the morning at the north end of the beach, unloading their catch, followed by a fish market right on the sand. It’s a great way to ease into the local vibe when you first arrive.

The same boats head out again in the afternoon. Sunset dinner on the beach at one of the many seafood spots—so relaxing!

Hi Christian,

Okay, thanks for the info. So if I understand correctly, Jimbaran isn’t just a beach resort area lined with hotels—that’s good to know because that’s the image I had in mind. I don’t know this part of Bali at all. I’ll check out accommodation options in the area.

I had a nice place to stay at Jimbaran Aahh Bali bed and breakfast, but apparently they’ve moved. Now there’s just Jimbaran Lotus House Villa… same owners but probably run differently… No dining options, I guess…

Now there's Jimbaran Lotus House Villa... same owners but probably managed differently... No dining options, likely...

It seems to be apartments. Hard to say exactly what kind of services they offer and at what price since I couldn’t find a website. For one night, I’m looking for something simple—preferably a room—and at a reasonable price.

So if I understand correctly, Jimbaran isn't just a beach resort area lined with resorts—that's good to know because I had that image in mind.

Well, Jimbaran, south of the airport, isn't a tiny lost village, but it's not the string of hotels, resorts, restaurants, and clubs like Kuta, Legian, and Canggu north of the airport either.

There are a few hotels and guesthouses, plus some local homes still around. I find this beach pretty calm and nice.

Hi Christian,

Okay, got it. Thanks. I just took a look at your travel journal about Sulawesi, which I’d already read a few years ago before the forum closed. I’ll probably have some practical questions for you in the coming days and weeks about planning our trip. 😉 But maybe it’s better if I ask them directly in your thread or start a separate topic. Not sure, we’ll see.

Hello

I agree with other contributors—Jimbaran is the perfect stop for a short stay near the airport (30 mins). A long sandy beach lined with coconut trees and little makeshift shacks. Fewer tourists than in Sanur, which is also chosen for its proximity to the airport but packed with resort lovers and noise, where you can easily blow your last rupiahs.

Hi Kate,

Thanks. Well, I think all the advice is pointing in the same direction. I’ve started looking at accommodations, and the prices are all over the place, but mostly on the higher side—even really high 🤪. If anyone has a good place at a reasonable price, I’m all ears. 😉

I feel like prices have almost doubled everywhere. At least in Jimbaran, I hadn’t seen prices like this six years ago... When I think that Indonesia (including Bali) used to be one of the cheapest countries in the world, along with India, Pakistan, and Nepal! Now we’re at the same rates as France—or almost...

I don’t know about Jimbaran in particular (never been), but 10 years ago we found small guesthouses at very affordable prices—even really low ones—with no problem for all our stops on the island, and with good service. After taking a look around Ubud, it still seems possible to find a night at a more than reasonable price. But you’ve got to consider the taxi fare, which will definitely be pricier than for Jimbaran, so the choice isn’t easy.

Hi,

I started looking at accommodations, and the prices are all over the place, but mostly on the higher end, even very high

When I ran a simulation for September 3rd in Jimbaran, I found several options between 20 € and 30 €.

Hi Songsam,

Which platform did you find those rates on? Booking?

Check out Jimbaran Room 01.

Ok, thanks.

Which platform did you find those rates on? Booking?

I started by typing "where to stay in Jimbaran" and came across several search engines with varying prices. When I click on offers, most redirect me to Booking. So I redid the search, asking it to sort offers from cheapest to most expensive (some are even under 20 €).