Map of Bali
Bali is a relatively small island situated 3 miles off the west coast of Java and lies 8 degrees south of the equator. The total land area is only just over 5,000 square kilometres, approximately 55 miles from north to south as the crow flies and 90 miles east to west, so if you have a map of Bali in hand when visiting it is a fairly easy island to navigate. Most of the popular seaside resorts are situated on the southern end of the island, the most southern one being Nusa Dua although there are some further south these are not well known and tend not to be shown on any tourist map of Bali.
West Coast of Bali
As you start heading north along the western coast you will start coming across many villages and other tourist resorts. The roads around the coast of Bali are good for traveling as long as you stay on the main ones. When you start to do a bit of exploring onto some of the side roads you will find that they are seldom tarred or concreted and are tiny dirt tracks often impassible by two vehicles. There are many exciting places to explore outside the main tourists areas, but the majority of these roads will not be on a road map of Bali.
Heading north-west next to the Indonesian Ocean, from Nusa Dua the tourist area of Jimbaran will be the next major tourist destination that you will come to. This is a very popular place for the more up market tourists to stay and you will find the Jimbaran Hotels are more exclusive and expensive than some of the other resorts.
Maybe 10 to fifteen minutes further up the coast you will pass by Ngurah Rai International Airport, which serves as the main arrival and departure point for tourists. Another 15 to 20 minutes along the coast and you will soon realize that you are entering the most popular tourist areas in Bali. First you will drive into South Kuta and then you will hit Kuta, both of which are extremely popular for tourists mainly interested in hitting the beaches and whose budget is limited.
South Kuta Hotels and Kuta Hotels are very varied in the types of accommodation the they offer. There are the luxurious beachfront properties that rate 5 stars, but there are many budget hotels that offer very basic services are extremely low rates. The attractions and leisure activities around here are excellent and there are many shopping malls of international standards offer anything from designer clothes and jewelry to traditional Balinese clothes, arts and crafts.
From here you will start finding that is gets much quieter on the roads with regards tourists and the resorts and villas that you come across tend to start becoming more luxurious and there is the opportunity to find a private villa with your own secluded beach if you want. The next stop that will be highlighted on your map of Bali is Legian. The majority of the most popular resorts of Bali can be found on this western stretch of shoreline. Legian Hotels are similar to what you would expect in Kuta except that they will be slightly more deluxe and there will be limited amount of budget hotels available. The more exclusive resort of Seminyak is another 15 minute drive up the coast.
This is where the standards change dramatically. Although it is located fairly close to Seminyak there is a world of difference when it comes to accommodation quality. The Seminyak Hotels and resorts offer exclusive views and services. This is definitely a classy place to stay and is occupied mainly by couples and families looking for a quite secluded spot of paradise. If luxurious hotel rooms with private beaches and private gardens are your idea of a good holiday, make sure you put a big X next to Seminyak on your map of Bali.
From here to the tip of Bali you will be driving through lesser known terrain, although there are many places to stay they are not the most popular or well known and it may be difficult to find them online if you are looking to book in advance, but if adventure is your thing drive away. At the tip of, between Gilimanuk and Gondol there are some awesome diving spots and you will have no problem finding a place to stay. The major road end at Gilimanuk, from there you will be driving on smaller roads so take extra care as there will e many Balinese locals and animals on the road. Unless it is absolutely urgent it is best to stay off the roads at night time, many drivers don’t use their headlights and many people use the roadways to walk on as there are no sidewalks.
East Coast and Interior of Bali
As far as popular destinations that basically covers the west coast, the other places of interest are situated inland or on the south east coast, but just to give you an idea of what is available let us head directly south from Gondol. The terrain will start to change from coastal lowlands and will rise very quickly as you start to head up towards the volcanoes which stretch from the east to west coast of Bali. If you continue along the coast from Gondal you will end up on the east coast where most the best dive spots are situated. The majority of the hotels that are situated in the southern part of Bali will provide you with a variety of Bali tours that include day trips to these spots.
From here it is a matter of heading down south again, and you will come across many small fishing villages on your travels that are great places to stop and rest up. The Balinese people will always great you with a smile and if you return the smile is it always appreciated. The customs and way of life are different to what we are generally uses to so if you intend on doing some traveling it makes sense to find some
Bali travel information that will help you blend in and not offend anyone. Okay, heading south you will come to Candi Dasa, a very popular east coast resort that is fairly exclusive and out of the reach of many tourists. Candi Dasa Hotels are more for the well off holiday goers as this place is very far away from the other popular resorts.
Not much further along you will come to Padangbai which is the ferry point if you want to head to Lombok for some marine walking, an incredible experience where you wear a state of the art helmet and can walk along the ocean floor, hand feed the fish and just enjoy the marine life that is so diverse. Head a little further south and when you get to Kusamba, head inland for about an hour and you will come to the rain forest village of Ubud. Ubud is renowned for its culture and exotic landscapes. Ubud Hotels will give you breathtaking views of the rain forests and sculptured rice terraces as well as pampering you with stress releasing spas and massages. The budget can be forgotten if you intend to stay here, not only are the hotels definitely more expensive, but the art works that the Balinese people of this region create will have you digging deep in the pockets.
From here you can head directly south and you will come to the capital of Bali, Denspanar. This is not really a tourist place and not many people stay here unless they have to, but it is worth having a look at least for a few hours. Denspanar Hotels are as varied as they come, with big business wanting luxury and the local people living in very simple accommodation, so whatever your budget you’ll have a place to stay. The next popular place you will come to is Sanur, as with most east coast resorts Sanur Hotels cater for more up market clientele that want away from the crowded beaches of the south. By now your map of Bali should be full of crosses and notes for the next time you visit. There is not much of a drive left from here to get back to where you started, Nusa Dua. From Sanur you will pass Benoa harbor that has ferry trips to Nusa Lembongan for some wonderful snorkeling sites, then you will end up at the last stop, Tanjung Benoa which is located on the tip of the peninsula not far from Nusa Dua. Once again the
Tanjung Benoa Hotels will not be much different from Nusa Dua Hotels apart from the views and slightly higher rates being that it is situated on the tip of the peninsula.
Having taken the tour around your map of Bali you can see the amazing activities and terrains that this tiny island has to offer. It is extremely difficult to find any other country, let alone island that offers the tourist so much for such a reasonable rate. As far as maps go, a Bali map is full of discovered and undiscovered treasures.