Hotels in Bali

Bali is not one place but a sizeable island where each corner does a different job. Ubud, inland among rice terraces, is the yoga and temple heartland — genuinely lovely, though its centre is clogged with scooters. Canggu draws surfers and remote workers, Seminyak does polished beach clubs, Uluwatu has cliff-top surf breaks, and Kuta is cheap and rowdy.

The beaches are volcanic and often scruffier than the brochures suggest; the terraces, waterfalls and temples like Tanah Lot are the real show. Traffic is genuinely bad, so pick a base rather than planning to nip about. Stay in Ubud for greenery and culture, Canggu or Uluwatu for surf, and Sanur for a calm, family-friendly shoreline.