When to choose Jimbaran Beach
We chose this area as our first spot in Bali for the proximity to the airport, since it only takes around 20 minutes by car to get here. The area is boastful with the variety of hotel options available from high-end resorts to budget, which makes it a good place to stay on your way in or out of Bali.
More about other areas of the island and how to pick the best one for you in our Areas of Bali post.
With a decent variety of beach resorts, places to eat, activities and proximity to Uluwatu and day trips here are the highlights of what you can do:
The main attraction - have a seafood feast on Jimbaran Beach
Since Jimbaran doesn't have as many things to do compared to other parts of the island, one of the things that it does stand out for - is the seafood candlelight dinners on the beach. Eating fresh produce just out of the sea and sitting with sand in your toes, watching the tide come in and touch your feet is an experience worth coming to Jimbaran in itself.
Our top picks for beachfront restaurants are:
Made Bagus Seafood Cafe
Great selection of set menus that allow you to try a variety of seafood. We had the "Package #1" which was fish, calamari, chicken satay, lemongrass tossed veggies and came with steamed rice and two soft drinks.
Great for two sharing, and came in at 225K IDR (± 14EUR)
Menega
Amazing grilled red snapper here, which you can mix and match with sides of your choice like veggies & nasi goreng (fried rice) and order prawns, lobster, clams or crab by weight.
An average meal for two (fish, prawns, rice and veggies + drinks) will be about 300-450K IDR (±20-25EUR)
Walk along the high street for dinner & shopping
Other excellent restaurants in Jimbaran, Bali:
Indo-European at Balique
A bit more on the expensive side (for Bali, so European prices) Balique is right on the high street & has a lush jungle house bohemian vibe, perfect for a date night!
Cat, Bali treehouse restaurant
At the top of a hill, the large windows allow for a great view over Jimbaran whilst you feast on delicious asian inspired dishes.
Have drinks at Rock Bar
When you're ready for a night out & some sunset drinks - Rock bar is situated on a cliff, overlooking the ocean.
The bar is located at the Ayana Resort & Spa, but is open to all - providing you register ahead of time! We were ok to register via their website/social media the day of going, but definitely do not show up without a reservation & expect to be seated quickly, or at all for that matter.
Explore Uluwatu during the day
The southern coast of Bali is plentiful in beaches made for surfing & viewpoints from cliffs. Easily reachable from Jimbaran (30 minutes on scooter) its an area best explored on your own, taking your time. Many of the beaches will be located off of proper roads, so your inner adventurer needs to exist, but the beautiful landscapes are worth it! If you're into surfing, we'd recommend to stay in Uluwatu for 3-4 nights.
Venture into Denpasar for the Pasar Kreneng night market
Now with all the good things about Bali out there on social media, something I feel that's lacking in the communication is how Bali, although associated to be South-east Asia, is not the place to get a "true SE Asia experience". One of those things that iconically resembles this region of the world is night markets & street food, which is not so widely found around Bali itself.
So taking the time & effort to seek out a truly local Balinese market & eating with locals can be very valuable. From Jimbaran, take the 30 minute taxi ride into Denpasar and visit Pasar Kreneng Market. The food choices are plentiful and prices definitely won't break the bank!
Stay
We chose the The Sintesa Jimbaran Bali for a total of 4 nights. It was a great option for anyone looking for great service - including free shuttle service to the beach & high street, wonderful breakfast and value for money. Some of their infrastructure was outdated but overall, would really recommend it to anyone looking for good service & amenities at affordable prices.
4 nights here with breakfast (booked in advance) set us back 179 EUR!
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