Seminyak is the Go to Spot in Bali

by Dan ConerdSep 17, 2016Asia, Bali7 comments

Let me start out by saying that I wasn’t aware of what Bali would be like. I knew that the word Bali alone sounds like a tropical paradise. Just say it out loud, I’ll wait…. See doesn’t the word Bali just roll off your tongue and make you think of coconut drinks and fruity cocktails by the infinity pool bar? Well, your visions are correct because Bali is where these fantasies come true. I’m not even trying to bullshit you with how beautiful Bali really is. Now if you’ve read our last blog on Kuta, you’ll be like…well, Dan..you guys didn’t really have me too convinced with Kuta. I’ll say this, everywhere you go in this world will no doubt have a dirty alleyway full of regrettable life decisions. I’m here to tell you that there is a treasure at the end of the rainbow. There are two sides to the rainbow. One side being Ubud and the other side being Seminyak. Think of Ubud and Seminyak as everything the light touches and Kuta is the badlands, where Scar is plotting to kill your father and you should never ever go there. Okay, little Simba?

The word Bali just rolls off your tongue and makes you think of coconut drinks and fruity cocktails by the infinity pool bar.

Now we got that out of the way. Let’s talk about your visit to Seminyak. Once you get off the plane, you’ll be tempted by the cheap hotels in Kuta and in fact when you google Bali, I guarantee the first 50 results will be hotels in Kuta. It’s imperative that you ignore these cheap deals and search for places in Seminyak. The best part about Seminyak it’s just right down the road from Kuta!

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Seminyak Beach

Avoid the crowds of Kuta beach
&
find your slice of paradise in Seminyak.

Alright, Dan, why Seminyak, why must I go to Seminyak? Well, Timmy, I’m about to tell you, Seminyak for starters has one of the best beaches in Bali. It’s big, it’s long and most importantly it’s a whole hell of a lot cleaner than Kuta beach. Kuta beach is full of tourists all year long and like I said before most people get stuck because they search where to stay and google shows them a million places for cheap in Kuta and so they just go to Kuta and never explore out from there. Seminyak beach is less likely to be jammed packed with tourists, I’m not saying it will be an empty beach by any means, but at least there will be more room for you to frolic as you please.

Seminyak beach is less likely to be jammed packed with tourists.

Seminyak was so good that we stayed there for a few days and before we left Bali, we decided to go back to Seminyak for a few more days. We knew that we would be bunkering down once we got to Thailand, so we might as well enjoy ourselves while we can. We decided to treat ourselves just a little bit, but nothing too crazy.

The first place we stayed at was the Ananda Resort & Spa. This place was located on the main street walking distance to all of the shops and swanky restaurants. It’s also a quick 10-minute walk to the beach, so it was perfect for what we wanted. The price of the room was medium to high for the area at around $35 a night, but seriously go to the website and check out the gallery. The pool is gorgeous and we had it all to ourselves! The rooms were super spacious with room for a dance party. I think our only complaint was the wi-fi didn’t work inside of our room and the pool bar didn’t have an attendant, but it was the low season after all, but hey if that is all that is wrong, I’d say you are winning! The included breakfast was a pretty standard “American” breakfast of eggs, toast, sausage, and OJ. The Ananda is also stumbling distance from the best night clubs and bars in Seminyak. If you want the most bang for your buck, we highly recommend checking into the Ananda for a few nights. (don’t worry I didn’t get paid to say that either.)

The rooms were super spacious with room for a dance party.

Okay, so you finally got out of Kuta and you have dropped your bags off in your room at the Ananda. Now depending on the time of day, I suggest taking a short stroll down the street and make yourself at home in Seminyak. People are friendly here and not so much in a party mode as they are in Kuta, locals and tourist alike are in chill mode. Walk a few blocks and you’ll quickly see jewelry shops, surf shops, bars, restaurants, and more. Now what you are looking for is a little sign that says Revolver and it’ll either be a sign shaped like an arrow or it will have an arrow painted on the sign. This is going to point down a tiny little alleyway if you blink you’ll miss it. This is where you’ll find Revolver coffee. Revolver Coffee is home to the best coffee shop in Bali, other than the infamous Luwak coffee tasting place that we visited in Ubud.

Revolver has been written about in many expat blogs and travel books, so it’s no wonder that this place is crawling with tourists and expats. It doesn’t matter, this place is still delicious and it’s cowboy western style décor creates an environment that just feels right. Is it expensive? yeah maybe so, but good coffee isn’t cheap my friends. This place is cozy and since we were there during the rainy season, there was plenty of space to spread out and get some work done.

It’s cowboy western style décor creates an environment that just feels right.

Drink your delicious coffee, edit some photos of the sunset that you took yesterday and continue your journey around Seminyak. Walking down the street it will eventually curve to the left, continue on down and on the right side you’ll see a sign on the sidewalk that says, “the best pizza in town” and by this time, your stomach will explain to you that you should stop for a pint and a pizza. ( I would say a pint and a slice, but it seems a slice of pizza is just unheard of outside of America. ) The sign will point upstairs to a place that is called Hank’s Pizza and Liquor. Order a pizza, you won’t regret it and then order a beer, They also have some delicious cocktails. On the walls you’ll see a few recognizable mug shots of a young David Bowie and Jim Morrison hanging up and the bathroom doors say, Sid and Nancy, this was going to be my new home for the next two, three drinks.

My travel secret, the key to it all.

A photo posted by Daniel J (@global.giraffe) on Feb 24, 2016 at 9:58am PST

They also have a police height measurement poster on the wall, where you are encouraged to take your own mug shot and if you post it to a social network, the bartender will pour you a free shot. How could you say no to that? And if you find yourself coming back later in the evening, you will more than likely be treated to some live music.

The sign will point upstairs to a place that is called Hank’s Pizza and Liquor.

After you are feeling good from there you can continue down the road and you’ll notice a small market on your left, in here you’ll be able to find some very unique handcrafted items. Up until this point, everyone has been selling the same selection of beer t-shirts, Buddha and penis figurines, and just the usual market crap, but this market is different and you feel the energy of real entrepreneurs at work here. After you get done buying a necklace for your girlfriend or wife, you can continue on your journey to the beach. What did you think we weren’t going to go to the beach today? Are you wearing your board shorts and flip flops?

The road will curve to the right and if you’re not careful you’ll just be going down and around curves all day. We knew the beach was around here somewhere, so we decided to cut through a driveway of one of the hotels and bam beach time.

The beach in Seminyak is one of the best beaches in Bali and it shows. Kuta’s beach will no doubt scare you and make you hate humans, but this beach will get you back into vacation mode again. Here you’ll find minimum people trying to sell you things on the beach and while there is still some trash on the beach, it’s nowhere near the amount of the other beaches around. Take a stroll down the beach and enjoy the view, after all, you love taking long walks on the beach.

If you read any travel books on Bali or ask around and ask what the best oceanside pool is, they will speak the name of Potato head beach club, now I know what you are thinking….um… Dan, why are we playing with Mr. Potato head? And why can’t we ever seem to find all of his parts? Potato head beach club, I’m not sure why they call it that, but whatever. Trust us, this place is pretty magical.

Here you’ll find the infinity pool with the swim up bar of your dreams and it is located at just the perfect spot to catch the beautiful Bali sunsets. The cocktails can be a bit pricey, but well worth it. When you order a boozy drink that comes served in a huge sea shell, you will be high fiving yourself. These are the kind of cocktails to really make you feel like you are on holiday. We suggest if you want to find a spot in the chairs or the private areas, go in the morning when they open and just make a day of relaxing in the pool, with the occasion dip in the ocean.

After all of that infinity pool fun, you’re going to be hungry. Head back towards Hank’s pizza and liquor, but keep going back around to the shopping center and there on the corner is a crazy looking building that looks like it’s under construction with random boards everywhere. This place is called The Junction and it’s actually an amazing restaurant that you can’t leave Seminyak without trying a few of their exquisite dishes.

Okay by this time you’re feeling good from the cocktails and you are no longer starving to death. Here comes the time where you have to decide. Are you feeling like you could still drink a few more or are you going to be an old man/ old woman and make your way back to the hotel? Can you tap into your inner 21-year-old and rally for the party?

Come on you know you want to get crazy, you are on holiday after all right?

It is a further walk from The Junction, so you might want to get a cab. Frankenstein’s Laboratory is our last stop for the night. I know what you’re thinking. Dan, it’s not Halloween. Well, I’m a firm believer that Halloween is the best holiday and it should be celebrated whenever possible. As soon as you walk up to this place, you’ll be teleported into the world of Frankenstein and all of his friends. There are monsters, mummies, ghouls of all kinds and even Beetlejuice is lurking around the corners to scare incoming guests. The bartenders serve shots in big syringes and you can order a cocktail that is served to you in an I.V. bag. The décor of this place is extremely well thought out with care to create a realistic laboratory that the Doctor himself would be proud of. If you’re feeling like you are not blending into the surroundings enough, don’t worry because the fine staff at FL’s has you covered. Step into the back room and get transformed into a zombie, monster, or even a zombie victim. I’m not talking about them just putting a mask on you, oh no, these are professional grade makeup artists that give you oozing, gaping, bloody wounds and make up that will scare little kids and grown adults alike.

Beetlejuice is lurking around the corners to scare incoming guests.

This place gets packed fast as they offer a full menu of cocktails and food and then they top it off with shows every night. The Dancing Dead, their dancing group dressed up as mummies for Michael Jackson’s Thriller or characters from Beetlejuice and even a few numbers from the classic Rocky Horror Picture show. This is a show not to be missed and everyone in the bar is encouraged to join in for the shenanigans.

Also if you are traveling with young ones, and you think they would love this place as they most certainly would. They are now offering early shows and later shows in the night for adults. Also, kids always take priority with the face paint artists.

Whew! You made it! You successfully did a day in Seminyak and you didn’t die or at least I hope you didn’t. You may go back to your hotel now and pass out for the rest of the night.

This is a show not to be missed and everyone in the bar is encouraged to join in for the shenanigans.

Now I’d say that was a pretty packed full of a day. If you missed any of these places, then you should probably stay another night and go hit them up. We stayed a few nights in Seminyak and then we came back for another night before we left to Bali. We can’t wait to go back and experience it all again.

Is Bali on your list of must go to travel destinations? There is a ton of bloggers out there that will say that Bali has lost its magic, but we’re here to tell you that paradise does still in exist in Bali and it’s still crazy cheap to have the full experience. Have you been to Bali? Let us know in the comments what your favorite spots are.

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Global Giraffe is a travel blog that is focused on keeping it real. This isn't a fluffy rainbow magical travel blog, here you'll find real life situations, tips, and advice for the everyday person that wants to know more about places they've never been to. After leaving Denver, Colorado, we decided to try to take on the world, one odd job at a time. For more updates follow Global Giraffe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

7 Comments

Kristin Schlitter on September 29, 2016 at 11:54 pm

First of all I’d like to say I’m OBSESSED with your blog. I have been to many of the places you have mentioned… including Bali and it just brought back a flood of memories! Seminyak was absolutely one of my favorites! It was nice to get away from all the commotion from Kuta and head just 20 minutes North and find paradise. Memories of getting a scooter for 6 bucks a day, heading up and down the hills of Bali and finishing at Potato Head for a swim and cold cocktail! It’s the life! I am in your journalism class and without a doubt I will be following this page. Mine also is on travel if you want to check it out 🙂 It is freebirdofpassage.com. Thank you for sharing your stories!
Reply
- Author on October 1, 2016 at 4:45 am
  
  Awe thank you so much! Seminyak and Ubud are both amazing places that I really can’t wait to get back to. I am beyond grateful that I was able to spend an entire month there and really get a feel for the entire area and not just the touristy spots. I’ll be checking out your blog for sure as I’m sure I’ll be able to relate to what you’ll be blogging about as well.
  Reply
Amy Hutcheson on September 30, 2016 at 7:09 pm

I really enjoyed your blog! It has a lot going on but it is easy to navigate and is very interesting. It did take me a minute to find the comments area but after i did it was very easy to use!
Reply
- Author on October 1, 2016 at 4:43 am
  
  Thank you very much! As for the comment section it does kind of get hidden at the bottom of the post in black background. I’m actually going to be changing that here soon, thank you for pointing that out to me.
  Reply
Cassidy Lechner on September 30, 2016 at 9:13 pm

Cool blog Dan! Sure makes we want to check out Bali! I felt like I was there with you! There’s nothing like a swim up bar (for those of us of age, of course). Where does Bali rank among the places you’ve traveled? You sure make it sound like its at least top 5!

Your descriptions of the places around Semenyak are quite vivid! I wasn’t ready to go from a 3rd person voice to 2nd so quickly, caught me a little off guard. Irregardless, I jumped right on and felt like you were leading me through an exotic destination I can only dream of seeing! You sure make it seem like its affordable though, mid to luxury hotel for only $35 a night?! Is that USD?! I think I’m going to go check out some travel websites and see if I can’t make a getaway myself!

Im excited to read more about your travels. I hope you’re having as much fun as I am reading about it.
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- Author on October 1, 2016 at 4:41 am
  
  Thank you so much! Bali by far is one of my top 5, maybe even my top 3. It’s truly a magical place and I might even be going back for another month before the end of the year! Yeah I’m still trying to find my “voice” and I also wanted to experiment with a different kind of writing style for this post, so I’m sorry if I didn’t quite capture the correct balance with switching between 2nd and 3rd voices, I’ll have to practice it more for future posts. Yeah $35 USD a night. We really did our research and it’s quite amazing how cheap it really can be. The most expensive part of it would be the plane ticket there and coming from the states, that plane ticket is pretty hefty. Lucky for us we were just coming from a quick hop over from New Zealand.
  
  Please do make a trip to Bali at least once in your life. You deserve a tropical get away like Bali!
  Reply
Dave on December 5, 2018 at 7:29 am

Great post. Seminyak, Kuta, Kerobokan is the high fast living while Bedugal is more slower…. which we need sometimes. I have lived here in Bali for about 8 years.. This just reminds me i made the right choice.. :))
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Dave:
Bali dental clinic
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