Kuta

The wide expanse of Kuta Beach (17 June, 2004)


Kuta is the area on the northern part of the isthmus that joins the main part of Bali to the Bukit Peninsula. Part of south Bali, Kuta has developed to become the main tourist area in Bali, and arguably, in the whole of Indonesia.

The Kuta area is known for its long expanse of sandy beach, with waves suitable for surfing - drawing many surfers especially from Australia. Visitors to the area will find all types of accommodation, from budget guesthouses for the backpackers to chalet, boutique hotels, and a few sizable hotels. On the whole, Kuta is laid back, with many restaurants and bars. Here and there a Balinese shrine crops up in between the commercial development, reminding us that this is Bali.

Kuta's transformation into a world-famous beach destination began only in the 1970's, when it was discovered by backpackers and surfers. Before that, it has played other, less glamorous roles, as a leper colony and a slave station. Its poor soil does not make it a choice location for agriculture. It doesn't matter to the hordes of tourists descending on the Kuta strip to enjoy the sand, sea, sun and other single-syllable s-words that Kuta has to offer.

The Kuta Strip has spread northwards and southwards from the original Kuta Beach, which faces the Indian Ocean, on the west coast of the isthmus. Going north from Kuta, you continue into Legian, and then to Seminyak. Going south, you pass through Tuban - where the beach is interrupted by the Ngurah Rai International Airport, and continue to Jimbaran.

Kuta suffered from terrorist bombings twice, on 12 Octgober, 2002, killing 202 people, and on 1 October, 2005, killing 26. Tourism in Bali took a nosedive in the wake of each attack, but the area has since bounced back.

Surfboards at Legian Beach, Kuta (17 June, 2004)

Places of interest in Kuta

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Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

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