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Bali’s nascent attempts at becoming a surf resort date
from the 1930s when the Koke’s, an American couple, opened
the island’s first beachside hotel and Bob Koke himself
took to the waves on his big Hawaiian board – Bali’s very
first surfer.
Kuta’s charms were rediscovered in the 1960s and since
then tens of thousands of travellers have turned sun-drenched
Kuta into a flourishing worldclass resort, where several
generations of tourists have made their way up its village
lanes each afternoon to witness one of Bali’s famous psychedelic
sunsets prior to an evening of dining and entertainment.
Kuta is essentially five kilometres of modern hotels,
chic boutiques, open air restaurants, juice bars, internet
cafes, CD and surf shops, craft stalls, textile shops,
travel agencies, beauty parlours, moneychangers, malls
and supermarkets. Young surfers still ride the waves that
initially attracted early visitors, but Kuta has since
quietly and steadily grown into perhaps the most multi-cultural
and worldly resort on the island.
The area is also host to Waterbom Bali for family fun
and splashy gatherings as well as large glittering shopping
complexes selling everything from diamondencrusted Piaget
wristwatches to ethnic basketry.
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From bustling, central Kuta Square, it’s only a short
walk to Kuta’s seaside boulevard that runs for several
kilometres north along what is unquestionably the most
beautiful and longest public beach on Bali, before making
a sudden right-hand turn, marking the beginning of Legian
and neighbouring Seminyak to the north.
Few people visit Bali without making at least one trip
to this popular holiday magnet. Bali’s more creative
local Destination Management Companies often incorporate
Kuta and Legian into their MICE programs, either via
the exclusive lease of one of the resort’s many entertainment
venues for a group event or by offering a dine-around
option in one of its many sophisticated eateries.
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