Denpasar, Bali

Despite the traffic and ever-expanding sprawl, Bali’s capital Denpasar remains a rather pleasant city. Downtown Denpasar centres on a grassy square, Alun-alun Puputan, and only has a few major shopping streets in its core. Department stores and air-conditioned malls are mushrooming in southern districts. Modern Denpasar is epitomized by Jalan Teuku Umar, a neon-lit strip crammed with restaurants and shopping centres. The central neighbourhoods are bereft of modern life. Most tourists whizz in for the day and tour the Bali Museum and neighbouring state temple. But it's the relative dearth of tourists – and accompanying hoopla – that's most appealing here.

The best travel tips for visiting Denpasar

Denpasar is the capital city of Bali and a popular destination for tourists seeking an authentic Balinese experience. With a rich cultural heritage and a vibrant city atmosphere, Denpasar offers visitors a unique blend of modern and traditional Balinese culture.

The city is home to several temples, including the Pura Jagatnatha, which is dedicated to the Hindu god Sang Hyang Widi. Denpasar is also known for its bustling markets, where you can find a variety of handicrafts, textiles, and fresh produce.

The city's food scene is equally impressive, with a wide range of local and international cuisine available at various restaurants and street vendors. The Bali Museum, located in the heart of Denpasar, provides a fascinating insight into the island's history and culture.

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Best things to do in Denpasar

With very few overnight visitors, it’s lucky that the best things to do in Denpasar are all within walking distance from one another, making it ideal for a day trip.

#1 Explore island culture at the Bali Museum

This great repository of Balinese culture provides an excellent introduction to the island – past and present – and is housed in an appealing compound divided into traditional courtyards.

The two-storey Gedung Timur at the back of the entrance courtyard features archaeological finds downstairs, including a massive second-century BC stone sarcophagus, and an upstairs gallery with traditional paintings and woodcarvings.

Through the gateway left of the entrance courtyard, the Gedung Buleleng holds fine Balinese textiles, including the rare Kain geringsing, a complicated fabric created through the intricate dyeing and weaving technique ikat.

Built to resemble the long, low structure of an eighteenth-century Karangasem-style palace, the Gedung Karangasem introduces Balinese spiritual and ceremonial life and details the religious ceremonies of Balinese Hinduism.

#2 See intricate carvings at Pura Agung Jagatnatha

The modern state temple Pura Agung Jagatnatha is set in a garden of pomegranate, hibiscus and frangipani trees. Founded in 1953, it is dedicated to the supreme god, Sanghyang Widi Wasa.

Carvings of lotus flowers and frogs adorn the tiny stone bridge that spans the moat around the temple’s central gallery (access at festival times only) and scenes from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and Mahabharata decorate the gallery’s outer wall.

The temple’s focal point is the looming five-tiered padmasana tower in the inner courtyard. Built from blocks of white coral, it is carved with demons’ heads and the bottom level displays the face and hands of Bhoma, the son of the earth, whose job is to repel evil spirits from the temple.

In the southeast corner of the outer compound stands the kulkul tower, its split wooden bell still used to summon locals to festivals, meetings and temple-cleaning duties.

Rough Guides tip: To be able to explore everything that interests you in Bali read our guide on how many days are best to spend here.

#3 Delve into Balinese arts at Taman Werdhi Budaya Arts Centre

Marooned in the suburbs of east Denpasar, the Taman Werdhi Budaya Arts Centre was designed in 1973 by one of Indonesia’s most renowned architects, Ida Bagus Tugur.

It consists of a number of performance spaces and is the location of the spectacular annual Bali Arts Festival (usually between mid-June and mid-July) which features a wide array of special exhibitions, competitions and shows.

Outside festival times, the reason to visit Taman Werdhi Budaya Arts Centre is for the small museum on the history of Balinese arts.

On show is an overview of Balinese painting, including the classical wayang style plus works from the Ubud, Batuan and Young Artists styles and modern works, as well as a small display of woodcarving, masks, dance costume, shadow puppets and jewellery.

#4 Take in panoramic rooftop views from Bajra Sandhi

Among the offices in the government administrative district, Renon, on the southeastern edge of the city, is the huge grey lava-stone Bajra Sandhi (“Balinese People’s Struggle”) monument, at the heart of the Lapangan Puputan Margarana (Renon Square) park.

Designed by Taman Budaya’s architect, Ida Bagus Tugur, to resemble a priest’s bell, the monument’s structure also symbolizes the date of Indonesia’s Declaration of Independence – August 17, 1945 – with its eight entrances, seventeen corners and height of 45m.

The upper floor contains a series of 33 dioramas illustrating edited episodes from Balinese history. Climb the spiral stairs and you’re rewarded with a panoramic view across Denpasar’s rooftops.

On Sundays the park is car-free. This is a particularly good day for cycling, walking or jogging with the locals who visit in droves. To avoid the crowds, go during the week.

Planning a family trip? Also read our guide to travelling in Bali with kids.

Best areas to stay in Denpasar

The vast majority of visitors to Denpasar will only visit the island's capital as part of a tour or day trip, so the accommodation here isn't the best. There are a number of decent chain hotels and some homestays, but travellers tend to land in Bali and then head south for somewhere to stay.

Off Jl. Tukad Badung

There are clusters of cheap hostels and guesthouses to the south of the Interactive Art Museum Bali, located off of the Jl. Tukad Badung, which runs north to south through the city centre.

Beachfront

To the east of the city, where Denpasar hits the oceanfront, are the pick of the hotels. Big chains, fancy high-rise hotels and plenty of midrange options.

Check the best accommodation in Denpasar.

Best restaurants and bars

There are few tourist-oriented restaurants in Denpasar, so this is a good chance to sample Bali’s cheap, authentic neighbourhood places to eat. Note that smaller restaurants generally shut by 7pm. Renon is the eating destination for middle-class locals and expats, but it’s a fair haul from the hotels in the city centre.

Babi Guling Candra While this simple warung isn't much to look at, it's one of the last places in Denpasar to sample babi guling, Bali's renowned suckling pig. Rice is topped with pork slices and served (quickly) with sate lilit, crispy pork skin, soup and veggies.

Bhineka Jaya Kopi Bali At this modest-looking outlet of Indonesia’s Butterfly Globe Brand, you can sample a cappuccino or Bali coffee, then choose which grade of island beans to take home.

River Walk Pasars Badung and Kumbasari Two bustling markets by day are transformed into a pasar malam (night market) on both sides of the river. At dusk the illuminated bridge and shops transform the usual food stalls into a new adventure. Supercheap soups, noodle and rice dishes and cold beer are the norm here.

How to get around

The best way to get around Denpasar is by taxi or using ride-hail apps, Gojek/Grab.

By taxi

Metered taxis and app-taxis circulate around the city. Blue Bird's Bali Taxis and Gojek/Grab are all reliable.

By bus

Trans Sarbagita buses (which were meant to be a mass rapid transit system to alleviate traffic, but it didn’t turn out that way) run from Denpasar, though it’s not a very reliable or punctual service.

There are two routes in Denpasar. Corridor 1: Ngurah Rai Stadium to GWK Cultural Park via Jl. Surapati, Udayana University, and Jimbaran. Corridor 2: Batubulan to Nusa Dua via Sanur, Kuta Central Parking, airport and Jimbaran.

By bemo

Very few tourists bother to take bemos within the city because their routes are mega-complicated, they don't depart until they're full. This can mean hours of waiting time (except in the mornings when demand is high).

Prices are unregulated causing foreigners to pay up to ten times the normal fee. In the long run, it could work out cheaper and certainly a lot easier to order an app-based motorcycle or car taxi.

By car, bike or motorbike

Countless tour agents offer car, motorbike and bicycle rentals. They are not for the faint-hearted.

Ready to explore Bali? Plan your transportation with our in-depth guide.

How many days do you need in Denpasar?

Denpasar is not primarily a tourist destination. Most visitors will either only spend a night here or, more likely, visit during a day trip from Ubud, Seminyak, or Sanur. That said, if you’re staying over because you arrived to the nearby airport late, both the Bali Museum and Pura Jagatnatha Temple will keep you busy for a day here.

Rough Guides tip: Check out our 6 expertly-crafted 14-day itineraries that allow you to combine your visit to Bali with other stunning destinations in Indonesia.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit Denpasar is during the dry season, which runs from April to October. During this time, the weather is generally sunny and dry, with low humidity and minimal rainfall.

The peak tourist season in Bali is mid-June to mid-September; plus the Christmas–New Year period. Prices for accommodations and activities may be higher during this time. Therefore, if you are looking to avoid the crowds and save some money, you may want to consider visiting Denpasar during the shoulder season, which is from April to mid-June and mid-September to October.

It's worth noting that Bali's weather can be unpredictable and even during the dry season, you may experience some rainfall. However, these showers are usually brief and don't last long, so they're unlikely to impact your plans too much.

Additionally, Denpasar hosts several cultural festivals throughout the year, which can spike prices. Good events to attend include the anniversary of Denpasar City (27 February); the Bali Art Festival (mid-June to mid-July); and the Denpasar Festival (end of December).

Find out more about the best time to visit Bali.

How to get here

As Bali’s capital city, getting to Denpasar in Bali is straightforward. There’s no shortage of international and domestic flights to Bali’s only airport, Ngurah Rai International Airport – officially referred to as Denpasar (DPS) – 13km south of Denpasar.

By plane

You can take a prepaid taxi from Ngurah Rai International Airport to Denpasar.

By bemo

Bemos from outside Denpasar arrive at one of three terminals on the edge of town. As most Balinese prefer motorbikes, frequencies on all these routes are falling due to low demand.

Batubulan Batubulan terminal, on the far-flung northeast fringes in Batubulan village (7am–1pm only), runs services to Ubud, and points in central and eastern Bali.

Tegal Located off Jl. Imam Bonjol on Gang Imbora, Tegal Harum, in the southwest corner (6am–5pm only), Tegal covers routes south of Denpasar, including Kuta, Legian, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua and Uluwatu and Sanur.

Ubung Ubung (Jalan HOS Cokroaminoto, northwest of the city on the main road to Tabanan) runs transport to north and west Bali, Gilimanuk, Negara, Singarja and Tabanan.

By bus

Denpasar’s main bus terminal is Mengwi (Jl. Mengwi, Mengwitani, 17km northwest of Denpasar). Most buses to and from Java stop here. To get to/from Mengwi terminal, take a Trans Sarbagita Mengwi-Ubang bus which leaves 5–6 times/day.

Learn more about how to get to Indonesia.

Plan your trip to Bali with the Rough Guide to Bali and Lombok.