Nusa Dua Travelers Recommend

Two days in Nusa Dua gives you enough time to experience the area’s highlights—and more. Besides water sports, beach, pool, and spa therapy, you can get a good taster of Balinese culture, be that touring a temple, watching a fire dance on the top of a cliff, or riding an all-terrain vehicle through the rice fields. Read on to find out how.

Day 1: Decadent Delights

Morning: Make the most of Nusa Dua’s golden sands and crystal waters with a water-sports session. Ride a Jet Ski, brave a banana boat, or take to the skies with a parasail. You can also try your hand at unique experiences such as the Seawalker diving helmet or flyboarding on jet-powered boots.

Afternoon: Balinese massage therapists are in demand at spas and on cruise ships around the globe. Find out why with a leisurely pampering session, perhaps a full-body massage with herbal scrub, a deep-cleansing facial, or a romantic flower bath. Once you’re done, unwind with a ginger tea.

Evening: Head across the island to clifftop Uluwatu Temple for a sunset to remember, as a male choir performs a kecak dance, and a solo dancer works with fire. After the performance, travel to pretty Jimbaran Beach for a feast of fresh-grilled seafood on the sand.

Day 2: Island Ideals

Morning: Take the chance to see a different side of Bali, with a white-water rafting adventure down the Ayung River gorge. As you bounce and bump along the river with a dedicated rafting guide, admire jungles, rice fields, waterfalls, and wildlife. Refuel with a buffet lunch once you’re done.

Afternoon: Keep the adrenaline high with an all-terrain-vehicle adventure in the center of the island. Roar through rice fields, villages, and bamboo forests on your sturdy 4-wheeler with a guide. If time permits, get up close and personal with macaques at the notorious Ubud Monkey Forest.

Night: After dinner in Nusa Dua, perhaps at a beach club, a beachfront grill, or that hotel restaurant you’ve been meaning to try, discover Bali’s answer to Cirque du Soleil. The Devdan Show, a blend of acrobatics, dance, and drama, explores some of Indonesia’s most important cultures—and will leave you rapt.

With three days in Nusa Dua, you can branch out from luxurious resort life and see a bit more of the island. Besides Nusa Dua’s beaches and spas, savor thrills and spills from white-water rafting to fire-dance performances and seafood feasts, and perhaps even a trip to another island as well. Read on to discover more.

Day 1: Decadent Delights

Long, sandy beaches and warm, clear waters make Nusa Dua one of Bali’s water-sports hot spots. Spend the morning on a Jet Ski, banana boat, or parasail; walk on the seabed with the Seawalker diving helmet; or soar above the ripples on jet-powered boots. In the afternoon, relax under the expert hands of a Balinese massage therapist. Refreshed and relaxed, travel to clifftop Uluwatu Temple, savor a dazzling sunset, then watch the traditional kecak monkey dance and a dramatic fire performance. Wrap up the night with a feast of fresh-grilled seafood on the golden sands of Jimbaran Bay.

Day 2: Inland Adventures

Take today to see a different, more traditional side of Bali, as you head inland to the lush, green rice terraces around Ubud. Go white-water rafting down the Ayung River with a guide, through unspoiled forest and rice fields. After a buffet lunch, see more of the landscapes around Ubud, perhaps on an ATV adventure or a cultural tour of the region’s craft villages. Be sure to see the grey macaques at the jungle-clad temple known as Ubud Monkey Forest; consider a visit to a holy water temple; and, if shopping is your thing, don’t miss Bali’s wood-carving capital, Mas Village. Heading back down south, get a fresh perspective on the ocean and the island with a catamaran dinner cruise.

Day 3: Eastern Extravaganza

Nusa Dua’s position on the eastern side of the island makes it a great base for day trips to points east. Instagrammers and culture vultures will enjoy an east Bali highlights tour, including the mesmerizing Gates of Heaven at Lempuyang Temple and the Tirta Gangga Water Garden. Families are well-positioned for a day out at Bali Safari Marine Park, the island’s signature animal attraction, and adventurous travelers will adore Penida Island, with its rugged cliffs, striking beaches, and the chance to snorkel with giant manta rays. Back in Nusa Dua, after an early beachfront dinner, head to the Devdan Show, a showcase of acrobatics, dance, and drama that’s Nusa Dua’s answer to Cirque du Soleil.

The palm-fringed beaches and calm sea of Nusa Dua, close to the airport in south Bali, make it one of the island’s premier resort districts. One day in Nusa Dua gives you the chance to immerse yourself in some of the area’s signature delights: water sports, spa treatments, seafood, and even a show. Here’s how.

Morning: Water Wizardry

If you only have a day in Nusa Dua, you’re going to want to spend a chunk of it on the beach, so slap on the sunscreen and spend the morning sampling the wealth of water sports on offer. Besides classic seaside fun, such as Jet Skiing, banana boats, parasailing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding, make time to experience some more-unusual attractions. The Seawalker helmet, supplied with air by a long hose, enables even nonswimmers to walk on the ocean floor surrounded by tropical fish. Or try flyboarding on jet-powered boots, dive on an underwater scooter, or brave the Jetovator flying machine.

Afternoon: Spa Session

Bali is known for its spas, and whether you’re a spa virgin or already love a good massage, time at a spa is a Nusa Dua essential. After a leisurely lunch, settle in for a pampering session, perhaps with traditional treatments such as Javanese massage and “lulur” body scrubs, elaborate facials, or romantic rituals such as a shared flower bath. Many packages include time to unwind by the pool and herbal tea and snacks, while others include a dinner element for maximum relaxation.

Night: Dinner and a Show

If you’re staying in a hotel with a beachfront restaurant, make the most of it, savoring a feast of local seafood with the sand between your toes. Alternatively, consider dining at one of Nusa Dua’s elite hotels, beach clubs, or beachfront grills. Wrap up in good time to enjoy the Devdan Show, a feast of dance, drama, acrobatics, and song that’s Nusa Dua’s (and Bali’s) answer to Cirque du Soleil. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of Indonesia’s rich and diverse culture, geared to explore as many of its 18,000 islands as you can.