Denpasar, Bali: Airport Guide and 10 Things to Do in the City

Denpasar airport: what to expect when you land

Whatever the departures board in London says, “Denpasar” and “Bali” mean the same airport. I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) is the only airport on the island, so every flight in and out of Bali uses it. It isn’t actually in Denpasar: it sits in Tuban, in the Kuta district, more or less between Kuta and Jimbaran. The city centre lies to the north, roughly 10 kilometres as the crow flies and around 13 kilometres by road, which means the beaches of the south are closer to the terminal than the capital is.

Getting there from the UK means at least one stop. There’s no nonstop service from London or any other British airport; the usual routes connect in Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul or Singapore. Elsewhere in Europe, Amsterdam and Istanbul have their own Bali services. How long the whole journey takes from London, with the typical layovers, is covered in our guide how long is the flight to Bali.

A few practical things worth knowing before you touch down:

• Visa and the Bali tourist tax. On top of your entry visa, Bali charges foreign visitors a separate tourist levy. You can pay it online before you travel, which saves time in the queue after landing.
• Getting out of the airport. Official taxis have a counter in the arrivals hall. Ride-hailing apps work too, but they have their own designated pick-up points at the airport. A transfer arranged through your hotel is usually the least hassle.
• Journey times. Kuta and Seminyak are a few minutes away, Canggu about half an hour, Ubud an hour to an hour and a half depending on traffic, and Uluwatu roughly forty minutes.
• SIM cards and cash. You can sort out both at the airport, but you’ll get a better exchange rate and a cheaper data plan in town.

Things to do in Denpasar, Bali: our 10 tips

Denpasar isn’t somewhere tourists tend to linger, but sooner or later a chance comes up: a free day before the flight home, or a night here straight after landing. If that happens, this is what we’d do with it.

1. Bali Museum

A museum of Balinese art and history, set in a compound that is itself a good example of traditional Balinese architecture. It’s the best place to make sense of what you’ll be seeing in temples over the following days, so it works particularly well at the start of a trip.

2. Pura Jagatnatha

Denpasar’s most important Hindu temple, built in 1953. It stands right next to the museum, so the two are easy to combine in one visit.

3. Pura Maospahit

A temple dating from the 14th century, which makes it one of the oldest in the city. You’ll find it tucked away among ordinary houses and shops, with nothing around it to suggest how old it is.

4. Kumbasari Market

A large traditional market selling fruit, spices, fabrics and handicrafts. Locals shop here in the morning, and that’s when you should come too. It’s the best spot in Denpasar both for photos and for practising your haggling.

5. Bajra Sandhi Monument

The monument is 45 metres tall and commemorates the struggle of the Balinese people for independence. Inside there are dioramas on the island’s history, and a spiral staircase leads up to a viewpoint looking out over the whole of Denpasar.

6. Puputan Park and Renon Field

Open green spaces where cultural performances take place and where local families come to exercise and play sport. This is the side of Denpasar that most visitors never see.

7. St Joseph’s Church

A Catholic church built in the Balinese Hindu architectural style, a combination you’ll rarely come across anywhere else, and well worth a short detour.

8. Bali Orchid Garden

An orchid garden on the eastern edge of the city, by the road to Sanur, where hundreds of species grow in a small area. It isn’t a major attraction and you’ll be done within an hour, but it makes a good stop between the airport and Sanur, and it’s one of the few places in Denpasar with shade and some quiet. There’s an entrance fee, and it usually closes in the afternoon.

9. Kereneng Night Market

Kumbasari runs during the day, but the pasar malam, or night market, only gets going after sunset. You eat at street tables and pay in cash, and the food is entirely local: nasi campur, sate, fried bananas. It’s the cheapest meal in southern Bali and the one place in Denpasar where, as a visitor, you won’t run into other visitors. Pick the stall with a queue of locals.

10. Sanur Beach, just down the road

Denpasar sits close to the sea, and the nearest beach worth your time is Sanur, fifteen to twenty minutes east by car. A reef protects it, so there are practically no waves, which makes it the best beach in southern Bali for families with small children. A promenade several kilometres long runs along the shore, and it’s worth coming early for the sunrise, which comes up over the sea here. For more beaches around the island, see our guide to the best beaches in Bali.

Is Denpasar worth staying in?

The short answer: usually not. Denpasar has no beach and very little tourist infrastructure, and everything that brings you to Bali is somewhere else. Rooms here tend to be cheaper, but whatever you save goes on taxis and drivers.

A night in Denpasar makes sense in three situations:

• You have a very early flight and don’t want to gamble on morning traffic.
• You land late at night and don’t fancy another hour on the road to Ubud.
• You want to see an ordinary Balinese city and spend one night outside the tourist bubble.

Otherwise, Sanur is the more practical base: it’s a short ride from the airport, it has a beach and it’s quiet.

Where to stay near Bali airport

If you need to be close to Denpasar airport, three areas come into question. Kuta and Tuban are the closest but noisy, Sanur is calm and has a beach, and Jimbaran is known for its seafood restaurants set right on the sand.

• Backpackers: a hostel bed in Kuta costs roughly IDR 150,000 to 300,000 (around €9 to €18, about £8 to £15) per person per night.
• Mid-range: a hotel room in Sanur or Jimbaran from about IDR 500,000 to 900,000 (around €30 to €54, about £25 to £46).
• Before an early departure: hotels in Tuban right next to the airport, where you pay for the location and usually get a free shuttle.
• With children: Sanur, thanks to its shallow, wave-free water and quiet promenade.

Compare current prices and availability in our selection of places to stay near Bali airport.

Denpasar weather and when to go

Denpasar lies on low ground by the coast, so it’s hotter and more humid than Ubud or the mountains. Temperatures barely change through the year; what changes is the rain:

• April to October, the dry season. Daytime highs around 30 to 32°C, lower humidity and little rain. The best time for exploring the city on foot.
• November to March, the rainy season. Same temperatures, but much higher humidity and afternoon downpours that can flood the streets within half an hour. Mornings are usually clear.
• Nights drop to 24°C at most, so sleeping without air conditioning in the city is hard work.

For sightseeing in Denpasar, early morning is best. By the afternoon it’s hot, the traffic grinds to a halt, and the temples and the museum close earlier than you’d expect. We go through the seasons month by month in our guide on the best time to visit Bali.

Where to go next from Denpasar, Bali

• Ubud, an hour to the north, for culture, rice terraces and waterfalls. More in our guide to what to see in Ubud.
• Canggu and Seminyak for surfing, cafés and beach clubs.
• Uluwatu in the south for clifftops and a temple above the sea, see our Uluwatu guide.
• Sanur as the nearest quiet beach and the departure point for boats to Nusa Penida.
• Nusa Penida and Lembongan by boat from Sanur or from Padangbai harbour. Which island suits whom is covered in our guide to the islands near Bali.