A Travel Itinerary on What to Do in Seminyak, Bali.
What’s up bitchachos and welcome to the Seminyak, Bali blog post. If you’re planning on visiting Bali and are looking for combining some beach time along with the jungle, then look no further than Seminyak! Seminyak is located on the West side of Bali, right next to famous Kuta. Most tourists tend to visit Kuta, which is super popular but be that as it may, popularity often is positively correlated with an over population of tourists. If you’re anything like me and are looking for something that is still super pretty but with a little less amount of tourists (I know, hypocrisy), Seminyak is definitely the place for you. Now without further ado, I bring to you, a ‘What to do in Seminyak’ guide!
Accommodation
Let’s start off with accommodation. There’s so many beautiful places to stay in Seminyak, to famous hotels such as the W to endless beautiful AirBnB’s. We chose to stay at Aria Exclusive Villas and Spa and let me tell you right now that this was probably one of the dreamiest and prettiest hotel Villa’s I’ve ever stayed at. For a little sneak peek on the hotel room, head on over to my Instagram page and take a look at my Bali story highlight – so pretty, right? For £15 off your stay, use my link here, you won’t regret it:)
Now for the good stuff! Seminyak has a sh*t load of ‘what to do’ stuff (excuse my french) so I don’t even know where to start from. First things first, I should mention that we stayed in Seminyak three days, which wasn’t enough but, you know, life. This guide doesn’t follow the controversial three-day itinerary, so it’ll just be a bunch of options (with a little bit of a guide cause I can’t help myself #help) to help y’all out.
What to do
One: Pamper Sesh
Due to the fact that we literally were traveling for a whole day to get to Bali, we wanted to spend the first day kicking back and enjoying the ride. So here’s a few options for you on pampering and just, you know, enjoying life and all!
Spa time
Here’s the deal on Spa-ing in Bali in general. There’s endless places where you can get your pamper sesh on, and for really affordable prices. And by affordable, I mean 60-90 minute massages for a shocking 5$. Yup, you heard it right. You can choose any type of pampering whether it’s getting your nails did or having your whole body rubbed, you’ll find the place for you. Heres a few options!
Prana Spa
Luxury spa day in Seminyak.
Bodyworks
One of the oldest and most reputable spas.
W hotel away spa for couples
For a more intimate experience.
Two: Eat your heart out
Dining out in Seminyak was probably my favourite activity. Although I do not classify myself as a foodie traveler, I do love to binge out on my travels cause hello? what better way to learn and experience a new culture than through your palette, am I right? I know that sounded a little weird but whatever. Here’s a list of some restaurants tested and approved by me, and a few others that I sadly had not had enough time nor space in my belly to fit in.
Merah Putih restaurant:
This restaurant is really popular in Seminyak, and there’s a reason why. It is bomb, it’s like an authentic Indonesian restaurant with the tastiest and most creative dishes that are just bursting with flavour. Hop on over to my Instagram story highlight to check out the dishes that I’ve tried! My absolute favourite was the Lobster Dumpling, oh my God, so much yum!
Saron Restaurant:
Full disclosure, this is an Indian inspired restaurant, and hence their dishes are mostly curry based. They serve the yummiest most flavourful dishes for really affordable prices and is definitely one of the most well known restaurants in Seminyak. However, if you’re anything like my boyfriend who isn’t the biggest fan of Indian cuisine (#BMP) then this might not be the best choice for you. Favourite dish: Saag curry and the Malabari prawn curry.
W hotel:
Brunch it girl. If you’re planning on spending the weekend in Seminyak, which I truly hope you do, do yourself a favour and try out the W hotel’s brunch, which is sadly only available on Sundays. The good thing is that there’s a huge pool available for guests, and it’s also a beach front hotel so you can make a day out of it!
Coffee Cartel:
This little brunch place is the cutest place ever, and a bonus is that they have the yummiest dishes available. Due to the fact that I’m a total sucker for Acai bowls, I tried that and it was dense and yummy and fresh and everything one could dream for from an Acai bowl.
Revolver Espresso:
Make way for the coolest coffee place in Seminyak. Super popular and for all the right reasons. First of all, the ambience is the coolest ever, with cool designs all around and the coffee… mmm. I’m not even a caffeine fan but it just smells and tastes so good! There’s also food choices so you can definitely pop in for breakfast, brunch or lunch. It’s a must!
Now, here’s a bunch of other restaurants that I sadly didn’t have time to visit. I researched them though and are supposedly really good!
- Barbacoa (I would lunch here)
- MoonLite Kitchen and Bar (Rooftop experience)
- Sangsaka restaurant (Owners of Merah Putih, must be yum!)
- Salazon restaurant (Kitchen counter experience – dine with the chefs!)
- Mamasan (Affordable South-East Asian food by Sarong Group)
- SeaSalt (Seafood dining experience – I would lunch here)
- Bikini (A dine dining “celebration of serious food in a not so serious way” experience)
- Kynd community (New hotspot vegan place – Ideal for bruch)
- Kaum (An authentic Indonesian experience)
- Bumbu (Indonesian experience – looks YUM)
Three: Shopping therapy
Seminyak has a vibrant shopping scene, and I fully understand why. If you’re like me and you love getting some souvenirs to remember your trip by then head on over to Seminyak centre or Jalan Laksmana for some shopping therapy. You’ll find a bunch of cute little independently owned stores with the cutest made-in-Bali goodies to decorate yourself or your home. You’ll also get a chance to buy those cute little Bali bags that you see all over. A definite must do!
Four: Culture
Obviously being in a place that’s bursting with culture and religion, it’s kind of a must to devote some time to experience what it is that makes Bali so special. Although Seminyak isn’t known for its beautiful and stunning Instagrammable temples, there are a few that are worth the visit. One of them is Pura Petitenget which is technically in Kuta, but is still a short cab ride away. In addition, you could check out some galleries and art shows that are available during the time you’ll be visiting!
Five: Excursions
I know that this guide is on what to do in Seminyak, but a road trip elsewhere is a must. The good thing about Seminyak’s location is that it is relatively close to other popular Bali destinations. These being Kuta, Uluwatu and Tanah Lot. We chose to take a day to experience Uluwatu, a beautiful location with absolutely stunning views. Uluwatu is exactly where the Peninsula is, and hence many surfers stay there to catch the best waves. We were prompted to visit Uluwatu mainly due to the different hotels and bars looking absolutely crazy. The famous ‘The Edge’ pool overlooking the ocean is in Uluwatu, and so is OMNIA beach bar and RockBar too. We decided to end the day with some roasted marshmallows by the bonfire at SUNDAYS beach bar. If you’re looking for a party scene then I would suggest the previous two choices mentioned above.
Six: Beaching
One of the top what to do things in Seminyak is enjoy a day at the beach. Seminyak is mostly known for its beaches as it is a beach destination after all. The most famous beach is Seminyak beach which is basically this huge a** beach right where Potato Head and the W hotel is. It stretches for so long and although is not your average white sand beach place, it does have crazy sunset views and an abundance of space to frolic in! A little further down the beach is the section known as ‘Blue Ocean Beach’, or Double Six beach that has the prettiest bars and sometimes live music to enjoy.
Seven: Outings
Last but not least, the outings! Seminyak’s party scene is a definite must. From day and pool parties to nightclubs, you will surely find some way to blow off some steam. The good thing is that everyone is in the same state of mind; a perfect opportunity to meet new and cool people! The most popular day/pool outing is Potato Head on Seminyak Beach, while Mrs Sippy is a close second. I’ve only experienced the former and I can say that although a touch over-crowded, the sunsets are uff, crazy! Tropicola is also a fine beach club with delicious piña coladas, while Cocoon is for a chicer multi-purpose experience.
For an after hours experience, sadly, I didn’t get to experience any. However, check out this website for a more comprehensive what to do guide in Seminyak.
Thank you for reading this blog post! I hope it has helped you on planning your trip to Seminyak!
Thinking of visiting the Bahamas? Why not check my complete ‘what to do in Exuma‘ guide!
-VB x
