Water Sports in Bali: Where to Look and Which Hotels to Choose

Bali isn't just beaches, yoga, rice terraces, and late-night parties. It's also one of Southeast Asia's top watersports destinations. Surrounded by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, the island offers an incredible variety of activities: from adrenaline-pumping jet skiing to tranquil snorkeling on coral reefs, from surfing to underwater adventures and thrilling whitewater rafting. If you're planning a trip to Bali with a focus on watersports, this guide will help you find the perfect locations and select the perfect hotels.

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Surfing: From First Waves to Professional Tubes

Bali is a mecca for surfers of all levels, offering waves to suit every taste and experience.

Where to find waves in Bali

• Kuta is an ideal place for beginners. The wide sandy beach with a gently sloping bottom and soft, long waves makes it safe to learn the basics of surfing. There are numerous schools and instructors here.
• Legian and Seminyak, an extension of Kuta Beach, are also suitable for beginners and intermediate surfers. The waves are slightly stronger and the atmosphere is calmer than in Kuta.
• Canggu is another popular surfing destination. Its five beaches - Echo Beach, Batu Bolong, Berawa, Pererenan, and Nelayan - offer both learning waves and more dynamic ones for experienced riders.
• Uluwatu - The beaches in this area offer a variety of spots for athletes of all levels. Some of the most famous locations include Padang Padang, Bingin and Balangan beaches.
• Keramas, a beach located on the east coast, is known for its fast and powerful right-hand waves. It's a popular spot for professionals and competitions.

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Bali Hotels for Surfers

• Kuta Sea View Boutique Resort & Spa - a cozy 4-star beach hotel located right on the water. It offers surfing lessons, board rentals, and access to gentle waves. Perfect for beginners and families.
• Komune Resort Keramas is a magnificent hotel located directly across from the world-famous Keramas surf break, home to the World Surf League Championship Tour. It offers beachfront rooms with a pool, one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas, a wellness center, and a beach club ranked among the top 5 in Asia. The hotel also boasts the world's first permanent night surfing facility: enjoy a surf show or even book a night surfing session under powerful floodlights.
• Elsewhere Surf Camp Bali is a camp in Canggu for guests 18 and older. It offers six-bed and private rooms, hearty breakfasts and set dinners, fun parties, two swimming pools, a cinema, daily surf lessons, and special all-inclusive surfing packages.
• Hotel Tugu Bali in Canggu This 5-star hotel, located on a quiet beach, is ideal for those who appreciate comfort after an active day on the waves. It offers special packages for surfers, including lessons, a relaxing massage, and return airport transfers.
• Anantara Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa - a luxury hotel With all the benefits of a 5-star holiday, including direct access to the surf spot, located on the Bukit Peninsula.

Kuta Sea View Boutique Resort & Spa

Water activities in Bali

Besides surfing, Bali offers a wide range of other water sports and activities. Opportunities for these activities are particularly concentrated on the wide beaches of the southern part of the island.

In particular, the resort area of Tanjung Benoa is known as a watersports hub, where every day can begin with a new adventure. Local operators such as Bintang Beach Club Dive & Water Sport, Nusa Dua Water Sports, and others offer a wide range of water activities: from banana boat rides and parasailing to wakeboarding, flyboarding, jet skis, and even Sea Walker underwater excursions. The latter, carried out in a special oxygen-supplied helmet, allows you to safely explore the underwater world.

Some operators offer special packages that allow you to combine several adventures at a competitive price and may also provide additional services. For example, Bali Water Sport Tanjung Benoa offers not only the activities themselves but also a number of nice free bonuses, including transfers from Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, and Kuta. Furthermore, near the Benoa pier is Bali Wake Park, which specializes in cable wakeboarding.

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Bali hotels with water activities

If your vacation isn't just about a sun lounger and delicious food, but also about the energy of movement and a thirst for excitement, choose hotels where water activities are a priority: everything you need for a water adventure is right at your fingertips. These hotels include:

• Bali Tropic Resort & Spa. First-class beach resort in the prestigious area of Nusa Dua. Guests can enjoy luxurious rooms, an outdoor pool, three restaurants with a variety of cuisines, and five bars. A convenient all-inclusive vacation is available. The resort offers a rich program of water activities, including canoeing, windsurfing, catamaran sailing, parasailing, jet skiing, water skiing, glass-bottom boats, and whitewater rafting.
• The Westin Resort Nusa Dua. This 5-star resort offers comfortable accommodations and 7 restaurants and bars, an award-winning spa, a kids' club, and a private stretch of stunning beach. Water adventures begin just steps from the hotel. Surfing, parasailing, jet skiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, and kitesurfing - everything is here for an active day on the water. Take to the skies with a parachute or ride the waves on a jet ski - there's something for all ages.
• Andaz Bali - a concept by Hyatt. This stylish hotel on Sanur Beach offers rooms, suites, and villas, 4 restaurants, a spa, and a wide range of recreational activities and excursions. Guests can also take private surfing, windsurfing, or SUP lessons. The resort also organizes private surfing tours with experienced guides.

The Westin Resort Nusa Dua

Rafting and canyoning in Bali

For those who prefer fresh water and adrenaline, Bali offers exciting river rafting.

• The Ayung River is Bali's most popular rafting destination, located near Ubud. It offers routes of varying difficulty levels, suitable for families and beginners. The rafting journey takes you through picturesque jungle, past waterfalls and ancient stone structures.
• The Telaga Waja River is for those seeking a more extreme experience. It offers faster rapids, steep descents, and a more dynamic experience.

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Hotels for rafting enthusiasts

• Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan. Overlooking the Ayung River, this hotel offers easy access to whitewater rafting launch sites. It offers spacious suites and villas with private pools, exclusive culinary experiences, a spa, and a kids' club.
• Viceroy Bali. A luxury resort comprising 40 private villas, each with a private pool. Guests can enjoy some of Indonesia's finest restaurants and a wide range of activities, including whitewater rafting.
• Puri Sebali Resort. A more affordable but equally cozy accommodation option surrounded by rice fields, with excellent service and access to rafting tours.

Canyoning deserves special mention – it's an activity for true adventurers. It involves rappelling down waterfalls, jumping into natural pools, and navigating narrow gorges. Local operators offer routes of varying difficulty. The most famous sites are in northern Bali, such as Samba and Aling Canyons in the Sambangan district (for intermediate levels), Banyuwana in the Wanagiri district (for intermediate levels), and the canyons near the famous Gitgit Waterfall – Egar (for beginners and children aged 8 and up), and Maboya (for intermediate levels).

Estimated cost of tours: 90-400 US dollars depending on location and route complexity.

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan

Bali offers endless opportunities for water adventures. Regardless of your skill level or preferences, you're sure to find something to enjoy on this island that will leave you feeling thrilled and excited.

Viceroy Bali