Bali's Nusa Dua & Tanjung Benoa Advice Guide

Both are part of the Bukit Peninsula and look out over the sea to the East and Lombok. Unlike Sanur, the waters tend to be less protected here. Which means less swimming opportunities but better water quality.

Tanjung Benoa is the more inaccessible of the two, being a pensinsula on a peninsula. It is still a fishing village area (just) and does have much that is authentic, Balinese wise. Unfortunately, beach errosion is taking it's toll like it did in Candi Dasa. Basically, they used the coral reef for concrete to build the hotels. But no coral reef means less beach protection.

Tanjung Benoa though has some very nice areas of beach still. And a lot less hawkers then in Sanur. The hotels here range in size from small, to luxury resorts. Although there are shops around, especially near the entrance to this area, they tend to be souvenir shops. Restaurant wise, there are a few outside choices, but not as many as Sanur / Kuta.

Once "wasteland", Nusa Dua was the developer's dream. White sandy beaches, and very few local Balinese to spoil the tourists' fun. So they built a number of large, luxury hotels there. And limited / licensed the number of hawkers allowed in. Although this had the desired effect of reducing the number of beach salespeople (although they do still exist and do still disturb you). It has also created a somewhat sterile atmosphere. With nothing, except staged performances, of the real Bali to charm you.

Also, with all the shops and restaurants either belonging to the hotels, or licenced by the estate management. You basically get what they decide to give you. The southern most part of Nusa Dua (south of Pura Bias Tugel) does have the better beach area. And the beach / water quality is certainly better then Sanur. So, for those people interested in a short drive from the airport, Western food, maybe a Balinese dance performance or two, and a beach by which you can mostly relax by, it is very good.

We donate all of our direct reservation earnings from the hotels and villas on our site to a charity in Bali, which helps deprived Balinese children. When you book with and then stay and pay a hotel or villa in Nusa Dua or Tanjung Benoa directly via our site you are basically making a donation to a very worthy cause at the same time, thank you (see our charity page).

If you would like to correct anything you believe is wrong or out-of-date here or provide extra text that could help others get the best out of Tanjung Benoa and Nusa Dua please feel free to contact us. If you would like more tourism information on any aspect of travel to / holidays in Nusa Dua and / or Tanjung Benoa, please visit our associated Bali Travel Forum.

If you have a favorite hotel or villa in Tanjung Benoa or Nusa Dua which does not have a direct reservations facility with us, please feel free to either contact us with a name and email address for that hotel / villa or ask them to visit our site and register. The more hotels and villas around Nusa Dua that join Travel Ethos, the more we can help needy children in Bali.