Denpasar



Denpasar is the largest city and capital of Bali, with 725,000 residents in 2020. Denpasar is a bustling, multi-cultural city and although it can seem a little intimidating the first time you visit, just do not believe those travel guides which say it has nothing to offer.

Denpasar is bristling with temples, palaces and museums and its occupants are outstandingly friendly. You will be off the beaten tourist track here, so bring lots of time for a chat with the locals and a decent map of town. You can see many of the main sights comfortably on foot.

This is also a notable shopping city with options to please even the most jaded of world shoppers.

Understand
Denpasar is the seat of government in Bali and is, therefore, home to the provincial governor's office as well as the administration of the Regency of Badung.



By road
Denpasar is easily reached by car or taxi from the main tourist regions of south Bali. A trip from Kuta, Legian and Seminyak will take 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. Sanur is 15 minutes to the east and Ubud about 30 minutes to the north. Tabanan is about 40 minutes to the northwest.

A non-metered taxi from the airport will cost Rp 180,000.

By bus
The main bus terminal of Denpasar is. The former bus terminal at Ubung is now only a bemo terminal.

Most buses from Java arrive at Mengwi. You should only turn up without a ticket in the morning, as early as possible, when departures are frequent. At other times, check schedules and reserve online.


 * From Surabaya, Java: expect to pay Rp175,000 - 200,000 by eksekutif night bus depend on the bus operator (famous: restu, wisata Komodo), including the ferry trip between Banyuwangi and Gilimanuk, mineral water and a meal. Buses leaves from the Bungurasih bus terminal in Surabaya. Duration 10 hr.
 * Other services operate from most big cities in Java, including Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung and Semarang.
 * For high season Eid Fitri and new year allowing extra Rp50,000 - 100,000 per ride per person.

Local minibuses depart regularly in the direction of Gilimanuk, the ferry terminal to Java, from opposite the bus terminal entrance.

By bemo
The bemo centre of Bali is. Inconveniently, bemo terminals are scattered all around town, and transfers between them can be time and money consuming. The major ones are:


 * , 6 km northeast, for points central and east: (Besakih, Candidasa, Kintamani, Klungkung, Padangbai, Ubud).
 * , to the west, for southern Bali: (Kuta, Legian,Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Sanur, Uluwatu).
 * Ubung, to the north, for points north and west: (Gilimanuk, Negara, Singaraja, Tabanan). From Bedugul, about Rp 40,000 for 1h15 (likely foreigner price; May 2024).

Always ask a local for the normal price before getting in or expect to be charged a price up to ten times what it should be.

Don't forget that a bemo departs when it wants (usually when it is "full enough"), which can sometimes require a lengthy wait, except in the early morning, where they are rather frequent. In any case, you won't find any bemo after 16:00.

By train
There is no train station in Denpasar because there are no trains in Bali.

At Mengwi bus terminal you can buy so-called "train tickets" to Surabaya, including a bus (air-conditioned) to Banyuwangi, and the ferry between Gilimanuk and Ketapang, and then a train from Banyuwangi to Surabaya.

Price (including a commission to the travel agency): Business: air conditioning, non-reclining seat, less leg room. Executive: air conditioning​, reclining seat, more leg room.
 * Low season: Business Rp190,000 - 235,000, Executive: Rp240,000 - 290,000
 * High season (eid fitri and new year): Business Rp255,000 - 300,000, Executive Rp310,000 - Rp360,000

Main site: Kereta Api Indonesia

Online travel agency: Tiket.com, traveloka, pegipegi. Usually online travel agency give promotion.

Offline travel agency: ticket booth on train station, Indomaret minimarket, Alfamart minimarket

There are two services in each direction, each day:
 * 22:00 from Surabaya arrival 04:15 in Banyuwangi, arrival approx 11:30 in Denpasar.
 * 14:45 from Denpasar, train departing 22:00 from Banyuwangi, arrival 04:17 in Surabaya.

Get around
Denpasar can be a bit steamy and full of exhaust fumes, but the centre of this city does lend itself to getting around on foot and walking is recommended.

By bus
Buses connect various places around the city and surrounding called Trans Metro Dewata or Teman bus. An electronic money card is required to take this public transport such as Brizzi, E-money, Flazz, and TapCash or pay with QR (gopay, ovo...). The 5 routes (koridor) and stops can be viewed on the Moovit app and Google Maps. Near real-time GPS position with mobile app Mitra Darat (in Indonesian only).

By taxi
Taxis are widely available for hailing. If you have a group of people, you may want to negotiate a bemo (small van) for a set rate to your destination. Remember that pricing is negotiable. Indonesians are great people, however, they won't think twice about overcharging you if they can.

By bemo
Bemo routes in Denpasar are extremely complicated. In addition to the three terminals described in the section above which operate longer distance bemos, there are three more which handle the local routes (as do the long distance terminals!) - Gunung Agung, Sanglah and Kereneng. Unless you are very patient and somewhat adventurous, bemo transport within Denpasar is best left to the locals to figure out. As a rule of thumb though most routes in the city seem to come through Kereneng Terminal on Jalan Kamboja at some stage.

To go from one bemo terminal to another within the city, the fixed price is Rp7,000 although non-Indonesians may be asked to pay much more. A taxi can work out cheaper, and is certainly faster and more comfortable.

By motorbike
As elsewhere in Bali, motorbikes can be rented, although it is more normal for a visitor to arrive with a bike rather than rent one here.

See
When visiting any of the temples in Denpasar, remember to bring a sarong and sash with you. These temples receive relatively few foreign visitors and are unlikely to have temple dress available for hire or loan.











Do
It is very much worth finding information from the official tourism office about scheduled cultural events in Denpasar. These are many and varied and include, dance, puppet theatre and art exhibitions.

Otherwise, apart from the numerous sights and excellent shopping, there are not really any specific activities to recommend in Denpasar.

Buy
Contrary to what you might read in many guide books, the best shopping in Bali is in Denpasar.




 * Badung Central Market, Jl Gajah Mada is best visited in the early morning. The ground level is devoted to fresh foodstuffs, dried food and spices are on the second level and handicrafts can be found on the top level.
 * Duta Silk, fabulous silk emporium located at Block 1, Komplex Duta Permai (next to Matahari Department store) on Jalan Dewi Sartika.
 * Gold, competitive jewellery prices abound in Jl Hasanuddin and Jl Sulawesi.
 * The myriad of small stores selling fabrics and local works in Jl Gajah Mada and Jl Thamrin will keep happy even the most jaded of world shoppers.
 * There are several shopping malls in Denpasar, the most notable being Ramayana on Jl Diponegoro, Matahari Duta Plaza on Jl Dewi Sartika, and Level 21 Mall on Jl Teuku Umar. These malls have a huge range of stores selling everything from clothing to arts and crafts as well as more everyday shops such as pharmacies.

Eat
Denpasar is a melting pot of different cultures from all over Indonesia. There are few places where the results of the government trans-migration policy are more evident than here. For that reason it is a wonderful place to eat with restaurants specialising in different regional and ethnic Indonesian cuisines. Sometimes this can all seem a bit inaccessible and hard to find for visitors, so do not be shy to ask your driver or at your hotel.

Budget


The foodcourts on the upper levels of Denpasar's department stores all serve surprisingly good food at excellent value prices. Try Ramayana on Jalan Diponegoro, Matahari Duta Plaza on Jalan Dewi Sartika, Tiara Dewata and Robinsons opposite Matahari.

Drink
There are bars and nightlife in Denpasar but these are best left alone by visitors who will feel much more at home in Seminyak, Legian, and Kuta.



Sleep
There are many small budget hotels in Denpasar which are primarily aimed at domestic business travellers as few foreign tourists stay in the city here. These are reasonably priced and comfortable enough. Within a 500 m walk of the Alul-Alun Puputan there are many options which will nearly always have availability. Shop around.



Cope
Several nations have a consulate in Denpasar:


 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇦🇹 Austria
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland
 * 🇺🇸 United States

If you don't see the consulate you're looking for in this section, check to see if it's in Sanur, Kuta, Jimbaran or Legian, or see the "Cope" section of the Bali article for reference.

Go next
Virtually all of Bali can be accessed easily from Denpasar.


 * After spending time in the crowded city, head 45 minutes north to Ubud for clean air and spiritual refreshment.
 * The golden beaches of Sanur are 15 minutes drive east.