Seminyak Bali has always remained a mystery to us. Every time we are here we always end up wondering: ‘Why is it so popular?’. After many years we just can’t figure it out. We remain amazed that this little village is still growing and attracting more and more people.
Yes, you got it right. We are not a fan of Seminyak and are likely not the right people to ask advice on where to stay and what to do. As our answer will be: ‘Avoid it’.
With luxury accommodation, villas with private swimming pool, many restaurants offering fine dining and a large range of boutique shopping possibilities, Seminyak has succeeded in attracting a crowd that has far more to spend and just want to enjoy all the fine things in life.
And we can’t disagree. It is your holiday and you have worked hard for the whole year for it. So why not enjoy every minute of it in ultimate luxury…?
Is it truly luxury?
But for some travelers luxury is something different than finding yourself in a villa complex so tightly built you can hear your neighbor jumping in the plunge pool or being stuck in traffic every time you want to go somewhere.
Because yes, like Kuta and Legian every little piece of Seminyak is fully built with luxurious private villas and resorts. If there is still a little patch of land left then 1. it is just too expensive to build something on it or 2. the plans are on the table as we speak.
Like Kuta it feels like Seminyak is out of control. Everybody is building and opening businesses in the hope to grab a piece of paradise. However, they are not thinking that this type of development is ruining the whole thing.
Are we still in Bali?
There is in our opinion hardly anything left here that you can consider really Balinese (except for the temples of course). If you were hoping for cultural experiences during your holiday here then you are surely going to be disappointed.
We understand that an area naturally evolves and modernizes. In this case, you really don’t have to have the heavy wooden doors with flower carvings or statues of the Garuda and a Legong Dancer to be considered Balinese.
We too love the modern style of Bali with its whitewashed walls and distressed looking furniture etc.
But….
We just think it is a shame that the development of Seminyak and the nearby villages was not aimed at maintaining the beauty of Bali as much as possible. Instead, investors are drowning it with Western influences which you can find everywhere else in the world.
So if you are considering Seminyak, do realize that it is a kind of upgrade of Kuta. Despite the many investments here most of them aren’t really related to anything that makes Bali truly unique.
Getting Around Seminyak – What is the best way?
Seminyak Village is located just north of Legian and Kuta beach. It’s pretty unclear where one of these villages starts and where the other one ends. But each one of them has a distinct character that attracts hordes of tourists…
Tourism started to discover this village when Kuta beach was getting overcrowded with numerous hotels, restaurants and more shops. Instead of focusing on the same crowd as Kuta and Legian, Seminyak wanted to create a totally different image to attract travelers who want to experience ultimate luxury such as staying at villas with private pools.
In the last few years, tourism has eventually passed Seminyak and is now heading more towards Kerobokan and Canggu which are both located a bit up north.
Today in Canggu dozens of Bali villas are popping up everywhere each month. So as you can tell, history repeated itself in Seminyak…
Finding your way…
If you look at a map of Seminyak you will soon discover that this little village consists of twisting roads that often go without a specific name.
The big and most used streets are Jalan Petitenget and Jalan Laksmana also known as Jalan Oberoi or Jalan Kayu Aya. Another important street in town is Jalan Raya Seminyak. This street connects Kuta and Legian with Seminyak. Along all these streets you can also find most of the boutiques and restaurants.
Jalan Arjuna can be considered as the border between Seminyak and Legian. This street leads you straight to the beach where you can find many beachfront restaurants.
Alleys will help you avoid traffic
Between the main streets of Seminyak, there is a maze of alleys, some so narrow that cars coming from both sides can not pass each other. You are not likely to drive through them unless your villa is located there or the taxi driver knows Seminyak so well and is trying to avoid the traffic jams in the main streets.
Because the latter is continuous in Seminyak. Car, motor scooters and lorries drive through the main road and there is hardly ever a quiet moment.
Sunset Road ‘the highway’ around Seminyak
If you want to avoid going straight through town then you can use the Sunset Road that practically runs parallel to Jalan Seminyak and Jalan Legian.
Decided to go on foot at this point? Then it is pretty easy to walk around town since the pavements are pretty decent.
But basically, despite the heavy traffic, the best way to get around is by taxi. So to make life easier (and hey, you are on a holiday) you can better just take one of the many taxis that drive around town till late in the evening. The taxi fare will be around Rp. 20.000 since to the airport you pay around Rp. 50.000.
Most Seminyak villas, however, offer a shuttle service or a private car with a driver that will take you around the village.
Another option you could consider is to rent a car or even better a motorbike. Besides the regular Yamaha or Honda motorbike that everybody seems to drive around on the island, you can even find heavy custom made motorbikes that will have your heart skip a beat.
Things to do in Seminyak, other than Shopping
Life in Seminyak revolves around a couple of things: lazing at the villa pool or beach, going to spas and high-end boutiques and eating good food. It won’t be difficult to find shops and spas as they are literally located all over town.
If you feel like going to a spa but the prices kind of shock you try Bodyworks, near Petitenget temple. Here they offer a wonderful full-body massage and other treatments for a very reasonable price.
As might have noticed by now, we are not really pro-Seminyak and don’t recommend staying here too long. But if you do happen to be there you should head to the beach.
While Seminyak doesn’t have one of the most glorious beaches on the island, the high waves are ideal for surfing while its soft sands make it perfect for a long stroll. Try to start walking around 16.00 so you can catch the legendary sunsets and enjoy watching people tackling the waves, playing soccer or flying a kite.
Do check the weather conditions first before thinking of spending time at the beach, or any other beach along this strip of the west coast. During some periods of the year, it struggles with currents bringing piles of garbage making it unpleasant and almost impossible to use this beach area.
As for the water, it looks ideal for swimming. Which it is, but check out the color of the flags first before running in as these waters are known for its dangerous water currents.
Near the beach, you can also find the Petitenget Temple. This temple might not be as crowded as Tanah Lot or Uluwatu nevertheless it’s one of the important sea temples in
Bali. It belongs to the string of six temples set along the coast and is built by the most
important priest Nirartha. If there’s a Bali festival or a temple ceremony then you will find a lot of activities going on here.
On certain days you can even be treated with ceremonies on the beach. A whole string of Balinese people wearing traditional clothing and accessories will be gliding down the beach towards the seashore where they will place offerings to the gods. Something you will likely always remember.
Restaurants in Seminyak – Unexpected Flavours
Seminyak is known for the creme de la creme when it comes to haute cuisine. Names such as Ku De Ta, the Livingroom, Sarong, and La Luciola have set the standards in this little village. Reservations way in advance is very common.
Mostly the owner or chef is a foreigner. So not surprisingly the menu is often western style with occasionally a mixture of the Indonesian or Balinese cuisine.
Despite the culinary quality and fame these top restaurants in Seminyak seem less focused on incorporating organic ingredients or stimulating Balinese cuisine and local ingredients. With hundreds of other restaurants lined up, there are still restaurants that have stayed literally down to earth.
1. Zula
Our first vegetarian encounter in Seminyak was Zula Restaurant. This is the place to be for those looking for breakfast, lunch or dinner that doesn’t contain any traces of animal protein.
Even die-hard carnivores will find enough to choose from and won’t miss their daily dose of meat. Their unique combinations of ingredients (organic as much as possible) will have you experiment with new tastes in no time.
2. Earth Cafe
Similar to Zula Restaurant is the Earth Cafe which also serves strictly vegetarian food prepared with as many organic ingredients as possible. The special thing about the Earth Cafe is that it takes the extra step by supporting traditional farming and improving the quality of the lives of local communities by emphasizing on the benefits of natural foods over commercial ones.
3. Ocha
Besides organic, we also aim to promote eating Balinese food. You can find the most popular warung along the busy main street of Seminyak called Warung Ocha. Here you can order Nasi Campur which is basically created by yourself. Just head over to their food display and choose from all the mouth-watering Indonesian dishes.
Due to their popularity, they have expanded their restaurant over the years but during ‘rush hour’ it is sometimes still difficult to find a spot.
4. Warung Murah
Another similar type of restaurant is Warung Murah. This tiny warung is located between the fancy and expensive Seminyak restaurants at Jalan Oberoi. Despite its location, you can still eat for a ‘local price’.
After the success of Warung Murah in Legian, the owners have opened this second warung. Here you can choose from a dozen delicious local dishes ranging from chicken curry, beef Rendang, Sayur Lodeh, fried fish, tofu and tempeh dishes and many more…
