As much as I’d love to, I can’t go everywhere. So in the interest of making While I’m Young even more useful, I’ve invited some other great travel bloggers to write posts about their special places on this website.
Here, Chantell from Travel For Your Life shares her guide to the best swanky but cheap things to do in Seminyak, Bali.
I went to Seminyak years ago and didn’t blog much about it, but I did write about why you should visit Seminyak instead of Kuta, so I’m really pleased to share this expert insight into the better of the two Balinese destinations with you! Chantell has some great tips for cheaper alternatives to the top Seminyak tourist attractions and hangouts.
Read on to learn how to live it up in Seminyak for less…
Fancy but cheap things to do in Seminyak, Bali
Seminyak is known as the fancier version of Kuta and as such, even though it’s still Bali, you could easily spend a lot of money in a day there. But if you know the right places to go and things to do in Seminyak, you can still live it up and feel like you’ve been hanging out at a luxury resort for a fraction of the price.
Here are the best places to eat, chill out and party in Seminyak that don’t cost a fortune for the average traveller.
Where to eat breakfast in Seminyak
This is the most expensive place I will suggest but it’s so beautiful, has a breeze coming in and the breakfast options are amazing. Shelter has set breakfasts, breakfasts you can build yourself, smoothie bowls from their partnership with Nalu Bowls below and some of the best coffee in Seminyak. Plus if you went out the night before and hit it a bit too hard fear not, because they serve breakfast right through until lunchtime.
Breakfast at Shelter will cost you approximately 100,000-150,000 IDR per person.
Where to chill out in Seminyak
I mean this is Bali, so the beach is obviously one of the top things to do in Seminyak and definitely where you should go for a post breakfast lounge. You can get a deck chair on Double Six Beach for as little as 50,000 IDR for a day (if you don’t want to have to haggle so hard just try to get it for half a day, you probably won’t be there the whole day anyway).
Surf rental starts from 50,000 IDR too and goes up depending on how long you’d like a board for, or if you’d like a lesson (these are usually about 400,000 IDR for 2 hours).
One of the most popular activities in Seminyak is beginner surf lessons because the bottom of the sea there is just sand, unlike a lot of places in Bali where there is hard reef. I don’t know about you, but I personally prefer a soft landing when flying off a surf board.
Finding a great lunch near Double Six Beach
If you’re looking for a quick meal post-surf, look no further than Warung Murah, just up the road from Double Six Beach on Jalan Arjuna. It’s a local restaurant but a fancier one than average so you don’t have to worry about food being left out for days or any of that malarkey.
You can order off the menu in Murah but the main attraction is their Nasi Campur selection. That literally means “Rice mix” in Indonesian and it’s basically a selection of dishes in a glass cabinet to choose from (you’ll see them as soon as you walk into Murah). You’re given a portion of rice and then can select from the array of meat, vegetables, tofu and tempeh on offer.
You could stuff yourself stupid in Murah and still walk away not having spent more than 40,000 IDR.
If you’re not feeling the local food but would still like a quick and convenient meal, head around the corner to Warung Ocha’s. They have a similar set up there, where you can choose items from a glass cabinet to make up your meal on a plate but they also have a lot of Western options such as avocado salsa salad, lasagna and roasted veggies.
Finding a cheap spa in Seminyak
There are a LOT of spas in Seminyak and it’s easy to spend day after day getting pampered, but some Seminyak spas are more expensive than others. You could walk into any spa in the area and find a decent deal but these are the best cheap options:
Massage: Purrfect Spa – A little outside the center of Seminyak but with a much more professional experience than you’d expect for the price.
Manicures: Charlotta Salon – This place is so cute. There are a couple of them in Seminyak so it’s easy to find one near your accommodation. They’re reasonably priced and very good at what they do. Top Tip: if you don’t want a full manicure and just want a shellac polish it will only be 200,000 IDR.
Hair: The Shampoo Lounge – Catering for both men and women The Shampoo Lounge is known as one of the best hairdressers in Bali but without as fancy a price as some of the swisher salons. Plus if you’re with someone who doesn’t want a hair cut too but would like to tag along, there’s a bar just outside they can wait for you at.
Waxing: Glo Day Spa – just past Bali Deli, Glo Spa usually has walk in appointments available (the earlier in the day the better for this) making it an easy choice if you decide on a wax last minute. I’ve had eyebrow and bikini waxing treatments there and it’s the gentlest waxing I’ve ever experienced. To give you an idea of price, a full Brazilian only costs 250,000 IDR.
Pool access in Seminyak
If the beach isn’t really your thing and your accommodation doesn’t have a pool (although most places in Bali do) you can always head to one of the less well known beach bars such as Mano. A drink will set you back more than at the beach, of course, but in exchange you can make use of their pool facilities.
Where to see Seminyak sunsets
Sunset takes place at around about the same time everyday all year round in Bali (6.30pm) and you’ll get to witness some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.
You can pay the minimum spend to go somewhere fancy like Potato Head to watch the sunset from there, as most travellers do, but you know what? Just slightly down the beach, it’s still the same sun and amazing view.
Head down to somewhere like La Plancha or any of the bars either side for comfy beanbag seats and spectacular views as the sun sets. Fair warning though, don’t sit too close to a speaker, they have bands playing and their volume control isn’t always the best!
Where to eat dinner in Seminyak
Want to feel like you’ve had a fancy meal out but on a budget in Seminyak? Head to Ingka.
The restaurant is absolutely beautiful with a huge range of food, from local delights to western to sushi. And for some reason it’s a fraction of the price of other restaurants serving similar food in Seminyak.
Top tip: if you’re vegan or vegetarian it is particularly worth a look as they have a whole vegan section of the menu.
Partying in Seminyak: best clubs and bars
Get to Motel Mexicola for about 8pm, when they walk around pouring free tequila down people’s throats. Admittedly, if you’re anything like me, that’s only likely to make you spend more money on tequila but it’s still free tequila!
The music in Mexicola on a normal night is a lot less Latino than you’d expect and tends to run through a pretty standard loop of 80s, 90s and noughties cheese. The Macarena will come out. That’s the type of cheese I’m meaning.
La Favela is the place to properly party till late in Seminyak. But it doesn’t really get that busy till at least 10/11pm and it’s expensive.
If you’re wanting a little bit of a drunken night out in Seminyak, make sure you do some pre-drinking where you’re staying or pop across the road to the Coco Mart and drink some beers on the steps outside there with your mates before you go in. That’s not an unusual thing to see both locals and foreigners do in Bali.
Top Tip: men aren’t allowed to wear vests, you must be wearing shirts to get it. Women, you can wear whatever you want.
This is my guide to living it up in Seminyak for a day without breaking the bank and dropping loads just on visiting a fancy beach club. With careful planning, you can lounge on the beach, take a surf lesson, eat great food, get pampered and have a wonderful night out on a budget in Seminyak!
Happy travels.
Other things to do in and around Seminyak
- Go white water rafting on the Ayung River
- Do a snorkelling trip around Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida
- Visit a traditional Balinese village and walk through a bamboo forest
- Swim with manta rays in Nusa Penida
- Take a trip to Bali’s white sand beaches (because Seminyak’s aren’t so pristine)
- Get those shots on an Instagram tour of Bali’s hottest photo spots
Where to stay in Seminyak for luxury on a shoestring
If you’re looking for a cheap place to stay in Seminyak that’s still style-conscious, you’re in luck. 7 Bidadari Beach Hotel gets rave reviews on Tripadvisor and starts at £19 per night.
Mutiara Bali Boutique Resort Villas & Spa has four stars and prices start at just £36 (read reviews on TripAdvisor here). The Haven Bali Seminyak and Villa Coco have similar prices.
Of course, you can always splash out on a night to remember at The Legian, The Oberoi or The Samaya, if you really want to experience luxury in Seminyak!
Whatever your budget, you can search for a place to stay that suits you on booking.com.
How to get to Seminyak
You can find ground transportation tickets to Seminyak here.
Going to Bali? Don’t forget travel insurance!
If you’re travelling around Bali, the Lonely Planet guidebook is a wise purchase.
This post was written by Chantell from the blog Travel For Your Life. Chantell is a full time traveller who prefers off the beaten track adventures and she shares candid accounts of her trips. She’s even written a book about how to quit your job and travel! Read her guide to Kuta if you’re planning to go there during your time in Bali.