The Ultimate Travel Guide To Seminyak, Bali

All you need to know about the uber-hip area of Seminyak – your ‘go-to’ guide to Bali’s most celebrated, social, dining & cafe scene.

Seminyak is seriously popular with so many Aussie and international tourists & after reading this, you’ll know why.

Seminyak is the place to be for a fabulous, unforgettable beach holiday. A buzzing, trendy, fashionable seaside town in the south of Bali where a cosmopolitan lifestyle goes together with beach vibes, shopping arcades, Melbourne-style coffee shops, world-famous restaurants and buzzing nightlife.

Seminyak is a trendsetting place where Bali meets the Western world and is the most well-known tourist town on the island! Seminyak attracts an eclectic mix of ex-pats, tourists and locals, and it is bursting with charm, liveliness, fun and excitement.

Just a 10-minute scooter or taxi ride from Legian/Kuta, but it feels like a completely different world. Seminyak is upscale, happening and chic, home to fashion boutiques, fancy shopping malls, yoga studios, health food cafes, beach clubs, gyms, luxury spas, and a wide range of excellent restaurants.

Seminyak is extremely dynamic, vibrant, colourful and energetic; it’s a place where foodies, shopaholics, beach lovers, partygoers & families mix together to enjoy the atmosphere that’s so unique to this fabulous beach town. There is always something going on in Seminyak, and many travellers find themselves staying here in their private pool villa, exploring the rest of Bali by going on guided tours and day trips.

The beauty of Seminyak is that there are heaps of​ ​luxury Seminyak villas to choose from – you can choose exactly that perfect villa to match your personal taste and holiday budget. Private, exclusive and comfortable, staying in a hotel or even a resort doesn’t compare to the unique experience of staying in a private pool villa in Seminyak. On top of that, villas come in an extremely wide price range, and it may even be cheaper to stay in a villa than in a hotel, especially when travelling with a group. People love the villa experience as it caters to all types of travellers and budgets. Honeymooners, families, & groups of friends, there is something for everyone!

Best coffee in Seminyak

There are loads of places where you can have your daily coffee fix brought to you by trained baristas.

Didn’t think you could find good-quality coffee outside of Australia? You were wrong! Especially in Seminyak, you’ll stumble upon one great coffee hub after another. Coffee culture is something really cool and upcoming all over Indonesia. The youth is looking for unique coffee bars to hang out with friends. Places with locally sourced beans and manual-brew methods – they are hip and that is great news for us, coffee addicts! In Seminyak, coffee is booming! From the best espresso, you’ll ever have to your favourite cappuccino or even a coconut or almond latte – Seminyak is a coffee paradise no matter what kind of coffee you are into.

Where to go for the best coffee in Seminyak? We’ve made a list of must-visit coffee hubs from the most famous ones to little gems:

Revolver Espresso

When looking at where it all began in terms of coffee – you’d have to pop in at Revolver Espresso, hidden away on a little side lane off the famous Jalan Kayu Aya (Oberoi’s Eat Street). Cool vintage interiors with an industrial feel, expert baristas and, of course, excellent coffee – this place may not be a secret anymore, but it is still one of our favourite spots to go for breakfast or lunch WITH coffee! Baby Revolver is the cute little sister on Jalan Petitenget, and if your villa is located in this area of Seminyak, pop in here first thing in the morning (on your way to the beach, perhaps?!) just for coffee or cappuccino – that’ll give your day a great kick-start, alright!

“Bali Villa Escapes Tip: Revolver can be a bit hard to find, but all you need to do is make your way to Seminyak Square, cross the road, turn left and walk about 75 metres. You’ll see the huge logo on the sign. Then walk up the alley about 25 metres & you’re there”.

Visit: Revolver in Seminyak

Expat.Roasters

One of the new kids on the block (though not that new anymore), is Expat. Roaster indeed roasts the coffee beans themselves, and you can taste it! The brains behind this sleek, contemporary coffee hub are Australian Adam McAsey, who also owns Sisterfield and B0$$man and Sydney barista Shae Macnamara, who won the Australian​ ​Coffee in Good Spirits​ contest in 2016. One thing you can be sure of at this place: Excellent coffee!!!

Visit: Expat.Roasters

Time for another cup of coffee at Expat Roasters. Photo Credit: @ expatroasters – Instagram

Coffee Cartel

Coffee Cartel takes coffee seriously, and these baristas, passionate as they are about coffee, are amazing latte artists! No wonder this place turned into an Instagram hot spot! With their special Ripple Machine and patented printing technology, they can make just about anything. Your coffee may even reflect a mirror of your own image – say what?! Cool vintage pink interiors, good music and lattes come in all colours of the rainbow. What’s your favourite?

” Bali Villa Escapes Tip: there is a great gym next door called Soham, so perhaps go there for a workout before you come to Coffee Cartel to refuel on delicious smoothies and yummy burgers”.

Casual vibes and healthy eating at Coffee Cartel, Seminyak. Photo Credit: @ coffeecartelbali – Instagram

Corner House

Always packed with coffee addicts – tourists and ex-pats – this can only mean one thing – they serve great coffee! In fact, Corner House serves Revolver Coffee, and they also do very good juices. Located right on the start of Jalan Kayu Aya, across from Drupadi Street, this cafe has good vibes, and any time of the day is a perfect place to stop for a coffee or a refreshing pick-me-up juice while you are busy shopping!

Visit: Corner House

Great food & a central Seminyak location at the Cornerhouse. Photo Credit: @ cornerhousebali – Instagram

Shelter Cafe

This fabulous hang-out spot is hidden away on a little lane right above Nalu Bowls in Seminyak, and despite the hidden location, Shelter Cafe is always busy! Almond latte, coconut cappuccino, cashew macchiato – they do it all. Combine it with a slice of home-baked pie or cake, and you’re all set. Shelter Cafe also does a very yummy lunch and breakfast as well as sharing plates – you’ll love it!

Start your day with healthy juice & pancakes at Shelter Cafe. Photo Credit: @ sheltercafebali – Instagram

The Koop

The best coffee on Drupadi! The Koop has expanded their little cafe due to its success. Apart from being a coffee hub, they are also a roastery and a bakery. Yep – they do it all themselves and prefer to work with locally produced, organic ingredients. The coffee beans are hand-picked in the Kintamani highlands of Bali, and they also have awesome single-origin specials from other islands across the Indonesian Archipelago. Try their signature cold brew coffee on a hot day when you can use a shot of caffeine. Thumbs up for The Koop!

Visit: The Koop

Lovers of coffee will appreciate the Koop. Photo Credit: @ thekoopcafe
– Instagram

Seminyak for families

Seminyak is a carefree holiday destination for families with kids. We can promise they’ll be busy the whole time, from jumping in the pool to eating yummy gelato or taking their first surf lesson. Seminyak is the action heart of Bali!

It’s exotic, tropical and far away, but there are perfect family villas, modern supermarkets and shopping malls, great restaurants with Western and Asian options, and there are endless activities to keep the kids (and yourself) entertained throughout your island stay from water parks to family cafes with playgrounds and activities, trendy beach clubs, close encounters with wildlife and fun workshops. From outdoor activities, under and on-water adventures and everything else you can think of, there is no shortage of things to do with kids. Snorkelling, diving, surfing, rafting, climbing, fishing, cycling – you name it. Contact our reservation team for more inspiration on where to go and what to do from your private villa in Seminyak.

Also read: Family Villas Bali

Seminyak for couples

Why do honeymooners and romantic couples flock to Bali and stay in Seminyak?

The buzzing beach clubs, gorgeous villas, famous restaurants and trendy shopping streets must have something to do with it! What’s better than staying in a private pool villa with your loved one, only going out for sunset cocktails, romantic dinners and memorable motorbike drives to exotic temples, hidden local markets,  boutique shopping and hidden beaches?

Also, read Seminyak for Couples.

” Bali Villa Escapes Tip: head to Eat Street, where there are lots of romantic restaurants and cool little cafes to grab a coffee. Also, make sure you head to KU DE TA for sunset cocktails on the beach – an ideal venue to pop the question!!”.

Seminyak is one of the best areas in Bali for lovers. So many romantic things to do; beach walks, sunset drinks and fabulous private villas. Photo Credit: paulastanny @ Instagram

Best Beach Bars in Seminyak

Beach fun, spectacular sunsets, amazing surfing waves & world-class beach clubs

Did you know you can enjoy a long and wonderful beach walk in this part of Bali? In fact, you could get out of the plane and start walking, passing Kuta Beach, Legian, Seminyak and all the way up to Canggu – it is one long wide beach, perfect for those who like to go for a morning jog!

Seminyak has several beaches. Double Six Beach is where you can chill out at those colourful beach bars with bean bags and parasols. La Plancha is the most famous one, but there are many more. The look is totally Instagrammable, and the vibes are always good! Be there at 4 pm, and you can still go for a dive into the ocean before the sunset kicks in and the live music starts. Double Six Beach is also the best place to rent a surfboard or take a surf lesson.

Further up north, you will hit the famous KU DE TA Beach Club, and they’ve got fabulous family Sundays if you are travelling with kids. Around Pura Petitenget, just a bit further, there are more beachfront hang-out havens such as Mano Beach Club, the immensely popular Potato Head Beach Club and W Bali. After Petitenget, you will hit Batu Belig, home to one of the latest hot spots: Tropicola & the new huge beach club Cafe Del Mar ( which is a must-see ). After that, you are already in Canggu.

Seminyak is the epicentre of tourism, and there is no lack of accommodation.

Whether you want to stay in the heart of the action or somewhere more hidden or quiet, Seminyak has it all. Traditional Balinese or ultra-modern, romantic 1-bedroom villas, family-inspired 3-bedroom villas or even villas with up to 7 bedrooms with 24/7 butler services are limitless!

The most wonderful thing about staying in a private villa is enjoying a swimming pool all for yourself. A villa has a private living space with a kitchen which is not only convenient but it can save lots of money not having to order food and drinks in the hotel’s restaurant all the time. Just stock up the fridge; perhaps you’ll even get cooking assistance.

Before you have finished your dessert, it will be 2 am in Seminyak, and this is where the fun really begins! Seminyak has a number of cool bars and nightclubs where you can party all night – be prepared to pay Australian prices for drinks, as this is NOT Kuta or Legian. A night out here can be quite expensive, but you are bound to have the time of your life!

Popular places to party are Ku De Ta, Potato Head Beach Club, Mrs Sippy, La Favela, Motel Mexicola, & Red Carpet Champagne Bar, Shi Shi, The Forge, and Nirvana Sports Bar, to name a few. There are many more, but these are the most well-known ones worth visiting. La Plancha also throws a good party on random weekdays, and who doesn’t love a good party on the beach?!

Also read: Some of the best places to go for yummy cocktails in Seminyak

Seminyak is a mecca for shopaholics! From contemporary shopping arcades to unique designer shops, fashion stores and local homeware shops, you can literally ‘shop till you drop’ in this fashionable beach town in Bali. On Jalan Kayu Aya, you will find cute little boutique shops, funky clothing stores, surf shops, up-market and slick-looking galleries and chic, sophisticated shopping malls such as Seminyak Square and Seminyak Village. Shopping in Seminyak certainly comes with a price tag, but you can hunt for unique items from renowned designers. Looking for souvenirs that are not too expensive? Bintang Supermarket has a large section of handicrafts and gifts to find presents for everyone back home.

Also Read: Shopping in Seminyak

On Jalan Basangkasa, many local souvenir shops sell clothing, jewellery, soap, bags and homeware items. It is a very long street that leads all the way to Legian and Kuta if you can’t get enough shopping and more shopping. In these shops, it sometimes helps to bargain about the price. All prices are fixed up in Oberoi and Petitenget at those designer stores.

Best areas to shop in Seminyak

Seminyak is one big shopping paradise.

The chicest shopping districts are Oberoi and Petitenget, home to boutique shops, fashion stores, and contemporary shopping malls such as Seminyak Square and Seminyak Village. Women won’t get enough of strolling down Oberoi Road all the way to Petitenget Strip, shopping for handmade dresses, yoga & swimwear, jewellery, homeware and more. You can stop for coffee, cake, or a glass of wine with canapes at cute cafes and bars between shopping. Check out shops like ​Magali Pascal, Bali Boat Shed, ​Lulu Yasmine, ​Kim Soo​ and ​KidsaGoGo.

Supermarkets in Seminyak

There are several large Western grocery stores to cater to your bigger shopping needs (mini markets are at the corner of every street!). Pepito offers great services and a wide range of imported products from all over the world. They sell freshly-baked bread, veggies, fruits, meat and fish. It is all fresh! You will find Pepito on Jalan Raya Petitenget and on Jalan Kerobokan. Bali Deli is another great option located between Jalan Basangkasa and Sunset Road. Bintang Supermarket is great for souvenir shopping, but they also sell everything to do your grocery shopping.

Best supermarkets in Seminyak to stock up on your villa supplies.

There is no need to travel far to do groceries and stock up on your kitchen at the villa. Around every corner of every street, there are local shops like Indomaret and Alfa Mart to get drinks and snacks. There are also many ​Western-style supermarkets,​ such as Pepito, Bali Deli, Frestive, Bintang Supermarket and Carrefour. You will probably find it here if you forgot to bring it or ran out of Vegemite, Dutch Swiss chocolate, French wine, or other homeland cravings! You will also find fresh veggies, fruit, meat, fish, and other cooking supplies. Bintang also sells a great variety of souvenirs if you need to go shopping for gifts to bring home with you and you don’t feel like bargaining.

Things to do with kids in Seminyak

If you are worried about your kids getting bored and driving you crazy, don’t! Seminyak is super kid-friendly…here’s why.

Best family restaurants

There are loads of family-friendly restaurants in Seminyak; make sure you go to the following:

BossMan  Burger (opposite Seminyak Village)

Grill’d Burgers (opposite Seminyak Village)

Take the kids shopping.

Why not take the kids on a little shopping tour on the buzzing Kayu Aya Street in Seminyak? We know mums love it, but surely their daughters will love it just as much if they can pick out a brand new summer dress to wear on the beach or wherever. It gets even better if there is time for ice cream and/or a smoothie with cake in between the shopping. Kids A Go-Go is a fabulous kids’ clothing store with the prettiest dresses in bright colours and cool prints, and they’ve got cool outfits for boys, as well. Other cute shops include Jelly Fish Kidz, Mimpi Manis and Indigo Kids. You can even shop for a unique mommy and daughter outfit.

Kids spa time

Can you ever go and have some pampering spa treatment when you’re on holiday with the family? In Seminyak, you can! Kids’ pedicures, manicures and massages, they’re all available. The famous Jari Menari ‘dancing fingers’ spa on Jalan Basangkasa (Jl Raya Seminyak) has a 45-minute kids’ massage on the menu. Think Pink Nails in Batu Belig is great for moms and daughters to get their nails done while lounging on massage chairs and sipping a drink. Fabulous!

Family Surf lesson

You can’t get around it. When you are holidaying in Seminyak, especially with kids, you need to have at least 1 go at surfing. A family surf lesson is great fun, and Seminyak is great for beginners. Before you know it, you are standing on your board, almost like a pro, riding the waves to shore. After this, you’ve deserved that cocktail! Santai Surf School is a great local family-owned surf school with ASI-approved instructors, and Bali Green Surf School has special family packages.

Take the kids for a surf lesson – hours of fun. Photo Credit: @ baligreensurfschool – Instagram

Getting around in Seminyak; walking, by scooter or on the back of a Go- Jek.

Seminyak is not that big, but it is big enough to keep yourself strolling around for days on end. Get yourself a villa in Oberoi or Petitenget, and you can easily walk to the beach and explore the best shopping and dining streets around. Jalan Drupadi is also home to many villas, and it is a perfect location, very strategic towards Oberoi, Dhyana Pura and Double Six. While walking can be nice, it can also be tiring, especially during the hottest hours of the day.

Renting a scooter can be the perfect solution to transport yourself from your villa to the beach to Warung Melati for lunch and back to Petitenget to check out some shops. On a scooter, you can also easily reach nearby tourist towns such as Canggu, or you could drive to Uluwatu and check out some of the best beaches in Bali. Renting a scooter can be as cheap as AUS $ 6/day, and it gets cheaper when renting the scooter for a week or a month. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can download the Go Jek app (Indonesia’s equivalent of Uber) and get them to swing by your villa or hotel and whisk you off to the nearest cafes or beach clubs. They are fast and cheap, and you’ll love the app as you can track your driver’s approach.

There are also plenty of Blue Bird (metred taxi) taxis around, but you risk getting stuck in a traffic jam, especially when going to the beach to catch the sunset. Definitely ( if you’re brave enough ) use the Go Jek app for this. For day trips to Canggu or Uluwatu, it is wise to hire a personal driver, as regular taxis are banned around the beach areas.

About the author

This article was written by Steven Waldberg, who is one of the founders of Bali Villa Escapes. Steve loves driving his scooter around Seminyak, taking videos of what’s popular and hip right now. He’s been featured in Readers Digest and has been coming to Bali for over two decades. Check out the YouTube channel here.