Getting around Poppies Kuta and the beach

Poppies Kuta is basically the place where tourism development started in the 60's and it has expanded towards Legian and Seminyak in the north and Tuban in the south. Poppies can be seen as the heart of Kuta with its maze of small alleys full with hotels, restaurants and shops.

It's also home to the famous Poppies Bali Cottages and Poppies restaurant both managed by the same owner.

Poppies Kuta is mainly for surfers, party animals and budget travellers while Legian and Tuban are popular among families who like to stay in resorts.

 

Traffic jam on Jalan Legian

 

The main streets in town are Poppies I and Poppies II, Jalan Pantai and the 5km long Jalan Legian which connects Kuta Beach Bali with Legian and Seminyak.

These one-way streets are usually jammed with cars, taxi’s and motor scooters.

While Poppies Kuta and Jalan Legian are full with shops, bars, restaurants, and tourist information booths that even promote ‘cremation-tours’ (or ‘Ngaben’ in Balinese), Jalan Pantai is the road along the beach with resorts such as the Hard Rock Bali resort and the Grand Istana Rama resort.

This is also the place where you find the Big Kahuna and Odyssey surfing schools, Mc Donalds and of course more shops.

Jalan Pantai isn’t anything fancy and during the weekend it's extremely busy with Indonesian tourists (peekers) but you will have to pass it if you want to put your toes into the sand of Kuta beach.

 

 

 

Since the Poppies Kuta area is a small area most things can be done on foot. But since you sweat easily on this tropical island there are also many other modes of transportation that can tour you around.

There are many places that have motor scooters, cars and bicycles for rent.

 

Ready to jump on the scooter and do as the locals do

 

When I'm in the Poppies Kuta beach area I always rent a Bali motor scooter since it makes it easier to take short cuts through the narrow alleys or to squeeze myself through a traffic jam on Jalan Legian or Jalan Pantai.

If you prefer a taxi, don’t worry. You don’t have to search for them because they seem to be everywhere and will look for you first.

All taxi drivers like to let tourists know that they are there by pressing fanatically on their horns every time they see somebody in shorts or skirts walking by.

When you take one make sure they turn on the taxi meter or try to negotiate a reasonable price first before driving off.

A more traditional type of transportation is a ride on the horse-and-carriage. Only a maximum of 4 people are allowed to hop on though, which is only fair considering the size of the horse...

 

Hop on for a ride

Important Addresses and Phone Numbers

You can find a Bali Post Office on Jalan Tujung Mekar in the south-east of Poppies Kuta near the Chinese temple and the Pasar Malam (evening market) and is open from Monday to Thursday 8am-3pm, Friday and Saturday till 11.30am, closed on Sunday.

Next to the Chinese temple you can find the Police Station (0361-751598/751998) and there's a tourist police office on Jalan Pantai Kuta next to the beginning of Poppies Kuta II.

The Legian Medical Clinic (0361-758503) can be found on Jalan Legian, Gang Benasari.

The Bali International Medical Center (0361-761263) is located on Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai no. 100X near the Galleria Shopping Arcade.

The SOS Medika Bali Clinic (Emergency number: 0361-710 505) is also located on Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai no. 505X.

Bali Dental Clinic 911 Kuta (0361 - 766255, 7449911) located in Mall Bali Galleria 2nd Floor No. 2c -58/59, Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai

The Tourist Information Center (0361-756176) is located on the corner of Jalan Bakung Sari and Jalan Raya Kuta and open from Monday - Saturday from 8am-6pm.

Airlines: Garuda Indonesia (0361-751011), Japan Airlines (0361-757077), Lufthansa (0361-287069),Singapore Airlines (0361-766942), Air France (0361-288511), KLM (021-2526740), China Airlines (0361-757298), Air New Zealand (0361-756170), Cathay Pacific (0361-753942), Malaysian Airlines (0361-764995), Thai Airways (0361-288141), Eva Air (0361-288511), Qantas Airlines (0361-288331), Continental Airlines (0361-768358)