16 Best Things To Do In Nusa Dua

Nusa Dua, notorious for its top-notch, 5-star resorts, offers sumptuous beaches with soft, thick sand, azure blue waters, and gentle waves. These are some of the most beautiful beaches of Bali, perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and sunning. It’s also known for surfing, which, when the conditions are right (usually in the rainy season), offer perfect right-hand breaks. Located on the eastern side of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula, Nusa Dua is ideal for families, or those looking for a quiet place away from the crowds. This post covers the best things to see and do in Nusa Dua.

In all honesty, Nusa Dua does have a reputation of being a bit ‘sterile’, and lacking of local culture. And this is true with all the perfectly manicured properties in this location. It is bit of a bubble in Bali. But if you’re looking for a place to escape the crowds, Nusa Dua is a great choice.

If you stay here and want to add some local culture to your trip, you can easily organize day trips to Uluwatu, Kuta, and Ubud (I’ve noted a few excellent ones below). Or, conversely, just choose to visit Nusa Dua as a day trip. It’s an ideal way to enjoy Nusa Dua’s beaches and still experience Bali’s beautiful culture.

The Best Things To Do In Nusa Dua

There are several beautiful beaches with soft golden sand fringing the coast of Nusa Dua. The water is crystal clear and the waves are mostly gentle, making them ideal for swimming and snorkeling. Make sure to heed any warnings posted on the beach, however, as the waves vary by location and with conditions.

Many of these beaches are stunning because they sit in front of 5-star resorts that keep them meticulously groomed. If you’re not staying at one of the resorts here, many offer day passes, like the Grand Hyatt, the Hilton, the Mulia, Nusa Dua Hotel and Spa, Reef Beach Club and more. These passes and their costs change from time to time, so it’s best to verify the details and availability directly. Most, however, consist of an upfront fee that’s partially offset by a credit for food and beverage purchases. They’re usually very reasonable for the amenities you receive, like access to the beach front, pools, restaurants, bars, and sometimes even some spa facilities.

Mengiat Beach

The most popular and most beautiful beach of Nusa Dua is Mengiat beach, just south of Peninsula Island. The beach here is really pristine, especially the portion in front of the Grand Hyatt, the Marriott, and Ayoda resorts.

There are also some beautifully gnarled trees on the beach that add to its allure and offer some shade. And, as you can see in these two pictures, there is almost no one on this stunning beach! It does, however, get a little busier on weekends.

Geger Beach

Geger beach, just south of Mengiat, is shared by the Mulia and St Regis resorts and the National Golf Club, yet most of it is open to the public. This beach has golden sand and safe waves. It’s not as beautiful as Mengiat, but very nice.

There are also several traditional warungs near the public beach for a drink or a meal. This is nice as it adds some local culture (most restaurants in Nusa Dua are resort restaurants). If you drive, there is a small fee for parking.

Pura Geger Beach (A Secret Beach)

There’s also a smaller version of Geger beach, called Pura Geger beach, it’s a “secret beach” that can only be accessed at low tide. You’ll find it below the rocks on the opposite side of Pura Temple Geger, which is up on the hilltop at the edge of the beach.

Sawangan Beach

Farther south, there’s Sawangan beach, the beach in front of the Hilton (also called Nikko beach as the this used to be the Grand Nikko Resort). The Ritz-Carlton and the Reef Beach Club are also here. This secluded, tree-lined beach, with its golden sand, is another relaxing beach. Sometimes, however, the waves here can be a bit stronger, so make sure to look for warnings.

If you want to access the public part of this beach, without a day pass, look for a small road beside to the Hilton. Bring cash for the small parking fee. There are also some steep steps down to the beach area.

Surfing

Nusa Dua offers surfing year round, but is at its peak between November and March (wet season), due to swell and wind direction that create excellent right-hand breaks. This is opposite of the best time to surf on the west side of the island, like Uluwatu.

There are places in Nusa Dua for all levels of surfers and you’ll find surfers on all the beaches noted below. The conditions for each vary by tide, weather, wind, and time of year, so its best to research in advance and talk to professionals about the best location for your ability.

Yoga

Although yoga studios are plentiful in other areas of Bali, yoga in Nusa Dua is offered by a few select resorts.

Nusa Dua Beach Hotel offers daily yoga by the beach (you do not need to be a guest at Nusa Dua Beach Hotel, but you do need to sign up in advance). The Grand Hyatt, the Ritz-Carlton, the Mulia, and more offer yoga for guests.

Ask at the resort where you’re staying. They may even be able to provide you with an instructor that can offer private yoga classes.

Water Sports

If you’re into water sports, like parasailing, jet skis, banana boats, and more, the Tanjung Benoa area, north of Nusa Dua, is a great place to visit. It’s just 15 to 20-minutes north.

There are also underwater activities like scuba diving and sea bottom walking. Check Watersports Bali, or Trip Advisor.

Golf

Bali National Golf Club is one of the top notch golf clubs in Bali. It’s centrally located within all the 5-star resorts in Nusa Dua. Its 18-hole golf course here offers a variety of environments, including sculpted fairways, tropical vegetation, creeks, canyons, and more. Visit Bali National Golf Club for more details.

Spas

Most of the luxury hotels here offer a variety of spa services, so this a great place to thoroughly relax and pamper yourself. Most resorts have excellent spas offering several types of massage, as well as facials and wraps to help you heal and rejuvenate.

Peninsula Island

This Peninsula, which sits on the eastern-most park of the Bukit, has a park that is perfect for families to walk and explore. This park is also used for a variety of venues, from popular concerts to festivals, so sometimes it’s a hive of activity and sometimes it’s tranquil. It’s also home to Waterblow (below).

Waterblow

Waterblow is a natural rock formation on the eastern end of Peninsula Island where waves splash up through a sub-surface water cave, like a the blowhole of a whale. This geological formation was created by the constant pressure waves under the rocks here

This attraction is easy to walk to from the Grand Hyatt and Mengiat beach. The ticket price for foreigners is 25,000 IDR for adults and 15,000 for children (about $1.60 and $1.00 respectively).

On days when the waves are high, the water can reach as high as 98’ (30 m)! The day I went, the ‘blow’ was small, but still interesting.

Pasifika Museum

There is a cultural opportunity in Nusa Dua, with Pasifika museum (its only museum). It showcases about 600 artworks in the form of painting, sculptures, and masks, from all over the Asia Pacific, celebrating its rich cultural diversity.

This museum is located northwest of Peninsula Island, about a 15-minute walk. Admission is 90,000 IDR, which is about $6. It includes a free audio guide.

Day Trip To Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu Temple, formally known as Pura Luhur Temple, makes a great day trip from Nusa Dua. Especially if you want to add in some culture to your stay. This renowned clifftop Temple towers 230’ (70 m) over the waves. It’s one of six of the most significant temples in Bali. One that Balinese Hindus believe has the powers of the Hindu Trinity merged: Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva. 

It’s stunning to visit by day. By night it’s more of a cultural experience as they hold traditional Kecak fire dance performances here. A must-see Balinese performance. As the sun sets behind the stage, fire becomes the dramatic focal point of this Hindu dance.

The performance starts at 6 PM. It sells out quickly, so arrive early to get a seat. Entrance to the Temple area is 50,000 IDR and the Kecak performance is an additional 150,000. Cash only. The drive to Uluwatu Temple from Nusa Dua is about 40-minutes to an hour.

Uluwatu is also known for its more exotic, rustic beaches at the base of its many clifftops, like Suluban Beach, Thomas Beach, Padang Padang Beach, The Impossibles, Bingin Beach, and more. It would be ideal to see some beaches in Uluwatu during the day and the temple at night.

Nightlife In Kuta/Seminyak

Outside of resort dinners and starry-night walks on the beach, there’s not much nightlife in Nusa Dua. Kuta is only about a 25 to 30-minute drive, making it easy to visit for dinner or evening nightlife.

One of my favorite places on the beach in the evening is on Seminyak Beach in an area called Double Six (which is actually about 10 minutes north of Kuta). There are several beach bar/cafes with colorful beanbag chairs on the beach and live music, like Blue 9, Capil Cafe, the Sand Beach Bar and Restaurant.

This is an ideal place to chill in a comfy beanbag on the beach, and watch the sunset with a drink or dinner. After sunset, if you still want more action, head down to the clubs in Kuta which are lively until dawn.

Day Trip To Ubud

Ubud is a little farther to get to from Nusa Dua. It’s about a one and half or two hour drive, depending on traffic. Ubud has some wonderful local Rice Fields Walks, a great way to learn about the ancient heritage of rice farming here.

There’s also Ubud Palace, which hosts various traditional dance performances with the temple as a backdrop, and the Saraswati Water Temple. Even a day trip for a Cooking Class would be a fun experience. See my post on Best Things To Do In Ubud: Top Sites And Sacred Places for more details.

Day Trip To The Turtle Conservation Center

Another great day trip is a visit to Serangan Island, also known as Turtle Island. It gets its name as it was once a nesting ground for green turtles. With rapid development however, this has changed. It’s now home to the Turtle Conservation and Education Center, which you can visit.

They rescue injured turtles from all around Bali and nurse them back to health, and rear baby turtles before being releasing them into the sea. You can visit this site and adopt a baby turtle (to be sent onto its journey in the sea), as well as learn more about the all the services they provide here.

This center is in the north side of Serangan Island, about a 30 to 45-minute drive from Nusa Dua.

Want More Of Bali?

To read more about Ubud, and what to do here, see Best Things To Do In Ubud: Top Sites And Sacred Places. From treasured, ancient temples, to vibrant traditional dance performances, galleries and museums showcasing local artists, many yoga centers, spas, and amazing food, there’s tons to see and do in this vibrant city.

I highly recommend doing some of the local rice fields walks. My post on the 4 Best Rice Fields Walks In Ubud details out where they are and what to expect. It’s a fantastic way to step outside the hustle and bustle of Ubud and get a quick dose of Balinese cultural heritage. Plus they’re so beautiful!

If you want to see some of the more instagrammable rice fields walks, visit the Tegallalang Rice Terraces, which are a 30-minute drive north of Ubud. This highly terraced rice field is really beautiful, although (unfortunately) a little over commercialized.

You can read about my Ubud homestay with an extended Balinese family here. The perfect way to learn more about Balinese culture while staying in Ubud. Or, If you’re curious about a cooking class in Ubud, read about the Cooking Class I took here.

I also was invited to a Cremation Ceremony when visiting Ubud. A fascinating experience which is a celebration of life and a sending-off of the soul for rebirth.

If you want to explore some exotic, tropical beaches in Bali, visit Uluwatu. The beaches here are at the base of tropical cliffs on Bali’s southwestern coast. It’s known for its surfing, offers great yoga, great food, and has the clifftop temple that this area was named after here, Uluwatu Temple.

To learn about some smaller, less touristy villages in Bali, see my post on The Small Villages Of Munduk And Lovina. Uber charming, you can find several hidden waterfalls and some cool old temples in these areas.

And for an overview of all highlights of Bali, as well as logistics like safety, scams, money matters, and more, see my Ultimate Bali Travel Guide.