Kuta where everything seems possible

If you have ever heard about Bali, then you must have heard about Kuta too. It seems like these two things are intertwined despite many Bali lovers disagreeing entirely on this, including me.

Nevertheless from all the places in Bali, this little town has the highest number of visitors all year round. Everyday hundreds of shops, restaurants, hotels and hostels prepare themselves to receive all types of tourists ranging from the severely budget ones to the ones who have more to spend.

Sadly like whole Bali, this tourist hot-spot had to cope with the impacts of the disastrous Bali bombing in 2002. During the period afterward the high tourists numbers plunged and what was once a busy hive of tourists had suddenly turned into very quiet little town where hotels and restaurants remained empty for many years...

Fortunately, like in the 1970 when Kuta was still a poor fishing village, tourists started to discover it again. And their numbers have just been growing since then resulting into most Balinese being back in business again...

So what is it about this place that always seems to attract different kinds of visitors from all over the world?

I guess it has to do with the fact that anything is possible here. Physically you are in Bali but when you are in this crazy village it is as if you are visiting a popular Australian surfer's hot-spot. The bars and shopping streets are all focused on this type of crowd which has resulted in places with many flashy neon-lights offering Western brands and Asian night-life entertainment.

The unique Bali culture that has created this beautiful island is nowhere to be found. Local people do still prepare their daily ceremonies and sometimes you will see people conducting worships in the middle of a traffic junction. But other than that, it is one Western influenced hub…

I might not sound very positive about this famous place, but don't get me wrong. This crazy village and I are in a kind of love and hate relationship. Every time I visit Bali I always seem to end up there one way or the other because even though it has things that do not attract me at all, it has many qualities as well.

Take for instance the terrific Kuta beach where you can not only swim, but also have your first surfing lesson. Be careful though, once you stand on the board it can become addicting. And at the end of the day you will be rewarded with an amazing sunset that changes everyday. You will not get enough of it...

Another positive thing is the huge choice of terrific restaurants. While many restaurants in the surrounding area are quite popular as well, the restaurants in Kuta seem to have more character and charm plus good food.

No matter if you are there to wine and dine or just to have a delicious bite at a local restaurant, the atmosphere is always relaxed just as the staff and crowd that come there to enjoy their lunch or dinner.

After dinner there are enough choices of bars and clubs that open till early in the morning. These hang-outs also range from the good old bars where beer is your best friend to trendy clubs where the Dj accompanies you with great dance music right at the beach front.

So as you can see, it is not surprising that there are so many kinds of tourists visiting this crazy town. There is enough choice for anyone to have an unforgettable time... by Matt Verbaan