Popular Sports in Bali

Bali has a variety of sports that tourists, expats and locals can enjoy. As well as main stream sports like tennis and golf, Bali offers the chance to learn and enjoy sports such as surfing and scuba diving.

Here is a run down of popular sports in Bali:

Surfing – Bali is one of the premier surfing destinations in the world, being blessed with year round good weather, warm water, plenty of facilities and a unique geography that affords access to many surf breaks. Local Balinese love surfing and are very good themselves. Bali’s reputation as a surf spot draws surfers from all over the world including USA, Australia and Europe.

Kuta Beach is the perfect place to learn to surf and for the experts the Bukit peninsula offers a selection of reef breaks that on their day can be high standard. Taking a surfing lesson is the safest and most rewarding way to start, the instructors giving you safety tips that you will use every time you surf. While there are waves all year round, the peak season is July- September.

Scuba diving – Bali has several decent scuba diving spots. For a European or American the great thing about diving in Bali is warm water and a tropical environment, that is affordable when you get out of the water. Main diving spots include Amed and Tulamben in East Bali, Nusa Lembongan across the Badung Strait, Pemuteran and Menjangan Island in NW Bali.

Divers will be able to either go to one of these locations and talk directly with a dive operator, or arrange it from the Kuta / Sanur area. Some of the dive operators have websites to allow you to plan your dive trip before you get to Bali. The standard Open Water course takes 4-5 days. For divers wishing to get a little more creative, Indonesia has some of the best scuba diving in the world on other islands including Ambon, Sulawesi and Papua, with a combination of dive resorts and live-aboards boats servicing the market.

Golf – Bali has 3 proper 18 hole golf courses, one in Nusa Dua at the Bali Golf & Country Club, one in Tanah Lot at Le Meridien Nirvana and one in Bedugal in the highlands at the Handara Kosaido Country Club. There is a 9 hole course in Sanur at the Grand Bali Beach hotel. Bali Discount Golf can hook you up. (0361) 285935

Tennis – many large hotels and resorts have tennis courts. Every year Bali hosts the Wismilak tennis tournament in Nusa Dua. This international event was won last year by Lindsey Davenport.

White water rafting – SOBEK operates a whitewater rafting operation in Sayan, just west of Ubud. Bali has a range of Class 2 to Class 4 rivers, which run from December to April (wet season). After that the flow of the rivers slows down. Almost every hotel in Bali has a day tours desk offering rafting, so booking is very easy. There are many companies and SOBEK offers other locations as well as Sayan.

Kayaking – Kayaking is an option on some of the quieter rivers and also on Lake Tamblingan

Canoeing – Canoeing is provided at Lake Batur, many locals will offer you boat rental, although you will have to negotiate for a good price.

Bungee jumping – (if that’s a sport) is offered a couple of locations, the best of which is AJ Hacketts at the end of Jl. Double Six in Seminyak.

Mountain biking – Riding around the city areas is not really that enjoyable due to the traffic. SOBEK and Bali Adventure Tours provide mountain biking trips from Mt Batur and Mt Batukaru.

Football (soccer) – If you like watching of playing football, just head down to the beach area in Kuta in late afternoon. There are dozens of pick-up games going on with mostly Indonesian playing. They often make a goal by placing to poles in the sand about a meter apart and the action is fast and furious. If you ask to join you’ll probably be able to.

Aussie Rules – Bali has an Aussie Rules team called the Bali Gecko’s. Their club house is the Bottle Shop on Jl. Kunti, which also serves as home base for other sports related clubs. The Gecko’s practice at the soccer field across from Cafe Moka in Seminyak. They play other expat teams from all over Indonesia and by all accounts are pretty good.

Bowling – Kuta Paradiso Billiard and Bowling on Jl. Kartika Plaza is a handy place to take the family for an afternoon. They have good pool tables, plus one full size snooker table and about 18 bowling lanes. Kuta Paradiso Billiard and Bowling also serves food and drinks. Another great place for pool players in Buddha’s Belly, a lounge bar type place with a restaurant and 14 beautiful pool tables.

Cricket – The Bali Cricket Club is based in Sanur and is mainly expats. Stop in and introduce yourself.

Sailing – A friend of mine, Ebong, operates a sailing boat in Jimbaran and will take people out for a couple of hours. The boat is the next size up from a Lazer. You’ll have to contact him to find out the costs at they are negotiable (Ebong 0811398074). Other sailing operators in Bali include Real Adventures.

Fishing – Check out the wonders of the deep and go fishing for the day.

Bali has a lot to offer as well as these mainstream sporting activities.