Located in the southern portion of Bali, Indonesia, Nusa Dua is an expansive beachfront paradise filled with five-star resorts, white sand beaches, and beautiful turquoise water.  The area was originally developed with the intention of making it an all-inclusive type of holiday destination.

 Now, Nusa Dua stands as the most developed area of Bali.  However, despite that, it still retains a great deal of temples, museums, and other traditional cultural attractions.

 Nusa Dua truly represents the prefect mixture of beachfront luxury and traditional Balinese cultural heritage.

        The region derives its name from the two islands in the bay right by Nusa Dua.

 When translated from the local language, Nusa Dua literally means two islands, which refers to Peninsula Island on the southern side of Nusa Dua, and Nusa Dharma Island, which sits on the northern side of Nusa Dua and is slightly smaller than Peninsula Island.

 Nusa Dharma Island is also home to the historic Pura/Temple Nusa Dharma.  

What to Do

        Nusa Dua is home to many activities for visitors to enjoy.  First and foremost are the beaches.  The Nusa Dua beach itself is a beautiful spot to enjoy part of your stay.

 Locally referred to as Pantai Mengiat, Nusa Dua is the primary beach area and spans the beachfronts with several five star resorts.  

The beach features an offshore reef break which makes the waters further from the shore ideal for surfing.  The water closer to shore is very calm which makes it a great sport for snorkeling, swimming, and other water games.  Many tour operators offer chartered fishing trips or glass bottom boat tours from the Nusa Dua beach. 

Another great beach for visitors in Nusa Dua to visit is Geger Beach, located just three kilometres north of Nusa Dua.  The sea at this beach is very calm, thanks to its sheltered location, which makes it an ideal location for visitors looking to enjoy a swim.  At times, this beach can be a bit less busy than the main Nusa Dua beach as well.  

Geger Beach is also home to Geger Temple, which sits just above the beach on a small cliff.

 Landscape photographers must make a trip to Geger Temple as it offers some of the most photogenic views of all Nusa Dua.  Geger Temple is also a fascinating cultural attraction and it is only a short trip from Nusa Dua.

Continuing with the theme of wonderful beaches, visitors will surely enjoy a trip to Pandawa Beach, or Pantai Pandawa among the locals.

This beach is a kilometre-long expanse of a white sand hidden from public at first by large limestone cliffs.  The beach provides visitors with beautiful ocean panoramas.

 The limestone cliffs had to be cut through in order to make the road that now winds down to the beach itself.

 As a result, the approach to the beach features a number of deeply carved arches, with each one depicting a different character from the Mahabharata epic, the, “Five Pandawas,” which were the source for the name of the beach.  

The beach is only 8-kilometres by car away from the main hub of Nusa Dua and the coastline is lined with gear rental facilities, restaurants, and snack bars, providing visitors with everything they need to enjoy their day at the beach.    

Of course visitors can also visit the Nusa Dua Islands, from which Nusa Dua gets its name.  Peninsula Island, the slightly larger island to the south, is home to a large grassy field which is often home to banquets and other social events.  It is also a wonderful outdoor recreation area as the island is covered with shaded pavilions, which make for great locations to step up for a relaxing day.

 Nusa Dharma Island, the northern one, is home to the historic Pura Bias Tugel/Temple Nusa Dharma, which is a fascinating historical and cultural attraction.  Both islands offer a tranquil place to relax for the day.  They also both offer stunning views of the sea surrounding them.    

If you are looking for a unique way to take in the wonderful scenery of Nusa Dua, reach out to Bali Camel Safaris.  Bali Camel Safaris offers visitors a chance to ride a well-trained camel along the gorgeous white sand beaches of Nusa Dua.  The safari starts at the beachfront of the Nikko Bali Resort and Spa and steadily makes its way along the beach, all the way to Geger Beach.

Nusa Dua is also home to a number of wonderful cultural attractions.  Visitors looking to see a show can get tickets to the Devdan, Treasure of the Archipelago show, which is the highlight performance at the Nusa Dua Theatre.  This 90-minute show will take spectators through the Indonesian Archipelago, taking time to discuss and display each of the islands and their respective individual cultures.

 The show boasts beautiful choreography, with dances representing all the various different cultures of Indonesia, visually stunning props, and state of the art lights, pyrotechnics, and effects.  It truly is a fascinating visual depiction of the many Indonesian cultures.

Visitors can also head to the Museum Pasifika.  This museum presents a collection of historical artifacts and cultural and a artistic items from over 200 artists from 25 countries.  With that being said, Balinese culture dominates the items and pieces featured in the museum.  Some of the most notable figures in Indonesian art have their work showcased in this museum.

The museum houses eleven display rooms, some are permanently designated for Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, French, and Indo-European art.  The other showrooms host temporary exhibits from around Southeast Asia.  If you are an art enthusiast, the Museum Pasifika is a must see during your stay in Nusa Dua.

Another great cultural site is the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, or GWK.  This park is only a 20-minute drive from the hub of Nusa Dua.  The GWK is situated in the hills of Ungasan.  The centre-piece of the park is the still to be assembled gigantic statue of the traditional Balinese rendering of the Hindu God Vishnu riding on the back of the mythical Garuda eagle.

The various parts of the statue represent different compounds within the large GWK complex.  The Garuda head serves as the primary backdrop of the large lotus pond area that has been the site of rock concerts and lavish banquets over the years.

Visitors should also visit the Puja Mandala.  The Puja Mandala is a unique cultural and religious complex made up of different places of worship for each of the five main religions in Indonesia.

The Puja Mandala is only a short drive up the hill from the Nusa Dua hub.

In addition to being a beautiful hilltop complex, the Puja Mandala is home to a Buddhist temple, a Hindu temple, a Catholic Church, a Protestant Church, and an Islamic mosque.

The complex is intended to stand as a symbol of religious harmony, and it largely does just that.  The Puja Mandala serves as both a destination, but also a functional place of worship for each of the five religions.

Of course Nusa Dua is also home to a variety of different luxurious tourist amenities as well.  Almost all of the beautiful resorts lining the beach boast spas, fitness centres, pools, restaurants, and a host of other world class amenities that visitors can enjoy.  There is also the Bali Collection Shopping Centre, with is a world-class shopping area sure to please visitors.   

Where to Stay

        Nusa Dua is home to a wide variety of wonderful, luxurious, beachfront accommodation.  Nusa Dua truly is the place to go if you are looking for a beachfront paradise as the coastline is dotted with stunning, beachfront five-star resorts.  Here is a quick guide to some of the best resorts in Nusa Dua.

Mulia Villas

        The Mulia Villas is a wonderful resort made up of private, self contained villas.  Visitors can choose from a family villa, a one bedroom villa with a private pool and an partial ocean view, a one bedroom villa with a private pool and a garden view, or a family villa with an ocean view.  The facility is on its own stretch of private beach.  It also comes with 6 different outdoor pools, a fitness centre, an outdoor tennis court, and a nightclub.

Amarterra Villas – Bali Nusa Dua MGallery Collection

        This wonderful five-star resort is only a few minutes south of the water-sport filled peninsula of Tanjung Benoa.  The complex has 39-guestrooms, private beach access, a in house restaurant and lounge, a full service spa offering a wide range of relaxing spa treatements, and an outdoor pool.

Guests can choose from a two-bedroom suite, a one-bedroom villa, a two-bedroom villa, a villa with multiple beds and a private pool, a villa with a king bed and a private pool, a one-bedroom suite, or a one-bedroom villa with a private pool.   

Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort

        Another five-star resort, the Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort is located on the northern side of Nusa Dua.  Tanjung Benoa is only five-minutes away, as are a number of wonderful bars and restaurants.  This expansive resort has 415 guestrooms, sits right on the beach, has three in-house restaurants, two bars, a full service spa offering a wide range of wonderful treatments, and a variety of different accommodation options, ranging from relatively simple rooms, luxury rooms, and private villas of differing sizes.

The Bale

        The Bale is a bit farther away from the beach (10-minutes by car) but still offers a range of wonderful amenities.  There are two restaurants, a fantastic spa, and an outdoor pool and bar/lounge.

 Also, while it is not right on the Nusa Dua Beach, it does have access to its own private beach off the Nusa Dua Beach itself.  There are 29 guestrooms in The Bale with visitors getting the option of choosing between a basic villa, a deluxe villa, and a two-bedroom villa, all of which have their own private pool.

The Mulia Bali

        Yet another five-star luxury resort just south of the Nusa Dua Complex, The Mulia Bali sits right on the tranquil Geger Beach.  

The resort is a fifteen-minute drive from the main Nusa Dua complex.  This is a larger resort with 111 guestrooms, 6 outdoor pools, a nightclubs, a children’s club, a wonderful bar/lounge, a fitness centre, and a full-service spa.  Visitors can choose from a junior suite with either a garden view or an oceanfront view or a luxury suite with either a garden view or an oceanfront view.

Mulia Resort – Nusa Dua

        The Mulia Resort – Nusa Dua sits on the exotic beachfront of Geger in the southern portion of the Nusa Dua region.  The resort is bordered by a cliff on the south with the silhouette of the multi-tiered shrines of the Geger Temple.

 It is a giant resort with 526 guestrooms, a private beach, a whopping eight restaurants, five outdoor pools, a nightclub, a rooftop terrace with stunning views, a fitness centre, and a free children’s club.  Visitors can chose from a variety of different rooms that are sure to meet their needs.

Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa

        This beautiful beachfront resort is modeled as a Balinese palace.

 It boasts stunning, lush gardens, quiet beachfront access, and walkability to all the attractions in the Nusa Dua area.  

There are 382 guestrooms, a private beach, 5 restaurants, a wonderful full-service spa, two outdoor pools, outdoor tennis courts, a fantastic terrace, and breakfast.  There are a variety of different rooms that are sure to meet whatever your needs are for your tropical getaway.

Grand Mirage Resort and Thalasso Bali

        Another of the many five-star resorts dotting the Nusa Dua area, the Grand Mirage Resort and Thalasso Bali is only a short distance away from the main tourism hub of Nusa Dua.  

It is located right on the main street I Nusa Dua, making it easy to access all the best attractions and all the wonderful restaurants Nusa Dua has to offer.

There are 301 guestrooms at the resort, private beach access, 4 restaurants, two bars/lounges, a wonderful full-service spa, an outdoor pool, outdoor tennis courts, and a variety of other amenities that make this a wonderful place to spend your time in Nusa Dua. The resort has a huge variety of rooms and apartments that are sure to meet your needs.

Travelling from Abroad?

        Visitors travelling from abroad will find it very easy to reach Nusa Dua.  The main Nusa Dua hub is only thirty minutes by car from the Ngurah Rain International Airport in Tuban.  This airport is easily accessed from outside of Indonesia, thus making Nusa Dua relatively simple to get to for those travelling from abroad.