South Bali, Indonesia Travel Guide
About Getting Around Attractions Hotels Eats & Nightlife Essentials & Practicals
Accessibility in Bali
Overview: Bali is one of the world’s top tourist destinations in the world and deservedly so. It’s beautiful. And affordable. So, you’d think Bali’s enormous tourism industry would make the place wheelchair-friendly. Unfortunately, much of Bali is just not wheelchair accessible. Let me clarify: south Bali’s heavily populated tourist spots on the west coast in Seminyak, Legian and Kuta are not very wheelchair accessible. Again, as is the purpose of Wheel Adventure Travel to provide the know-how, you can make Legian and Kuta wheelchair accessible. Sanur and Nusa Dua on the east are much more wheelchair-friendly, especially in the resort hotels.
TIP for GETTING AROUND BALI in WHEELCHAIRS
If you want to visit Bali, follow this advice and you should get around fine:
- Go with a friend. This may seem like common sense but there are tons of destinations in the world you can visit alone, even if you’re in a wheelchair.
- Hire a personal driver for half or full days. The reason being is that the driver will help you along (e.g., get up steps, etc.). Most tourist attractions are spread out in Bali and you’ll need to hire a driver anyway. See Transportation section for hiring driver.
- Stay at the Bali hotels mentioned in Wheel Adventure.
KUTA, LEGIAN, SEMINYAK (Southwest Bali)
From the north, Jalan Raya Seminyak turns into Jalan Legian, which then turns into and Jalan Kuta. Each street, or Jalan, is named after its area. This north and south street happens to be where all the main action occurs. The hubbub includes restaurants, hotels, shops and nightlife.
Unfortunately, the streets are narrow with heavy traffic and the sidewalks are often plagued with broken concrete, steep ramps – if there are ramps at all, and the sidewalks tend to narrow enough whereby you just have to wheel on the street. The sidewalks aren’t the real issue in terms of wheelchair accessibility. It’s the crazy steps into businesses such as restaurants, shops and bars. The steps aren’t just steps. They are often high, large, awkward, slanted and broken. Lots of businesses have multiple steps and odd railings at the entrances.
The sidewalks often have inclines that lead up to the entrances of businesses, which in turn have steps. So, you must contend with an incline as well as steps to enter.
Tip
Bali’s most popular bar (slash club, pool tables, live music venue, dance club), The Bounty, is actually very wheelchair accessible (though it’s crowded).
Buildings
In the Kuta area, most business entrances (shops, bars, restaurants) had some sort of step or two or fifty. Not only are there steps but they are often large and twisty. A friend and the staff must help you out. For example, the popular Engine Room disco has a couple of large steps up from the sidewalk and then a railing that runs parallel with the top step. On either side of the steps is the floor of the club, which is raised and act like walls. When you reach the top step, you have the raised floor and the railing to squeeze between.
Elevators, Lifts
I don’t remember seeing one elevator in Kuta, Legian or Seminyak.
Bottom line for Kuta, Legian and Seminyak: If you are truly up for an adventure and don’t mind a place where there are lots of people and many inaccessible but fun places and you have a buddy, then you’ll have fun at these hotspots. Surprisingly, there are a few wheelchair accessible hotels in Kuta/Legian.
SANUR, NUSA DUA (East Bali)
Sanur and Nusa Dua are more serene, family-oriented and wheelchair accessible. These areas have elaborate resorts and higher end hotels. Sanur’s main north and south road, Jalan Danau Tamblingan, and Jalan Cemara, the east and west extension from Jalan Danau Tamblingan, where you will find hotels such as Sanur Beach Hotel and Puri Santrian Resort, have much lighter traffic and wider roads. It is much easier to wheel on these roads than the main arteries in Kuta and Legian. Along the Sanur coast is a nice, clean and wheelchair-friendly boardwalk. Restaurants, bars and shops are also easier to access in these areas. Many have entrances that are ground level or just off the sidewalk. Folks have turned Nusa Dua into a true resort with newer roads and wide, clean and evenly paved sidewalks.
Buildings in Sanur are much easier to enter. There are many less steps and a lot of places have sidewalk level entrances.
Tip
My suggestion if you’re in a wheelchair is to stay in Sanur or Nusa Dua. Sanur Beach Hotel and other higher end hotels are wheelchair accessible and they even provide wheelchairs. I met a gentleman who used one of the wheelchairs at Sanur Beach Hotel. Take a cab over to Kuta, Seminyak and Legian. Have someone with you when you visit the west portion of Bali’s peninsula, especially if you want to participate in the nightlife (e.g., go to the bars, have someone help you up the steps and hang out).
Elevators
The higher end hotels that have multiple floors have elevators. The resorts are where the elevators stop, however.