With hundreds of shops, restaurants, bar and nightspots, Kuta is the live "heart" of Bali, with Jalan Legian (Legian Road) the main "artery". For shoppers, Kuta has it all - from small stalls and local markets, boutique fashion and popular brand surf gear stores, to the multi-level Matahari department store. You can buy just about anything in Kuta. Kuta is most famous for its nightlife - cafes, restaurants, bars, discos and nightclubs abound.

This mythical village is confined within a square formed by the beach and Jl. Pantai Kuta (Kuta Beach Street) on the west, Jl. Melasti on the north, Jl. Tanjung Mekar on the east, and Jl. Bakung Sari on the south. The area is halved by Jl. Legian, which runs north-south and is fringed with shops.

The best places to stay are between Jl. Legian and Jl. Pantai Kuta. Within walking distance of the beach and the pubs, you will find amazingly quiet and green hotels in the maze of lanes (or "gangs") that run around Poppies' Lane and Jl. Benesari.