Wandering down Jalan Legian, also known as Legian Road, is an iconic Balinese experience. Traditional market stalls line the road, colourful wares spilling onto the tarmac as the stallholders shout out to passing visitors. Night clubs and bars stay open long past midnight, creating an animated atmosphere after the rest of the island has gone to bed. Running between Kuta and Seminyak, just a block east of the beach, the three-kilometre-long Jalan Legian is also one of Bali’s most popular resort areas and home to many international shops.
The shopping experience comes in many forms. Haggling for the price is expected at the hundreds of street stalls, particularly those found down the alleyways that branch off Jalan Legian. These are focused on tourist trade but the diverse nationalities visiting Bali ensures that every shop has its own take on what to sell. Many designer brands have built flagship stores along the road, standing next to fixed price shops that continually seem to have discount adverts in the window. MertaNadi Art Market is awash with colour and can be found on the Kuta end of the road, while the Ground Zero memorial is a popular photo stop in the north, in Seminyak.
Jalan Legian starts just a few kilometres north of Ngurah Rai International Airport. It’s also less than 500 metres from the beaches of Kuta and Seminyak, where Bali’s second busiest road is located on Ji Pantai Kuta.
Jalan Legian isn’t just for shopping and partying. There are over a hundred restaurants along the road, serving up an international mix of cuisine. Some of Bali’s most famous spas and beauty parlours are also found here.