Denpasar (Indonesian pronunciation: [denˈpasar]; Balinese: ᬤᬾᬦ᭄ᬧᬲᬃ Dénpasar) is the capital city of the province of Bali, Indonesia. Denpasar is the main gateway to the Bali island, the city is also a hub for other cities in the Lesser Sunda Islands.
With the rapid growth of the tourism industry in Bali, Denpasar has encouraged and promoted business activities and ventures, contributing to it having the highest growth rate in Bali Province. The population of Denpasar was 725,314 at the 2020 Census, down from 788,445 at the 2010 Census due to pandemic outflow; the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 726,808. The metropolitan area centred on Denpasar (called Sarbagita) had 1,785,800 residents in mid 2022. Pandemic and travel related closures has further exacerbated the population loss.
When visiting any of the temples in Denpasar, remember to bring a sarong and sash with you. These temples receive relatively few foreign visitors and are unlikely to have temple dress available for hire or loan.
It is very much worth finding information from the official tourism office about scheduled cultural events in Denpasar. These are many and varied and include, dance, puppet theatre and art exhibitions.
Otherwise, apart from the numerous sights and excellent shopping, there are not really any specific activities to recommend in Denpasar.
Denpasar is a melting pot of different cultures from all over Indonesia. There are few places where the results of the government trans-migration policy are more evident than here. For that reason it is a wonderful place to eat with restaurants specialising in different regional and ethnic Indonesian cuisines. Sometimes this can all seem a bit inaccessible and hard to find for visitors, so do not be shy to ask your driver or at your hotel.
There are bars and nightlife in Denpasar but these are best left alone by visitors who will feel much more at home in Seminyak, Legian, and Kuta.
Contrary to what you might read in many guide books, the best shopping in Bali is in Denpasar.
*Badung Central Market, Jl Gajah Mada is best visited in the early morning. The ground level is devoted to fresh foodstuffs, dried food and spices are on the second level and handicrafts can be found on the top level.
There are many small budget hotels in Denpasar which are primarily aimed at domestic business travellers as few foreign tourists stay in the city here. These are reasonably priced and comfortable enough. Within a 500 m walk of the Alul-Alun Puputan there are many options which will nearly always have availability. Shop around.
Denpasar can be a bit steamy and the traffic pollution a worry, but the centre of this city does lend itself to getting around on foot and walking is recommended.
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Denpasar is the seat of government in Bali and is, therefore, home to the provincial governor's office as well as the administration of the Regency of Badung.
