Seminyak is Bali at its most polished. Once a quiet stretch of rice fields and fishing shacks north of Kuta, it grew into the island's design-conscious heart, a place where surf shacks share the street with concept stores, day spas, and chefs who trained in Sydney, London, and Tokyo. The beach is wide and gray-gold, the sunsets are theatrical, and the lanes behind the sand hide some of the best eating on the island.

This is not the Bali of jungle temples and terraced hills (that is Ubud, an hour inland). Seminyak is about the good life by the sea: long brunches, boutique shopping, beach clubs that fill at golden hour, and dinners that run late. It suits travelers who want comfort and style with the beach a short walk away, plus easy access to the rest of southern Bali.

Use it as a base. From here you can chase waves in Canggu, watch the kecak dance on the Uluwatu cliffs, or board a fast boat to swim with manta rays off Nusa Penida, then be back in time for a cocktail as the sun drops into the Indian Ocean.