The 21 Best Bali Water Sports and 13 Bali Water Sport Beaches

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The best Bali water sports and where to do them

Baligram is all about enjoying the natural wonders of Bali and Lombok.

And Bali’s most famous natural wonder are its beaches. So, we had to cover all the different ways you can enjoy Bali’s beaches, and water sports are top of the list, next to sun bathing!

Of course, not all water sports are environmentally friendly, but in recent times, Bali’s operators have been putting a lot of effort into keeping their operations safe and protecting marine life. And some of the most exhilarating water sports are not fossil fuel powered: wind water sports like windsurfing, kitesurfing, and surfing are great examples of watersports that can be enjoyed in an environmentally friendly way.

So let’s get the wind in our sails and check out all the awesome water sports you can do on Bali’s beaches and rivers.

Bali has an amazing array of water sports to enjoy, both on the ocean and down its powerful rivers.

We have prepared this list of water sports and the best beaches to try them out so you can choose the best Bali beach for watersports to stay at or be near if you want to get airborne or under water!

1. Banana Boats

A banana boat is an inflatable, shaped like a banana, that takes up to five passengers (typically, 4 riders and one guide) and is pulled by a speedboat.

What Happens: Everyone holds on tight as the speedboat drags you along through the wake of the speedboat (some operators attempt to flip the Banana Boat and tip the passengers into the water, but this does not happen for the typical rides in Bali) Banana boating is fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping, but pretty safe!

Best beach: Tanjung Benoa Beach

Banana Boating on Viator

2. Rolling Doughnut

This is a head rush! A two- or four-person, doughnut-shaped inflatable is pulled by a speedboat. With a Rolling Doughnut, you are closer to the water than a banana boat. You are riding on top of the water, making for an exhilarating ride. It’s great for singles, couples and families because you are not sharing with people you don’t know.

Best beach: Tanjung Benoa Beach

Rolling doughnut on GetYourGuide and Viator

3. Jet Ski

Jet ski is awesome fun for one or two people (fun for couples). You’ll get a life jacket and an instructor, and usually the time slot is 15 minutes.

Best beaches: Tanjung Benoa Beach, Kuta Beach, Seminyak Beach

Jet ski on GetYourGuide and Viator

4. Parasailing

Parasailing is where you get up high attached to a parachute that is dragged along by a speed boat. You can choose to go with a guide or go solo. Bring a waterproof camera for some incredible aerial shots.

Best beaches: Tanjung Benoa Beach, Kuta Beach, Seminyak Beach

Parasailing on GetYourGuide and Viator

5. Rafting

Rafting is a river experience, of course, and Bali has some sensational rivers just begging to be conquered. You’ll be in an inflatable raft with several others, all working together with a guide on board and a support team. You’ll have moments of exhilaration followed by calm transitions through stunning nature.

Best Rivers: Moderate: Pakirisan River (Central Bali), Intermediate: Ayung River (Central Bali), Advanced: Telaga Waja River (East Bali)

Rafting on GetYourGuide and Viator

6. Sea Walking

Imagine being able to have a dive-like experience without any experience necessary! That is Sea Walking. You don’t need a scuba tank, just a helmet with a tube that delivers oxygen, so all you have to do is step down a ladder onto the sea bed and walk along admiring all the marine life. An instructor is with you all the time, handing you fish to feed the marine life. It’s just like walking through your living room, only you are under water!

Best Beaches: Tanjung Benoa Beach, Sanur Beach

Sea Walking on GetYourGuide and Viator

7. Wakeboarding

A Wakeboard is a narrow board with foot bindings, and it is drawn along at speed either by a cable of a speed boat. This sport requires excellent stamina and balance.

Best Beach/Locations: Tanjung Benoa Beach or the Bali Wake Park in Benoa (details below)

Wakeboarding on Viator

8. Water Jetpack or Flyboarding

Experience the thrill of the water jetpack, also known as flyboarding, a unique water sport that allows you to soar through the sky with the aid of water jetpacks. This activity involves wearing specialized gear, including helmets and jetpacks, which propel you 10 to 15 meters above the water's surface. Those with previous experience can even execute daring stunts and manoeuvres for an added adrenaline rush.

Best Beaches: Tanjung Benoa Beach, Nusa Dua Beach

Flyboarding on GetYourGuide and Viator

9. Stand Up Paddle Board

Glide over the water and along the waves on a board, steering and stablising with a paddle. A Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) is a great test of stamina and balance and an awesome sport to learn whilst holidaying in Bali.

Best beaches: Tanjung Benoa Beach, Nusa Dua Beach, Jimbaran Beach, Seminyak Beach, Candidasa Beach

SUP-ing on Viator

10. Subwing

A Subwing lets you glide effortlessly underwater, holding onto two wing-like boards that are pulled by a speedboat. The speedboat does all the work, and you get to soar through the water past reefs.

Best Beach: Gilli Islands

11. Water Tubing

Similar to the doughnut, but for one person, the Water Tube can be enjoyed on the ocean or a river like the Ayung or Pakirisan Rivers. You’ll be flying over the waves hard and fast, so hold on tight!

Best Beaches: Tanjung Benoa, Nusa Dua Best Rivers: Ayung River and Pakirisan River

Water Tubing on GetYourGuide and Viator

12. Fly Fish

The name of this heart-pumping water sport is Fly Fish and it comes from the flying fish that it mimics as it leaps out of the water and up into the air. Hold on tight as this massive inflatable takes to the air. It’s a cross between a banana boat and a floatie, and as the speedboat drags it along, it gets airborne and takes you with it.

Best Beach: Tanjung Benoa Beach

Fly Fish on Viator

13. Kayaking

An oldie but a goodie, Kayaking is a watersport that is tried and tested. It is a great one for families to do together. Bali offers a range of kayaking experiences, from sea kayaking to river kayaking.

Best Beaches and Rivers: Many beaches offer Sea Kayak hire, including Tanjung Benoa Beach, Nusa Dua Beach, Pandawa Beach, Sanur Beach and more. River Kayaking is available on the Ayung and Pakirisan Rivers and others.

Kayaking on Viator

14. Windsurfing

Windsurfing is a well-established water sport, where a sail connected to a board propels you along at speed with the wind. There are a range of beaches offering windsurfing, some good for beginners and others for advanced windsurfers. May to September is known as the windy season in Bali, with the peak in June, July, and August. In the wet season, you get winds, but they tend to be gusty.

Best Beaches: Beginner: Nusa Dua Beach, Sanur Beach. Intermediate: Kuta Beach, Legian Beach. Advanced: Canggu Beach and the northwest beaches

15. Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing is a thrilling sport that incorporates elements of wakeboarding, surfing, windsurfing, and paragliding into one exhilarating experience. It is a popular choice for families visiting Bali. It’s also popular with surfers because when the conditions are sloppy, you can get into kite surfing instead and it doesn’t matter if it’s a bit gusty.

Best Beaches: Sanur Beach, Nusa Dua Beach, and Canggu Beach

16. Waterskiing

Waterskiing is so well established it is retro – but there is a good reason it is still around decades since it first emerged. Combining elements of boarding and skiing and with heaps of potential for learning tricks, this sport is not reliant on the vagaries of wind to get the adrenalin pumping.

Best Beaches: Tanjung Benoa Beach, Kuta Beach, Nusa Dua Beach

17. Paragliding

Not exactly a water sport, but because it is a cliff sport and many locations are by the beach, we had to include it! Paragliding offers the exciting adventure of floating through the skies using a parachute, lines, and a harnesses. You do not have to have a license; an instructor rides tandem with you. The Bukit Peninsula (the knob at the bottom of Bali) is the ideal place for paragliding due to its cliffs, which allow paragliders to catch air currents that provide lift. It is highly weather dependent, and weather is more predictable in the dry season from April to November.

Best Beaches: Timbus Beach, Nyang Nyang Beach, Uluwatu Beach, Sawangan Beach (Nusa Dua)

In addition to these watersports, Bali is also a top destination for the more regular water sports:

18. Swimming

Swimming in Bali is safe, so long as you pick the right beach. Some beaches are popular for surfing but dangerous for swimming (for example, Keramas Beach).

Other Bali beaches are suitable for both because the surf breaks on a coral reef some distance from the shore, and inside the reef the waters are calm (for example, Pandawa Beach). Many beaches have lifeguards on duty and flags that indicate safe places to swim to avoid rips.

19. Snorkelling

Snorkelling is popular in Bali and gear is available to hire at all the best snorkelling locations. Bali has some reasonable reefs and marine life. It has also been working hard to restore reefs and create some spectacular and interesting artificial reefs in North Bali and the Gilis that are magic for snorkelling.

Best Beaches: Many beaches are suitable for snorkelling, but for the best marine life and reefs try: Nusa Dua Beach, Menjangan Island, Amed, Crystal Bay, Pemuteran Beach, Tulamben Beach, Blue Lagoon, Nusa Penida.

Snorkeling on GetYourGuide and Viator

20. Scuba Diving

Bali has numerous PADI schools where you can get certified for scuba diving. Learning to dive is an incredible skill you can then take with you around the world on other holidays.

Best Beaches: Sanur Beach, Amed Beach, Pemuteran, Menjangan Island, the USAT Liberty Shipwreck.

Suba Diving on GetYourGuide and Viator

21. Surfing

Also, check out our feature articles: The Best Bali Beaches for Surfing and The Best Bali Beaches to Learn to Surf

We saved this one for last, but it is also Bali’s most popular water sport (apart from swimming and snorkeling). Bali is one of the world's hot spots for surfing, and world-class competitions are held here every year. These are held at some of the wilder beaches, but Bali is also blessed with a number of beaches that are safe for beginners to learn to surf. If you are just starting out, board hire is available at all the surfing beaches, so you can decide whether to try surfing once you arrive.

Best Beaches: Kuta Beach, Legian, Canggu/Echo Beach, and the Bukit Beaches (the knob at the southern end of the island).

Surfing on GetYourGuide and Viator

22. Fishing

Discover the excitement of deep sea fishing using top-quality equipment and proficient instructors, ensuring an effortless angling adventure. Engage with a variety of species, such as Spanish Mackerel, Tuna, Sail Fish, Blue Marlin, and others.

• Fishing trips on Viator

23. Canoeing

Canoes and sea kayaks are offered for rental at several of Bali's popular beaches, providing an affordable and enjoyable water activity for couples and families. You can also do tours that include canoeing to exotic locations and settings you can’t easily get to yourself, so these are well worth checking out.

• Canoeing on Viator

24. Water Parks - Waterbom

Waterbom is a notable tourist spot on the island that offers an enjoyable experience for families and provides a safe environment for teenagers to socialize. Save time by purchasing tickets beforehand and avoid waiting in queues.

• Waterbom tickets on GetYourGuide and Viator

25. Water Parks - Splash

Check Splash, another water park option that's definitely worth your time. Avoid queues by purchasing your tickets ahead of time.

• Splash tickets on GetYourGuide and Viator

Here are the details of the main Bali beaches mentioned in this article that are the best Bali beaches for watersports.

We should note that many other beaches will also offer a few of the watersports on our list, but some beaches are particularly popular and well serviced and offer a greater range of water sport options.

1. Pantai Tanjung Benoa Beach, South Bali

Tanjung Benoa Beach, in Bali's southeast, is popular for its long white sand coastline and tranquil waters, perfect for water sports enthusiasts and families. Despite being noisier than other beaches due to the variety of water sports available, the beach offers more budget-friendly accommodations than Nusa Dua. The noise level from water sports is manageable, and it is quieter near resort pools than on the beach.

Best for Watersports: Banana Boat, Rolling Doughnut, Jet Ski, Parasailing, Sea Walking, Wakeboarding, Jetpack/Flyboarding, Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), Water Tubing, Fly Fishing, Kayaking, Water Skiing

Address: Jl. Segara Kidul No.3x, Benoa, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia

2. Pantai Jimbaran Beach, South Bali

Jimbaran Beach is a popular tourist spot in Bali with a 3-kilometer stretch of sand and serene atmosphere. It's ideal for snorkeling, swimming, and sunset viewing and offers luxurious 5-star resorts. The local seafood restaurants serve delicious grilled prawns and lobster. There are also nearby attractions such as horse riding, hiking, shopping, and cultural sites.

Best for Watersports: Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), Kayaking, Swimming, Snorkeling, Surfing

Address: Jimbaran, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia

3. Pantai Kuta Beach, South Bali

Kuta Beach is a popular destination for tourists in Bali, known for shopping, surfing, and sunset views. Its white sand and calm waves make it ideal for swimming or learning to surf. Kuta Beach is home to restaurants, bars, and hotels catering to both locals and tourists. Despite being a top-rated beach in Bali, Kuta has detractors due to its party-going backpacker crowd.

Best for Watersports: Jet Ski, Parasailing, Kayaking, Windsurfing, Water Skiing, Swimming, Snorkeling, Surfing

Address: Jl. Pantai Kuta, Kuta, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia

4. Pantai Sanur Beach, South Bali

Sanur Beach, Bali's original beach holiday spot, offers a traditional Balinese village feel and golden sand with calm waters. It's perfect for tourists who want to relax, unwind, and take a boardwalk while enjoying the sunrise. Sanur Beach offers beautiful views of the sea and nearby volcanic mountains, and is also popular among wealthy expats with its many elegant villas. This beach is known for its vibrant nightlife and dining options, making it a great place to spend the evening.

Best for Watersports: Banana Boat, Sea Walking, Kayaking, Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, Swimming, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving

Address: Jalan Cemara, Sanur, Denpasar Selatan, Kota Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

5. Pantai Nusa Dua Beach, South Bali

Nusa Dua Beach (and its other beaches) is a top destination for families and five-star resort vacationers. It has shallow tides, clear waters, and various water sports. Any watersports not available here are just up the road at Tanjung Benoa. The beach is secluded, clean, and offers a fantastic vibe with a variety of dining options. Whether you're looking for all-inclusive fun things to do in Bali, including a wide range of water sports, or just want a relaxing beach getaway, Nusa Dua Beach could be the perfect choice for your next vacation.

Best for Watersports: Jetpack/Flyboarding, Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), Water Tubing, Kayaking, Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, Water Skiing, Swimming, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving,

Address: Benoa, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia

6. Pantai Seminyak Beach

Seminyak Beach is a luxurious and popular tourist area in Southeast Bali. The 5-kilometer stretch of white sand is ideal for surfing due to its relatively gentle waves. Seminyak Beach offers a combination of upscale restaurants, fancy beach clubs, and casual atmosphere. The beach is also home to many chic bars and boutiques, making it a desirable destination for travelers looking for both relaxation and socialization.

Best for Watersports: Jet Ski, Parasailing, Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), Windsurfing, Swimming, Snorkeling, Surfing

Address: Gg. Drona No.1, Seminyak, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali, Indonesia

7. Pantai Canggu Beach

Echo Beach is just one of the famous Canggu beaches, and a legendary spot for surfers and sunset lovers, with bars and restaurants adding to its charm. The area has a trendy and cool vibe, attracting both tourists and locals alike.

Best for Watersports: Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, Swimming, Snorkeling, Surfing

Address: Canggu, Kuta Utara, Bandung Regency, Bali, Indonesia

8. Pantai Candidasa Beach

Candidasa Beach, located in East Bali, is popular for its powdery sand, clear waters, and range of activities such as beachcombing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. The beach is home to several restaurants and hotels serving local and international cuisine, including seafood dishes, making it a great place to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Best for Watersports: Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), Swimming, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving,

Address: Jl. Raya Candidasa Samuh, Desa Adat Bugbug, Kec. Karangasem, Kabupaten Karangasem, Bali 80811, Indonesia

9. Pantai Blue Lagoon

Padangbai and Blue Lagoon in West Bali are considered the best beaches for quiet contemplation. Padangbai is a peaceful fishing village with beautiful scenery and calm waters, surrounded by dry forests. Blue Lagoon, located further north, offers privacy and comfort with stunning ocean views. The area features numerous restaurants, shops, and a small beach, making it ideal for travelers. It's also a port for fast boats departing to the Gili Islands, making it a great place to spend a few days before or after a Gilis adventure.

Best for Watersports: Swimming, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving,

Address: FGC7+38M, Padangbai, Manggis, Karangasem Regency, Bali 80871, Indonesia

10. Pantai Amed Beach

Amed Beach is a popular spot for diving and snorkeling. Its coral reef is one of the most vibrant in Bali, and the area is also home to the USAT Liberty shipwreck. Amed is a stretch of beach that encompasses several fishing villages, and traditional boats are available for hire. In addition to diving and snorkeling, there are other activities to enjoy, such as visiting local salt mines and temples. A week in Amed offers a variety of experiences.

Best for Watersports: Swimming, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving,

Address: Jl. I Ketut Natih, Purwakerti, Kec. Abang, Kabupaten Karangasem, Bali 80852, Indonesia

11. Gili Islands

Diving and Subwing are the two hottest watersports on the Gili Islands but not the only ones! Stand Up Paddleboarding, snorkeling, swimming, and more are all popular water sport activities on these amazing islands just off the coast of Bali.

Best for Watersports: Subwing, Swimming, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving,

Location: Gili Indah, Pemenang, North Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

12. Timbis Beach

Visit the tranquil Pantai Timbis Beach for peaceful swimming, long walks, and warm breezes. It's a quiet alternative to the popular Pandewa Beach, located between Gunung Payung and Pandewa.

Best for: Paragliding, Swimming

Address: Kutuh, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia

13. Bali Wake Park

If you want to try wakeboarding at a special water park, rather than the beach, check this option out.

Best for Watersports: Wakeboarding (and more)

Address: Jalan Raya Pelabuhan Benoa No.7X, Pedungan, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

Frequently Asked Questions

We are often asked the following questions about water sports in Bali:

Which beach is best for water sports in Bali?

Tanjung Benoa Beach is regarded as having the best variety of water sports available at the one location. There are a number of operators there, which keeps prices lower than elsewhere on the island.

What is the most famous water sport in Bali?

Surfing is Bali’s most famous water sport. It attracts hundreds of thousands of amateur and professional surfers every year, whose main reason for coming to Bali is to surf.

What is Bali’s most popular water sport?

Snorkeling is Bali’s most popular water sport. That is because it is free, you can do it at many beaches, and there is good-quality reef and marine life to see when snorkeling.

How much are water sports in Bali?

Prices for water sports are reasonably competitive in Bali. For example: Surfing Lesson $20-30. Tubing, Banana Boat and Doughnut are typically $30-40. Rafting $30-$60. Sea Walking $50. Parasailing, Diving $90. Fly Boarding, Jet Ski $90-100.

Are water shoes necessary in Bali?

When undertaking water sports in Bali it is advisable to wear water shoes. Bali’s beaches have coral reefs and rocky bottoms. Injury to the feet is common for tourists, and water shoes will offer your feet protection.