Denpasar
Indonesia · Country profile
Denpasar is the capital of Bali and the administrative and commercial heart of the island, the lively, crowded city of the south that connects the tourism world of the coast with the temples, the markets and the everyday life of the Balinese. The city spreads its broad avenues, its monuments, its department stores and its frenetic traffic across the flat of the southern peninsula, and its great market, its temples and its cultural centres anchor the deep life of the island beneath the resort veneer. The city is home to the arts of the island, the dance, the painting and the carving, and the museum of the provincial collections, the palace of the local kingdom and the temple of the city give it a genuine cultural weight of its own. Hot, chaotic and fascinating, Denpasar is the real capital that the resort coast hides behind its walls.
About Denpasar
Denpasar is a city in Indonesia. The city's documented population is around 725,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) and Indonesian is spoken; the dialling code is +62. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Ngurah Rai International Airport.
The Working Capital Behind the Resort Coast
Denpasar is the busy, lively real capital of Bali, the commerce and the everyday life of the island away from the beach resorts, and it rewards a patient, curious visit. The great market, the temples and the museum of the city anchor the cultural circuit, and the streets run with the traffic, the scooters and the life of the Balinese majority. The city is hot, crowded and genuine, a working place rather than a holiday set-piece, and its markets, its food and its ceremonies give the visitor the true, unvarnished heart of the island. It is also the practical hub for the buses and the connections of the whole of Bali.
The Rupiah, the Rainy Season and the Morning Markets
The climate is tropical and warm all year, with the dry season of the winter and the wet season of the summer, and the mornings are the best time for the markets and the temple visits before the heat of the day. The market of the city, the museum and the temples are the essential circuit, and the coast and the south of the island fill the rest of the stay. The Indonesian rupiah is the currency, the Balinese and the Indonesian are both spoken with the English in the tourist areas, and the cash is the practical way in the markets. The city is safe and the ride apps and the scooters cover the dense, spread streets.
The Badung Market, the Museum and the Ceremonies of the Everyday
The great market of the city, the multi-storey market of the Kumbasari with its fabrics, its crafts and its food stalls, and the market of the Badung across the water with its produce and its flowers for the offerings, are the sensory heart of the everyday Bali. The museum of the province, the collection of the Balinese painting, the carving and the textiles, anchors the cultural weight of the city, and the temples of the city and the neighbourhood shrines, with their ceremonies and their daily offerings, keep the deep spiritual life of the island. The palace of the local realm near the centre and the square of the monument of the struggle complete the circuit, while the dance performances of the cultural centres preserve the great arts of the island.
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- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 725,000
- Coordinates
- -8.7482, 115.1672
- Capital
- Jakarta
- Region
- Asia
- Currency
- Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
- Languages
- Indonesian
- Calling code
- +62
- Country code
- ID
Entry requirements for Indonesia
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Indonesia for tourism.
Getting to Denpasar
Airports we list for Denpasar:
Other airports in the area:
Cities in Indonesia
Other cities we cover in Indonesia:
Frequently asked questions
Is Denpasar the capital of Indonesia?
No — the capital of Indonesia is Jakarta.
What currency do I need in Denpasar?
The local currency is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Languages spoken in Indonesia include Indonesian.
What is the dialling code for Indonesia?
The international dialling code for Indonesia is +62.
Which airport should I fly into for Denpasar?
Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) is the airport we list for Denpasar.
How far is Denpasar from the nearest airport?
Denpasar is about 983 km from Soekarno–Hatta International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit Indonesia?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Morocco (visa on arrival) and United States (visa on arrival). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Denpasar? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.