Bali golf guide: clifftop, coast and a volcanic crater
Bali packs three genuinely different golf experiences into one small island — clifftop links on the Uluwatu coast, a resort course in Nusa Dua, and a cool-climate layout inside an old volcanic crater — at green fees a fraction of Europe or the US.
Bali is one of the great value golf escapes: a short warm-weather hop for Australian and Asian golfers, and a long but cheap one for everyone else, wrapped inside a holiday island that needs no introduction. What surprises first-timers is the variety — in a couple of days you can play a clifftop links above the surf, a manicured coastal resort course, and a genuinely cool layout up in the mountains.
This guide covers the three courses worth planning around — New Kuta, Bali National and Handara — plus what to expect on green fees, caddies and when to go. (One note up front: Bali's most famous course, the clifftop Nirwana at Tanah Lot, has been closed since 2017 — so the iconic temple-backdrop photos you may have seen aren't currently playable.)
Where
Bali, Indonesia — courses in the Bukit Peninsula (south), Nusa Dua and the Bedugul highlands
Courses
New Kuta (clifftop links), Bali National (Nusa Dua resort), Handara (mountain crater)
Nearest airport
Denpasar / Ngurah Rai (DPS) — 20–45 min from the southern courses
Best time
Dry season Apr–Oct is ideal; Nov–Mar is wetter but still very playable
Access
All public / resort play — book tee times directly or via a tee-time service; caddies included
Signature 15th, 'The Cliff Hanger', with 240° ocean views
New Kuta sits on the limestone clifftops of the Bukit Peninsula near Uluwatu, and it's Bali's most dramatic golf — an open, links-style layout with firm turf, sea breezes and huge Indian Ocean views. The signature par-3 15th, nicknamed 'The Cliff Hanger', plays along the edge with a 240-degree panorama over the famous Balangan and Dreamland surf beaches below.
It's the closest thing Bali currently has to a true seaside links, and its exposed position means wind is a real factor — bring your links game and enjoy the scenery.
Bali National Golf Club
Nelson & Haworth (original); relaunched 2014 as Bali National · 18 holes · Resort parkland/coastal
In the resort enclave of Nusa Dua, Bali National is the polished, easy-to-reach option — a well-conditioned course that moves from parkland through to coastal dunes, with clear views of the sacred Mount Agung volcano on a clear day. It's the most convenient round if you're staying in the southern resort strip, and the friendliest walk of the three for a mixed-ability group.
Handara Golf & Resort
Peter Thomson, Michael Wolveridge & Ronald Fream · 1974 · 18 holes · Mountain · cool climate
Handara is the outlier and, for many, the most memorable: a course laid out inside an old volcanic crater in the Bedugul highlands, more than 1,000 metres up, where the air is genuinely cool and mist drifts across the fairways. Ringed by jungle-clad ridges, it's a total contrast to the coastal heat — and its ornamental gateway has become one of Bali's most photographed spots. Green fees here are the lowest of the three, making it superb value for such a spectacular setting.
How golf works in Bali
All of Bali's courses are public / resort play, so you simply book a tee time — directly with the course or through one of the island's tee-time services, which often bundle transfers. Caddies are included as standard (a lovely part of the experience, and tipping is customary), and carts are available; at hilly, humid courses like the coastal layouts a cart is worth taking.
The headline is value: green fees run at a fraction of what you'd pay for comparable golf in Europe, the US or Australia, and that's with a caddie and often a cart included. Clubs rent easily if you'd rather not fly your own out. Add spa, food and beach time between rounds and Bali becomes a genuine golf-and-holiday trip rather than a golf-only one.
The three courses, and which to pick
If you only play one, make it New Kuta for the drama — the clifftop setting is the shot you'll remember. Bali National is the pick for convenience and a gentler walk if you're based in Nusa Dua. Handara is worth the drive up into the mountains for the cool air, the crater setting and the best value on the island — many golfers rate it the most atmospheric round of the trip. Play all three and you've sampled clifftop links, coastal resort and mountain golf inside a few days.
When to go
Bali is a year-round golf destination, but the dry season (roughly April–October) brings the firmest turf and the most reliable weather. The wetter months (November–March) still offer plenty of golf — rain tends to come in short, heavy afternoon bursts rather than all-day drizzle — and rates and crowds ease off. Whenever you go, heat and humidity at the coastal courses are the main challenge; play early, hydrate hard and take the sun seriously.
What to pack
The kit this trip demands
Bali golf is hot, humid and — on the coast — bright and exposed. Pack to stay cool, hydrated and protected from equatorial sun:
The three worth planning around are New Kuta Golf (a dramatic clifftop, links-style course on the Bukit Peninsula near Uluwatu), Bali National Golf Club (a convenient resort course in Nusa Dua with Mount Agung views), and Handara Golf & Resort (a cool-climate course inside an old volcanic crater in the Bedugul highlands).
Is golf in Bali good value?
Very. Green fees run at a fraction of comparable golf in Europe, the US or Australia — and that typically includes a caddie, with carts available and clubs easy to rent. Handara in the mountains is the cheapest of the three; the coastal resort courses cost a little more but remain excellent value.
Can you still play Nirwana at Tanah Lot?
No. Nirwana Bali — the famous Greg Norman clifftop course with the Tanah Lot temple backdrop — has been closed since 2017 for a redevelopment that has stalled, so it isn't currently playable. Bali's live golf trio is New Kuta, Bali National and Handara.
When is the best time to golf in Bali?
Bali is a year-round golf destination, but the dry season from roughly April to October gives the firmest turf and most reliable weather. The wetter November–March months still offer good golf — rain usually comes in short afternoon bursts — with quieter courses and softer rates.
