Bali Padel Scene is heading back to Indonesia this December, and this trip is going to be a little different.
Rather than spending three weeks relaxing at our usual base in Ungasan, we're packing the rackets, hitting the road and exploring some of the padel clubs we've been wanting to visit across Bali, the Gili Islands and Lombok.
The plan? Get on court, experience the clubs firsthand, meet the people behind them and bring back a new collection of BPS reviews. We've already spent plenty of time exploring Uluwatu. Now it's time to venture further afield.
Canggu, Pererenan & Kedungu
FIVE DAYS · AROUND 10 CLUBS
We're kicking things off with five days based in Canggu, exploring the courts from Kedungu through Pererenan and all the way to the Jungle Padel Shortcut area. It's one of Bali's busiest padel corridors, and we're keen to see what makes each venue different.
We've set ourselves an ambitious target of roughly two games a day. That might sound like a lot of padel for what's supposed to be a holiday, but not every visit will involve a competitive 90-minute match. Some might be a casual 60-minute hit, or even a friendly game with a club owner or manager to get a feel for the place. For us, it's just as much about meeting the people, exploring the facilities and experiencing the atmosphere as it is about playing padel.
We'll be looking at the whole experience: how the courts play, how easy it is to book, the facilities, the social atmosphere and whether we'd recommend the club to someone visiting Bali for the first time.
The Gili Islands
THREE ISLANDS · FOUR CLUBS ON THE LIST
Next, we're swapping Bali's traffic for island life and heading to the Gilis. Our itinerary includes two clubs on Gili Trawangan, one on Gili Air and one on Gili Meno, subject to confirming each venue and arranging visits.
We're curious about what padel looks like on a small tropical island. Can travellers easily book a court or find a game? Is equipment available? Who makes up the local playing community? And how does a casual hit fit into a few days of island exploring?
We'll make time to enjoy the islands themselves, too. After all, part of the appeal of BPS is discovering places where a great holiday and a good game of padel can go hand in hand.
Lombok
TWO NIGHTS · THREE DAYS · SIX CLUBS TO EXPLORE
From the Gilis, we're heading to Lombok for two nights, with three days earmarked to explore six padel clubs. We're planning to hire a local driver so we can spend less time navigating and more time getting to know the venues and the people running them.
We're particularly interested in how Lombok's scene compares with Bali's. Are clubs attracting local players, visitors or a mix of both? What are the playing conditions and facilities like? Could Lombok become a destination for travellers who want to combine a quieter island escape with regular padel?
We're looking forward to finding out.
Jimbaran, Nusa Dua & Ungasan
THE FINAL STRETCH · BALI'S SOUTHERN COAST
After a fairly hectic couple of weeks, we'll head back to our place in Ungasan for some downtime. But the rackets won't be packed away just yet.
We'll use the final stretch to visit remaining clubs around Jimbaran and Nusa Dua, helping round out our first-hand coverage of the Bukit Peninsula and Bali's southern coast. With plenty of Uluwatu, Pecatu and Ungasan venues already explored, it'll be a satisfying way to bring the trip full circle.
The pace might be a little more relaxed by then, but the aim stays the same: experience the clubs for ourselves before sharing our thoughts.
What happens next?
The best part of the trip won't just be the games. It'll be what we can share with the BPS community afterwards: updated club information, our own photography, booking details and new BPS PLAYED reviews wherever we've had the chance to properly experience a venue firsthand.
Not every club will suit every player, and that's exactly the point. We're building a guide that helps you find the right place for your next game, whether you're a local, a regular visitor or picking up a racket on holiday.
We'll share discoveries along the way, too. If you're a club owner in any of the areas we're visiting, or a player with a recommendation we shouldn't miss, we'd love to hear from you.