How to start playing padel in Bali

Bali's clubs are spread across the south of the island, from Canggu and Pererenan to Seminyak, Denpasar and Sanur, Ubud, Nusa Dua and Uluwatu. Canggu and Pererenan has the most. Pick one close to where you are staying: see the club list and the map of every club. Most Bali courts have a roof, so you can usually play when it rains.

Bali clubs use several booking apps. Playtomic covers about 80 venues on the island. Jungle Padel and Island Sports Club have their own apps, Liga.Tennis clubs book on the Liga.Tennis website, Sanur Padel Club uses MATCHi and Main Padel in Denpasar is on AYO. The list below shows which one each club uses. Make an account before your first game, and fill in your level when the app asks (see step 6).

A court costs between IDR 120,000 and IDR 660,000 an hour at the clubs we list, shared by four players, so expect about IDR 30,000 to IDR 165,000 each. Most clubs price the whole court and the app splits it, while Jungle Padel and Sanur Padel Club also publish prices per person. Jungle Padel charges residents with a KTP or KITAS less. Staying a while? Most Playtomic clubs sell wallet top-ups that give you extra credit. The price comparison has every club side by side.

To avoid the midday heat, play before 9:00 or after 17:00, especially on outdoor courts. Canggu courts fill up fast between 17:00 and 20:00, so book evening slots ahead. Midday is often the cheapest time, and fine on indoor or air-conditioned courts such as The Sphere Bali. The rainy season runs from November to March, usually with a couple of hours of rain in the afternoon or at night. Most courts have a roof, but a few are open-air, so check before you book.

On holiday without kit? Most clubs rent rackets, usually for IDR 30,000 to 60,000, so ask when you book. Wear court shoes with a herringbone or clay-court sole, not running shoes, and bring plenty of water. More in our guides to what to pack and playing in the heat.

Events in Bali use Playtomic levels from 0 to 7 and colour names: Beginner (0 to 1.5), Bronze (about 1.5 to 2.5), Silver (2.5 to 3.5) and Gold (3.5 and up). Most people who have never played start around 0.5 to 1, and tennis or squash players often start a little higher. Playtomic levels explained shows how it works. Learn the basics of the serve, the walls and scoring before you go.

An Americano (many Bali clubs say Americana) is a social event where you change partners every few games, so you meet several players in one session. Clubs list their beginner and Bronze ones in Playtomic, usually for IDR 100,000 to 280,000 per player for two hours: the next ones are below and on the events page. Americano or Mexicano? explains the formats.

A couple of lessons early on will help you learn the walls and the volley faster: see coaching in Bali. To find people to play with, join a club's Americanos or ask at the front desk: many clubs have WhatsApp groups for their players. Or ask in the Bali Padel Community Facebook group, where players look for partners at every level.