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When winter seems as long as a life sentence, Bali beckons as the perfect escape clause. But, is Kuta Beach's melee of hawkers, jeep jams and ghetto accommodation really the answer?

The beauty of Bali - beside its temples, ceremonial culture and sunsets - is its fine range of alternatives to the circus sands of Kuta. Take your choice from the following rager-free zones.

The Bukit Peninsula hangs like a teardrop from the southern tip of Bali, threatening to secede from the hectic world of Kuta-Denpasar. Bukit's isthmus town of Jimbaran has several upmarket hotels perched around its bay; thereafter, the peninsula's interior becomes very green, while its shoreline is pounded by legendary surf. Losmens (guesthouses) dot the way to the spectacular cliff-top temple of Ulu Watu and the equally dramatic views from the Bali Cliff Hotel.

Nusa Dua, a manicured enclave of five-star hotels on the Bukit east coast, is effectively quarantined against Bali: no hawkers or watch-floggers need call. Immediately to its north, Benoa is far more real. Traditional boat builders still construct large wooden schooners by hand, while beachfront hotels like the Novotel offer plenty of watersport activities or just plain siesta space.

Candi Dasa on the eastern tip of Bali, 70 km from Denpasar, is a long-established retreat, well-loved by those who want a Bali that includes air-conditioning along with the gado-gado and temples. The pace is moderate and the Lombok Strait shoreline is perfect for exploring by foot. The real value here is at Sengkidu, two km west of Candi (pronounced "Chandi") Dasa, where beachfront bungalows - for instance, at Amarta Beach Inn - cost a ridiculous $8 per night, including breakfast. Lovina Beach on the north coast has calm waters, black sands and plenty of moderately-priced accommodation, as well as ample seafood. Bring a novel because there's not much to do between dinner and dawn's dolphin chase. The latter event sees up to 40 motorised outrigger boats, complete with tourists, in pursuit of brief dolphin glimpses. Lovina (90 km from Denpasar) is a good base for excursions to nearby Singaraja town, Banjar hot springs and the beautiful Munduk waterfall.

Medewi, a south coast village about two hours drive from Kuta, is an excellent place to escape the crowds, to see rural Bali and enjoy three-star, family accommodation (such as Medewi Beach Cottages). The surf here is a long, left-hand wave that's less crowded and lethal than Bali's famous southern reefs, although the beach itself is nothing special. Nearby is a fine, five-century old Hindu temple, Pura Rambut Siwi.

Nusa Lembongan, a tiny island 20 km east of Sanur, has quiet villages, modest accommodation, the occasional cockfight (one visit is enough for most people) and seaweed farms. Excellent scuba diving and reef surfing are the main activities, but the trip there (from Benoa Harbour) by charter yacht or on the Bali Hai cruise boat is a great event in itself.

Seminyak. What could be more "authentic" in today's Bali than a beachfront al fresco Italian restaurant next door to a Hindu temple? That's Petetenget, near Seminyak, at the dreamer's end of the Kuta-Legian beach strip. If you absolutely need to be within occasional striking distance of the Kuta bazaar, base yourself far up the beach at Seminyak, where the beautiful Bali Oberoi hotel marks the start of sanity. Beyond here are lava sunsets and un-pestered strolls to infinity.

Tulamben, on the north-east coast, has quiet waters but only a pebble beach; consequently, it doesn't attract the tanning clan nor the attendant flocks of sarong-sellers and hair-braiders. Tulamben (four hours drive from Kuta) offers good scuba diving on the wreck of the cargo ship USAT Liberty that lies only 50 metres offshore. The seafront is dotted with dive shops, small hotels and tranquil losmens where the bargains are extraordinary; a room at the seafront Paradise Palm Beach losmen costs all of $10 per night.

Ubud used to be touted as the home of that perennial mirage, "the real Bali." Today it is a ribbon of fine hotels (like the Pita Maha), galleries and good restaurants whose menus are often more Byron Bay than Bali. Despite this post-mod ambience, in the temples along Ubud's main street you'll often catch ceremonies where the arcane rituals and crash of gamelan gongs remind us of how little we blow-ins will ever understand about "the real Bali." Ubud's the ideal base for visits to the Besakih "Mother Temple" and the crater lakes of Bedugal and Batur. Or, try a morning of whitewater rafting down the Ayung River's rainforest gorges and moderate rapids ("Jacuzzi rafting" might be the term); a couple of hours later, the scenic ride is over - like a trip to Bali, always too soon.

Driving. Bali has scores of temples, villages and forests to discover. An excellent way to see them is with a hire car and driver. From as little as $8 per hour, all up, it makes far better sense (and much less stress) than attempting to drive yourself. Forget about accidents, fines and traffic anarchy; piloted by a savvy Balinese (who often doubles as a guide), just sit back and enjoy the cruise. Remember to instruct your driver that you don't want to stop at 20 jewellery or painting galleries, even if his cousins seem to run them all.

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