lots of tourists, hot sun without much shade, hoardes of people trying to make money out of the tourists, and tacky shops selling the same crap they sell everywhere else in the world.

if you want to see bali, go up into the mountains to escape the kuta insanity.

if, like me, you are forced to go to kuta as part of a group, then make the most out of it by engaging the sellers in conversation, you will find them much more intersting and less annoying than at first impression.