Hello! It is great you are thinking about going to Bali. It is an amazing place to visit, offers everything from hiking, waterfalls, beaches (all types!), water sports or just peace. We loved the hospitality we got from locals, loved the architecture of temples and couldn’t get enough of the natural beauty of Bali!
TLDR itinerary - 14 days
4 days Ubud
1 day Amed
2 days Gili islands
3 days Nusa islands
2 days Nusa Dua
2 days Seminyak
If you want shorter itinerary, reduce 1 day in Ubud, skip Amed & Nusa Dua - you get a 10 days itinerary! You can skip Seminyak if you’re not a party person - that will be 8 days itinerary 😊
Travelling and planning before that are things I enjoy a lot. In this blog you will find all details you would need to plan your travel to Bali. We did a 2 people, 14 day trip to Bali which cost us a total of ₹2.2 L. As it was at a time when things just opened it was cheaper than it normally would be - around 1.25x at least. In the end of the blog, you will also find links for how to travel within Bali, places to eat at (bonus recommendations for vegetarians), places to shop at, things to keep while packing for Bali.
Let’s get into day wise travel itinerary. Happy Reading!
Detailed itinerary
City 1: Ubud
We started with Ubud, took us ~2 hrs to reach there from the airport. Loved the city overall, has way too many things to offer, service of everyone is impeccable & it is not very very touristy also.
- Service 5/5
- Rooms + amenities 5/5
- Location 5/5
- Value for money 5/5
Going around: We hired a bike for 4 days, cost us total IDR 250K (directly from hotel so no hassle).
Below is itinerary per day optimised based on time spent in travel!
Day 1 Ubud: Batuan Temple, Tegenungan Waterfalls
We had half a day to travel. We went 2 places near our stay.
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Nice little temple with beautiful architecture. Bali has plentyyyy of temples, but visit 3-5 to get a feel. This was a small one. We were asked to wear sarong with sash (which they provided) & give donation before entering.
Time spent - 20 mins
Entry fee - compulsory donation only (We gave IDR 10K)
Timing - closes 5 PM
Attire - sarong & sash needed
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One of the many waterfalls you will see in Ubud. Like all others it has a 15 min trek down to the falls. Place is very green and worth visiting. Get change of clothes if you want to swim. There are also many photo spots on the way down. We spent some time at “Omma Club” which is at the waterfall, gives great views, has a pool & nice vibe overall. Keep some 1 hr to spend here (and take the lift from the restaurant while going up)
Time spent - 1.5 hrs
Entry fee - IDR 20K pp
Timing - closes 6.30 PM
Attire - Comfortable footwear, change of clothes for swimming
Day 2 Ubud: Wanagiri Hidden Hills, Banyumala Twin Waterfalls, Bali Handara Gate, Ullun Danu Beratan Temple, Jatiluwih Rice Terrace
We rented car for a day, with driver cost us IDR 700K. Highly recommended driver (JJ, WhatsApp +62 85237111703), great car, service and clicks lots of candids too. Left around 8.30 AM, came back after 10 hrs.
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Worth it, worth it! It can be crowded, so go early (~8.30 AM). There was NO ONE when we went. And they click lovely and manyyy pics. It has awesome photo spots and it is close to the next spot so do stop here. Ladies, wear colorful and flowy maxi dress for best pics 🙂 This is an alternate to the more expensive Bali Swing ($35 pp) and equally good.
Time spent - 30 mins (can go upto 1 hr easily)
Entry fee - Donation - we gave IDR 70K; Normally can be IDR 50-100K pp
Timing - 6.30 AM - 7 PM
Attire - Colorful flow-y clothes
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Banyumala Twin Waterfalls (5/5)
We planned to swim in these falls and it was awesome, there are changing rooms available. The water is great and the hike down also is decent (wear shoes or comfortable footwear). Hike to the falls is around 20 mins (scooter takes you farther than car).
Time spent - 1.5 hrs
Entry fee - IDR 30K pp
Timing - closes 6.30 PM
Attire - Comfortable footwear, change of clothes for swimming
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Amidst greenery, this is one of many Bali gates that you will be amazed with. You have to generally wait a bit in line for the pic and you get ~5 mins per ticket. We found it ok, can be superb if day is sunny. But there are many more Bali gates without the ticket, so 😕
Time spent - 20 mins
Entry fee - IDR 20K pp
Timing - closes 7 PM
Attire - Colorful flow-y clothes
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Ullun Danu Beratan Temple (5/5)
It is a really pretty place. Consider it like a garden with Lake nearby. With lots of small places to click photos. There are markets right outside too. We bought some clothes there. Enjoy on a sunny day and get pics clicked!
Time spent - 40 mins
Entry fee - IDR 75K pp
Timing - closes 7 PM
Attire - No restrictions
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There are 2 rice terraces in Ubud, this and the more famous Tegallalang Rice Terrace. Visit any of them for the view and pic on the ‘Bali swing’. We liked our visit, had lunch in Green Talas, a restaurant there which we loved, also got swing in the same place!
Time spent - 1 hr
Entry fee - IDR 40K pp for the area
Timing - No specific timings as such, but go when there’s good light
Attire - Colorful flow-y clothes
Day 3 Ubud: Mt Batur Trek, Saraswati Temple, Campuhan Ridge Walk, Alas Harum
We started the day at 1.30 AM for Mt. Batur sunrise trek.
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Mt. Batur Trek (4/5)
It is sort of a must-do in Ubud. We also enjoyed, but the trek up wasn’t easy. There are lot of small pebbles and you start trek at night so it isn’t easy. But worth the views at the top!
Time spent - 4 hrs
Entry fee - IDR 450K pp for a shared trip; if you want to go to hot springs + rice terrace too - IDR 800K pp (contact JJ, WhatsApp +62 85237111703)
Timing - Trek starts around 3-4 AM
Attire - Hiking shoes, jacket + cap for winds at the top, volini spray & bandaid for any emergencies
Came back by 11 AM and rested after Mt. Batur trek for 4 hours (Shashank also had a leg sprain, so we took rest of the day slow).
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This is a lovely temple. There are lotus ponds and really good place. There’s a shopping street near parking where you can get good stuff for cheap prices - do bargain!
Time spent - 10 mins
Entry fee - None
Timing - closes 6.30 PM
Attire - No restrictions
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2 km hike for a decent view. We didn’t complete due to exhaustion but the way is decent. Can do if you’ve energy!
Time spent - 15 mins (~1.5 hrs if you do the trek)
Entry fee - None
Timing - Go in morning or evening for a walk
Attire - Comfortable footwear
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To relax out we went to this sort of restaurant near Ubud. It has spectacular views of plantations, has 3 restaurants and optional photo spots. We went to one of the restaurants with a pool and had a great time.
Time spent - 2 hrs
Entry fee - None if you say you only want to visit restaurants, else depends on photo spots you choose
Timing - 9 AM - 7 PM
Attire - Change of clothes if you want to swim, flow-y clothes if you want photos
Day 4 Ubud: Kanto Lampo Waterfalls, Tibumana Waterfalls
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This was my favourite waterfall. It is really beautiful. You can’t swim much but to even see it you need to change (else you’ll get all wet). There's generally a line, if you go post 9.30 AM, for photo clicking (worth it!). Local guides take amazing photos and charge a small tip (we gave IDR 12K). The walk to the falls is a little tiring, can take 15 mins.
Time spent - 1.5 hrs
Entry fee - IDR 20K pp
Timing - 7 AM - 5.30 PM
Attire - Comfortable footwear with change of clothes
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This was the simplest falls with not so easy hike (or we were tired). If there’s no crowd it can be your own private pool. It has a 20 mins each side for the hike.
Time spent - 45 mins
Entry fee - IDR 15K pp
Timing - 8 AM - 6 PM
Attire - Comfortable footwear with change of clothes for swimming
Other places we skipped:
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Monkey Forest - We didn’t want to experience monkeys taking specs, hat for food (have experienced in India)
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Bali Swing - We skipped the well renowned Bali swing and instead did Wanagiri Hidden Hills, that was cheaper, quieter and had no rush.
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Other Waterfalls - There are so many other waterfalls near Ubud. Aling aling was very far with high fee and very long hike. Also skipped Leke leke waterfall, Gitgit waterfall - these are also good but we had seen enough - you can basically choose 3-4 falls from the whole list based on where you stay
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Tegallalang Rice Terrace - We did Jatiluwih Rice Terrace instead, can do either. Tegallalang definitely has better photo spots (but expensive)
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Hot springs near Mt. Batur - Have heard good things about them, we should have done this, our package didn’t include these, hence missed.
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Goa Gajah - Closed. Skippable spot though.
City 2: Amed - Tirtha Gangga Temple & Black Sand Beach
This is very non-touristy simple city with just 1-2 key points to be seen which can be covered from Ubud if you want to skip Amed.
- Service 5/5
- Rooms + amenities 4/5
- Location 5/5
- Value for money 4/5
Going around: We hired a bike for 1 day, cost us IDR 40K (directly from hotel so no hassle).
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I loved this place. It is so vast and so green, with multiple ponds with lot of fishes, fountains and lot more. Go there with free mind and relax for a few hours. Recommended to take fish food from outside, you can get 4 packs for IDR 5000. The fish are many many and come eagerly for the food. The photos are amazing here and it is totally worth it. We came from Amed on a 2 wheeler, people also travel from Ubud.
Time spent - 1 hr
Entry fee - IDR 50000 pp, parking can range from IDR 2000-5000
Timing - 8 AM - 5 PM
Attire - No restriction
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It is a great beach, very soft black sand actually. But it is tough to get to. Road which leads here is not great. Then you’ve to walk steep path downwards for 10 mins. If you’re nearby, you should definitely visit though!
Time spent - 20 mins
Entry fee - None
Timing - Open
Attire - No restriction
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This was right outside our stay. The beach is good, but lined up with fishing boats and the sand isn’t amazing. But if you’re in Amed, visit and hangout at one of the beach ‘warungs’ (Indonesian for family owned small restaurants)
Time spent - 20 mins
Entry fee - None
Timing - Open
Attire - No restriction
Other places we skipped:
- Lempuyang Temple - This is BIIIGGG on Instagram, the beautiful photo between Bali Gates with Mt Agung in the backdrop looks amazing. But recently there have been way too many changes here. You need to pay ~ IDR 150K pp to enter (includes shuttle, entry etc). Then for the photo you need to pay the booths at top, additional for the mirror effect needed. Overall we didn’t think it was worth the effort and money, so skipped.
City 3: Gili Trawangan
It is known as the party island, when we went, there wasn’t too much party but it was still happening and quiet at the same time. Loved the vibe & relaxed on the island.
Video for our stay at Gili Trawangan here!
Stay: Pearl of Trawangan (5/5)
- Service 4/5
- Rooms + amenities 5/5
- Location 5/5
- Value for money 5/5
Going around: We hired cycles for 2 days, cost us total IDR 120K for 2 cycles (this was a bargain - normally price is IDR 50K-70K per day per cycle).
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Beaches + Sunset (5/5)
There are so many beaches on Gili. All with amazing and soft white sand, some of them have lot of pebbles while some have very soft sand. We went to
- Gili beach (right outside our hotel) used to sit & chill whenever free
- Sunset beach (at beach bar Exile) watched 2 sunsets here, has swings & hammock for pics. Loved the view the vibe and everything. This beach has lot of pointy pebbles in water
- Gili Trawangan beach, saw 1 sunset here. Very soft sand, very quiet place.
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Snorkelling (5/5)
We booked a snorkelling trip for from Snorkelling Gili, although you get so many options even on the island too. Had a great experience! Snorkelled in 3 spots - Turtle point, Underwater statues, 1 point near Gili M. Touched turtle and saw a lot of marine life. Highly recommend.
Time spent - 2 hours for snorkeling
Entry fee - IDR 200K pp (minimum 2 person needed)
Timing - 2 options: morning ~8.30 AM or afternoon ~1.30 PM
Attire - Wear a swimsuit
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Going around the island (5/5)
Well the island can be covered by a round ~7km circle. We did that on cycle. Most of the path is well made, some parts were full of sand because covid stopped all business and things were shut. But it is worth spending the time to go around and see all the different beaches, cafes, etc.
Other notable places we skipped:
- Visiting Gili Meno & Gili Air - Many people who come to Gili T also visit the other 2 islands (many many speed boats through the day). The main reason is Gili M & Gili A are quieter and have calmer beaches, while Gili T is noisy and party place. When we visited, Gili T was not very crowded & hence didn’t feel the need to go to quieter places. But if you feel the need, book a day trip to either of them!
City 4: Nusa Lembongan
Nusa islands are another set of 3 islands with Nusa Penida being the biggest one. They are well developed and have beautiful beach resorts & restaurants. Also popular for scuba diving.
- Service 4/5
- Rooms + amenities 5/5
- Location 5/5
- Value for money 4/5
Going around: We hired a bike for 1 day, cost us IDR 70K (directly from hotel so no hassle).
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It is a waterblow, water raises upto few metres in high tide. Great place to visit to experience raw nature.
Time spent - 30 mins
Entry fee - None
Timing - Open (Go in high tide time 11 AM - noon)
Attire - No restriction
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It is a nice little beach, has ~5 mins walk down the stairs. We saw it from the top as tide was so high, there was no dry place on the beach.
Time spent - 10 mins
Entry fee - None
Timing - Open (Don’t go around noon - very high tide)
Attire - No restriction
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Nusa L & Nusa C are connected by a bridge. We crossed over and visited Blue Lagoon point & had lunch. Nothing spectacular overall, but the restaurants on west side show the bridge & sea between Nusa L & C, which has sea weeds and is very shallow, so can visit.
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Nusa L has Mangrove Forest in the North East region. The way to see them is take a boat tour through the forests. It was really beautiful and if you’re on Nusa islands you should not miss.
Time spent - 40 mins
Entry fee - IDR 70K for the boat tour
Timing - Open (Go before sunset)
Attire - No restriction
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The most famous beach of Nusa L, we visited for a bit and had icecream in one of the beach restaurants. Overall was good but crowded. (Also after Gili beaches, no other beaches seemed good!)
Time spent - 40 mins
Entry fee - None
Timing - Open (Can see sunset from here)
Attire - No restriction
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Scuba Diving (5/5)
We did Scuba with Scuba Center Asia Lembongan. It was a surreal experience. We went to Manta Point & Crystal Bay. Worth doing scuba in Nusa islands or Gili islands or Nusa Dua or Amed.
Time spent - 4 hours for diving, ~1 hr for practice session the day before
Entry fee - IDR 1.5M pp
Timing - 2 options: morning dive ~8.30 AM or afternoon dive ~1.30 PM
Attire - Take a swimsuit
Other notable places we skipped:
- Nusa Penida - This is the biggest of Nusa islands and has lot of photogenic spots & beaches (Most popular: Kelinking beach). It is best to be seen if you stay there or travel from Nusa L early (~7 AM) and take the last boat back. We skipped as we didn’t have as much time and our hotel was so good that we wanted to just chill there.
City 5: Nusa Dua
This is the Southern part of Bali - almost all the beaches are private beaches to different resorts. Not much to see here, some beaches and good resorts. We stayed extra as our flight got extended, else this place can be skipped.
Stay: Kaniya Bali AirBnB (3/5)
- Service 5/5
- Rooms + amenities 3/5
- Location 4/5
- Value for money 5/5
Going around: We hired a bike for 2 days, cost us IDR 150K (directly from hotel so no hassle).
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Almost all beaches in Nusa Dua are private to big resorts. You can enter “Nusa Dua Resort area”, pay a parking fee and visit the beaches. They are nice, clean beaches. We sat for a while sunbathing there.
Time spent - 40 mins
Entry fee - IDR 3K for bike parking if you’re not living there
Timing - Open
Attire - No restriction
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This is a very beautiful are in Nusa Dua, the drive here is also very green. We didn’t go inside but the statue is beautiful and grand. In general we read there isn’t much after going inside & there’s extra charge to go to the top floor, so skipped.
Time spent - 10 mins
Entry fee - IDR 100K basic entry + IDR 50K for top floor + IDR 30K for shuttle (else 25 min walk)
Timing - 9.30 AM - 6 PM
Attire - Sarong needed for the temple
City 6: Seminyak
- Service 4/5
- Rooms + amenities 4/5
- Location 5/5
- Value for money 5/5
Going around: We hired a bike for 1 day, cost us IDR 100K (directly from hotel so no hassle).
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This is a temple on an island on the edge of a cliff, can only go there in low tide ~2PM. But big area with gardens and many small restaurants. We spent a lot of time here as there are so many reasonable shops outside the temple where one can shop, and we did!
Time spent - 1.5 hrs
Entry fee - IDR 60K pp + IDR 3K bike parking
Timing - 6 AM - 7 PM
Attire - No restriction
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One of the best clubs in Seminyak to spend some time, swim if you want and see the sunset. We spent some time around sunset. The club is very expensive and generally there’s a minimum spend for different seats too, so great if you can go in a group.
Time spent - 1 hr
Entry fee - None
Timing - Open (Should see sunset from here)
Attire - No restriction
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One of the most famous clubs in Seminyak. We didn’t spend a lot of time here, vibe was pretty non energetic when we went, but it is known to be awesome for parties when there’s a full crowd.
Time spent - 10 mins
Entry fee - IDR 10K for men post 10 PM
Timing - Open till 1-2 AM
Attire - No flip flops allowed - wear club clothing
Also check out
Coming soon!
- Where to eat?
- Where to shop?
- Things to keep in mind while travelling in Bali