My husband went to Bali before he met me and didn’t like it because of all the drunk partiers. I insisted on going, promising I’d find a Bali itinerary to avoid the party animals…and I did! It was our first time in Bali, and we wanted to snorkel, hike, learn about the culture, eat well, and be comfortable while spending as little as we could. We slept in beautiful hotels with gorgeous views with our own bedroom, bathroom, and breakfasts included…for an average of $10 a night the summer of 2022.
So here’s the two week Bali itinerary I created that meant both of us loved our trip. If you have more than two weeks, then I highly recommend exploring more of Indonesia, which I write about here. Go May- September for the dry season so you don’t have your trip ruined by rain. This plan is designed for people like me on a teacher’s budget. There are many much more expensive options available in the same areas, if you want a more luxurious trip. If you want a detailed, clickable PDF of what to do hour-by-hour for an affordable trip, check out my two week Bali itinerary here!
If you’re coming from anywhere else in Indonesia, your first impressions in Bali will be very positive: it’s easier as a tourist here- people speak more English, there are far more well-reviewed places to sleep and eat at, and so many well-organized things to do! It’s Hindu now, instead of Muslim like Java, and every house seems to have a lovely little shrine- all along the road you see beautifully decorated and maintained shrines with flowers and incense offerings. The people are SO friendly and helpful. Our hosts throughout the island wanted to make sure we got everywhere safely and were so kind to us. It’s a fantastic place to visit!
How to Plan Your Bali Itinerary
Getting from A to B
You have a few options when you’re figuring out your Bali itinerary and deciding how to get from one place to the next:
- Renting a scooter: Okay, this is the most popular option with tourists, and you’ll see it all over. But this is also EXTREMELY risky…you don’t know the rules, you don’t know where you’re going, you probably haven’t driven one before, you might be getting a beer or cocktail on the beach…we saw so many incredibly dangerous tourist drivers, and we saw multiple injured tourists with their trips ruined because of a broken arm or leg. We didn’t do this and we cannot recommend that you do either…though it will seem cheap and easy.
- Renting a car: We investigated this, but for us it wasn’t cheaper than hiring a driver, and we didn’t know where to park and the roads aren’t in great condition, so we were worried about all the crazy scooters and getting charged with some damage.
- Hiring a car and driver: This is really affordable and easy, and this is what we’d recommend. You don’t have to arrange this in advance. I’d suggest contacting the host you’re going to and the place you are at the moment, and asking both how much a ride to the next stop would be (with whatever stops along the way you want). For example, if you’re in West Bali and want to get to Amed, ask your host in West Bali and your next host in Amed what it would cost and include (any recommended stops along the way, and of course it should include fuel and space for your luggage). Just make sure it’s a car and not a scooter!
- Hiring a scooter and driver: Sometimes, the only way to get from A to B will be on the back of a scooter. There were a few times when our hosts didn’t have a car and didn’t know anyone with a car. We still felt a thousand times more comfortable on the back of a local’s scooter than driving ourselves, even with our luggage.
- If you do decide to rent a scooter and drive yourself, please make sure you have travel insurance that would cover your medical expenses and the expenses if you had to come home for treatment!
West Bali
I’d highly recommend putting West Bali on your Bali itinerary, because it has West Bali National Park, which is a huge protected area (10% of the island!) compared to this relatively small and densely populated island- an impressive amount not to develop. It includes the protected Menjangan Island and the waters around it, which means snorkeling and diving there is excellent.
You can only enter the park with a guide, and we went trekking with a fantastic guide who found far more than we ever could have- we got to see black monkeys, which are only wild in this particular national park. We also saw a couple of very shy barking deer, and two giant squirrels! Beautiful blue kingfishers and white egrets and colorful storks also stopped by while we were there. A lovely morning arranged by our hotel, Kubuku Eco Divelodge & Yoga.
Where to sleep: Kubuku Eco Divelodge & Yoga was great for us- gorgeous pool, beautiful room, so relaxing and helpful, had to include a photo of the pool area too, and our friendly geckos eating away the mosquitoes.
We went snorkeling at the marine national park here in West Bali. There were lots of lovely hard and soft coral- not quite as enormously healthy as Raja Ampat, but still excellent, and compared to even the Maldives and Great Barrier Reef the snorkeling was very good. There are other people here, multiple boats of snorkelers and divers, though luckily spread out enough that it was okay. One of the two sites was a steep cliff, so you’ll see some odd perspectives!
What to do: Arrange a snorkeling trip in the marine national park, and a trekking adventure in the national park.
Where to eat: We ate at our own lodge and at Warung Santai-Pemunteran.
Amed
Where to sleep: Tanaya Homestay. We loved this stay with a kind host who really looked out for us, making sure we got everywhere safely. It was $12 a night when we were there (July 2022), including a delicious breakfast. It was a short walk away from dinner places on the beach and snorkeling.
What to do: We went to Amed for the snorkeling, and it was fantastic! I never would have thought such a populated island would have such healthy coral, but it does- hard and soft, and so many new fish for us! We even got to snorkel at two shipwrecks (both torpedoed during WWII, one American, one Japanese), that are so shallow that we could still see so much!
The shipwrecks are completely covered in coral now, incredible! The American one was much bigger, so we enjoyed snorkeling there a lot more. There are big waves and a rocky entrance to get to both, but the visibility was great away from the shore. I wouldn’t recommend them unless you are a comfortable swimmer or have a life vest- but with a life vest it would be safe for anyone.
Places to eat: We had fantastic food here. Our favorite places were:
- Warung Amsha– we enjoyed a fantastic rendang, some of the best Indonesian food we had on our trip, and right on the beach for lovely views and vibe
- Gusto Resto & Cafe– we had delicious chicken curry pizza, chicken rayon (flavorful curry from Surabaya), banoffie pie and coconut creme brulee!
- Blue Earth Village– gorgeous views, delicious chocolate coconut cake, tasty Western-Bali fusion salads, pizzas, etc.
We met expats in Amed who decided to stay there and build a life there, and it’s pretty easy to imagine why. The food is excellent and extremely affordable, the views everywhere are stunning, lovely weather every day, and such kind people. What a place!
When you leave Amed, if you go to Sideman next, I’d recommend stopping at these two places on the way: a Hindu temple complex called Pura Lempuyan and a royal water palace.
Pura Lempuyan- Hindu temple complex
Pura Lempuyan is actually 7 temples, all built on the side of another volcano. It’s gorgeous, and a fascinating cultural experience that I’d highly recommend…partly because of the other people! When you buy your ticket, they’ll give you a sarong to wear that’s included and required, no matter what you’re wearing (this will happen at many Hindu temples you visit).
The first and biggest temple is a famous Instagram spot…we got a number with our ticket, #235, and noticed they were on #103 when we arrived…when we left two hours later, they were only on #167! People wait hours and hours to take a photo at this one spot! You can take beautiful photos on the other side of the famous Instagram stop without any line.
Instead of waiting, hike up to temples 2-4. If you have lots of time and energy, you can hike to the last ones, but that requires an additional several hours. Temple 4 was gorgeous, with beautiful views and no people…until a bunch of pilgrims came, which was also really special.
Royal Water Palace
The royal water palace was another incredibly picturesque place with a bunch of tourists in one small part and lots of quiet areas with just as nice views all around. Just walk a couple minutes’ away from all the people and you’ll find some peaceful beautiful spots.
Sideman
Where to sleep: Embang Homestay, another clean, very affordable place with a beautiful view of the rice terraces and a nice breakfast. For our honeymoon, a friend gifted us a night at the Darmada Eco Resort, which was more expensive but stunning, with excellent breakfast, lunch and dinner options with a fantastic view. It’s a nice splurge at about $80 per night.
What to do: We went “rice terraces trekking” with Sideman Tours and Trekking, where a local guide walked us all around his hometown explaining how the UNESCO heritage rice terraces are irrigated and answering all of our other questions. Some of the money also goes to the farmers who maintain the paths. Seeing them hard at work while our guide made far more money showing us around does make us wonder how long rice farming can last this way, such hard work for so little money.
He also took us to a waterfall and a home that makes arak. Just like the places we saw making tofu and tempe and pottery, the arak place is just someone’s house where they have bought some equipment to make small batches from the coconuts all around them. Everything here is cottage industries- we haven’t seen any large-scale industrialized production!
Places to eat:
- Asri, for gorgeous and delicious food in an upscale resort- but you don’t have to stay there to eat there! Reservations recommended, but you can call the day of. It was expensive by Indonesian standards- we spent $32 with two main courses, one desert, and two juices- but beautiful and high quality
- We also ate well at Darmada Eco Resort, and had a lovely view for breakfast at Embang Homestay as well.
Ubud
Ubud is so different from everywhere else in Bali! First of all, it’s way bigger than the tiny towns we’ve been in other places in Bali, and WAY more tourists- there are Westerners everywhere! It’s still not overwhelming, but it’s hard to feel like you’re in Indonesia when you’re walking down the street or in a restaurant and all you see and hear is European and American tourists!
Where to sleep: Omank Agus Homestay Cheap, clean, quiet, good breakfast, and a kind host who performs in the local fire ceremony.
Places to eat: The food is the best in Indonesia we’ve had. Really world-class restaurants that would fit in easily in San Francisco or Amsterdam. In the rest of Indonesia, we had been spending $10-$20 for dinner for two, whereas in Ubud it’s more like $30-$50 for two, which feels extremely extravagant! But it is far better quality.
- Huyan Locale– Our favorite restaurant for Indonesian food in Bali! We went there twice it was so good, and had a total of 4 different dishes, all with complex, unique spices that were all completely different from each other- traditional Indonesian food made perfectly.
- Room4Dessert, for a special honeymoon meal with a celebrity chef from Chef’s Table on Netflix, where we got to have 7 savory bites and 14 dessert bites in three different locations around their garden and indoor spaces! A memorable experience!
Things to do: When in Ubud, we needed to experience Balinese culture through their dance performances. There are at least 8 different performances a night, all with stunning backgrounds of different Hindu temples. The finger and eye movements are unlike anything we’d ever seen before, and the male a cappella gamelan and fire walking was unforgettable. They are all genuine ceremonies done by the local community. We’ve seen how well maintained the temples are every few blocks, and the home shrines everyone has, and the offerings everyone gives every single day to say thank you. Maybe the daily acts of gratitude is part of why people seem so much happier, kinder, and more helpful to strangers here.
We also got to go to an art museum here and see some Balinese art. We’re able to witness a totally different culture here that is very much alive.
Ubud, while being a relatively large town, has incredible outdoor spaces. There are hiking trails into the rice terraces leaving right from the busy main roads, which we’ve really enjoyed- with cafes and lunch spots along the path!
There is also a huge jungle with temples from the 14th century called the Monkey Forest, where monkeys have been protected and protecting three temples for all of these centuries. Watching the monkeys climb around the monkey statues and friezes from 700 years ago was so special- right in the city center. Just don’t feed the monkeys and don’t bring any food inside, or anything really shiny- other people have fed them and that can make them aggressive. Nevertheless, exploring temples in the jungle with the monkeys and walking around the rice fields is a wonderful surprise in a busy city!
- Dance performances: There are many options, so I’d recommend one that is a short walk from where you’re staying and at a Hindu temple so that you have a magical backdrop to the performance. We tried to see each different type of Balinese dance: there are fire dances, shadow puppets, masked dances, and dances without masks, and I’d try to get all of these forms with a live gamelan (orchestra). I’d suggest walking to each venue during the day, seeing whether you like the venue and whether their schedule works with yours, and then buying the tickets from them directly. You can ask them when to show up for a good seat.
- Art: There are many different art museums- here are just a few:
- Agung Rai Museum of Art– lovely grounds, big museum with wide variety of Balinese art
- Neka Art Museum– another lovely environment with Balinese art
- Walks: There are a number of beautiful hiking trails you can walk and/or bike on, with lovely places to eat along the way. We could walk to these from our homestay. Here are a few:
- Campuhan Ridge Walk– nice views of a temple almost immediately
- Sweet Orange Walk Trail– we stopped for a light lunch at Sweet Orange Warung, which has a beautiful setting in the rice fields
- Bukit Campuhan– if you have time for a longer hike
- Day trips: We did a full day cycling trip with Greenbike Adventures, and our guide was excellent with perfect English and lots of beautiful views. It’s mostly downhill, so it would be quite enjoyable for most people. We biked through the super famous rice terraces near Ubud that were in the movie version of Eat, Pray, Love and are therefore very popular! Our guide showed us a typical Balinese home and temple, we saw a temple from the 1100s, and of course lots of rice terraces. It included breakfast and lunch with spectacular rice terraces views (with swings lol). A fun and informative tour!
Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan
These are two tiny islands off the southern coast of Bali a short ferry ride away. We took a speedboat to the bigger island called Nusa Lembongan. Getting to and from the speedboat was not easy- there’s no dock so you walk through the waves! Luckily they have porters to carry our suitcases!
We learned a bit about the island’s traditional economy, seaweed farming, and ate some really mediocre food. We could not find any decent food on the island, so we ended up having a lot of delicious “smoothie bowls”- a combination of yogurt, granola/muesli, and fresh fruit, like mango, whether it was for lunch or dinner! Otherwise, you will have fried rice, fried noodles, or mediocre pizza or pasta. So there are no places I can recommend to eat. I’d suggest finding a nice view and getting a smoothie bowl!
Where to sleep: Gatri Huts! Our homestay was again truly excellent. Beautiful bungalow, clean, quiet, $12 with breakfast, and our host again drove us on scooters wherever we needed to go. We’d highly recommend Gatri Huts!
What to do:
- Snorkel! That’s why we went here, for the chance to snorkel with…manta rays! We went two times, once with a group trip with Aquaman, and once in a private trip with a fisherman that our host knew. Here are the advantages/disadvantages of both:
- Group trip with Aquaman: First we went to Mangrove Point, where there were really healthy soft and hard coral brightly colored and some new fish- and a strong current, so we just drifted along and the boat picked us up at the other end, like an underwater movie passing us by. The next place was very crowded with a shallow lovely bay and lots of coral, fish, and we got to see a sea turtle- luckily away from other people. Finally, we arrived at Manta Bay…swam right near the cliff…and there they were! 4 or 5 mantas were swimming right in front of us, turning around in circles and sometimes somersaulting to scoop up all the plankton drifting by! We were not swimming to them or trying to touch them, but they were completely ignoring us, focused on the plankton, and often swam right below us, behind us, and once gently touched us! Mantas are such incredibly beautiful, majestic, graceful animals.
- Going in the group snorkel was nice because they had a very nice boat, water, snacks, a very fancy underwater camera they used to take photos of us and what we saw (and then emailed to us for free- some of these photos are from them). But apparently other people don’t want to snorkel as long as us, because our morning of 3 sites only lasted 2 hours, and we normally spend 2 hours at one site! It felt rushed though each place was excellent. A bit overwhelming having so many other boats and snorkelers though after it had been so quiet for us, but it was safe.
- Saturday morning we tried a private snorkeling trip in a traditional fishing boat. That was nice not being rushed- we could stay as long as we liked. The boat was a lot less comfortable, and we brought our own water and towels, and he didn’t really speak English, so it was a bit harder to know where we were and where to go. This time at Manta Bay, the visibility was much better- but it was really hard to find any! (Probably the visibility was better because there was less plankton than yesterday).
- We swam and swam and swam, getting colder and colder, and finally the fisherman put us in the boat and had us get out at a different spot- right above a manta ray! We had a few minutes alone with it before anyone else came, and great visibility- that was special too. We even saw dolphins while we were in the boat. Some special snorkeling moments!
- If you only have one day, I’d recommend Aquaman, as they were very professional, competent, comfortable, and will get you to the best spots. If you have more days, and you’re a strong snorkeler, then it is worth it to go on a private trip- but be aware they might not speak English and getting in/out of the boat might be challenging!
- Day trip to the “big island” here, Nusa Penida. We’ve seen it from the water, as Manta Bay is there. The trip involved a car driving us all over to different viewpoints overlooking the limestone cliffs and different eroded rock formations with turquoise water. Lovely spots! There were a lot of entertaining Instagram poses who thought so too. We could even see manta rays from up above on the cliffs! Our host at Gatri Huts arranged this for us.
Last Tips for Your Bali Itinerary!
Okay, it’s time to plan your trip! If you want exactly what to do written up in a detailed 14 day plan, check out my two week Bali itinerary clickable PDF here!
If you have time, I’d spend at least 2 nights in each spot: West Bali, Amed, Sideman, Ubud, and Nusa Lembongan. If you can, Ubud is worth the most time, maybe 3 nights, and you can do many day trips from Ubud as well. Please make sure to book your last night before a flight on the mainland, not in Nusa Lembongan in case there are high winds and the ferries back don’t run! Wherever you start your trip, the whole island is only 4-5 hours’ drive, so any hotel you start at or end at will be able to arrange transport to/from the airport for you.
If you’re coming from Java or going to Java afterwards, it makes sense to spend a couple of nights in West Bali and enjoy the national park there before taking the safe, comfortable ferry across.
The area near Kuta is where all the nightclubs are, so if you don’t want a bunch of drunk Australians and to go out partying every night, I’d avoid that area.
We were coming from Java, so we spent 2 nights in West Bali, 3 nights in Amed, 2 nights in Sideman, 3 nights in Ubud, 3 nights in Nusa Lembongan, and 3 nights near Ubud visiting a friend before flying out (but if we hadn’t had that friend, we would have spent the last 3 nights again in Ubud- all the day trips leave from there, and there was much more there we could have explored).
For snorkeling and wildlife, I’d focus on Amed, West Bali, and Nusa Lembongan. For culture and restaurants, I’d focus on Ubud. For rice terraces, Sideman was lovely. Everywhere there are excellent affordable options, and everywhere people were kind, helpful, and friendly. Bali remains one of our favorite destinations ever, having been to more than 50 countries! The rest of Indonesia is also fascinating, so if you have more time, explore the rest and check out my article on the rest of Indonesia.
If you want your trip planned out hour-by-hour for you, click here for my detailed two week Bali itinerary as a clickable PDF. Happy traveling!
