Which routes to take first, what you can combine in one day and what is better kept apart. A breakdown from people who live on the island.
The biggest planning mistake is opening a list of sights and trying to see everything. Bali looks small: 150 kilometres from west to east. In reality those 150 kilometres mean six hours on the road, because speeds on the island rarely go above 40 km/h.
So the logic is simple: not “what to see” but “what to combine in one day”. Let’s go through it by geography.
The centre: Ubud and around
The cultural heart of the island. Rice terraces, the monkey forest, temples, workshops, the market. It also has the richest food scene and the best spas.
Ubud — the heart of Bali (from $105) fits perfectly into one day: terraces, temples, monkeys and a waterfall in a single trip. If you want something active, nearby there is rafting on the Ayung River or a cooking class, where you learn to cook Balinese food from scratch.
The north: lakes, waterfalls, dolphins
The greenest and coolest part of the island. Here you find water temples, mountain lakes and real waterfalls — not the ones reached by a 300-step staircase straight from the car park.
- Water temples + alpacas (from $120) — Ulun Danu Bratan and an animal farm, a big hit with children.
- Sekumpul Waterfall and the Jatiluwih terraces (from $130) — the most beautiful waterfall on the island and UNESCO-listed terraces.
- Lovina and dolphins (from $195) — a sunrise boat trip to see dolphins in the wild.
The east: temples and old Bali
The most authentic part. Fewer tourists, more real Balinese life. East Bali (from $100) means the “Gates of Heaven” at Lempuyang, the Tirta Gangga water palace and views of Mount Agung.
An important point about Lempuyang: the famous reflection photo is not taken over water but with a mirror held under the lens. It isn’t a trick — that’s simply how the shot works. And there is a queue for the gates, sometimes an hour or an hour and a half. You need to arrive at opening time.
The south: beaches, cliffs and sunsets
The most touristy part of the island — and the most convenient logistically, because everything is close together. South Bali (from $100) combines the GWK statue, the clifftop Uluwatu temple with a Kecak dance, and a seafood dinner on Jimbaran beach.
A separate story is the beaches of the Bukit (from $90): Melasti, Padang Padang, Nyang Nyang. White sand and cliffs that look nothing like the rest of Bali.
Volcanoes: a category of their own
Batur is the main volcano for visitors, and there are several ways to go up:
- Kintamani (from $110) — no climb: a view of the volcano and the lake from a viewpoint, plus the Tirta Empul springs. A relaxed option for any age.
- Batur by jeep at sunrise (from $190) — you leave at night and watch the sunrise from the top without hiking.
- A sunrise hike — for those ready to walk for two hours in the dark.
What all three have in common: you set off at 2–3 a.m., and it is genuinely cold at the top, +10…+15 °C. Everyone forgets this — more in our article on common tourist mistakes.
What not to combine in one day
Rules we have worked out over hundreds of trips:
- A sunrise volcano and anything else. After a 2 a.m. start, the day is over by lunchtime. Planning a dinner show that evening is a bad idea.
- North and south. They are opposite ends of the island, 4 hours apart one way.
- Two temples with queues back to back. Lempuyang and Besakih on the same day means a day spent queuing.
The islands are separate trips
Nusa Penida, the Gilis, Komodo and Lombok are not half-day tours but full trips:
- Nusa Penida — a full day at least, two is better. Kelingking cliff and snorkelling with manta rays.
- The Gili Islands — two days at least. Three car-free islands, turtles and sunsets.
- Komodo — from 3 days. Komodo dragons, Padar Island, manta rays.
How many tours to book
A practical guide by trip length:
- 7 days — 2 tours. The rest for settling in and the beach.
- 10–12 days — 3–4 tours, plus perhaps one island.
- 2 weeks or more — 4–5 tours and one or two islands with an overnight stay.
Always leave a free day between busy ones. The heat and the roads in Bali are more tiring than they seem at the planning stage.
If you don’t want to put this puzzle together yourself, we’ll build a route for your dates, taking into account who is travelling and how much energy you want to spend. The full catalogue of Bali tours is on a separate page.
