Traveling through Bali is a phenomenal experience. The sheer beauty of this island will blow you away and the kind people will make you feel right at home. There are so many different activities and sights to see that you are sure to find something you love. Keep reading for the best places to visit in Bali and how we explored the island on a motorbike!
South Bali
If you are looking to relax, surf, party, or shop then this is the place for you. Keep in mind that this is one of the most popular places to visit in Bali; which also makes it the most touristy. If you`re looking for a more authentic experience you`ll want to head north after a few days!
Highlights
Try Surfing
Jalan Bypass Nusa Dua is a road on the south tip of Bali that will take you to all of the best surf spots. These spots run along a limestone peninsula called the Bukit. Padang-Padang beach is welcoming for beginners and full of surfers with varying levels of experience. Uluwatu surf break is famous for its huge waves. You can spend an evening at the Single Fin Bar watching some super impressive surfers do their thing.
The other surf spots along this road are Bingin Beach, Balangan Beach, Dreamland Beach, Impossibles, and Suluban Beach. Kuta and Legian beach are farther north and great for beginners. It costs 50,000-10,000 IDR/hour ($3.75-$7.50 USD) to rent a surfboard at most beaches you go to.
Help Out With The Kuta Beach Sea Turtle Project
The Kuta Beach Sea Turtle Project is an organization that protects turtles from threats they face on the beaches (predators, tourists, pollution, etc.). The eggs are relocated to a sanctuary until they hatch. From April to October you can help them release the baby turtles back into the ocean once they are born!
Visit Uluwatu Temple
A beautiful temple on the south tip of Bali. Go early in the morning or later in the afternoon to beat the crowds and the heat. Entrance is $40,000 IDR ($3 USD) and sarongs are provided to cover your knees. The traditional Kecak & Fire Dance is an awesome experience if you have the time and money; it starts daily at 6 pm and costs an extra 100,000 IDR ($7.50 USD).
Food
Kelly`s Warung: Offering great views of Bingin Beach right off the balcony and amazing fresh food! The menu consists of smoothies, wraps, salads, and much more.
Single Fin: One of my favorite places to visit in Bali because of the atmosphere and amazing view of the beach. You can watch surfers while enjoying the sunset and a great meal. Pizza, burgers, Indonesian food, and drinks are the highlights of the menu.
Rock Bar: The Rock Bar is somewhat pricey but worth it for the ocean views and upscale atmosphere. They serve a mix of Mediterranean and International cuisine with a creative drink menu.
Accommodation
Willy Homestay: 215,000 IDR ($16 USD/night) including A/C and breakfast. We really enjoyed being off the beaten path at this wonderful little homestay. You can rent a moped here for 50,000 IDR ($3.75 USD) per day to go surfing, go to the beaches or go exploring.
Ubud
Ubud is so rich with culture and there is yoga, organic food and shopping everywhere you go! Plan to stay here for at least a couple days; it is sure to be one of your favorite places to visit in Bali!
Highlights
Whether you are hiking up volcanoes, exploring waterfalls, or enjoying the Balinese food; there is no shortage of things to do in Ubud. Some highlights include the Campuhan Ridge Walk, The Tegallalang rice terraces, and Tukad Cepung Waterfall.
Related: The 10 Best Things to Do in Ubud
Food
Melting Wok Warung: This place was absolutely delicious! They have a new feature board every day with traditional Balinese dishes.
Biah Biah Balinese Restaurant: This tapas style restaurant is the best way to try all different types of Indonesian food. Its great for sharing and you cant beat the prices.
Mama`s Warung: The menu tells you all about Mama and her story. The great food and value for you money make this hidden jem worth a visit!
Soma Restaurant: Delicious oven fired pizza, big salads, wraps, and vegan options. Try the smoothies and desserts!
Accommodation
Umah Dajane Guesthouse: 215,000 IDR ($16 USD) /night. A beautiful private room and bathroom with a patio that you eat breakfast on in the morning. It`s a 10-15 minute walk to the Main Street but the rooms are beautiful, the breakfast is delicious and the owners are amazing! They were so helpful and genuinely caring; we felt like we were staying with family.
Bulan Bali: 187,000 IDR ($14 USD) per night. Another excellent choice for a guesthouse not far from Umah Dajane. We felt completely safe walking around the neighborhood and the rooms are adorable with balconies and breakfast included.
From Ubud, we took off on a 5 day motorcycle trip around the northern half of Bali. Our homestay in Ubud allowed us to store most of our luggage with them so we only had to bring 1 backpack on the motorbike. We drove north to Lovina which takes about 2 hours; but there are tons of great places to stop along the way.
Related: Guide to Renting a Motorbike in Bali
Try a Smoothie at The Strawberry Farm
Stop at the Strawberry Farm to stretch your legs and get a fresh strawberry smoothie! There`s a great view and when the farm is open in the summer you can pick your own berries.
Have Some Fun at The Treetop Outdoor Park
The Treetop Outdoor Park boasts multiple circuits with suspended bridges, Spider Nets, Tarzan Jumps, a Flying-Fox, and Flying Swings! It costs 290,000 IDR ($22 USD) if you book ahead of time and you can stay for the entire day or just a few hours.
Explore Pura Ulun Danu Bratan
This gorgeous temple is becoming a trademark image of Bali. The structure over the water is beautiful and the gardens are really unique. Entrance is only a few dollars and you can walk around for as long as you like. Try to go on a clear day for some stunning photos!
Munduk Moding Plantation
This infinity pool is in so many blogs we had no choice but to check it out! The Munduk Moding Plantation is unreal with its private yurts, great views, and if you book in advance you won`t spend a fortune (around $150 USD/night). If you wait too long to book or don’t have the budget to stay; you can stop in for lunch to enjoy the million dollar view and some fantastic food.
After stopping into the Munduk Moding Plantation we continued north. The road between here and Lovina is absolutely stunning; so make sure you plan a little extra time to enjoy it!
Lovina
Lovina is a small town on Bali`s northern coast offering a few amazing experiences. The drive over the mountain and into Lovina gives you spectacular views and all the beaches here have dark volcanic sand. Give yourself 1-2 days in this quaint little town.
Highlights
Wake Up Before The Sun To Go Dolphin Watching
Numerous hotels and companies in Lovina offer this really cool experience. You get up around 5:00 am and head down to the water for sunrise. The dolphins will jump, do flips, and play around the boat. Getting to see them in their natural habitat (with a gorgeous Indonesian sunrise as a backdrop) is really spectacular. You can easily get this tour for $80,000-100,000 IDR ($6-$7.50 USD) per person.
Jump 45 Feet into Aling-Aling Waterfall
Aling-Aling Waterfall was one of our favorite places to visit in Bali. From Lovina it`s a 20 minute motorcycle ride through a few villages and beautiful rice fields. The booth at the top of the road will tell you that if you pay the entrance fee of $25,000 IDR ($1.90 USD) you can view the waterfalls but you must not go in the water. Then they will recommend you pay a much higher price to have guides take you in the water – this is a scam.
Pay the small entrance fee and tell them you will not go in the water. At the falls the local guides will ask for $80,000 IDR ($6 USD) which is about ⅓ of the price at the top. First you go down a ‘waterfall slide’ where the water has smoothed out the rock. Then you can jump from waterfalls 5, 10, and 15 meters high. It`s stunning and exhilarating and the guides did a great job of making us feel comfortable.
Food
The Secret Garden: An outdoor courtyard serving Italian, Indonesian, Seafood, and vegetarian options. Check this place out for great food and an awesome atmosphere.
Warung Lina: A hole in the wall local restaurant serving cheap and tasty local food.
Accommodation
The Hamsa Resort: $400,000 IDR ($29 USD) per night for a private hut with A/C. A great view and awesome infinity pool only 5 minutes up the hill from Lovina. They have their own restaurant as well as a yoga deck overlooking the pool area.
From Lovina we drove a few hours east to Amed. This stretch along the northern coastline offers some great views and the road is well maintained.
Related: Guide to Renting a Motorbike in Bali
Amed
A small town on the east coast of Bali which is famous for diving and snorkeling. There are many shops and restaurants that back onto the beach along the main road.
Highlights
Stand in the “Gateway to Heaven” at Pura Lempuyang Temple
The “Gateway to Heaven” is absolutely breathtaking! On a clear day you can see Mount Agung in the background and on a cloudy day you seam to be standing right into the clouds.Entrance to this temple is by donation and the guides will give you a map and tell you a bit about the history.
There are 7 temples along a path to the top which includes over 2000 stairs. If you plan to climb them; make sure to go early in the morning so you’re not hiking in the heat. The bottom two temples are the biggest and most impressive so even if you don’t want to do all the stairs it’s worth a visit!
Tour Tirta Gangga (The Water Garden)
A great place to stop for a few hours while backpacking Bali. Enjoy a water garden with fountains, temples, bridges and beautiful flowers. The price to get in is 30,000 IDR ($2 USD).
Try Scuba Diving
Amed is known for diving with an emphasis on its macro life. Most beaches have dark volcanic sand which gives great contrast to the bright reefs and sea creatures. There are so many dive and snorkel shops to choose from; 1 dive is around 600,000 IDR ($45 USD) and 2 is around 900,000 IDR ($70 USD). It is also a great place to learn how to free dive if that interests you.
Food
Galanga Restaurant: This was my favorite restaurant in Amed! You sit in individual huts in a garden with lights strung up all around. They have a ton of options including traditional Indonesian, burgers, wraps and some creative vegan food. The milkshakes and desserts are to die for!
Amed Harmony Cafe : This places serves really good food at very reasonable prices. Most of the veggies are grown in their garden and the seafood is local and fresh.
Accommodation
Amed Harmony Cafe and Bungalows: 267,000 IDR ($20 USD)/night including breakfast. You get your own private yurt with an outdoor shower and A/C. They have a herb and vegetable garden throughout the property, an awesome restaurant and a pool!
From Amed you can take a boat over to the Gili Islands and Lombok. The price is about 250,000 IDR and it takes 1.5-2 hours.
Related: Our 7 Favorite Things to do on Gili Trawangan
We hope you enjoy your time traveling through this beautiful island. Feel free to contact us with any question or comment below with your favorite places to visit in Bali!
motorcycle dancer
Hello, I log on to your blogs regularly. Your writing style is awesome, keep doing what you’re doing!
David&Cayleigh
Thank you so much! Glad to to hear your enjoying it.