After visiting Bali last summer, we fell head over heels with the island. There’s just something special about Bali – and honestly, it’s hard to describe it. Maybe it’s the island’s lush, green jungle, impressive infinity pools, and trendy beach clubs and cafes, or possibly even the exotic fruit blended into instagrammable smoothie bowls. But one thing’s for sure – we’ll definitely be heading back to Indonesia sooner than later.

We might even love it more than Thailand. And Hawaii. And maybe, just maybe, Japan (if that’s even possible).

I’ll put up with Bali’s horrendous traffic and possible minor gastro issues if that means I get to check everything off this super-comprehensive Bali bucket list. 

To make planning easier, I’ve organized this Bali bucket list by area. But do note that just because something doesn’t look too far on the map, doesn’t’ mean it’s a 5-10 minute drive. Unfortunately, Bali only has a few main roads, meaning you’ll probably have to backtrack a lot/go roundabout ways to get places. At least that was my experience!

I recommend hiring a private guide/driver to take you around in order to cross things off your Bali bucket list. Especially if you aren’t experienced with riding a scooter.

I’ve also got other information on Indonesia which you might find helpful!

• 10 Days in Bali: The ULTIMATE Itinerary
• 3 Days in Ubud: The Perfect Jungle Itinerary
• The Complete Guide to Komodo National Park
• How to Have the Best Few Days in Gili Air

So pack up your bathing suits, start looking for flights to Indonesia, and use this massive Bali bucket list to find the ultimate paradise.

The Ultimate Bali Bucket List

Ubud and Surrounding

1. Hold on tight and feel the breeze in your hair on the iconic Bali Swing Ubud with views of the lush rice fields and Balinese jungles below, made super popular by Instagram (add this photo op to your Bali bucket list) ✓

2. Check out the ancient elephant cave (from the 9th century!) and stone carvings of Hindu Gods at Goa Gajah Temple. Walk to the waterfall here, too!

3. Catch some light rays inside a cavern at Tukad Cepung Waterfall after getting a great workout walking down the rocky steps (best around 9am to see the sun beams)

4. Sip a fresh fruit juice smoothie or an iced chai latte (and maybe some food if you’re hungry) at Habitat Cafe Ubud, a modern Pan-Asian restaurant a few minutes from the Monkey Forest ✓

5. Be amazed by Kanto Lampo Waterfall, a seasonal waterfall cascading down a steep rock face (be careful if you take photos on the slippery rocks!)

6. Get your ohm on at sunrise at either the Ubud Yoga Centre, Yoga Barn, or Ubud Yoga House, two scenic studios with yoga classes and mindful meditation

7. Feed the monkeys and watch the little babies run around the grounds at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (although don’t get too close; they’re still wild animals!) ✓

8. Get pampered with a full-body massage, an exfoliating body scrub, and/or a herbal aromatic facial at Zen Bali Spa for a fraction of the price you’d pay anywhere else. There’s also floral, spice, and milk baths!

9. Have an eclectic dinner at Hujan Locale, known for their innovative, modern Indonesian food – all in a trendy space! (my favorite restaurant on this Bali bucket list) ✓

10. Try some Luwak coffee (made out of partially digested coffee cherries and defecated by civets) and a complimentary sampler of aromatic teas at Ceking Sari Luwak Coffee (perfect on any coffee lovers Bali bucket list) ✓

11. Take the steps down and cool off at Tegenungan Waterfall, a thunderous waterfall in a lush jungle setting

12. Soak in a flower bath filled with pink petals after getting a body scrub and Balinese massage at Karsa Spa, surrounded by stunning gardens

13. Go for a short trek along the lush rice paddies at the Tegalalang Rice Terrace, and be sure to admire the views along the way (one of the most iconic Bali bucket list items) ✓

14. Go for a meal or spend at the night in a treehouse at luxury eco-resort Bambu Indah, made entirely of bamboo

15. Get the best Indonesian BBQ of your life at Warung Pondok Madu (don’t miss the BBQ ribs and some banana pineapple juice)

16. Relax in a flower bath at Maya Ubud while drinking herbal tea and mini fruits with views of the rainforest ✓

17. Dine in an abandoned 737 plane at Keramas Aero Park, one of the most unique places to eat in Ubud 

18. Go for a swim and grab some drinks at the swim-up bar (Ubud’s first!) at the Folk Pool & Gardens 

19. Order an instagrammable smoothie bowl in a pineapple at Acai Queen (don’t miss the photo ops in the cafe) ✓

20. Indulge in a coconut-based dessert (or two, or three!) at Tukies Coconut Shop (there’s coconut ice cream with coconut shavings and coconut sugar – served in a coconut!) 

21. Go veggie for the day and order some inventive vegetarian fare (like Puspa’s pumpkin cakes) at the cash-only spot Puspa’s Warung 

22. Shop for the instagram-famous Bali bags, cotton sarongs, bamboo straws, and crochet tops at the Ubud Traditional Art Market ✓

23. Savor all 19 courses of the tasting menu at Restaurant Locavore and pair them with cocktails (or head to Locavore To-Go if there’s no space) ✓

24. Wander along the palms on the path at the Campuhan Ridge Walk at sunset with views of the sweeping hilltops (one of the most romantic things on this Bali bucket list) ✓

25. Brunch it up with some famous lava stone pizza at Milk & Madu Ubud, an airy and bright Aussie cafe near Ubud Palace 

26. End the night with relaxing foot massages for $5.50USD per HOUR at Kristina Ubud Spa (a must on ANY Bali bucket list) ✓

27. Go for a romantic  Japanese/Latin fusion meal at The Sayan House, and get some pre-dinner cocktails at sunset overlooking the lush valley below ✓

28. Watch an iconic Balinese dance performance at Ubud Palace; the costumes, dancing, and music are sensational

29. Walk the pathway leading to the Saraswati Lotus Temple, and check out the ornate architectural details and scenic lotus pond ✓

30. Sit near the koi pond and order some breakfast and a Bali berry tea at Clear Cafe

31. Feast on BBQ spare ribs at super-popular Naughty Nuri’s Ubud (the meat is so tender it falls off the bone!)

Canggu 

32. Watch the sunset at beachfront La Laguna Bali, a beach bar with a trendy Moroccan vibe (don’t miss the Sunday Gypsy Market)

33. Have a blast in the infinity pool (with swim-up bar) at Finn’s Beach Club, or hang around the airy bamboo club house, on the parasol-shaded daybeds, or beanbags on the sand

34. Party at the beer garden with a few Bintangs at Old Mans, with great happy hour specials and live music (get there early to get a seat for sunset)

35. Eat smoothie bowl breakfasts with rice field views at Milu by Nook (or order an Ultimate Burger with a charcoal bun for lunch/dinner – it’s the most popular dish!) 

36. Share a table at Satu-Satu Coffee Company and sip some cold brew while indulging in a Lady Gaga smoothie bowl

37. Take photos with all the wall art you can find along Batu Bolong Street, Canggu’s ultimate shopping street ✓

38. Walk on the black sand at remote Pasut Beach – it’s covered with tons of palm trees!

39. Shop ‘til you drop at The Love Anchor Weekend Bazaar, where you’ll find bamboo bowls, reusable straws, local art, and much more at this market (a must-do item on any shoppers Bali bucket list) ✓

40. Watch the sunset and listen to the waves at Tanah Lot during low tide, a traditional Balinese temple located on a small, rocky island!

41. Pimp your cone with a stroopwafel at Mad Pops Bali, a funky ice cream joint with the most delicious flavors ✓

42. Rent a board and learn to surf at Batu Bolong Beach, or just enjoy a cold coconut while listening to live music on the beach 

43. Check out The Organic Sunday Market, a small weekly market with local fruits and veggies, baked goods, organic coffees and chocolates, and fresh juices

44. Book a table at industrial-chic Fishbone Local for creative seafood dishes and house cocktails ✓

45. Listen to some chill music, enjoy some happy hour drinks, and watch the sunset and surfers at Echo Beach Club

46. Chow down on an insane number of satay sticks at Sate Babi Street Food – known to have the best satay in all of Bali

47. Ride the waves at Canggu Beach, or just sunbathe and then take in the sunset views

48. Grab a quick bowl of energy at Nalu Bowls, and make sure to try the peanut butter bowl if you’re looking for some nutty flavors

49. Spoil yourself with a smoothie and all-day breakfast at the super airy and super Aussie The Loft Canggu

50. Start your day with a coffee from Hungry Bird Coffee Roaster, easily the best coffee shop in town

51. Enjoy something eclectic at the trendy and open-air market and eatery, Beach Garden Organic Kitchen 

52. Hang out on the grass and order some creative cocktails at The Lawn, with direct views (and access) to the Canggu beaches ✓

53. Join the gym junkies at MOTION Cafe, and refuel with some heart-shaped pancakes, sweet potato waffles, and some blueberry cashew cheesecake 

Seminyak 

54. Go snap happy and take dozens of trick illusionist photos at the Dream Museum Zone (DMZ)

55. Order one of each at at KYND Community, a cute cafe basically made for instagram with its bubblegum walls (be sure to check out the ice cream shop next door) ✓

56. Relax under multi-colored umbrellas and bean bags in the sand with a bintang in hand at Double Six Beach

57. Spend the afternoon at KUDETA, with world-class dining, designer cocktails, and one of the best sunsets, plus international DJ’s on select nights (still on my Bali bucket list)

58. Fall asleep during a relaxing Balinese massage at Spring Spa (another location in Canggu)

59. Try one of each (especially the raspberry party floss pancakes) at Sea Circus, a creative taco joint with an interesting bathroom design (a Bali bucket list item for any foodie!)

60. Order trendy Mexican eats and cocktails (like dragon fruit margaritas and coconut pina coladas) at Motel Mexicola, a super instagrammable and colorful space that turns into quite a party at night 

61. Watch the sun go down amongst hundreds of colorful umbrellas and smoke some hookah La Plancha Bali

62. Buy some Bali beachwear at the Bali Boat Shed, housed in super-cute instagrammable huts 

63. Choose your adventure at Seminyak Beach; there’s loungers, horseback riding, bats, and a vibrant nightlife scene 

64. Swim around at Potato Head Beach Club’s seaside pool – a great place to spend your day and one of Bali’s most popular beach clubs

65. Spend the morning devouring breakfast at Coffee Cartel, a boutique coffee house with awesome latte art and refined bites ✓

66. Sip a fresh coconut and pink cinnamon tea at Balibola and order some over-the-top plates (the presentation is super impressive)

67. Buy some beans and/or cozy up with a coffee at Expat. Roasters, a speciality coffee brew bar that’s known for their amazing flat whites and single origin

68. Have some Nasi Campur for lunch in the middle of a rice field at Nook 

East Bali 

69. Wake up early and take that iconic photo at Pura Lempuyang Temple with Mount Agung in the background (don’t forget to explore the grounds and six other temples, too) ✓

70. Climb the 6 hours to Mount Agung before sunrise for the most spectacular view from the summit, an active volcano and the island’s highest peak (a must-do Bali bucket list item for advanced hikers)

71. End the day with a Bintang and watch the sunset along the cliff’s edge at Sunset Point

72. Marvel at the turquoise waters of the small and tranquil Bias Tugel Beach, only reachable by short trek

73. Watch the sunrise over Mount Agung and the rice fields at Bukit Cinta, a viewpoint on the side of the road heading to Lempuyang (a Bali bucket list item for any early riser!) ✓

74. Sip a creative cocktail with sweeping views at The Monkey Bar at Bella Vista, and maybe even take a dip in the stunning infinity pool afterwards

75. Snorkel at Jemeluk Bay’s underwater temple, the most popular snorkeling spot in East Bali, or head to Lipah and/or Selang Beach with hopes of spotting sea turtles and black tip reef sharks

76. Take in the sunrise from the summit of Mount Batur after a rewarding trek up, and then have some eggs cooked from the volcanic steam!

77. Say hi to the koi fish at Taman Tirta Gangga, and pick up some food before the entrance to feed them ✓

78. Sunbathe at Blue Lagoon Beach, then put on your snorkel and head under water

79. Study for your PADI license in Amed, one of the cheapest places in the world to get your certificate 

80. Throw on your oxygen tank and go scuba diving and explore ancient remains of shipwrecks, an underwater pyramid, a submarine mailbox, and tons of marine life off the coast of Amed  

81. Bathe in the holy water at Pura Tirta Empul, or just watch the locals do their thing ✓

82. Admire the architecture and beauty of Balai Gili, a former water palace built in 1909 with gardens and pools! Don’t miss the Taman Ujung Museum nearby!

83. Wander around Besakih Temple, a large, holy site with over 23 temples, some with impressive soaring spires

84. Soak in the cool waters of the Tibumana Waterfall pool, and smell the tropical flowers on your trek down ✓

North Bali 

85. Get a day pass for Munduk Moding Plantation Nature Resort & Spa and eat lunch around the famous infinity pool in the clouds (something that’s been on my Bali bucket list forever but I haven’t been able to just yet)

86. Watch the sunrise at Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, then take a rowboat out on Beratan Lake surrounding it 

87. Make the short trek down to Leke Leke Waterfall then stand on the rocks feeling the water mist in your face ✓

88. Stand on line for that iconic photo with the Bali Handara Gate (and believe it or not, it’s actually the entrance to a golf club!)

89. Head down then go swimming at Banyumala Twin Waterfall, a split waterfall plunging over rocks into a jungle pool

90. Get sprayed by the GitGit Waterfall chain and feel like Tarzan by rope jumping into the pools 

91. Up your IG game at Hidden Hills Wanagiri, filled the swinging nests and swings and other (mildly cheesy) photo ops over the lush Balinese forest

92. Swim in the natural pools of Aling-Aling Waterfall, with cliff jumping and sliding (one of the most adventurous Bali bucket list items on this list!)

93. Bathe in the sulphuric waters of Air Panas Banjar, a hot springs complex surrounded by tropical gardens 

94. Stand under three waterfalls at once at the Fiji Waterfall, the only triple waterfall in all of Bali

Jimbaran and Uluwatu 

95. Eat under string lights at Opai Bali, one of the most romantic dinner spots on this Bali bucket list!

96. Sip some cocktails and enjoy some appetizers while watching the sunset at the Rock Bar at the AYANA Resort and Spa ✓

97. Feel the waves at Balangan Beach and then ride your scooter to the Balangan Beach View to see the white-sand beach from above

98. Whip out your camera and take photos with the unique rock formations at Bingin Beach, then watch all the surfers do their thing

99. Dance the night away and eat pizza with a view at Single Fin Bali (a Bali bucket list item for any partier!)

100. Brave the crowds and explore Uluwatu Temple at sunset (make sure you stay for the traditional kecak fire dance to listen to the men’s chanting – it’s wild!) ✓

101. Stand on the limestone and explore the cave at Suluban Beach; just watch out for the monkeys!

102. Spend the afternoon partying 100 meters above the Indian Ocean at OMNIA Dayclub Bali, a swanky club perched atop a cliff

103. Take the funicular down to the beach and laze the day away under an umbrella at Sundays Beach Club (+ stay for the sunset bonfires!)

104. Jump off a cliff and go paragliding over Melasti Beach (adventure lovers – add this to your Bali bucket list!)

105. Hang out at Kubu Beach, the private beach area of the swanky AYANA Resort (make sure to take a photo on the swings!) ✓

106. Check out one of the last remaining “secret beaches” before it’s not a secret anymore at Nyang Nyang Beach (it’s a bit of a trek down which is also why it’s not so popular)

Nusa Islands

107. Crawl through a 2-meter long tunnel to get to the Giri Putri Cave Temple, a Hindu temple located inside a cave

108. Make your way down the 460 steps to reach a series of cascading spring falls, known as Peguyangan Waterfall

109. Take that iconic photo above Kelingking Beach (T-Rex!), made famous by Instagram, then make the treacherous trek down to the beach (a must-do Bali bucket list item for ANYONE visiting Nusa Penida!)

110. Float in a natural infinity pool at Angel’s Billabong, with emerald green hues and turquoise crystalline waters

111. Watch the waves crash onto the rocks and soar into the air at Smoke Beach

112. Jump into the hidden natural pools at Tembeling Beach

113. Stare face to face with a giant Manta Ray at aptly named Manta Bay (forever on my Bali bucket list)

114. Admire the fuzzy green hills known as Bukit Teletubbies (if you’re visiting during rainy season, add this to your Bali bucket list) 

115. Be blown away by the beauty as you walk down to Atuh Beach, a rustic isolated cove right under a cliff, with interesting rock formations

116. Ride the thrilling zipline over the cliffs with Abyss Zipline at Island Cove Resort (formerly Ceningan Island Resort)

117. Get a tan at Jungutbatu Beach, Mushroom Bay, and/or Crystal Bay Beach, the most popular beaches in the trio of tropical islands 

118. Throw on your fins and snorkel to meet the underwater Buddha at Temple Point in Crystal Bay 

119. Check out the arched tunnel in the cliffs at Broken Beach

120. Join the crowds and watch the waves crash over the rocky coves at Devil’s Tear – you might even spot a rainbow!

121. Stay in a treehouse above Atuh Beach at Rumah Pohon “Tree House”, just beware of instagrammers taking “the” photo on the ladder steps

122. Ride an underwater scooter and float over sea beds without needing any SCUBA experience near Ceningan Island

123. Get your blood racing and dive off a high cliff top into the ocean at Mahana Point Cliff Jump (a must on any daredevils Bali bucket list)

124. Be amazed by Seganing Waterfall, where the water flows directly from a cliff into the sea

Bali Bucket List Hotels 

This wouldn’t be a complete Bali bucket list without a section on all the utterly amazing out-of-this-world resorts and unique accommodations.

From rooms in the jungle made entirely out of bamboo, infinity pools overlooking the Indian Ocean, and private plunge pools with butlers, you could really spend a whole 10 days in Bali without even leaving your resort.

Here are a bunch of absolutely unbelievable hotels I found while I was planning my trip and researching for this Bali bucket list. Now I have about 15 more spots I wanna stay in next time – hotel hop, anyone?!

125. Spend the entire day in your posh Balinese villa, but make sure to indulge in the cascading pool at the Hanging Gardens of Bali — made famous on IG (Ubud)

126. Wake up to rainforest views from your 4-poster bed, then have breakfast overlooking the insane infinity pool and splash around in your private plunge pool at the Komaneka at Tanggayuda (Ubud) ✓

127. Spend a night in a rustic treehouse completely made out of bamboo with rainforest views at Bambu Indah (Ubud) 

128. Check into the Munduk Moding Plantation Nature Resort & Spa, a coffee plantation with an infinity pool in the clouds (Munduk)

129. Kiss your sweetie in the middle of a rice field in an eco-cottage or bamboo villa at Hideout Bali. Pure jungle magic — just make sure you’re not afraid of the bugs! (East Bali)

130. Stay next to a black sand beach in a chic villa at luxury resort Soori Bali, complete with private pools and posh amenties (Canggu)

131. Look out your window overlooking the pool and ocean at Six Senses Uluwatu, a high-end resort with 3 restaurants and 3 pools! Don’t miss the Sunday Lobster Bruch! (Uluwatu)

132. Get private beach access (with a super instagrammable swing) and guaranteed entrance to the rock bar for sunset at the super swanky AYANA Resort and Spa (Jimbaran) ✓

133. Have dinner in a bird’s nest and get a spa treatment in the middle of a mango tree at Kupu Kupu Barong Villas & Tree Spa. Pure luxury in the middle of the jungle! (Ubud)

134. Climb the steps to your tree house at Rumah Pohon Tree House, just watch out for all the influencers taking that famous photo on ladder steps. I’ve heard one night is enough. (Nusa Penida)

135. Say hello to your sophisticated upscale villa with plush interiors and private pool at The Edge Bali Villas, then visit the spa in the shallow pool for a massage. Don’t miss the 360 pool! (Uluwatu)

136. Swing on your own private swing overlooking the Balinese rain forest, and enjoy your open-air villa at Zen Hideaway (Ubud)

137. Feel like a baller at The Elysian Villas Resort, with private plunge pools, pool-side dining, and complementary massages (Seminyak) ✓

138. Swim in the beachfront infinity pool and then relax in your balcony bathtub at The Legian Bali, a cool beach resort with trendy vibes (Seminyak)

139. Laze the day away in your giant hammock with direct views of the rice fields in the Pyramid Villa or Bamboo Villa at Camaya Bali (East Bali)

Psst: If you’re planning a trip to cross things off your Bali bucket list, you might like these too:

• 10 Days in Bali: The ULTIMATE Itinerary
• 3 Days in Ubud: The Perfect Jungle Itinerary
• The Complete Guide to Komodo National Park
• How to Have the Best Few Days in Gili Air

Hope this helps you plan an epic trip to the islands! What’s still on your Bali bucket list and what are some of your favorite things to do in Bali?!

The post The Ultimate Bali Bucket List: 125+ Epic Things to Do in Bali appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

The Gili islands are full of exquisite white sandy beaches, curious sea turtles, coconut palms, and more puka shells you’ve ever seen. It’s an absolute paradise and then some.

And being so close to Bali, you’d be crazy to miss out on these little islands during your stay in Indonesia, which is why I included it on our 10 day Bali itinerary! 

I promise you – after a few busy days in Bali, the Gili’s will feel like a breath of fresh air since you don’t have to do much to have a good ole time here. Think pool, beach, snorkeling, fresh fish, lots of cheap Bintangs, and 1 hour massages for $7 on repeat.

The Gili Islands are becoming one of Indonesia’s most popular destinations, so get here now before the masses. I mean, some even call it the “Maldives of Southeast Asia”, an area I’m dying to get to.

With the island’s laid-back, beachy vibe, inexpensive accommodations, lack of motorized traffic, and absolutely stunning sunsets, I get why they’re becoming so incredibly popular. 

This exceptional slice of paradise should be on every beach-lovers bucket list. Let’s dive right in!

Introduction to The Gili Islands

The Gilis (translated to “small islands” in the local Sasak language) are a group of 3 tiny idyllic islands located off the northwest coast of Lombok in the West Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. There are actually more small islands nearby, but most travelers refer to the Gilis as Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Gili Meno. 

All three islands boast white sandy beaches dotted with palm trees, plentiful coral reefs, tropical cocktails, a laid-back beachy vibe, and spectacular sunsets, so it’s hard to choose wrong.

However, although we’re talking about things to do in Gili Air in this blog post, there are some main differences that are important to highlight. This way, you can decide for yourself which island you think suits your style best. But psst – it’s super easy to take a day trip to the other islands, as they’re all relatively close by speed boat.

Gili Trawangan: Gili T (what it’s commonly called) is the largest and most developed of the three islands. It has a great food scene, complete with the Trawangan Night Market (a must-do if you’re nearby). 

And plus, it’s the westernmost Gili Island, so you can ensure the sunsets are nothing less than extraordinary.

Gili T is typically associated with loud late-night wild parties, with beach parties almost every single night, going well into the early morning. Because of this, you’ll find tons of foreign tourists looking to have a good time. If that’s not your thing, no worries (it’s not ours), you’ll probably like Gili Air or Meno better.

Gili Meno: Unlike Gili T, Gili Meno is great for honeymooners and those looking for a more private island experience. It’s the smallest and least developed of the three islands, with a handful of restaurants, a lesser number of tourists, a turtle sanctuary, and some of the best snorkeling in the area.

Plan to laze around in a hammock, read a book, and play chess with the locals. Looking to escape? Gili Meno may be just what you’re looking for.

Gili Air: We chose to stay on Gili Air, and LOVED our few days here (honestly, it was just the best, minus the cidomos, which I’ll talk about later).

Gili Air is a good balance between the other two, meaning its definitely developed but not as super touristy and rowdy as Gili T, but has more going on than the quiet Gili Meno. There are numerous restaurants to choose from, a handful of dive schools, and local boutique shops.

You’ll still find lots of locals residing on Gili Air, in traditional and authentic villages and huts, with locally produced goods and crafts for sale.

And plus, Gili Air is the closest of the three to Lombok, so supperrr easy to get to if you’re coming from the main island, only taking about 15-20 minutes (like we were since we had flown in after spending a few days in Komodo National Park).

When to Visit Gili Air (Crowds and Weather)

Being a tropical island and all, the temperatures don’t change much throughout the year. You’ll find high temps of 75 – 90 degrees F and lots of sunshine no matter what, so bring along that sunscreen! It’s hot and sticky year round (helloooo high humidity), although cloud cover does change depending on when you visit.

Do note that Gili Air (and the Gilis in general) experience two distinct seasons: wet and dry, like most of SouthEast Asia. There’s never a horrible time to visit, but I’ve provided a bit more detail about the different seasons below.

Peak Season: June – August, and December – January

The months of June – August and December – January (particularly around the holidays) are by far the busiest months of the islands, so be sure to book hotels in advance. Yes, the prices surge and it may be quite windy, but you’re basically guaranteed beautiful blue skies and sunny weather.

For reference, we visited in mid-July and couldn’t have asked for better temps – it was perfect bathing suit weather and we basically lived in our sunnies and shorts.

Shoulder Season: May and September

If I had to pinpoint the absolute best time to visit Gili Air and the islands in general, the months of May and September win by a long shot. Not only have the crowds either not shown up just yet (May) or have dissipated (September), but you’ll find more reasonable prices and still typically dry weather.

Wet season: late October – late March

If a bit of rain doesn’t scare you, a visit to the Gilis during the wet season may not be all that bad. Besides being especially quieter during this time of year (apart from Christmas and New Years of course), it hardly rains all day. You’ll typically find short bursts of rain in the afternoon, with many blue skies before and after.

With that being said, you’ll want to plan your beach time in the morning to avoid possible showers (and thunderstorms) later on in the day.

Do note that the water visibility will be slightly less than during the dry season, so just something to keep in mind if you’re planning on doing a lot of snorkeling and/or diving.

How long to stay on the Gili Islands

We stayed just two nights on Gili Air, and probably would have enjoyed a third. With that being said, we spent the majority of our time on Gili Air, and didn’t take day trips to the other islands (besides Gili Meno for a short lunch during our snorkel tour). If you really want to slow down and find the ultimate relaxation you’re craving, I’d suggest 4-5 days. 

Also – remember: if you’re planning on getting your PADI certification here, you’ll most likely need to devote 2-3 days to doing just that, plus 24 hours after your last dive before you can fly back to Bali (or wherever your travels may take you).

How to Get to Gili Air

Note that there are no airports within the Gili Islands, with the closest one being in Lombok (the island directly east of the Gilis). This just means you’ll have to arrive by boat!

Pro-Tip: most boats pull up on the beaches, but you’ll probably need to wade ashore. Probably not a good idea to wear sneakers on this journey!

Bali to Gili Air:

There are a few different boat/ferry companies to take you to the Gili Islands, but I highly encourage you to book a fast boat with Blue Water Express. They are a very reputable company, and after experiencing some pretty rough seas (I still can’t believe we went out – those swells were insane), I’m so glad we didn’t take the public boat. Yes, Blue Water Express is obviously more expensive, but so worth it to me for the 1-2 hour boat ride (plus free pickup at your hotel if I recall). 

FYI – if you’re traveling in July/August (like we were), the waters in the Lombok Strait (connecting Bali and Lombok) may be particularly bumpy (due to intense southern winds), so bring along some medicine if you’re prone to sea sickness.

Although there’s usually an early morning option, I’d opt for the later one around 11am, so you don’t need to rush for checkout (and plus, you’ll have enough time on the Gili’s if you follow this Bali itinerary, I promise). Depending on where you’re staying in Bali the night before, you can choose to depart from either South Bali (Serangan Harbor) or East Bali (Padang Bai). 

Other popular/established fast boat options from Bali include Eka Jaya Fast Boat and Scoot Fast Cruises. I’d choose one of those if tickets on Blue Water Express are sold out.

Psst – traveling during high season? Book your ferry ticket in advance as they are known to sell out for weeks.

If you’re looking to save a few bucks, you can take the public ferry (if you must). However, be prepared for a super long day. You’ll first need to take a boat from Padang Bai to Lombok, which takes about 5 hours, and then take a taxi to the port and then another ferry to the Gili Islands.

So much of a hassle, and if you’re on a tight schedule, not an option I recommend, considering total travel time is about 8 hours (compared to 2-3 hours when booking yourself on a fast boat ferry company, like above).

Lombok to Gili Air:

Follow this plan if you’ll already be exploring Lombok, as it doesn’t make much sense otherwise (i.e. if you’re coming directly from Bali). Public ferry boats to the Gilis leave from Bangsal Harbor, whereas the more expensive (albeit very popular) speed boat charters leave from Teluk NareTeluk Kade. Like the route from Bali to Gili Air, you’ll find fast boats to be more comfortable and much quicker than the public ferry.

We actually headed to the Gili’s from Komodo via Lombok, so flew into Lombok International Airport and had a private driver pick us up and drive us to Teluk Nare, where we had a charter waiting for us.

How to Get Around Gili Air

You may be surprised to hear that there are no motorized vehicles (or paved roads!) on any of three Gili Islands. And yes, I absolutely loved it! You’ll find everyone biking and walking around the islands, as well as taking horse carts from time to time (called cidomos by the locals).

And thankfully, many hotels provide bike rentals free of charge, including our hotel, The Pink Coco.  The islands are small enough to just bike and walk, but you may wanna take a cidomo to help transport your luggage.

When we first arrived by ferry to the Gili Air port, we took a horse cart to carry us and our luggage to our hotel, the Pink Coco. We learned later that day that the walk takes about 20 minutes without bags (alongside the beautiful beach), although through some sandy spots, so it wouldn’t have made for an exciting afternoon lugging our stuff there.

I was honestly pretty upset with the conditions of the horses and how they were treated. At times I saw the cart drivers use whiplashes to keep the horses in check, which was quite disturbing to say the least (and broke my heart).

Because of this, we opted to walk as much as we possibly could, only using the horses twice – to and from the port with our luggage (and even then that felt like too much). 

What to Pack 

You guessed correctly – you’ll need to pack similarly to any other tropical island getaway. Don’t forget your swimsuits, light/airy clothing (it gets hot here!), sunglasses, reef-safe sunscreen, and mosquito repellent/bug spray. A dry-bag’s a good idea if you’ll be doing any boating, including snorkeling and/or diving.

Women will need to wear cover ups over bathing suits, so packing a sarong or two would be particularly helpful. Ladies, bring tampons if you’ll need them, as I heard they’re pretty tough to find in town.

In addition, it’s important to note that there are no hospitals on any of the Gili Islands, so be sure to bring any medications you may think you’ll need for your trip, including a dose of antibiotics in case you get the dreaded Bali Belly (food poisoning). There are clinics and pharmacies, however supplies are limited with no options.

Gili Air Accommodation: Where to Stay

Accommodation on the Gilis in general are pretty basic, and you won’t find many luxury hotels or chain options over here. While the hotels were MUCH more developed than the beach huts we stayed in over on San Blas in Panama, they still seemed to be lacking some amenities we’d typically find in the states, although there’s tons of variety for what you’re looking for.

And thankfully, most of the accommodation options on the islands are budget-friendly, with most being under $100/night and plenty under $50.

*You’ll need to decide which island you want to base yourself on (outta 3 main ones). We chose Gili Air, and loved our decision.

For reference, there’s Gili Trawangan (commonly called Gili T), which is the largest, liveliest, and most developed island, with tons of late-night beachside parties and lots of drinking (apparently).

Gili Air, where we stayed, is a bit more low-key, but there’s still a whole slew of restaurants, bars, and relaxed nightlife (think listening to live music on the beach in some bean bag chairs while sipping some Bintangs – the local beer).

And finally there’s Gili Meno, the smallest of the islands, for those who just wanna get away from it all (it’s by far the quietest of the bunch without much nightlife).

Where we stayed: PinkCoco Gili Air

To say we fell in love with the Pink Coco is a huge understatement. There’s just something about it that we found ourselves drawn to immediately. From all the pink accents to the breakfast overlooking the beach, it was the perfect place to rest our heads while on Gili Air.

And plus – all the staff were especially helpful and accommodating (when we had a mishap with our bags). It didn’t hurt that our room was just steps from the scenic pool, which was covered in palm trees and where we spent the bulk of our time while on the islands. HIGHLY recommended, and one of my husband’s favorite hotels of all time (his words).

In high season (mid-July), I think we paid about $85 per night at the Pink Coco Gili Air, which we thought was an absolute steal considering how beautiful the pool area was.

Other places to stay on Gili Air: Captain Coconuts Gili Air (super lush), Jago Gili Air (new and modern), and Slow Villas (a chic, rustic feel). 

A few important notes on culture over here

• The Gili Islands are Muslim, so be sure to cover up once you leave the beach. No bikinis are allowed in the town area. And definitely not any topless sunbathing (highly, highly frowned upon – please, be respectful)! Plan to dress comfortably yet somewhat conservative.
• Most shops will kindly ask you to remove your shoes before entering. Please be respectful and do so.
• And just FYI, you’ll hear the Mosque calls of prayer a few times throughout the day. 

Extra Gili Air tips: 

• There are a few ATMS on the island. However, I’d still bring some cash with you. You never know when they won’t work or run out of cash to dispense (yes, it happens on occasion).
• You cannot drink the water – bottled is the way to go.
• There’s no police station (and therefore, no police officers) on the Gili’s, meaning that drugs (including but not limited to: mushrooms, marijuana, ecstasy, etc) are not hard to come by (and actually advertised on the street). Be smart!
• Power may go out on occasion (it’s a small island and they need to save electricity). Know that this is normal, and just go about your regular day.

• Wifi is not the strongest on the island, but you’ll find some cafes and restaurants have strong connections.
• Cows, chickens, and cats are everywhere. Let them be and be patient and let them cross if they’re in the road when you need to get by.
• There’s also flies everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Pack bug spray and reapply it often.
• Pack a dry bag for snorkeling. Just do it.

Things to do in Gili Air

1. Snorkel around the Gilis

No trip to the Gili’s would be complete without exploring its vast underwater world, so plan a day to go snorkeling! Gili Air actually means “water island” in Indonesian! You can either pre-book or book once you get to the island (we were spontaneous and booked the day before while walking to our hotel).

Book ahead here if you’d like to ensure a spot and not get jammed in on a beat up boat like we were (with janky masks and snorkels as well).

Most snorkel tours visit Turtle Point (for you guessed it, turtle spotting), near Gili Meno to see the underwater statues, and another spot or two with coral gardens to see a wide array of tropical fish. I saw a few turtles (my favorite) as well as tons of colorful fish.

A quick note on turtles and underwater life in general: NEVER attempt to chase/touch/pet/feed turtles, as human contact can give them diseases and make them sick. Admire these beauties, (and get your photos), but NEVER at the expense of the animal. PLEASE keep wildlife WILD. 

The area near the statues was unbelievably crowded, as there were quite a few boats there when we were. However, if you know how to free dive (dive below the water without your snorkel), you can easily escape some of the crowds on the water’s surface.

For reference, our boat left around 9:30am or so for snorkeling, stopped on Gili Meno for some lunch, and we returned back to Gili Air at our hotel around 3ish or so. It was the perfect few hours, and we were able to relax poolside before freshening up for a beachside dinner a bit later.

2. Go Diving

If you’re a diving enthusiast, you’ll absolutely LOVE the Gili’s. They’re a true divers dream come true, with all the opportunities to see impressive arrays of marine life. Think clownfish, barracuda, angelfish, triggerfish, pufferfish, and schools of damselfish over the corals.

Besides tons of colorful, tropical fish, there’s sea turtles, black and white tip reef sharks, manta and eagle rays, and the occasional whale shark. The conditions are great year round (including warm water, meaning no need for a wetsuit), there’s diving suitable for all levels, and an abundance of turtles. If that doesn’t make any diver happy, I don’t know what does. 

Popular dive sites in the Gili Islands include Shark Point (where you’ll have a good chance of spotting larger marine life, think moray eels, reef sharks, and huge green turtles), Turtle Heaven (for you guessed it – an insane amount of turtles), Simon’s Reef (with tons of barrel sponges and gorgonian fans usually with pygmy seahorses), and Deep Turbo (a favorite among many divers with its stunning coral garden).

For reference, a typical day dive will set you back roughly 540,000IDR (~$40USD), with night and other types of dives costing a tad more. If you’d like to pre-book, this option includes 2 dive sites and hotel transfers for a great price.

And even if you aren’t scuba-certified and wanna take a stab at diving, you can either try it out in the pool or do a discover scuba class (which I did in Santorini on our honeymoon years back!), which only takes ½ day. Practice in the pool is free, while a Discover scuba class is 950,000 IDR (~$70USD). Read more about Discover Scuba and sign up here.

3. Get your PADI certificate

The Gili Islands are the perfect place to get your PADI certificate, so if you’ve been toying with the idea of becoming an avid scuba diver, now’s your chance. It’s by far one of the best things to do in Gili Air, especially for all you water lovers. There’s a bunch of dive schools right in town, including Ocean 5 Dive, Manta Dive Gili Air, and Gili Air Divers. 

A “Scuba Diver” dive certificate takes two days to complete, consisting of theory, pool sessions, and 2 open water dives in the ocean (~4.5 million IDR = ~$330USD). If you want your open water course certificate (giving you full knowledge of scuba diving), it’ll take 3-4 days, depending on the dive shop, consisting of an additional few requirements (~5.5 million IDR = ~$400USD). 

And while you’re at it, why not join a reef and/or beach clean up with Ocean 5? We all gotta do our part to help the environment!

4. Shopping

Believe it or not, this tiny island has a handful of super cute beach and surf boutiques and beach front stalls.  You will definitely not find any malls or bustling markets.

However, what you will find is an eclectic mix of tropical-inspired beach wear, sarongs, bamboo hats, hand woven tops, coconut oil, casual summer dresses, handmade jewelry, and natural spa products.

Funny story (well, kinda); our bags got lost on the way to Gili Air from Komodo (the planes are tiny, it happens), and we therefore had no clothes. Off to the shops it was to buy bathing suits! I found the best stuff at Da Beach Shack, Sunkissed, and Kartini.

If you’re in need of toiletries, soft drinks, groceries, snacks, etc, head inland to Siti Store; it’s the largest grocery/convenience store in Gili Air.

5. Get Super-cheap massages on the beach

Who got hour-long foot massages 4 times in 3 days? This gal right here. Walk up and down the beach and you’ll come across numerous spas offering treatments such as back/neck massages, foot massages, mani/pedis, etc, all for ridiculously low prices. Think 100,000 IDR for 60 minutes of pure bliss (yup, that’s about ~$7USD).

We felt like we were in Thailand again and we were loving every second of it. There’s also a few more luxurious spas on the island, including Slow Spa Gili Air, which I’m dying to get to our next visit to Gili Air.

6. Listen to Late-night live music

Despite having a more laid-back party scene than Gili T, there’s still lots to do at night on Gili Air. I mean, what’s better than sipping a Bintang on a bean bag chair on the beach, while listening to live music for hours? Exactly – not much.

Throw back a few local beers, or sip on fresh coconuts and just relish in that sweet, sweet island life. A few spots known for their live music on Gili Air include: Sunset Zipp Bar, Bel Air, Cheeky Monkeys (a live DJ), Gili Lumbung, Puri Vida (reggae), Legend Bar (trance music), and Luckys (electronic). 

7. A meal (or happy hour) at Mowies Gili Air

While there are a few top foodie spots to check out while in Gili Air (more info below), you’ve gotta get yourself to Mowies. Here you’ll find lots of healthy choices (including plenty of vegan/vegetarian options), including juicy jackfruit tacos, nasi goreng, curries, tuna burgers, great smoothies, fresh juices, and cocktails.

The vibe is utterly amazing (I swear, the island is so chill), and you can watch the sunset/eat on bean bags.

8. Watch the Sunset on the West side of the Island

I swear, sunsets in Indonesia are some of the best on the planet – the entire sky lights up and everyone just stares in awe. On clear nights you’ll even see Bali’s Mount Agung off in the distance.

You’ll find a whole slew of beach bars and restaurants along the west coast for sunset. Great spots to watch include Mowies (considered to be #1 by expats), Ombak Gili Air, and Gili Lumbing.  You may even encounter fire twirlers, live bands, reggae tunes, outdoor movies, etc.

No matter where you watch, go a bit early for happy hour, snag a bean bag, and watch the fiery sun fall beneath the gentle waves. 

 If you’re a sucker for sunrises and sunsets like I am, please spend a few days in Komodo National Park before/after visiting Gili. So much magic.

9. Rent a bicycle and ride around the island

One of the best ways to see the island? Rent a bike! Since there are no motorized vehicles on the island, so many people (both locals and visitors) get around by renting bikes! I recommend a bike with fat tires as they go over the sand easier, and a basket to carry your snorkel/beach gear if you’ll be beach hopping.

It only takes about an hour to cycle around the perimeter of Gili Air, with lots of stunning views of Lombok’s Mt. Rinjani for a good portion of the ride. If you ride inland, expect to see a bunch of free-roaming cows and fields of palm trees.

Expect to pay about 70-100,000 IDR per day, ~$7USD, you can negotiate, especially if you have multiple people renting bikes and/or want to rent for a few days). Some resorts offer free bike rentals (including ours, The PinkCoCo).

10. Watch some Movies on the beach

Looking for a low-key night (or perhaps after sunset/happy hour and before lounging in front of live music)? Head to an outdoor beach cinema complete with multi-colored bean bags at either Ombak Paradise (on the west side) or Bel Air (on the east side) at 8pm on select nights (you’ll probably see flyers advertising which movies are playing).

Sounds like a good way to spend a few hours on the beach.

11. Take an Indonesian cooking class

Wish you could learn the secrets to the local cuisine? Think Mie Goreng (fried noodles with chicken), authentic peanut sauce, fried tempeh, and kelopon (a famous Indo dessert), and more. I so wish we had done this; hopefully next time!

And thankfully, there’s two cooking classes on the island to pick from: 

If you don’t mind venturing to the north, check out Hero’s class at Warung Sunny. For a super reasonable price of 250,000IDR (~$18USD), you’ll be taught local flavors by a local guy for over 2 hours in an unpretentious wooden shack.

If you’d rather stay in town, next to Oceans 5 Dive Resort, there’s Gili Cooking Classes. Depending on which class you sign up for you, you’ll make a delicious 3-6 course meal complete with famous Indonesian dishes. The classes start at 290,000IDR (~$21USD), so a great deal as well.

12. Swing over the ocean

I’m sorry, but you CANNOT come to Gili and not swing over the ocean. These swings have become an instagram sensation in recent years, and make for phenomenal photos! You’ll find a few walking along the beach, our favorite being the swing at PinkCoco (where we stayed).

Just be careful getting on, as you’ll need to wade through the water and rocky sand, and it’s harder than it looks during high tide. I fully expected there to be lines of instagrammers looking to take that perfect shot, but I was actually the first to get on!

Where (and what) to eat on Gili Air

For such a tiny island, there’s a great deal of Gili Air restaurants. Food is relatively cheap and plentiful, as are fruit juices, smoothies, coconuts, and local beers. 

For breakfast, we loved Coffee and Thyme (super cute setting) and Gili Bliss (for refreshing smoothie bowls). We had a nice breakfast at PinkCoco one morning overlooking the beach which I also loved. I heard good things about Aura Bowls and Breadelicious, but we didn’t have time to go (not enough mornings to try everything).

For lunch and dinner, we enjoyed meals at Mowie’s, and also heard that Captain Coconuts, Pachamama, Scallywags Beach Club, Chill Out Bar, Warung Mexicana, and Warung Sunny are especially tasty as well. You’ll also find a bunch of restaurants along the water serving up BBQ’d fish, caught just that day.

There’s a whole slew of local warungs both in town and around the island for super cheap meals. Be sure to try both Nasi Campur and Nasi Goreng, local dishes consisting of either rice or noodles with toppings (think noodles, eggs, chicken, tofu, veggies).

I hope this Gili Air travel blog was helpful! Are you visiting the islands soon?! Which of these things to do in Gili Air will you be adding to your must-do’s?! 

The post Things to do in Gili Air: Beachy Vibes, Fresh Cocos, and Island Life appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

Everyone visits Komodo National Park in Indonesia to see one thing and one thing only – the dragons. And for good reason – Komodo’s the only spot in the world to meet them! But what many don’t realize is that the Komodo islands are oh so much more than these giant monitor lizards. 

In our 3 days on our Komodo island tour, we swam and snorkeled in crystal clear turquoise waters, jumped into the Flores Sea from our two-story boat, watched millions of bats fly overhead at sunset, hiked up ~1,000 steps for the most spectacular sunrise views, and wandered/relaxed around pink sand beaches. 

We watched the sunrise and sunset in the same day, woke up to luminous blue waters surrounding our boat, drank fresh fruit juice at every meal, and forever gazed at green volcanic mountains jutting out of the sea.

To say our Komodo trip was nothing short of spectacular is an understatement – heck, we kiiiinda loved Komodo even more than we loved Bali (and we fell head over heels for that place).

There’s just something to be said about waking up to gentle waves, sailing to new islands and sandbars every few hours, witnessing the most dramatic sunset, and sleeping beneath the brilliant stars on comfy bean bags come nightfall. And then doing it alllll over again the next day.

Komodo National Park’s even been selected as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, along with already being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And this diverse location in Indonesia surely deserves all its accolades and then some! It’s downright dreamy.

However, planning a trip to the Komodo islands can be all kinds of confusing. If you follow my advice you’ll be visiting a whole slew of islands in the National Park, not just Komodo (which is the main island and the largest of them all).

After reading this lengthy guide (I know, I know, I’m beyond wordy), I hope it’s the one and only Komodo island blog post you’ll need to plan your trip. Am I missing something? Please let me know down below in the comments! I write these guides for you guys to have the best trip possible!

***Note that the Indonesian government will temporarily close Komodo Island in January 2020 to help preserve/protect the remaining dragons, with no reopening dates announced just yet. HOWEVER, don’t fret, ONLY Komodo Island will close to tourists (and thankfully not the entire National Park, there are numerous other islands).

You can still see Komodo dragons on Rinca Island (where we went), as well as visit all the other islands we visited (including Pink Beach, Padar, Kanawa, etc). We didn’t even go to Komodo Island on our Komodo tour (nope, not even once!). So yes, this means you can still take the same trip I did and see the same exact sights.

Komodo Trip Planning Logistics

Where is Komodo National Park anyways?

If you gave me a world map a few months ago, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you in the slightest bit where Komodo Island could be found. And to tell you the truth, I didn’t even know it was in Indonesia (facepalm; I can’t be the only one).

Now I can thankfully not only give the general vicinity of Komodo, but I can pin-point its exact location as well. How’s that for progress?!

If you haven’t figured this out by now (no judgements), Komodo National Park is part of the Indonesian archipelago.

It’s located between Lombok and Flores, and is a few islands east of everyone’s favorite, Bali. The park is comprised of three main islands: Komodo, Padar, and Rinca (you’ll probably visit all 3 on your Komodo tour), as well as 26 smaller, less frequented ones. 

When to Visit Komodo

Komodo essentially has two distinct seasons – the dry season and the rainy season.

This comes as no surprise, but you’ll want to visit Komodo National Park during the area’s dry season, occurring between April and December. The weather is pretty much perfect – not toooo hot, and with very little to no rain whatsoever. If you’re hoping for that lush greenery on the volcanoes, plan a visit between April and June, as you’ll find comfortable temps, cool, fresh air at night, and calm seas.

Do note that it’s technically most crowded in July and August, although we didn’t feel this much (except for our sunrise trek up Padar Island).

A visit during the rainy season (December to March, with February being the peak of monsoon season) will result in rainy, wet days, making walking paths uncomfortably muddy and difficult to trek around. Heavy rainfall, strong wind, and big waves are common, so avoid this time if that doesn’t sound your like idea of fun. 

And thankfully, no matter when you visit, you can see Komodo dragons. Do note that July and August is the height of Komodo mating season, meaning you may witness a male dragon fighting to get attention from a female. We actually saw two dragons mating, although they were doing their thang in private under a large structure, so we couldn’t really see much of the action. :p

Another dragon was guarding her eggs, although I don’t really know why they do so since they’re known to eat some of their young anyways!

How Long to Stay in Komodo

Many travelers opt to spend a few nights on a Komodo tour. We slept two nights on a liveaboard boat, and another two nights in Labuan Bajo (1 night before the Komodo island tour and one night afterwards), making our total trip 3 days (5 if you include arrival and departure days) and 4 nights.

And trust me – 3 days in Komodo is the perfect amount of time to witness the sunrise and sunset from the deck of the boat, numerous times. However, we could have stayed an extra few nights, it was that comfortable! 

With all that being said, I think spending 2 and a half days will suffice, especially if you booked yourself on a fully equipped Komodo tour package which takes you to the best spots in the National Park (like we did). We were thankful we had a ½ day to relax at our resort (the oh so beautiful Ayana Komodo) after trekking around in the hot hot sun for a few days.

And if you’re a serious diver, you’ll probably want to spend an extra day or so doing your thing, as Komodo is a haven for all kinds of underwater life. We unfortunately don’t our scuba certs, so I can’t report much on all things diving for ya.

How to Get to the Komodo Islands

Note that if the Komodo Islands are your final destination and you aren’t interested in spending a few days (or more) in Bali, you’ll first need to get yourself to Bali anyways. 

Komodo National Park is roughly an hour flight plus a 2 hour boat ride away from Bali, and although it’s kiiiinda a pain to get to, it’s 1000% worth it, and then some. Keep reading, you’ll see.

Coming from Bali → By Far The Best Option

If you’re headed to the Komodo Islands from Bali like we were, it’s easiest to hop on a quick 1 hour, 15 minute flight over. You’ll need to get yourself to Labuan Bajo on Flores Island, the main gateway to Komodo National Park.

Thankfully, there’s heaps of daily, nonstop flights available from Bali (DPS) to Labuan Bajo Airport (LBJ) on Flores Island. We ended up on a flight with NAM airlines for about $100 roundtrip, but note that there are also direct flights on Wings Air and Garuda Indonesia as well. 

And trust me – that flight over to the Komodo Islands will be one of the most scenic you’ll ever experience (atolls and reefs every step of the way, especially once you get closer to the National Park). Don’t give up your window seat for just anyone — I had my eyes peeled to the glass the whole time!

Once you’re on Flores situated in Labuan Bajo, the Komodo Islands are just a quick-ish boat ride away.

For visual learners like myself: Bali airport (DPS) → flight to Labuan Bajo (LBJ) on Flores Island → taxi into town → boat to Komodo Islands

Psst: you can actually take a ferry over to Flores from Bali, but a 36 hour trip through treacherous waters doesn’t sound very appealing to me.

Coming from Lombok → Possible, but not the best choice

If you’re coming from Lombok, you’ll also find flights as well, although many make a stop in Bali (kinda silly, but that’s airlines for ya). After doing a bit of research, it looks like there’s ONE direct flight on Wings Air per day, so snatch that up if you’re able to (check LOP → LBJ).

If you really prefer not to head back to Bali and can’t catch a nonstop flight, you can also take a 24 hour bus/ferry combo (ouch), or a 4 day/4 night snorkeling boat trip (with conditions which I heard aren’t all that great). Just come from Bali if you can.

How to Get Around Komodo National Park

*Psst: There are only a handful of hotels on the Komodo Islands (which get booked up quite far in advance), and you’re only allowed to visit Komodo Island with an official guide and park ranger.

Meaning you’ll absolutely 100% NEED to book a tour (this isn’t a DIY type of trip, although there are Komodo tours for all price points). There are plenty of options for staying in Labuan Bajo, don’tchu worry.

You’ve basically got two options when it comes to touring around Komodo National Park. And no, since Komodo National Park is an archipelago (a group of islands), you cannot drive around yourself (ha!). 

Option #1. Basing yourself in the town of Labuan Bajo (the main gateway for the park) and taking day trips to the different islands of Komodo.

If you’re choosing this option I’d highly recommend finding tours ahead of time and getting yourself on those. I mean, how often are you gonna be visiting Komodo National Park? Might as well get on the exact ones you want, right?

If you’re more of a last-minute planner (I most definitely am not), you can show up in Labuan Bajo and book tours directly in the town itself once you arrive, but there’s no guarantee your preferred dates will be available. My advice? Just book tours ahead of time for some peace of mind.

Tours to check out beforehand:

• Best of Komodo Island Hopping: You’ll 100% want to do a full day Best of Komodo tour (like this one or this one), as they go to a bunch of the hot spots, including Padar Island, Pink Beach, Kanawa Island, Taka Makassar, and of course, Komodo Island. If you only have time to do one tour during your time in Komodo, make it this one.

• Sunset tour at Kalong Island: Watching the flying foxes/bats (by the millions I might add) fly overhead at sunset is just one of those “must do” things in Komodo. Don’t miss it (book here).

• Komodo Diving: And if you’re a driver, definitely check this out. The underwater life in Komodo is just teeming with excitement – it’s a known hotspot for divers!

• Cave Tour on Flores Island:  If we had extra time I would have definitely wanted to take this cave tour on Flores Island near Labuan Bajo. There’s always a next time for us, but you can check it out now! And be sure to report back and lemme know how it is!

Option #2. Finding a Komodo island tour, inclusive of meals, island hopping, snorkeling equipment, and of course, accommodation on the boat.

This is essentially a complete Komodo tour package (meaning you don’t have to worry about a thing once you get yourself to Labuan Bajo). Most of these Komodo tours are 3 days and 2 nights, but you can easily find one for 1 or 3 nights instead, depending on your interests and time availability. Komodo island tours vary in price, with the average being approximately $100 or so per day.

Psst – As you could have guessed after reading about me gushing about the boat so much, we chose the second option and absolutely loooooved it. I can’t imagine staying in Labuan Bajo and missing out on boat life! For reference, we chose a 2-day/3-night liveaboard, and felt like it was the perfect amount of time. 

And now for some not-so-fun-yet-highly-necessary stuff:

HEALTH:

Malaria pills: Unlike Bali and other parts of Indonesia, you’ll want to talk to your doctor about taking malaria pills if you’re planning a trip to the Komodo Islands, as malaria is quite common in these parts of the country. Key words: talk to your doctor (I ain’t a doc and I don’t pretend to be one).

We both chose to take malaria pills – we figure, better to be safe than sorry (and plus, I typically get eaten alive, although I only managed to get a handful of mosquito bites on our trip #notcomplaining).

Vaccinations: The CDC states that all travelers to Indonesia should be up to date on routine vaccines (MMR, tetanus, chickenpox, pollo, flu shot).

In addition, it’s also wise to get the Hep A, Hep B, and typhoid vaccination as well (some of these are good for years, so if you plan to do a lot of traveling to other undeveloped countries, you’ll probably need them there – might as well get them now and keep yourself protected always). As always, talk to your doctor.

Water: Do note that you absolutely cannot drink the water in Labuan Bajo or the Komodo area in general; you’ll find that all hotels/restaurants and Komodo tours provide fresh drinking water (either bottled or from large treated water jugs).

Because of the unsafe water, Bali belly is quite common – which is just a fancy name for food poisoning. We had no problem while in Labuan Bajo or with the food on our liveaboard. You may want to ask your doctor for a prescription of Ciprofloxacin for serious travelers diarrhea in case you find yourself with any disturbing stomach issues. We always pack immodium as well, just in case.

SAFETY:

Travel insurance: Yes, you need this. I always recommend purchasing travel insurance before your trip. You never know what might happen (flight delays, lost baggage, illness), and travel insurance definitely helps with all of those unfortunate unexpectancies.

I highly recommend the company SafetyWing. I’ve recently been buying coverage with SafetyWing since they cover pandemic-related costs (which most travel insurance companies do not do).

Whenever we travel, we always buy a short term plan (depending on how many days/weeks we’ll be away) before leaving for any trip! Even if you don’t end up using it, peace of mind is 100% worth it in my opinion. Find plan options and pricing here (and at only a few bucks a day, there’s no excuse not to!) I always say, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford your trip. It’s that easy.

Dragons: I can’t have a safety section and not mention the dragons. I mean, they’re called dragons for a reason.

However, fear not; visiting them on Komodo Island isn’t as scary as I initially perceived it to be – we casually strolled around (with an official park ranger of course) and saw the dragons lazing on the grounds, caring about us humans for less than .2 seconds. It was actually a bit anticlimactic to tell you the truth (yet still terrifying at the same time).

Their diet mostly consists of deer (and other large-ish mammals like the water buffalo – yup!); however, Komodo dragons also occasionally attack humans, which is why it’s oh soooo very important to do EXACTLY WHAT YOUR GUIDE SAYS. With shark-like teeth and poisonous venom, a bite from a Komodo dragon can kill a person within hours.

I don’t say this to scare you (or deter you from visiting), I just want you to understand the significance of not following directions. Just stay with your guide at all times and you’ll be golden.

A Note for the Ladies: You may wanna plan your trip around your cycle/period/menstruation (whatever you wanna call it). The dragons can smell blood from miles away, and are more prone to attack. If you can’t alter your plans to fit around this time of the month, be sure to ask your guide/park ranger the best course of action.

It’s possible they may advise to skip a visit to see the dragons. This may seem silly, but it’s no joke! Komodo dragons occasionally attack humans, although this is relatively uncommon (and guides will use all precautions to keep visitors safe). I’m pretty sure one girl on our trip was on her period (I overheard her talking to our guide), and she said it was ok to come along.

While no one will be checking of course, I’d highly advise you to disclose this information to your guide just in case.

An Extra Note on the Komodo Dragons

Can’t visit Komodo National Park without hanging out with a few dragons, right?! These dinosaur-esque looking creatures are endemic to the Komodo Islands and are a very rare species, meaning you can’t see them anywhere else in the world! There are about 5,700 dragons left in the wild, and they’re all over here in this stunning part of Indonesia.

Being the largest and most lethal lizard on Earth, they can weigh as much as 300 pounds, with some growing as long as 10 feet! The dragons are not only carnivorous, but cannibalistic as well! Since the dragons are known to eat their young, not many survive, which is a prime reason for their endangeredness. 

As noted earlier, Komodo Dragons are dangerous creatures, so be sure to stay with your guide (always) and follow all their safety instructions. Below are clear instructions we were given:

• Never look a Komodo dragon directly in the eye
• Keep your head down
• Stay together with your group (at all times)
• One ranger leads the group while another is at the back end
• Walk only on the specified trail
• Never go to the bathroom alone

Where to Stay on Labuan Bajo

If you’re planning to book a liveaboard Komodo tour like we did (sleeping on the boat and all that jazz), you’ll need to sleep in Labuan Bajo the night before. You don’t really have a choice, as flights don’t arrive early enough and you definitely won’t make it there by ferry in time. Since the Komodo tours start pretttyyyy early in the morning, getting to Flores island and Labuan Bajo in particular the night beforehand is a must. Don’t wanna miss your boat!

We decided to check out two different spots on Labuan Bajo → one before our Komodo tour package started (Le Pirate), and one once the Komodo island tour was finished (Ayana Komodo).

I planned it quite strategically, staying at the less expensive option the first night (since we were planned to arrive in Labuan Bajo around sunset and were getting picked up early the next morning – meaning not much actual time to enjoy the hotel) and a much more lux spot the last night (when we knew we would have much more time to actually enjoy the amenities).

Le Pirate Labuan Bajo: That first night before the Komodo tour started we stayed at the simple Le Pirate Labuan Bajo, which turned out to be a-okay, especially considering it cost about $60 a night and had a rooftop bar and pool (we saved our pennies for the resort afterwards).

It was that first night we witnessed our first Komodo sunset – and it was absolutely surreal. SO. MUCH. COLOR. All from the roof of our little hotel. There are dorm style rooms and private rooms to choose from.

Ayana Komodo: Once the trip was over, we checked into the Ayana Komodo, and it was by far one of our favorite hotels on our entire trip to Indonesia.

Besides the stunning infinity pool overlooking the exquisite Waecicu Beach, the design was exceptional, the cuisine superior, and the service unparalleled (everyone here’s so warm and friendly). And it’s basically brand new – it first opened its doors in September of 2018. 

Again, that sunset view! I swear we witnessed more golden sunsets in Komodo and Labuan Bajo than elsewhere in the world. If you’re looking for top notch (in terms of amenities and location), check out the Ayana Komodo, as it’s the only 5 star resort in Labuan Bajo. We loooooved it, and I don’t say that lightly (plus, I’m always keepin’ it real over here so you can be sure you’ve got our honest opinions).

Just beware – if you do decide to spend a night or two at the Ayana, don’t book any of their tours – they are ridiculously overpriced (FYI).

Other accommodations options in Labuan Bajo include Bintang Flores Hotel, Plataran Komodo Beach Resort, and The Jayakarta Suites Komodo Flores, but in all reality, I think we chose the best two (and trust me, I did tons and tons of research, like I always do before any big bucket-list trip).

What to Bring on any Komodo Tour

Thankfully, if you book a Komodo liveaboard tour like we did, you won’t need to pack any camping gear, cookware, or other heavy nonsense. The boat provides all that and more. Do be sure to ask your specific tour operator what specifically is needed, as I’m sure all don’t provide the luxuries we had on board. However, there’s a few things you will most definitely want to bring/be aware of when packing before visiting the Komodo islands!

First of all, you’ll want to pack on the lighter side. The planes to Labuan Bajo (for Komodo) are quite small, with a lighter luggage allowance than most other flights. With that being said, you can always pay for extra baggage, which is what we had to do since my husband brought along a full-size suitcase (he’s not as swift at packing for 2 weeks in a carryon like I am).

If I remember correctly, the prices were more reasonable than other times we needed to upgrade baggage. The bigger bag was fine on the boat, but I wouldn’t suggest bringing more than one suitcase per person. Most people on our liveaboard brought backpacking backpacks.

A few recommended items: a strong mosquito repellent, high SPF reef-safe sunscreen (to protect the fishies and coral of course), medicine for seasickness (we don’t suffer from seasickness, but if it’s your first time sleeping on a small-ish boat you may want to bring some dramamine just in case – we did), bathing suits, hiking shoes/sneakers for trekking (we both brought Tevas), and high-quality camera gear (photo spots alllll around, you’ll see).

Things to do in Komodo National Park

It’s hard to get bored in Komodo. There’s stunning beaches, colorful coral reefs, and exotic wildlife every corner you turn. Below are the most popular things to do in Komodo National Park, and exactly what we did on our few days in the area! Don’t miss any of them (I’d be hard pressed if I had to eliminate one or two).

Hike up Kelor Island, take in the views, then go swimming

Kelor is kinda the perfect island – there’s hiking, crystal clear water, sandy beaches, and coral underneath the surface.

Kelor Island was our first stop on our Komodo tour, and we trekked up the hill right away! To be honest, it was much more difficult than I had initially thought (read: steep), although others were breezing right by me. And plus, I get a tad nervous (okay, I’m scared shit) when hiking down on loose gravel/sand, so I did the crab walk for the better portion of the way back (ha, ha, ha). 

BUT the views more than made up for my dirty bum. Just look! And we didn’t even make it to the very tippy top (although the rest of our group who hiked did – some stayed at the surface enjoying a bit of extra beach time)! 

If you’re gonna trek up, I highly advise you do so in proper shoes with a good grip (my husband and I wore tevas); others in our group wore sandals but they obviously had much more hiking experience than us.

You can also go snorkeling here, but our guide noted that there was much better snorkeling nearby which we’d be doing soon anyways. After the quickish hike, I searched for seashells and swam in the shallow waters near the shore.

Meet the Dragons (on Rinca Island and/or Komodo Island)

Imagine standing next to a Komodo dragon. In the wild. Yup, it’s a terrifying and utterly fascinating experience all at the same time. I was petrified (just like I was of the monkeys in Bali). But you absolutely cannot visit this group of Indonesian islands and not hang with the largest lizard in the world (fun fact)! 

Komodo Island National Park is the only spot on planet Earth where Komodo dragons call home (all 5,700 of them). And once you make it the area, you’ve got a few islands to choose from, particularly Komodo Island and Rinca Island.  Yes, it’s a little confusing, but Komodo is also the name of a specific island as well (although when many say they’re headed to Komodo Island they mean the area in general).

So which one to visit? Well, you can always visit both, but we just visited Rinca and found our experience to be satisfying enough (hey, more time for the beach, right?).

While you can easily spot dragons on both islands (with a guide, of course), there are a few main differences.

1) The amount of time it takes to get there – Komodo Island is reachable in about 4 hours from the mainland of Flores (originating from Labuan Bajo), whereas Rinca is significantly closer, taking roughly only 2 hours.

2) The number of dragons on the island (with the largest population existing on Komodo Island with roughly 1,700, with Rinca coming in as a close second with approximately 1,300).

If I had to choose just one, I’d pick Rinca.

Since Rinca is less impacted from tourism, you’re much more likely to spot the dragons in their natural habitat (a reason why Komodo Island is shutting its doors to visitors soon). The island is completely undeveloped, making it the perfect home for exotic and dangerous wildlife (hence the dragons).

On Rinca there are 3 main trekking paths to choose from; we chose the shortest trek (roughly 20-30 minutes) and saw a dozen or so of these 300ish pound monsters along with a spectacular view out to sea. And with Rinca’s extreme heat, I doubt you’ll be able to handle a much longer trek (we were dripping).

Regardless of which island you end up visiting, you’ll be walking through the bush in search of the Komodo dragons with a guide (always!) and armed only with a stick. We also saw a water buffalo lurking behind some trees, which was quite shocking to say the least! Do note that venomous snakes frequent the area, so be sure to stay on the path and always watch your step.

Snorkel with sea turtles

If there’s one thing I make sure of on any tropical trip, it’s including some time to snorkel with the sea turtles! And thankfully, not only did our Komodo tour include some great snorkelling spots, but green turtles and hawksbill turtles are quite plentiful in coral reefs in Komodo! Your guide/tour will know great spots to jump outta the boat for a good snorkel, so fingers crossed you see a few of these beauties yourself!

If you’ve never swam with a sea turtle before, you’re in for a real treat. There’s just something so majestic about these (larger-than-you-realize but) graceful creatures swimming below the surface.

And please oh please – do not attempt to chase/feed/pet/play with a sea turtle. Our touch is dangerous to their sensitive turtle shells, potentially causing disease and other harm.

Pro tip for spotting the sea turtles: While seeing animals in the wild is never guaranteed, there’s a few tricks you can use to increase your chances. First things first, you’ll wanna swim to where the edge of the reef meets the open ocean. Turtles seem to congregate over in these parts, and you’ll have a much higher chance of seeing them over here!

And just remember, turtles need to come to the surface for air every so often, so keep your eyes peeled all around you! You can see them resting on the sea bed, swimming up for a breath, and just casually hanging around. Patience!

Witness millions of bats overhead at Kalong Island

What’s more insane than watching a swarm of thousands upon thousands of the world’s largest bats fly overhead at sunset? People actually call them flying foxes they’re so big! It’s a pretty surreal experience, despite sounding extra odd (haha). 

Our guide anchored our boat some distance from the island, and we just couldn’t peel our eyes away from the sky full of bats! I mean, just look at these photos! Absolutely spectacular!

Where do the bats come from anyway (yes, I wondered about this too)? Kalong Island is covered with mangrove plantations which is where hundreds of thousands/millions of these bats live. Once dusk arrives each and every day, the bats leave their roost (where they rest during the day) and head for their feeding grounds on the mainland.

It’s really a magnificent spectacle. Be sure to book a Komodo tour package which includes this experience, it’s just like being in the pages of National Geographic.

Fun tidbit: Kalong actually means bat in the local language, which makes perfect sense all things considered!

Hike up Padar Island for Sunrise

Set your alarm clock, because we’re waking up early (as in 4am or so)! If there’s one thing you can’t miss on your Komodo tour, it’s the spectacular sunrise trekking on Padar Island. The views are by-far outta this world insane. BUT it comes at a grueling price – about 1,000 steps or so straight up the mountain!

It’s quite a steep hike, and was quite challenging to reach the top, but not impossible by any means.

I even wore sandals (with a strap on the back though, which really helped)! Just so you’re aware, the first few sets of wooden and then stone steps are safe, but then, near the top, they’re pretty crumbled and/or non-existent. You may want to grab your hiking shoes instead, which I probably should have done. Also a wise idea to come equipped with a water bottle and sunscreen!

However, WHEN you climb to the summit makes a huge difference. Since there’s little shade on the entire trek, come as early as possible (before sunrise) to not only avoid the crowd, but the intense heat. Yes, it was still blistering hot on our way down, but I can’t imagine trekking up with that scorching sun shining down on us nonstop.

I’m guessing it took us roughly 25-30 minutes to reach the top, including a few photo breaks. (Heading back down was way easier despite the heat).

Once you reach the top, you’ll get a grew view of this island dreamscape below – a full panoramic view of all of Padar. Those photos you see on IG are real – 3 turquoise bays, each with different colored sand (a rare combo of sparkling white, charcoal black, and baby pink sand beaches).  We then watched the sun rise above the horizon, making the ground a soft golden hue, before taking about a million and 5 photos.

Do note if you visit just after the rainy season (visiting between April to June), the mountains will be much more lush and green. We visited in July and the land was dry and brown, albeit beautiful, to say the least.

Relax at Pink Beach

Striking pink sands. Clear turquoise waters. Endless blue skies. Rolling green hills. I can go on and on. This idyllic spot has got to be one of the most spectacular places I’ve ever been. In my life. Yeah, yeah, I already deemed San Blas and the Zapatillas worthy of that title, but after visiting Pink Beach (and Komodo in general), I think they’ve been booted of the #1 spot.

And yes, my pink-obsessed friends, Pink Beach does in fact have pink sand; why else would it be called that?! The unique color is formed by crushed shells of microscopic single-cell sea creatures (called Foraminifera – whoaaa science). When you combine these small flecks of red shell with fine white reef sand, you get a soft pink tink! And trust me, you’ll notice the rosy hue even before getting off the boat, as it’s visible from the water.

There are actually quite a few different pink sand beaches in Komodo National Park, but any experienced guide will know the best spots to take you for that fine, fine pink tinted stuff. What to do once you get there? You can either relax, swim, and play in the waters like we did, and/or go snorkeling (the reefs here are booming with sea life).

Be sure to take some photos of this natural phenomenon – it’s not everyday you find yourself digging your toes into pink sand! We definitely took our fair share…

Go swimming with Manta Rays at Manta Point

Imagine crossing paths with a giant Manta Ray; what a magical, remarkable, mind-blowing experience. And no, you don’t even need to go diving to see them as these gentle giants play right on the surface! Definitely bring along your GoPro!

→ Learn my secrets for taking underwater photos here.

Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate during our Komodo trip (it was a bit windy making the tide too rough), so fingers crossed you’ll get better conditions! Of course safety is the number one priority on any Komodo tour package (as it should be), but to say I was bummed we missed out on this is a complete understatement! Next time!

Wander/Swim around Taka Makassar

Absolute perfection. This tiny blip of white sand in the Middle of Nowhere, Indonesia will surely help live out all your beachy postcard dreams. The sand and sea of Taka Makassar is surely on par with the blues of Bora Bora (can’t believe I’m admitting that), and I kinda wished we had brought along a few Bintangs or some fresh watermelon juice to shore! 

Yes, this banana-shaped sand bar is small – you can walk from end to end in about 5 minutes or so! There’s a bunch of coral lining the sand and water, so be careful! Tons of photo ops here, so don’t forget your camera. 

Sunset at Sebayur Island

Can there ever be enough sunset hikes during a Komodo island-hopping trip? Nope! Thankfully there’s a bit of shade of here, so you hopefully won’t be heading up in the heat!

And just so there’s no confusion, there’s actually two Sebayur Islands, differentiated by their size. I’m honestly not sure which one we hit up, but it was either Sebayur Kecil (small) or Sebayur Besar (big).

Psst: we didn’t actually make it up. We didn’t even make an attempt. It was a last minute decision and we were all waaaaay too tired, so we watched the sunset from the boat, and it was perfection. My husband hiked up the next morning for sunrise and he said it only took about 5 minutes, so there ya go, shouldn’t be too hard. 

Snorkel and relax at Kanawa Island

Before we headed back to Labuan Bajo, we made a pit stop at the fairytale island of Kanawa. Being only 15km or so from Labuan Bajo in Flores, it’s a great first or last place to hit up on any Komodo island tour itinerary.

We lounged and played in the water while others snorkeled. You’ll see – the water is soooo crystal clear you can even see the fish from above water!  And if you’re lucky, you may see a few starfish in the shallow water near the jetty. There are apparently some sea urchin so be careful when walking in the water!

Our Komodo Trip

Our Komodo trip was an overdose to the senses: think crystal clear waters, giant bats flying overhead, stunning views everywhere we looked, and brightly colored corals beneath the surface.

I’ve decided to give you an overview of our entire Komodo tour package so you get an accurate representation of all you can see and do within a short time period. As noted earlier, we chose a 2 night/3 day Komodo island tour, and felt this was the perfect amount of time to explore the islands and take advantage of the boat.

Do note that we slept in Labuan Bajo the night before the tour, and the night after the tour, making our time in the area 4 nights (2 nights in hotels, 2 nights on the boat).

Here’s how our entire Komodo trip went down:

Our Komodo Island/Labuan Bajo Itinerary:

Day 1: We arrived to Labuan Bajo in late afternoon, took a quick taxi ride to town and checked into Le Pirate right before sunset. Not wanting to miss our first Flores sunset, we headed up to the rooftop bar straight away for some dinner and much-needed drinks. 

Day 2:  We got picked up by Travass Life the next morning around 9, transferred to the boat, had some welcome snacks and fresh fruit juice on board, and set sail! First activity: a hike to the top of Kelor island for our first Komodo National Park views and some relaxation time on the beach/go in water/look for shells.

Rinca island was next, for a short trekking loop to see Komodo dragons (!!!), then we anchored the boat near Kalong Island to watch the bats overhead at sunset.

Day 3: Today was a super early day, as we did the sunrise hike at Padar Island. After the trek we spent a fair bit of time at Pink Beach and Taka Makkasar, then spent the rest of the afternoon jumping off our boat and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of Komodo.

Day 4: On our last full day in Komodo, we relaxed at Kanawa Beach, enjoying the bath-like waters and searching for seashells. After one last liveaboard lunch, we arrived back in Labuan Bajo around 2pm, making our way to Ayana Komodo around check-in time (3pm).

Since we were utterly exhausted from the last few days of Komodo adventures, we hung at the pool and relaxed, before witnessing one of the best sunsets of our lives.

Day 5: We woke up early to take full advantage of the stunning Ayana Komodo, before making our way back to Bali in the early afternoon. PHEW, what a few days!

The Boat and our Full Komodo Island Tour Package

After doing an insane amount of research (as I always do), we ultimately decided to book our Komodo tour package with Travass Life. The itinerary included everything on my Komodo bucket list and then some, and promised delicious sounding Indonesian hot meals, fresh fruit juices multiple times per day, and a personal photographer with a DRONE.

We were shocked that meals consisted of freshly caught fish, juicy watermelon and dragonfruit (among other exotic fruits), healthy veggies, and enough variety so we never got bored of boat food, as well as snacks throughout the day; and nope, we never went hungry.

We were lucky that the company’s spankin’ new boat was juuuuust finished right before our trip, and we got to sail on the fully-equipped Papiton (which was an absolute dream).

Our boat consisted of 12 passengers and a handful of crew members, all sharing a few rooms and 3 bathrooms. My husband and I opted for a private room with a comfy full-size bed, and I was in awe of our space on the boat. The deck area was large enough to fit all of us comfortably, with bean bag chairs and chaise lounges for relaxing during our island hopping adventures. 

Are you planning a trip to the Komodo Islands any time soon?! What are you most excited for?

The post The Complete Guide to Komodo National Park (How to Plan a Komodo Island Tour) appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

Ubud is the place that most envision when they’ve got Bali on their mind – can’t you just imagine traipsing through the rice paddies, taking instagram photos amongst the nearby waterfalls, market shopping (for hours), and visiting those iconic temples and shrines?

We had suuuch a fantastic time during our few days in the area that I’d feel horrible for not sharing our exact Ubud 3 day itinerary with anyone planning an upcoming trip!

However, since Ubud is kiiinda up there in the middle of the jungle, it’s not really the easiest place to visit if you’ve only got time for a super short trip to the country (the areas of Canggu/Seminyak are your best bets for a long layover or such). Aka – you’ll definitely wanna tack on other spots in Bali and Indonesia if you’ve got your heart set on Ubud.

And thankfully, I’ve got just the thing for you: my complete 10 day Bali itinerary, which is the same exact itinerary and guide we used on our recent trip (we’re already scheming how we can go back sooner than later; it really was such a fantastic time).

→ Read Next: COMPLETE 10 Day Bali Itinerary (absolutely perfect to first-timers to the island)

Thankfully, you can really pack a lot in with only 3 days in Ubud, including taking some day trips and exploring the town’s main highlights. Buckle up for this detailed itinerary which will explain what to do in Ubud in 3 days, with all the nitty gritty deets you need to know to plan your trip there.

When to Visit Ubud

Since Bali is oh so close to the equator, you’ll find day time temperatures relatively constant year round, between the mid-80s and low-90s, making for decent sightseeing temps no matter the season.

Tropical Ubud experiences two distinct seasons: dry season (between May to September) and wet season (between October and April). However if you’re only able to visit during the wet season, don’t fret – it doesn’t rain all day, and you’ll likely still get lots of sunshine (if I had a choice I’d obviously choose the dry season, though)! 

We visited in July and experienced warm, sunny days and cool, clear nights. Do note that peak season (which just so happens to be the best time to visit Ubud) is between June and September, causing hotel prices to increase.

Top Tip #1: The sun sets relatively early year-round, around 6-6:30pm, so wake up early and get your exploring started! 

Top Tip #2: If you’re planning on visiting other countries nearby, do keep in mind that the dry season is quite opposite from other Southeast Asian countries. Do your research ahead of time to avoid unpleasant wetness (with possible monsoons) in other areas.

How to Get to Ubud

First things first, you’ll need to get yourself on over to Bali, by flying into Denpasar International Airport (DPS). From here, it’s roughly a 1.5 to 2 hour drive north to Ubud, highly dependent on traffic (we’ve heard it taking 3+ hours at times). Call a Grab or Go-Jek (easily) who will take you straight to your hotel in Ubud for about $25 or so.

How to Get Around Ubud

Let me make one thing clear – Grab and Go-Jek (rideshare apps similar to Uber) do not work well in Ubud, or it’s surroundings. It’s essentially banned in the area, with tons of signs discouraging riders from using Uber, Grab, Go-Jek, etc.

The locals argue that these rideshare apps are taking money away from the drivers themselves and throwing it at large companies instead. Many don’t realize they could get more rides per day using an app, but this post isn’t about the controversy of the driving world, so we’ll just move on.

However, feel free to try both Grab and Go-Jek and see if any drivers pick up your request, but from someone who attempted multiple times on different days at different hours of the day, it never worked for us.

Just know that if you don’t feel like walking (or waiting around endlessly for a Grab which may never come), you’ll mostly be relying on the local taxi stands to get yourself around.

For getting around the town/village, well, to be honest, it’s quite walkable! In the case that you wanna go somewhere a bit further (say, dinner at The Sayan House – highly recommended), you won’t find much public transportation besides taxis and private drivers. 

For taking day trips, it’s highly recommended that you hire a private driver. Not only are they quite economical ($40-$60 per day, depending on the location and number of hours), but it’s just oh so easy!

You’ll never have a hard time finding a private driver – Ubud literally has hundreds of them looking for daily work, which you’ll find in town, outside of restaurants, near top tourist attractions, etc. You can always ask your accommodation, but it’ll most likely be more costly this way.

You can also easily rent motorbikes/scooters in town for a fraction of the price, but let’s just say I wouldn’t wanna ride that thing in Bali’s intense traffic. Plus, if you can’t navigate the area without a map, riding a scooter may be a tad difficult if you wanna get to a bunch of different spots with ease.We saw a motorbike accident first hand, and definitely can’t imagine trusting myself on a bike! 

In addition, I don’t recommend renting a car in Ubud – there’s not many places to park and it’ll just end up being a nuisance. 

And because I’m exceptionally wordy (and have a hard time shutting up), here’s a few additional tips before you head off on your Ubud adventure:

You cannot drink the tap water in Ubud, or anywhere in Bali/Indonesia for that matter. Thankfully, potable water will be provided by the bulk of hotels and restaurants, and if not, always available for purchase.

If you’re not staying at a resort/hotel that supplies unlimited drinking water, stop by a convenience store to buy in bulk and keep in your hotel fridge so you’re never thirsty. Or, better yet, just drink fruit juices, Bintangs (the local beer), and or coconut water.

A note on traffic: Bali traffic is a real thing you guys, especially around the Ubud area. That being said, plans may need to change if you find yourself stuck in a jam (which happens more often than you think). Most (if not all) are narrow roads with one lane per direction, so if there’s a ceremony going on (quite often, you’ll see), traffic will come to a standstill.

If you’ve rented a scooter you can typically scoot right past the traffic, but please don’t plan on riding them if you don’t consider yourself a pro (it’s intense over in these parts!).

The currency in Ubud (and Indonesia in general) is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR), with the exchange rate being approximately 15,600IDR = ~$1USD – or, which is even more confusing, 1IDR = ~$0.000064USD (at time of this publication, February 2024).

Converting prices in our head was confusing to say the least, but after a few days we got the hang of it quite quickly. I found it easy to think in 150,000s, since that’s approximately equivalent to ~$10USD (so therefore, 75,000 rupiah = ~$5USD). You will notice that many locals/shop owners/restaurant menus simply leave off the thousand, and speak in hundreds.

For example, 100,000 rupiah would be spoken/written as 100 (so if you see a meal of mie goreng for 75 rupiah, you won’t be paying 5cents, but $5.) 

Where to Eat in Ubud

Ohhhh, the food. While we wouldn’t necessarily call Ubud (Bali in general) a foodie destination, say like Mexico City or Tokyo, let’s just say we never went hungry.There’s tons of amazing food options, from local, inexpensive warungs to fancy, fine dining and everything in between.

A few of our favorites included: Hujan Locale, Locavore-to-Go, Acai Queen, The Sayan House, and Habitat, and next time I really want to try Locavore (need a reservation in advance), Mads Lange, La Pacha Mama, Milk & Madu, Puspa’s Warung, and Alchemy.

I’m sure there’s tons more spots worth mentioning but since we only had 3 days in Ubud (and took day trips outta the village as well), we didn’t eat soooo many meals in the actual town.

Where to Stay in Ubud

When crafting any Ubud itinerary you’ll need to think long and hard about where exactly you wanna stay. There’s a million and 5 places to stay in Ubud – and each one looks amazing. Talk about difficulty choosing just one (and I’m already an indecisive gal)!

Because of this, we decided to split our time in Ubud (4 nights) at two different hotels (at different locations near/around Ubud) for 2 nights each. And this ended up being the perfect decision. Plus, I kinda thought staying at the same hotel for 4 nights would get kinda monotonous when there were so many others to check out. 

We adored both for different reasons, which I’ll share below.

Ubud Town: However, if you wanna be closer to all the main attractions in Ubud itself, plan to stay within the town, not on the outskirts like we did. During my research I came across the following hotels in Ubud Town which looked pretty rad: Komaneka at Monkey Forest, Alaya Resort Ubud, and Bisma Eight Hotel. 

If you’re looking to really splurge, spend some time gawking at photos of The Hanging Gardens of Bali (whoaaa those pools – check it out for yourself here), Mandapa (a Ritz Carlton Hotel), and the Padma Resort (brand spankin’ new!).

Slightly North of Ubud: Komaneka at Tanggayuda

To make things short and sweet, we loved absolutely EVERYTHING about this 5* boutique hotel. From breakfast overlooking the absolutely gorgeous infinity pool and complimentary afternoon tea, to the lush grounds of the resort and tropical fruit trees found just about everywhere, there’s not much we would change.

Upon first glance the resort doesn’t look to be all that, but trust me, as soon as you start wandering around you’ll see what I mean.

We opted for the 1 bedroom villa with a private pool and valley view which cost us roughly $300 per night (an absolute bargain for the place – you’ll see).

To be completely honest, we kind of wished we had stayed an extra night at the Komaneka as we didn’t allow for enough time to fully enjoy the resort (as we were out and about each day).

Do note that this luxe resort is located roughly 25 minutes north of Ubud center, so you’ll need to arrange for a driver/taxi if you want to head into town (which is why we chose to stay closer to town the next few nights, at Maya Ubud – more details below). Read reviews and check prices for the Komaneka here.

TL;DR: Our stay at the Komaneka was absolutely perfect.

Slightly East of Ubud: Maya Ubud

The Maya Ubud had such a different vibe than the Komenaka (not a good or bad thing, it was just different). For starters, it was oh so much larger, but also (possibly because of this) a bit more standard-hotel feely, but still wonderful nonetheless.

The gardens were magnificent, the infinity pools impressive, and the service impeccable. We were generously upgraded to a private pool villa (not exactly sure how that happened, but thanks!), and to say I enjoyed our private outside space at Maya Ubud is an understatement. 

Since the Maya Ubud is pretty close to Ubud Town (a tad east), there’s a complementary shared shuttle running throughout the day to the center of town (taking roughly 10 minutes or so). We used it quite a bunch and found the service very convenient. If you miss the shuttle or don’t feel like waiting, the walk to Ubud Town is only about 20-25 minutes – but remember it’ll be hot out!

Although we loved most aspects of the hotel, the spa (and flower bath in particular) really did it for me. Imagine soaking in a tub full of rose and frangipani flowers with calming river views… I was obsessed after 5 minutes. I’ll explain my experience in a bit more detail during the itinerary, but just know that I highly encourage any bath lover to give it a try! Read reviews and check prices for Maya Ubud here.

And one last thing! If you want an especially different accommodation experience, check out Bambu Indah. This eco-lifestyle boutique hotel is full of – you guessed it – bamboo buildings, and you’ll feel like you’re full on living out in the jungle (with lots of luxury to boot).

Imagine sleeping in a luxurious tent in the middle of the palms; yeah, that’s the type of unique oasis you’ll get over at Bambu Indah. On my wish-list for next time (I told you there’s too many good spots to pick from!).

3 Days in Ubud

Okay, so this Ubud itinerary actually takes us to places other than the village of Ubud itself… BUT – since Ubud makes for such a perfect base to explore other spots on the island, please forgive me! You’ll see – you’ll be able to properly explore all that Ubud has to offer as well as visiting some spots in the North and East as well (swoooon).

However, do note that this Ubud itinerary is pretty jam packed (that’s just how I roll). So if you’re looking for a more relaxed trip (aka want more pool time and/or are traveling with kids), you may want to either cut out a few things (if you’ve only got 3 days in Ubud or so) or extend the activities I’ve listed here over 4 days. 

Techniiiicallllly you can swap the days around and it won’t make any difference, but we like to take our day trips first (to get the most tiresome stuff outta the way), and have a bit more relaxing towards the end. 

And finally, what you originally came here for, a super detailed 3 day Ubud itinerary! Get planning, my friends!

Day 1: East Bali

It’s your first full day in Ubud, so it’s time to wake up and explore! If you’ve just arrived in Bali the day before, use the likely jetlag to your advantage and plan for an early morning wake-up call (5AM to be exact) to head out to the eastern parts of Bali. We chose to hire a private driver to take us to Lempuyang Temple, Taman Tirta Gangga, Tibumana waterfall, and Pura Tita Empul (in that order).

Note that we chose to book through AirBnB experiences, and were able to choose exactly where we wanted to go. Our guide took great photos of us and we had the best time with him. And psst – if you sign up for AirBnB through my link, you’ll get $15 off any experience of at least $50 (so if two people go that discount will work!). If you choose the same spots as we did, just know that you’ll need to pay all entrance fees as they are not included (roughly $10 per person).

If you don’t feel like signing up for AirBnB (it’s not that difficult I promise), this tour is very similar and takes you to the famous Lempuyang Temple, water palace, a waterfall, rice fields, and ends with the famous Bali swing.

We got picked up by our driver before the sun even rose, getting an early start of 5AM. And since we traveled to the furthest stop first (roughly 2 hours away), we were able to sleep/rest a bit in the car! Perrrrfect! I have to admit, it was oh so nice having a local drive us around, especially considering the roads seemed a bit confusing. We didn’t have to worry about a thing – and we loved it!

Stop #1) Lempuyang Temple

First stop – Lempuyang Temple! I guarantee you’ve seen numerous photos of this Hindu temple, primarily due to it’s famous gates, the Gates of Heaven, with perfectly framed views of the Agung Volcano. It’s pretty iconic of Bali, and it’s absolutely gorgeous (especially with that early morning light).

The Lempuyang complex is actually comprised of 7 different temples (with TONS of steps), so just plan on doing the first and most popular one if you don’t plan on spending all day there. 

Lempuyang Temple, also known as Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang (yes, it’s a mouthful), is one of Bali’s oldest and most highly regarded temples in the entire country. Please be respectful and read below.

• Once you arrive, you’ll need to rent a sarong to wear (yes, no matter if you’re already wearing a long skirt or pants). Since Pura Lempuyang is a sacred place, sarongs are custom, so just wear one willingly and be respectful. Covering your shoulders is also required, so plan on bringing along an extra shawl, cardigan, or simply, just wear a tee shirt like I did.
• No kissing or close physical touch is allowed at the temple. My husband kept forgetting and I had to literally shoo him away! 

I’ll let you in on a little secret – the reflection is fake. Yup, those photos you see (here and elsewhere)- one lie after another. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t get the obligatory photo for ourselves – of course we did. We’re just happy we didn’t actually wait on the horrendously long line (our guide thankfully did while we were off exploring other parts of the temple/eating our breakfast boxes).

Just another reason to take a tour; I’m guessing most tour guides stand in line for their guests. If you need to wait for yourself and arrive at the temple around 7am or so like we did, just know the line will probably take at least an hour. Plan accordingly.

Stop #2) Taman Tirta Gangga (water palace)

Tiered fountains. Stone sculptures of mythical creatures. Giant lily pads. Girls in flowy dresses. And all the hungry koi fish you can think of. Yes, we’re talking about Bali’s water palace – Taman Tirta Gangga. This former royal palace is one of East Bali’s most famous sights, and breathtaking it is.

Make sure to buy some fish food at one of the little stalls before the ponds (5,000IDR). 

Although we overall enjoyed this stop, it was pretty crowded already when we got there, and taking decent flattering photos without tons of other in the frame proved relatively difficult. You’ll see what I mean with the stepping stones and people going opposite directions when you visit. Lots of people here to get that instagram shot.

Stop #3) Tukad Cepung Waterfall – or – Tibumana Waterfall 

Put on your bathing suit, because it’s waterfall time! There are a whole slew of waterfalls in and around Ubud, so you’ve definitely got a few to choose from. I had originally wanted to head to Tukad Cepung, which I heard is really cool with sunbeams shining through a cave, but our guide warned us that it’d be exceptionally crowded.

He instead suggested Tibumana, which was actually on my list as well (for another day), so we agreed and are so thankful for his honesty! 

After an easy walk down on some bamboo bridges and stairs (took about 10-15 minutes or so), we were greeted with not only a beautiful swimming spot, but a crashing waterfall amongst so much lush greenery. And hardly any people, which makes sense considering it’s deep in the jungle. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves:

Stop #4) Pura Tita Empul (water temple) 

Not to be confused with the Water Palace, Pura Tita Empul (also known as the Water Temple), is a completely different thing, so don’t miss it during your 3 days in Ubud! Being one of the largest and busiest water temples in all of Indonesia, you’ll want to do your part in being respectful by wearing a provided sarong within the complex. 

Forget about selfies here – take it all in, observe the rituals, and do yourself a favor and just watch. By visiting this Hindu Balinese water temple, you get to experience the culture firsthand by watching Hindu devotees purify themselves in a bathing ritual. And boy were the holy springs a sight to be seen. 

Visitors can bathe as well (and we saw a few do so), but since we are not believers of Hinduism, we didn’t feel right participating in the cleansing ritual. Note that there’s an additional charge for this as well, and you’ll need to be dressed from head to toe so bring an additional change of clothes if you plan to bathe in the holy waters.

Our guide showed us around the complex — it’s actually quite large; the purification pools are just one part!  We also saw a koi pond, the inner courtyard, and tons of Hindu shrines.

Back to the Komaneka (or your hotel of choice)

We got back to the Komaneka around 3ish or so, giving us a few hours of sunlight to enjoy the hotel’s luxurious infinity pools, have a late lunch and complimentary tea and snacks, and just relax from our first day of activities.

Remember, the sun sets around 6pm (every night no matter the season), so if you want some pool time, be sure not to cram in toooo much on this first day. We had some dinner before heading to the spa for our first (of many) Balinese massages.

Where we slept: Komaneka at Tanggayuda 

Day 2: North Bali

Today’s another busy day, so wake up, grab some coffee and breakfast at the hotel, and hit the road! We decided to hire another private driver for the day to experience northern Bali (through the same AirBnB experience as the day before), and it was a great decision! This Northern Bali private tour takes you to a bunch of the same spots if AirBnB’s just not your thing. 

Although we didn’t get to visit all our intended spots (that traffic I tell ya, it’s the worst!), I’ll list them all out for you below. Hopefully you have better luck than we did!

Stop #1) Tegalalang rice terraces and Bali swing, coffee/tea tasting 

There’s a reason everyone visits Ubud, and the rice terraces are it. Ridiculously scenic, this terraced hillside is covered in rice paddies among rice paddies, as far as the eye can see. Do not miss it. I repeat – do not miss it.

As soon as we arrived, we couldn’t stop admiring all the greens – we were just wowed the entire time. Being surrounded by lush green rice terraces on all sides of you is just something you don’t forget. Ever. Our guide took us wandering throughout the fields, while explaining a bit about the process of harvesting the rice as well. 

Choose to visit early in the morning, as not only will the lighting be better for photos, but you’ll beat the crowds – there was hardly anyone else there when we visited around 8:30am! I honestly couldn’t believe it! 

We opted to do the famous Bali swing over here too, costly roughly $15 for fantastic views of the rice fields. There were other options to do the swings over near the area we stopped for coffee, which seemed much more crowded and I’m guessing costly.

We were unfortunately unable to visit the following due to Bali’s mad traffic, but here’s a bit of info I had researched ahead of time.

Stop #2) Lake Beratan Temple (Ulun Danu) 

This temple is located on an island completely surrounded by water, which makes it quite picturesque, especially with it’s manicured gardens nearby. And if you’re up for it, you can even take a boat out and view the temple directly from the water (I’ll be doing that next time I head to Bali). 

However, do note that since the lake is considered holy, you cannot swim in it (although renting a boat is fine). Some people say it’s kinda a tourist trap and filled with swarms of visitors, so research a bit more to decide for yourself if you wanna stop.

Stop #3) Handara Gate (Balour Balinese Gate of Handara)

It’s a gate you guys – a gigantic, exotic looking traditional Balinese gate, with lush, smoky green hills as it’s backdrop.

As such, it’s one of the most iconic photos you’ll see of Bali, with special thanks to instagram. Because of this, it gets rather crowded, so you’ll most likely need to wait in line to get THE photo.

Not many people realize this, but this gate, dubbed the pathway to serenity, is actually the entrance to a golf course! Yes, a golf course – the Handara Golf & Resort Bali to be exact! 

Stop #4) Banyumala Twin Waterfall

Like it’s name suggests, this ain’t just one stream of water – it’s a whole slew of falls in one. Girls we had met later on during our trip said the short hike down to Banyumala (10-15 minutes) was most definitely worth it, so be sure to add it to your Ubud itinerary.

And make sure to wear/bring a bathing suit as you’ll most likely want to take a dip in the falls. We unfortunately missed out on this one! 

Stop #5) Wanagiri Hidden Hills

Yes, this stop at Hidden Hills is primarilyyyy for the cheesy IG photos, BUT if you’re following this day’s itinerary you’ll already be in the area – so might as well make a quick(ish) stop. There are different sections within Wanagiri Hidden Hills, with each area having different set prices with different attractions.

Most include a nest, a swing, and another type of bamboo lookout, with the bird cage and boat viewing post some of the more popular ones. Once you’ve paid your entrance fee, you’re free to hang around for as long as you want taking photo after photo. Kinda cheesy, but hey, you’re in Bali – might as well take advantage and get some of those typical IG shots. And plus our tourism dollars help the locals make a living.

HOWEVER, you’ll find some of these photo opps at other attractions near Ubud. We saw a bunch earlier in the day at the Tegalalang Rice Terraces and then again at Leke Leke Waterfall, so don’t feel like you neeeed to stop at Hidden Hills if you’re not especially all the photo taking opportunities (it’s not for everyone, including my husband).

Because the traffic was SO bad, we didn’t make it to Lake Beratan, the Hadara Gate, Banyumala Twin Waterfall, and Hidden Hills. Yuuup, basically the rest on my itinerary. We did however find a waterfall trek to do instead (Leke-Leke), which was a blessing since it got us outta the car for a while.

Since we missed out on so much of what the north has to offer, that’s definitely an area I’ll be visiting on my next trip to Bali (oh you better believe there’ll be a next time). And I’d absolutely love to stay at Munduk Moding Plantation Nature Resort, which looks absolutely insane and beautiful all at once. Note that you can visit for lunch as long as you purchase a day pass in advance, but guests are not allowed on property otherwise.

If you have more time in the north, the Aling-Aling waterfall and Jatiluwih Rice Terraces all look worthy of your time. 

We spent the remainder of the day blissing out in our private pool at the Maya Ubud (after checking in of course) and stuffing our faces with fresh fruit juice and Balinese snacks.

Since we hadn’t checked out the restaurant scene in Ubud just yet (we had only really feasted at the Komaneka), we took the free shuttle into town and somehow got a table quite quickly at Hujan Locale for some innovative, modern Indonesian food. So good and highly recommended, although it’s probably best to make a reservation in advance, as it was crowded and the restaurant is getting popular.

Where we slept: Maya Ubud

Day 3: Around Ubud

Finally, a day to actually explore Ubud! After venturing east and then north, it’s about time we plant our feet and stick to the actual town!

Here’s how our day went – and I suggest you do the same as we hit up all the top places (IMO) in/near Ubud Town:

1) Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

I have to admit, after walking ⅞ of the way there, I almost backed out of visiting the Monkey Forest. You see, we came across monkeys in town before even getting to the sanctuary. Who knew the monkeys were everywhere surrounding the area?!

They were climbing on power lines above us, running on the sidewalk next to shops/restaurants, and were just waaaay too close for comfort in my opinion. But I faced my fears, kept on going, and in we went.

The actual experience (after calming myself down and giving myself a short pep talk) was a positive one, as the monkeys were thankfully very interested in their food and each other, and not us humans. And the babies! Quite possibly the cutest thing I’ve seen to date.

Keep your eyes wandering, as you’ll see monkeys above you in trees, running at your feet, jumping from here to there, etc. I was definitely on watch the entire time, constantly looking in all directions in order to keep myself aware of any nearby monkeys, as they just run around where they please.

Be sure to get past the beginning and into the actual forest – the grounds are so lush and beautiful, with a giant banyan tree over the river. Thankfully we didn’t see any monkeys jumping on people like I had heard about, but people we had met later on during our 10 day Bali itinerary said they lost sunglasses and hats, so be extra careful.

A few precautions when entering the monkey forest, as yes, they are wild animals and yes, there are a few ground rules to be aware of to protect yourself and everyone around you (including the monkeys):

• Leave your accessories behind; this includes sunglasses, hats, large earrings, etc. You never know – the monkey’s may snatch them!

• And on that note, if a monkey takes something of yours, its theirs to keep – aka, don’t attempt in getting it back. Monkeys will bite if they feel threatened.

• Forget feeding the monkeys, let alone bringing any food/water bottles into the park in general. The monkeys can smell food and will even open up bags/backpacks and go searching/stealing! 

• Never make eye contact with a monkey. They see this as a form of aggression, so never stare directly into a monkey’s eyes.

• Do not sit anywhere there are monkeys present. You’ll most likely find yourself with a monkey climbing on your shoulders (which I most definitely wouldn’t want).

• The baby monkeys are exceptionally cute; but just remember, wherever you see a baby, there’ll be a mama monkey nearby. Therefore, don’t get too close to the babies, as mamas may attack to protect their young. 

I was glad to learn that the Ubud Monkey Forest is more than just a tourist attraction. Apparently there’s tons of research (and conservation efforts) going on within the forest, mostly regarding the monkeys behavior and social interactions.

However, I’ve also read that some of the staff use possibly inhumane techniques in order to stop the monkeys from any bad behavior. Do your research ahead of time.

After congratulating myself for not getting eaten by a monkey, we made a pit stop at Habitat Cafe (so cute and trendy) for some well-deserved fresh juices and relaxation time.  

2) Ubud Traditional Art Market 

Color, clatter, commotion, chaos. That’s the market experience for ya! Anything you want to buy in Ubud, you’ll find at the market, that’s for sure. The market specializes in traditional art and handicrafts, and I loved exploring the stalls tucked away in the little alleyways (get away from the main strip). Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, just wander and browse for a bit – it’s an experience (albeit rather crowded) in and of itself!

Although it’s quite chaotic, the alleyways of the Ubud market make for a fun time. Just be sure to haggle/bargain before purchasing! Even though I’m sure we paid a bit too much on several occasions, we would typically be able to get the shop owner to agree to less than half of their original asking price.

If they don’t agree to your price, just walk away, and they’ll quickly quote you less! They want your business – trust me, as there’s probably the same/similar items in the shop next door.

If you have an idea you’ll be buying a few items, it’s always cheaper to buy from the same stall – they’ll typically give you a multi-item discount. I say, browse a bit before buying anything, decide what in fact you want to buy, and find a stall that has everything you want. You’ll get the cheapest possible price that way.

I couldn’t leave the market without buying one of those trendy straw/rattan Bali basket bags – you know, the round ones you see all the influencers promoting on instagram? Yup, the online companies sell them for $75-$85, but I got mine in Bali for $8. Can’t beat that. And another gorgeous handheld bamboo bag for $15ish (which I could have probably haggled down more).

But I always like to remember – the locals in the market make a living selling the products. An extra dollar or two (USD) doesn’t mean much to me, but it could get their family an extra meal or two. 

Things to buy: cotton sarongs, bamboo straws, the famous Bali bags, dream catchers, wood carvings, straw hats, crochet tops/bikinis, stackable storage boxes

LUNCH! We hit up Locavore To-Go for some meat sandwiches (a must!), Acai Queen for, you guessed it, acai bowls, and Frozen Yogi for a chilled dessert. We were on vacation – don’t judge us! 

3) Saraswati Lotus Temple, Ubud Centre

Next up, a quick stop at Saraswati Lotus Temple! We stopped by this temple for a few minutes, took a few pictures, and moved on with the show. It should be noted that tourists are not allowed to enter the temple, but it’s the stunning grounds that are the biggest draw for the crowds. The main walkway was filled with lily pads on either side, although there were unfortunately no lotus flowers in the pond (which I heard there typically are).

4) Campuhan Ridge Walk at Sunset

After spending all day in the busy centre of Ubud, get outta there and into some nature! The Campuhan Ridge Walk is arguably Ubud’s best known trek, as it offers sweeping hilltop views and minimal crowds. And plus, it’s not difficult at all – it’s more of a walk than a hike (I guess that’s why it’s called a ridge walk…). Anyone can do this lush, scenic trail, although there were a few steep steps at the very beginning and end.

If you aren’t planning on eating at The Sayan House (which you 100% should), I recommend walking the ridge walk just before sunset, which I believe would be absolutely gorgeous. We visited around 4:30, so the sun was already low in the sky making for some beautiful photos. And plus, it’ll be too hot to enjoy during the day.

** If you’re planning on extending this 3 day Ubud itinerary into 4 days or so, consider making a reservation at Karsa Spa for an incredibly relaxing flower bath. I did this on our last morning at Maya Ubud, but have my heart set on a bath at Karsa next time we’re in Ubud.

Soooo we had a bit of trouble finding this place as we deliberately followed Google Maps like we always do – which got us to the general area, just a bit too far. We asked a worker in a nearby shop/hotel (I forgot) and they were able to direct us to the entrance – there’s no signs and the entrance is quite inconspicuous, so I’m not sure how others found it without help. Sorry I can’t be of more assistance,

But I promise, once you find it, it’s worth the hassle. It was about a 20 minute walk or so from the center of Ubud Town.

5) Dinner at The Sayan House 

This Japanese Latin Fusion Restaurant is absolutely perfect for a date night (and ya gotta add in a few special nights to any Ubud itinerary). :p 

Yes, it’s a little annoying to get to as it’s located a few minutes outta town (and not very walkable), but 110% worth it in my opinion. You’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the lush valley below, along with innovative cocktails, fresh fruit juices, and unusual dishes with unique flavor combinations.

Make a reservation for this place ahead of time (and ask for a table facing the sunset) because boy, it’s a showstopper. It’s wise to remember that the sun sets on the earlier side in Bali, so if you actually want to catch the sunset, you’ll need to arrive before/around 6pm.

We made a reservation for 6pm and ended up heading over early for sunset drinks at the bar area with breathtaking views of the rice terraces below as the sun was setting. Absolute perfection if you ask me.

6) Foot massages or Balinese Performance in town 

After getting massages in Thailand every single damn day, we made it our mission to repeat that in Bali. And while we didn’t meet the goal of alllll the days, we came pretty close. After dinner we ended up at Kristina Ubud Spa in town, and got foot massages for 80,000/ hr (which comes out to roughly $5.50USD). Can’t beat that price!

Note that you can opt to watch a traditional Balinese performance at the Royal Palace (Puri Saren) in Ubud Town if massages aren’t your thing (who are you?). Since we were already planning on heading to Uluwatu Temple later on in the trip to see the Kecak Fire Dance, we skipped the performance in Ubud. (Starts at 7:30pm, costs 100,000IDR pp, length of 1 ½ hours).

Where we slept: Maya Ubud

EXTRA! EXTRA! Morning of Day 4!

You’re more than likely heading off to another spot in Bali after spending 3 days in Ubud or so, so make the most of it! I made a reservation at the spa at our second hotel in Ubud (Maya Ubud) for a flower bath.

It seemed like the ultimate Bali thing to do, so I knew I couldn’t miss it during my 10 days in Bali. Yup, 30 whole minutes of pure serenity and relaxation, all with rose and frangipani flowers floating around me. The flower bath was everything and then some – I could have stayed in there all day (minus the fact that my fingers were turning into a prune of course!).

I honestly thought girls just did flower baths for the ‘gram, but I have to say, I left feeling super relaxed, hydrated, and tranquil. Didn’t hurt that I got a few cute pics outta it too.

So there ya have it, the perfectly crafted 3 day Ubud itinerary. Are you visiting Bali soon?! Send me some watermelon juice – please and thank you! 

The post 3 Days in Ubud: The Perfect Ubud Itinerary in the Bali Jungle appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

Don’t miss this ridiculously-detailed Bali travel blog! You may wanna grab a notebook and pencil – this thing is jam packed with necessary information (just saying).

Bali is full of lush, green jungle. Palm trees swaying in the wind. All the tropical fruit you want and large, inexpensive coconuts (with the most delicious coconut water).

Trendy beach clubs and cafes. Idyllic sunsets. Impressive infinity pools. I could go on and on. Bali’s a living postcard. That ultimate Indonesian fantasy-land you’ve been dreaming about for oh so long. And plus, you get a lot for your money, too!

I knew Bali was special (hey, there’s a reason why people go and never return). I just didn’t realize how special it was until I visited the island (and it’s surroundings) myself.

It seems as if every other travel blogger/instagrammer to walk the earth has already spent considerable time in the area, and I was determined to find out why everyone raves about it so dearly.

*I was also a tad worried the entire island would be overrun with “influencers” taking photo after photo of themselves for hours on end (it’s got a bad rep for that), but I was pleasantly surprised.

Yes, I encountered a few groups of this, but thankfully there is just SO much to explore on the island it’s easy to escape the intense mobs of photo takers.

So with that being said, if you’re planning your own trip to Bali, you’re in for a real treat.

And if you don’t wanna plan it yourself (truuuust me, there’s TONS to do and a crazy amount of places to see it all gets overwhelming in approximately .23 seconds), feel free to use my (ridiculously-detailed) Bali itinerary below.

It’s the exact one we followed this past July, and quite honestly, other than wishing we had a few more days, there’s nothing I would change. 

Got a bit less time? This 10 day Bali itinerary can easily be modified for a well-rounded 7 days in Bali if you’ve only got yourself a week. Sadly, take out the few days in the Gili islands and you’ve got yourself a 7 day Bali itinerary.

Have longer than 10 days in Bali? Well, lucky you! We had a little more than 2 weeks in Indonesia, so snuck in a few days over at Komodo National Park to see the dragons, bask on a pink sand beach, and snorkel with manta rays and sea turtles. I’ll be writing allllll about that experience soon, so keep your eyes peeled! EDIT: Read for the most amazing trip to Komodo.

But first, a pre-travel guide to Bali to learn a bit about the island and what to expect when you’re there.

MAIN REGIONS VISITED ON THIS ITINERARY:

• Ubud (3 days)
• Jimbaran/Uluwatu (2 days)
• Gili Islands (3 days)
• Seminyak/Canggu (2 days)

This Bali itinerary starts in Ubud (the farthest spot from the international airport – on purpose), heads south to Jimbaran/Uluwatu, a quick boat ride east to the Gili Islands (technically not part of Bali, but a wonderful addition to any Bali itinerary), and ends in Seminyak/Canggu.

There are so many different areas on the island to explore, but this 10 day Bali itinerary is a great mix of lush, jungly Ubud, trendy Canggu cafes, fire culture in Uluwatu, and a good amount of beach/pool time in Jimbaran and Gili.

Where in the world is Bali anyways, you ask?

Not to sound all textbook-ey, but Bali is an island located in the Indonesian archipelago, to the west of Lombok and east of Java. And nope, although many think it is, Bali is actually NOT a country – it’s part of Indonesia!

Many visitors who visit Indonesia only make it to Bali, so the whole country/island thing is kiiiinda understandable. But geography is important, so just remember that Bali is in fact NOT a separate country!

Currency and Exchange Rates in Bali and Indonesia in General

Bali (and Indonesia in general) uses the Indonesian Rupiah, with the exchange rate being approximately 15,600IDR = ~$1USD – or, which is even more confusing, 1IDR = ~$0.000066USD (as of February 2024).

I recommend using a currency converter (such as XE Currency on your cell phone or a currency converter on the web) to get the most up to date currency exchanges for all forms of currency. 

Converting prices in our head was confusing to say the least, but after a few days we got the hang of it quite quickly. I found it easy to think in 150,000s, since that’s approximately equivalent to ~$10USD (so therefore, 75,000 rupiah = ~$5USD).

You will notice that many locals/shop owners/restaurant menus simply leave off the thousand, and speak in hundreds. For example, 100,000 rupiah would be spoken/written as 100 (so if you see a meal of mie goreng for 75 rupiah, you won’t be paying 5cents, but $5.) 

Note that you may find that many ATMs are broken/don’t accept your bank card. Don’t fret – there are rows of ATMs from different companies in order to compensate for this. You’ll be able to find tons of ATMs in Bali’s most populated areas, and I bet at least one of them will work!

I read online to use caution when using the ATMs as some can be untrustworthy, but we had no issues with our bank cards.

Some restaurants and higher-end stores/shops take credit cards, but it’s wise to always have some cash available for market shopping, eating at local warungs, getting that spontaneous $7 massage on the street, etc.

How to get the best exchange rate: I always suggest you take out local currency at ATMs upon arrival and never ever through an exchange desk or beforehand in your home country. ATMs provide the best exchange rate, always.

I always take out cash at an ATM at the airport upon arrival in the new country I’m visiting. And if you want to avoid those pesky ATM fees every time you take out cash, simply look into a no-fee debit card, such as through Charles Schwab (which I have and love).

Language in Bali/Indonesia

First things first, English is widely spoken in Bali. We were surprised at just how many locals knew an impressive amount of English, and thus we didn’t need to use any Indonesian/Balinese during our 10 days in Bali at all.

Of course, since tourism is so prevalent, it’s understandable for Balinese to speak a level of English to communicate with tourists, but so many spoke rather advanced English as well. Coming from someone who only knows one language, I was quite impressed!

We met a few drivers who were keen on practicing their English, so you might run into some extra chatty ones!

Just so you’re aware, the national language is Indonesian, with many locals living on Bali speaking Balinese (and yes, they’re separately languages!). 

WHEN TO VISIT BALI:

Before planning a trip to Bali, it’s important to understand its weather patterns. Bali experiences two distinct seasons, the dry season (April to October) and the rainy season (November to March).

And since Bali is oh so close to the equator, you’ll find day time temperatures relatively constant year round, between the mid-80s and low-90s, making for decent sightseeing temps no matter the season.

If you’re looking for comfortable temperatures and little to no rain, I highly suggest you visit during the dry season, which is actually Bali’s winter. Don’t be put off by “winter”, as the temperatures are still in the 80s (and clear and sunny) almost every day!

However, this picture-perfect weather is high season (for good reason), causing hotel prices to rise, especially during July and August. For slight discounts on accommodations, try visiting just before/after high season in May-June/September-October.

And just for the record, my research states that Bali encounters a tremendous amount of rain during its rainy season, bringing high humidity and unrelenting mosquitos. My advice – just visit during Bali’s dry season and you’re good to go.

Top Tip #1: Regardless of the month you’re planning to embark on your 10 or 7 day Bali itinerary, the sun will set around 6-6:30pm. Since the island is so close to the equator, both sunrise and sunset times don’t vary much.

Because of this, plan to wake up early to take full advantage of the daylight. One benefit to an early sunset – you’ve got no excuse not to watch it every single night (which is oh so different to visiting Norway in the summer with sunsets past 10pm)!

Top Tip #2: If you’re planning on visiting other countries nearby, do keep in mind that the dry season is quite opposite from other Southeast Asian countries. Do your research ahead of time to avoid unpleasant wetness (with possible monsoons) in other areas.

Health and Safety in Bali

HEALTH: 

Water: Do note that you absolutely cannot drink the water in Bali; you’ll find that all hotels/restaurants provide fresh drinking water (either bottled or from large treated water jugs). Because of the unsafe water, Bali belly is quite common – which is just a fancy name for food poisoning.

I encountered some minor gastro issues during our trip (bloating, frequent bathroom visits – hey, just being real!), but it thankfully cleared up without any medication in 1-2 days.

You may want to ask your doctor for a prescription of Ciprofloxacin for serious travelers diarrhea in case you find yourself with any disturbing stomach issues. We always pack immodium as well, just in case.

Vaccinations : The CDC states that all travelers to Indonesia should be up to date on routine vaccines (MMR, tetanus, chickenpox, pollo, flu shot). In addition, it’s also wise to get the Hep A, Hep B, and typhoid vaccination as well (some of these are good for years, so if you plan to do a lot of traveling to other undeveloped countries, you’ll probably need them there – might as well get them now and keep yourself protected always).

As always, talk to your doctor.

Malaria: Thankfully there’s no worry for malaria in Bali, but if you’re visiting Komodo National Park (like we did later on during our trip), you’ll need to consider taking malaria pills. Talk to your doctor about this first of course.

Travel insurance: Yes, you need this. I always recommend purchasing travel insurance before your trip. You never know what might happen (flight delays, lost baggage, illness), and travel insurance definitely helps with all of those unfortunate unexpectancies.

I highly recommend the company SafetyWing (which thankfully includes pandemic coverage) and ALWAYS buy a short term plan (depending on how many days/weeks we’ll be away) before we leave for any trip!

Even if you don’t end up using it, peace of mind is 100% worth it in my opinion. Find plan options and pricing here (and at only a few bucks a day, there’s no excuse not to!) I always say, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford your trip. It’s that easy.

Not convinced you should be using travel insurance? Check THIS out, I explain it in much more detail over there.

SAFETY: 

We felt safe the entire duration of our stay in Bali, and used the typical precautions we normally do (no flashing expensive items/electronics, stayed together at night, knew about possible scams). 

And while we’re talking about staying safe, keep in mind that driving in Bali is kinda crazy to say the least, so don’t plan on renting a scooter unless you’re extra confident and can call yourself an expert bike driver.

VISAS:

No visa is required for U.S. citizens traveling to Bali (and Indonesia in general) as long as a valid tourist passport and proof of onward travel is in possession, and you’re traveling to the country for 30 days or less.

How to Get to Bali

Most international flights arrive in southern Bali at Ngurah Rai International Airport (also known as Denpasar International Airport, airport code DPS), many with layovers in neighboring/nearby countries.

Our flight stopped in Taipei, Taiwan, which we would have decided to make into an extra long layover to explore the city if we hadn’t already done that on our previous trip to Thailand. Why not get some time in another country if you’re already there, am I right?

I like using Skyscanner and Google Flights to check for prices. For reference, we chose to fly premium economy (between regular economy and business class), and paid around $1,500 per person on China Airlines round trip from the West Coast USA during Bali’s prime season of July.

If your dates are more flexible (and your husband will put up with standard economy class) you can surely find cheaper airfare, although we did not have this luxury. For reference, I commonly see roundtrip economy flights from San Francisco for around $800, with flights as cheap as $550 occasionally! 

How to Get Around Bali

Although the island isn’t toooo large, it’ll still take a decent amount of time to get from place to place. What I initially didn’t realize is that there aren’t many roads from east to west on some parts of the island, so although two spots look relatively close on a map, you may need to first travel south in order to actually get north. 

And boy oh boy is that Bali traffic a thing – a few miles will mostly take the good portion of a half hour (or hour!), so plan accordingly and leave extra time if you have reservations anywhere/need to get somewhere at a certain time.

I’ll explain in more detail as I go day by day on our exact Bali itinerary below. However, if you’re on a bike/scooter you can bypass some of this traffic.

We originally thought we’d be able to use Grab (similar to Uber), and downloaded it ahead of time planning to use it to get around (between areas and within towns as well).

HOWEVER, we ended up only using the Grab app ONCE our entire trip, from the airport to Ubud (for about $28) our first day. Since it didn’t work in multiple areas (specifically within Ubud and Canggu), private drivers through WhatsApp were our saving grace.

We were able to use taxi stands on the street (bargain for a reasonable rate) when we didn’t have any numbers and/or just wanted to go short-ish distances. Do not rely solely on Grab as you’ll be thoroughly disappointed and frustrated. 

ELECTRICITY:

Bali uses a different type of electrical outlet as found in the USA – the round two-pin plug (type C/F), commonly found in parts of Europe. Get your worldwide travel plug adapter here (which you can use on other trips around the world as well).

It’s also important to understand that the amount of voltage is different and you’ll need a converter (different than an electrical adapter) to change the amount of electricity pushed to each device if you plan on bringing anything which uses an excessive amount of power (including hair dryers, curling irons, and/or straightening irons). 

If you don’t want to worry about this, I suggest you invest in dual-voltage devices made especially for travel like this dual-voltage blow dryer, dual-voltage mini straightener, and this dual-voltage curling iron.

WHERE TO STAY IN BALI: (MORE INFO ON EACH ONE THROUGHOUT ITINERARY BELOW)

Ubud: Komeneka at Tanggayuda and/or Maya Ubud Resort and Spa (we stayed at both)

Jimbaran: Ayana Resort and Spa Bali

Gili Air: PinkCoco Gili Air

Seminyak: The Elysian Boutique Villa Hotel

A note on Bali hotels, resorts, and hospitality in general: Bali is the place to go all out, because you can likely afford it here. While there’s accommodation of all price points, we found 5-star hotels for ~$250-300 a night, which is the same price we paid for a 3-star hotel night in Boston just a few weeks prior.

Many of these luxurious resorts include a whole slew of extras, making the price more than worth it (free breakfast, infinity pools, complimentary afternoon tea time, shuttle service, private plunge pools, etc). And oh, the people! Never in all our travels have we experienced such wonderful hospitality anywhere else in the world.

The authenticity and graciousness of those in Bali was an unexpected surprise, as we found everyone we encountered to be extra helpful, overly polite, and always cheerful with a smile on their face. 

WIFI AND STAYING CONNECTED

Although you will most likely have wifi at your accommodation, it’s a good idea to bring along a pocket-sized personal WiFi hotspot, to keep you connected during your time in Bali. WiFi hotspots are a cost effective option to ensure you can use GPS apps like Google Maps, check your emails, and catch up with friends and family while away.

With this portable device, you’ll have WiFi wherever you go (even if your phone doesn’t have service), unlimited internet (on up to five devices at a time!!!), and it’s fast and reliable. At less than $9 a day, this device can’t really be beat.

Note that some cell phone plans allow for international use, but many of these are costly. I accidentally turned on my phone service for LESS THAN 2 MINUTES and got charged $150 by my phone carrier! I desperately wished I had a personal WiFi hotspot with me then!

Find more information and plan options here. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED especially when you don’t speak the native language of the country you’re visiting. A true life saver.

Foods to try in Bali:

• snake fruit: kinda like an appley-tasting fruit, quite good!
• Balinese steamed cakes: made out of rice flour with a wide array of fillings, wrapped in a banana leaf 
• Mie Goreng: A classic Indonesian dish consisting of fried noodles, served with your choice of vegetables, chicken, shrimp or pork.
• Nasi Goreng: very similar to Mie Goreng, but fried rice instead of noodles.
• Sate: meat skewers, including chicken sate, fish, lamb. All with their famous peanut sauce (my favorite)
• Nasi Campur: mixed rice dish that comes with a simple selection of steamed rice and side dishes including steamed Long beans, meats, vegetables, peanuts, eggs, and fried-shrimp krupuk

• Balinese coffee: it’s quite strong and usually drank black!
• Babi Guling: suckling pig; a combination of crispy pork skin, pork blood sausage, pork roll, and fried pork meat and has a reputation for being Bali’s national dish.
• Bebek Bengil: crispy pig, literally translated to “dirty duck”, deep fried to a crispy finish.
• Prawn crackers: not my favorite, but they’ll be served at every meal so you’re bound to run into them on more than one occasion 
• Lemongrass and ginger drinks 
• Allll the fresh juices 
• Whole fresh coconuts: I had the best coconut water in Bali, in the largest coconuts I’ve ever seen, for the cheapest price (way larger than those I got in Panama, and for ⅓ the price!)

WHAT TO BRING TO BALI:

• Because of its hot, sticky climate, you’ll want light, airy clothing.
• Appropriate clothing for temples: Long pants, shoulder covered shirts, shawls. Do note that sarongs/shawls are provided (either for rent or for free) at all the temples we visited. Feel free to bring your own if you wish, although FYI, you still may be required to use one from the site.
• Comfy footwear- you’ll be walking ALOT! We both got basic black canvas tevas before our trip, and although I didn’t wear them much (husband wore them a lot), I can say when I did put them to use my feet were always well-protected and comfortable (I even went hiking in them in Komodo once on some pretty rough terrain [post coming soon]).
• Sandals/bathing suits for the islands
• Personal WiFi HotSpot Device

10 Day Bali Itinerary

In a nutshell: Ubud (3 days) → Jimbaran/Uluwatu (2 days) → Gili Islands (3 days) → OPTIONAL: Komodo National Park (3 days) → Seminyak/Canggu (2 days) → departure from DPS

This itinerary will supply a full 10 days in Bali, meaning that it’ll start on your first FULL day in Bali. Do note that for a full 10 days, you’ll most likely need a good 12 days or so for your trip, as the flight is quite long and you’ll be going over the international date line if you’re coming from the states. 

First off, FLY TO BALI (DPS)! 

The airport you’re looking for is Ngurah Rai International Airport (also known as Denpasar International Airport, airport code DPS). The flight is long from most parts of the world (a whopping 18 hours or so of flight time from the West Coast USA, and a bit less around 12-17 hours from Europe, depending where you’re flying from) without many inexpensive direct flights, but I promise you, a trip to Bali is well worth it! 

Psst – check out Skyscanner and set up price alerts to snag the best deal.

Do note that you’ll be crossing the international date line if you’re traveling west (USA to Bali), which means you’ll lose a full day, besides travel time (we actually lost the Fourth of July on our flight!). But dontchu worry – this just means you’ll arrive home the same day you depart when headed back home at the end of your trip, even with all those hours of travel.

Part I: 3 DAYS IN UBUD

*Where we stayed in Ubud: Komaneka at Tanggayuda and Maya Ubud Resort and Spa

There’s a million and 5 places to stay in Ubud – and each one looks amazing. Talk about difficulty choosing just one (and I’m already an indecisive gal)! Because of this, we decided to split our time in Ubud (4 nights) at two different hotels (at different locations near/around Ubud) for 2 nights each. And this ended up being the perfect decision.

Plus, I kinda thought staying at the same hotel for 4 nights would get kinda monotonous when there were so many others to check out. We adored both for different reasons, which I’ll share below:

Komaneka at Tanggayuda: To make things short and sweet, we loved absolutely EVERYTHING about this 5* boutique hotel. From breakfast overlooking the absolutely gorgeous infinity pool and complimentary afternoon tea, to the lush grounds of the resort and tropical fruit trees found just about everywhere, there’s not much we would change.

Upon first glance the resort doesn’t look to be all that, but trust me, as soon as you start wandering around you’ll see what I mean.

We opted for the 1 bedroom villa with a private pool and valley view which cost us roughly $300 per night (an absolute bargain for the place – you’ll see).

To be completely honest, we kind of wished we had stayed an extra night at the Komaneka as we didn’t allow for enough time to fully enjoy the resort (as we were out and about each day).

Do note that this luxe resort is located roughly 25 minutes north of Ubud center, so you’ll need to arrange for a driver/taxi if you want to head into town (which is why we chose to stay closer to town the next few nights, at Maya Ubud – more details below).

Also note that you’ll find other hotels within the Komaneka brand in other places near Ubud, so be careful when booking if you want to stay exactly where I did. I cannot speak to the service or grounds of the others (as we did not stay elsewhere), but if they’re on par with Tanggayuda, I bet they’re top-notch as well. Read reviews and check prices here.

Maya Ubud Resort and Spa: The Maya Ubud had suuuuch a different vibe than the Komenaka (not a good or bad thing, it was just different). For starters, it was oh so much larger, but also (possibly because of this) a bit more standard-hotel feely, but still wonderful nonetheless.

The gardens were magnificent, the infinity pools impressive, and the service impeccable. We were generously upgraded to a private pool villa (not exactly sure how that happened, but thanks!), and to say I enjoyed our private outside space at Maya Ubud is an understatement. 

Since the Maya Ubud is pretty close to Ubud Town (a tad east), there’s a complementary shared shuttle running throughout the day to the center of town (taking roughly 10 minutes or so).

We used it quite a bunch and found the service very convenient. If you miss the shuttle or don’t feel like waiting, the walk to Ubud Town is only about 20-25 minutes – but remember it’ll be hot out!

Although we loved most aspects of the hotel, the spa (and flower bath in particular) really did it for me. Imagine soaking in a tub full of rose and frangipani flowers with calming river views… I was obsessed after 5 minutes.

I’ll explain my experience in a bit more detail during the itinerary, but just know that I highly encourage any bath lover to give it a try! Read reviews and check prices here.

Day 0 | Arrival into Bali, and head to Ubud

Use this first day for arrival into Bali, as it’s very possible that you’ll arrive a bit later on in the day (depending on where you’re coming from of course). 

And if you decide to follow this Bali itinerary to a T (all heavily researched and 100% tested by us!), you’ll be heading straight to Ubud from the airport!

Thankfully we were easily able to use the Grab app to hire a driver/car to drive us straight to the Komaneka at Tanggayuda (where we stayed first near Ubud), which cost us roughly $28 for the 2 hour drive.

Since we didn’t land until 3pm-ish, and with a bit of that infamous Bali traffic, we arrived to our hotel near Ubud around 5:45pm or so. If you are lucky to have an earlier flight, I highly recommend hanging by the pool for a bit, watching your first Bali sunset, and enjoying dinner at the Komaneka.

I wouldn’t suggest heading into Ubud Town your first night if you’re staying where we did, as you’ll most likely be especially tired (and the food at the Komaneka is quite tasty!).

Where we slept: Komaneka at Tanggayuda 

Important Note on Day 1 and 2: The traffic in and around Ubud (and Bali in general) can be horrendous. As you’ll notice on Day 2 of this Bali itinerary, we actually didn’t make it to all of our intended spots due to crazy amounts of unforeseen traffic.

Don’t be upset – it’s all wonderful and no reason to ruin your entire day/trip over. Just understand that you may need to be a bit more go-with-the-flow than normal.

→ Read Next: The Perfect 3 Days in Ubud

Day 1 | Day Trip to East Bali

It’s your first full day in Bali, so it’s time to wake up and explore! Use the jetlag to your advantage and plan for an early morning wake-up call (5AM to be exact) to head out to the eastern parts of Bali.

We chose to hire a private driver to take us to Lempuyang Temple, Taman Tirta Gangga, Tibumana waterfall, and Pura Tita Empul (in that order).

Note that we chose to book through AirBnB experiences, and were able to choose exactly where we wanted to go. Our guide took great photos of us and we had the best time with him.

And psst – if you sign up for AirBnB through my link, you’ll get $15 off any experience of at least $50 (so if two people go that discount will work!). If you choose the same spots as we did, just know that you’ll need to pay all entrance fees as they are not included (roughly $10 per person).

If you don’t feel like signing up for AirBnB (it’s not that difficult I promise), this tour is very similar and takes you to the famous Lempuyang Temple, water palace, a waterfall, rice fields, and ends with the famous Bali swing.

We got picked up by our driver before the sun even rose, getting an early start of 5AM. And since we traveled to the furthest stop first (roughly 2 hours away), we were able to sleep/rest a bit in the car!

Perrrrfect! I have to admit, it was oh so nice having a local drive us around, especially considering the roads seemed a bit confusing. We didn’t have to worry about a thing – and we loved it!

Oh right, breakfast! Since the Komaneka at Tanggayuda includes breakfast, they boxed up a to-go breakfast for us to enjoy on our tour to East Bali. We ate it during our time at Lempuyang Temple, while our guide waited on line for us (more info on that below).

Stop #1) Lempuyang Temple

First stop – Lempuyang Temple! I guarantee you’ve seen numerous photos of this Hindu temple, primarily due to it’s famous gates, the Gates of Heaven, with perfectly framed views of the Agung Volcano. It’s pretty iconic of Bali, and it’s absolutely gorgeous (especially with that early morning light).

The Lempuyang complex is actually comprised of 7 different temples (with TONS of steps), so just plan on doing the first and most popular one if you don’t plan on spending all day there. 

Lempuyang Temple, also known as Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang (yes, it’s a mouthful), is one of Bali’s oldest and most highly regarded temples in the entire country. Please be respectful and read below.

• Once you arrive, you’ll need to rent a sarong to wear (yes, no matter if you’re already wearing a long skirt or pants). Since Pura Lempuyang is a sacred place, sarongs are custom, so just wear one willingly and be respectful. Covering your shoulders is also required, so plan on bringing along an extra shawl, cardigan, or simply, just wear a tee shirt like I did.
• No kissing or close physical touch is allowed at the temple. My husband kept forgetting and I had to literally shoo him away! 

I’ll let you in on a little secret – the reflection is fake. Yup, those photos you see (here and elsewhere)- one lie after another. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t get the obligatory photo for ourselves – of course we did.

We’re just happy we didn’t actually wait on the horrendously long line (our guide thankfully did while we were off exploring other parts of the temple/eating our breakfast boxes).

Just another reason to take a tour; I’m guessing most tour guides stand in line for their guests. If you need to wait for yourself and arrive at the temple around 7am or so like we did, just know the line will probably take at least an hour. Plan accordingly.

*Note: Pura means temple.

Stop #2) Taman Tirta Gangga (water palace)

Tiered fountains. Stone sculptures of mythical creatures. Giant lily pads. Girls in flowy dresses. And all the hungry koi fish you can think of. Yes, we’re talking about Bali’s water palace – Taman Tirta Gangga. This former royal palace is one of East Bali’s most famous sights, and breathtaking it is.

Make sure to buy some fish food at one of the little stalls before the ponds (5,000IDR). 

Although we overall enjoyed this stop, it was pretty crowded already when we got there, and taking decent flattering photos without tons of other in the frame proved relatively difficult.

You’ll see what I mean with the stepping stones and people going opposite directions when you visit. Lots of people here to get that instagram shot.

Stop #3) Tukad Cepung Waterfall – or – Tibumana Waterfall 

Put on your bathing suit, because it’s waterfall time! There are a whole slew of waterfalls in and around Ubud, so you’ve definitely got a few to choose from.

I had originally wanted to head to Tukad Cepung, which I heard is really cool with sunbeams shining through a cave, but our guide warned us that it’d be exceptionally crowded.

He instead suggested Tibumana, which was actually on my list as well (for another day), so we agreed and are so thankful for his honesty! 

After an easy walk down on some bamboo bridges and stairs (took about 10-15 minutes or so), we were greeted with not only a beautiful swimming spot, but a crashing waterfall amongst so much lush greenery. And hardly any people, which makes sense considering it’s deep in the jungle. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves:

Stop #4) Pura Tita Empul (water temple) 

Not to be confused with the Water Palace, Pura Tita Empul (also known as the Water Temple), is a completely different thing, so don’t miss it during your 10 days in Bali! Being one of the largest and busiest water temples in all of Indonesia, you’ll want to do your part in being respectful by wearing a provided sarong within the complex. 

Forget about selfies here – take it all in, observe the rituals, and do yourself a favor and just watch. By visiting this Hindu Balinese water temple, you get to experience the culture firsthand by watching Hindu devotees purify themselves in a bathing ritual. And boy were the holy springs a sight to be seen. 

Visitors can bathe as well (and we saw a few do so), but since we are not believers of Hinduism, we didn’t feel right participating in the cleansing ritual. Note that there’s an additional charge for this as well, and you’ll need to be dressed from head to toe so bring an additional change of clothes if you plan to bathe in the holy waters.

Our guide showed us around the complex — it’s actually quite large; the purification pools are just one part!  We also saw a koi pond, the inner courtyard, and tons of Hindu shrines.

Back to the Komaneka (or your hotel of choice)

We got back to the Komaneka around 3ish or so, giving us a few hours of sunlight to enjoy the hotel’s luxurious infinity pools, have a late lunch and complimentary tea and snacks, and just relax from our first day of activities.

Remember, the sun sets around 6pm (every night no matter the season), so if you want some pool time, be sure not to cram in toooo much on this first day. We had some dinner before heading to the spa for our first (of many) Balinese massages.

Where we slept: Komaneka at Tanggayuda 

Day 2 | Day trip to North Bali

Psst (logistics tip): If you’re following this itinerary exactly to a T (or switching hotels tonight like we did), be sure to put things in the trunk of your private car so you don’t need to go back to hotel #1 just to move your bags to hotel #2. We kept everything we brought to Indonesia with us in the trunk for the entire day and felt completely safe doing so.

Today’s another busy day, so wake up, grab some coffee and breakfast at the hotel, and hit the road! We decided to hire another private driver for the day to experience northern Bali (through the same AirBnB experience as the day before), and it was a great decision!

This Northern Bali private tour takes you to a bunch of the same spots if AirBnB’s just not your thing. 

→ Using AirBnB? Remember to sign up via this link to save $$$ off your first activity!

Although we didn’t get to visit all our intended spots (that traffic I tell ya, it’s the worst!), I’ll list them all out for you below. Hopefully you have better luck than we did!

Stop #1) Tegalalang rice terraces and Bali swing, coffee/tea tasting 

There’s a reason everyone visits Ubud, and the rice terraces are it. Ridiculously scenic, this terraced hillside is covered in rice paddies among rice paddies, as far as the eye can see. Do not miss it. I repeat – do not miss it.

As soon as we arrived, we couldn’t stop admiring all the greens – we were just wowed the entire time. Being surrounded by lush green rice terraces on all sides of you is just something you don’t forget. Ever. Our guide took us wandering throughout the fields, while explaining a bit about the process of harvesting the rice as well. 

Choose to visit early in the morning, as not only will the lighting be better for photos, but you’ll beat the crowds – there was hardly anyone else there when we visited around 8:30am! I honestly couldn’t believe it! 

We opted to do the famous Bali swing over here too, costly roughly $15 for fantastic views of the rice fields. There were other options to do the swings over near the area we stopped for coffee, which seemed much more crowded and I’m guessing costly.

We were unfortunately unable to visit the following due to Bali’s mad traffic, but here’s a bit of info I had researched ahead of time.

Stop #2) Lake Beratan Temple (Ulun Danu) 

This temple is located on an island completely surrounded by water, which makes it quite picturesque, especially with it’s manicured gardens nearby. And if you’re up for it, you can even take a boat out and view the temple directly from the water (I’ll be doing that next time I head to Bali). 

However, do note that since the lake is considered holy, you cannot swim in it (although renting a boat is fine). Some people say it’s kinda a tourist trap and filled with swarms of visitors, so research a bit more to decide for yourself if you wanna stop.

Stop #3) Handara Gate (Balour Balinese Gate of Handara)

It’s a gate you guys – a gigantic, exotic looking traditional Balinese gate, with lush, smoky green hills as it’s backdrop.

As such, it’s one of the most iconic photos you’ll see of Bali, with special thanks to instagram. Because of this, it gets rather crowded, so you’ll most likely need to wait in line to get THE photo.

Not many people realize this, but this gate, dubbed the pathway to serenity, is actually the entrance to a golf course! Yes, a golf course – the Handara Golf & Resort Bali to be exact! 

Stop #4) Banyumala Twin Waterfall

Like it’s name suggests, this ain’t just one stream of water – it’s a whole slew of falls in one. Girls we had met later on during our trip said the short hike down to Banyumala (10-15 minutes) was most definitely worth it, so be sure to add it to your Bali itinerary.

And make sure to wear/bring a bathing suit as you’ll most likely want to take a dip in the falls. We unfortunately missed out on this one! 

Stop #5) Wanagiri Hidden Hills

Yes, this stop at Hidden Hills is primarilyyyy for the cheesy IG photos, BUT if you’re following this day’s itinerary you’ll already be in the area – so might as well make a quick(ish) stop.

There are different sections within Wanagiri Hidden Hills, with each area having different set prices with different attractions. Most include a nest, a swing, and another type of bamboo lookout, with the bird cage and boat viewing post some of the more popular ones.

Once you’ve paid your entrance fee, you’re free to hang around for as long as you want taking photo after photo. Kinda cheesy, but hey, you’re in Bali – might as well take advantage and get some of those typical IG shots. And plus our tourism dollars help the locals make a living.

HOWEVER, you’ll find some of these photo opps at other attractions near Ubud. We saw a bunch earlier in the day at the Tegalalang Rice Terraces (where the above photo was taken) and then again at Leke Leke Waterfall, so don’t feel like you neeeed to stop at Hidden Hills if you’re not especially into it.

Because the traffic was SO bad, we didn’t make it to Lake Beratan, the Hadara Gate, Banyumala Twin Waterfall, and Hidden Hills. Yuuup, basically the rest on my itinerary.

We did however find a waterfall trek to do instead (Leke-Leke), which was a blessing since it got us outta the car for a while.

Since we missed out on so much of what the north has to offer, that’s definitely an area I’ll be visiting on my next trip to Bali (oh you better believe there’ll be a next time).

And I’d absolutely love to stay at Munduk Moding Plantation Nature Resort, which looks absolutely insane and beautiful all at once. Note that you can visit for lunch as long as you purchase a day pass in advance, but guests are not allowed on property otherwise.

If you have more time in the north, the Aling-Aling waterfall and Jatiluwih Rice Terraces all look worthy of your time. 

We spent the remainder of the day blissing out in our private pool at the Maya Ubud (after checking in of course) and stuffing our faces with fresh fruit juice and Balinese snacks.

Since we hadn’t checked out the restaurant scene in Ubud just yet (we had only really feasted at the Komaneka), we took the free shuttle into town and somehow got a table quite quickly at Hujan Locale for some innovative, modern Indonesian food.

So good and highly recommended, although it’s probably best to make a reservation in advance, as it was crowded and the restaurant is getting popular.

Where we slept: Maya Ubud

Day 3 | Wander around Ubud Town and Surroundings

Finally, a day to actually explore Ubud! After venturing east and then north, it’s about time we plant our feet and stick to the actual town!

Here’s how our day went – and I suggest you do the same as we hit up all the top places (IMO) in/near Ubud Town:

1) Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

I have to admit, after walking ⅞ of the way there, I almost backed out of visiting the Monkey Forest. You see, we came across monkeys in town before even getting to the sanctuary. Who knew the monkeys were everywhere surrounding the area?!

They were climbing on power lines above us, running on the sidewalk next to shops/restaurants, and were just waaaay too close for comfort in my opinion. But I faced my fears, kept on going, and in we went.

The actual experience (after calming myself down and giving myself a short pep talk) was a positive one, as the monkeys were thankfully very interested in their food and each other, and not us humans. And the babies! Quite possibly the cutest thing I’ve seen to date.

Keep your eyes wandering, as you’ll see monkeys above you in trees, running at your feet, jumping from here to there, etc. I was definitely on watch the entire time, constantly looking in all directions in order to keep myself aware of any nearby monkeys, as they just run around where they please.

Be sure to get past the beginning and into the actual forest – the grounds are so lush and beautiful, with a giant banyan tree over the river. Thankfully we didn’t see any monkeys jumping on people like I had heard about, but people we had met later on during this 10 day Bali itinerary said they lost sunglasses and hats, so be extra careful.

A few precautions when entering the monkey forest, as yes, they are wild animals and yes, there are a few ground rules to be aware of to protect yourself and everyone around you (including the monkeys):

• Leave your accessories behind; this includes sunglasses, hats, large earrings, etc. You never know – the monkey’s may snatch them!
• And on that note, if a monkey takes something of yours, its theirs to keep – aka, don’t attempt in getting it back. Monkeys will bite if they feel threatened.
• Forget feeding the monkeys, let alone bringing any food/water bottles into the park in general. The monkeys can smell food and will even open up bags/backpacks and go searching/stealing! 
• Never make eye contact with a monkey. They see this as a form of aggression, so never stare directly into a monkey’s eyes.
• Do not sit anywhere there are monkeys present. You’ll most likely find yourself with a monkey climbing on your shoulders (which I most definitely wouldn’t want).
• The baby monkeys are exceptionally cute; but just remember, wherever you see a baby, there’ll be a mama monkey nearby. Therefore, don’t get too close to the babies, as mamas may attack to protect their young. 

I was glad to learn that the Ubud Monkey Forest is more than just a tourist attraction. Apparently there’s tons of research (and conservation efforts) going on within the forest, mostly regarding the monkeys behavior and social interactions.

However, I’ve also read that some of the staff use possibly inhumane techniques in order to stop the monkeys from any bad behavior. Do your research ahead of time.

After congratulating myself for not getting eaten by a monkey, we made a pit stop at Habitat Cafe (so cute and trendy) for some well-deserved fresh juices and relaxation time.  

2) Ubud Traditional Art Market 

Color, clatter, commotion, chaos. That’s the market experience for ya! Anything you want to buy in Ubud, you’ll find at the market, that’s for sure.

The market specializes in traditional art and handicrafts, and I loved exploring the stalls tucked away in the little alleyways (get away from the main strip). Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, just wander and browse for a bit – it’s an experience (albeit rather crowded) in and of itself!

Although it’s quite chaotic, the alleyways of the Ubud market make for a fun time. Just be sure to haggle/bargain before purchasing! Even though I’m sure we paid a bit too much on several occasions, we would typically be able to get the shop owner to agree to less than half of their original asking price.

If they don’t agree to your price, just walk away, and they’ll quickly quote you less! They want your business – trust me, as there’s probably the same/similar items in the shop next door.

If you have an idea you’ll be buying a few items, it’s always cheaper to buy from the same stall – they’ll typically give you a multi-item discount. I say, browse a bit before buying anything, decide what in fact you want to buy, and find a stall that has everything you want. You’ll get the cheapest possible price that way.

I couldn’t leave the market without buying one of those trendy straw/rattan Bali basket bags – you know, the round ones you see all the influencers promoting on instagram?

Yup, the online companies sell them for $75-$85, but I got mine in Bali for $8. Can’t beat that. And another gorgeous handheld bamboo bag for $15ish (which I could have probably haggled down more).

But I always like to remember – the locals in the market make a living selling the products. An extra dollar or two (USD) doesn’t mean much to me, but it could get their family an extra meal or two. 

Things to buy: cotton sarongs, bamboo straws, the famous Bali bags, dream catchers, wood carvings, straw hats, crochet tops/bikinis, stackable storage boxes

LUNCH! We hit up Locavore To-Go for some meat sandwiches (a must!), Acai Queen for, you guessed it, acai bowls, and Frozen Yogi for a chilled dessert. We were on vacation – don’t judge us! 

3) Saraswati Lotus Temple, Ubud Centre

Next up, a quick stop at Saraswati Lotus Temple! We stopped by this temple for a few minutes, took a few pictures, and moved on with the show. It should be noted that tourists are not allowed to enter the temple, but it’s the stunning grounds that are the biggest draw for the crowds.

The main walkway was filled with lily pads on either side, although there were unfortunately no lotus flowers in the pond (which I heard there typically are).

4) Campuhan Ridge Walk at Sunset

After spending all day in the busy centre of Ubud, get outta there and into some nature! The Campuhan Ridge Walk is arguably Ubud’s best known trek, as it offers sweeping hilltop views and minimal crowds.

And plus, it’s not difficult at all – it’s more of a walk than a hike (I guess that’s why it’s called a ridge walk…). Anyone can do this lush, scenic trail, although there were a few steep steps at the very beginning and end.

If you aren’t planning on eating at The Sayan House (which you 100% should), I recommend walking the ridge walk just before sunset, which I believe would be absolutely gorgeous. We visited around 4:30, so the sun was already low in the sky making for some beautiful photos. And plus, it’ll be too hot to enjoy during the day.

Soooo we had a bit of trouble finding this place as we deliberately followed Google Maps like we always do – which got us to the general area, just a bit too far. We asked a worker in a nearby shop/hotel (I forgot) and they were able to direct us to the entrance – there’s no signs and the entrance is quite inconspicuous, so I’m not sure how others found it without help.

Sorry I can’t be of more assistance, But I promise, once you find it, it’s worth the hassle. It was about a 20 minute walk or so from the center of Ubud Town.

5) Dinner at The Sayan House 

This Japanese/Latin Fusion Restaurant is absolutely perfect for a date night (and ya gotta add in a few special nights to any Bali itinerary). :p 

Yes, it’s a little annoying to get to as it’s located a few minutes outta town (and not very walkable), but 110% worth it in my opinion. You’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the lush valley below, along with innovative cocktails, fresh fruit juices, and unusual dishes with unique flavor combinations.

Make a reservation for this place ahead of time (and ask for a table facing the sunset) because boy, it’s a showstopper. It’s wise to remember that the sun sets on the earlier side in Bali, so if you actually want to catch the sunset, you’ll need to arrive before/around 6pm.

We made a reservation for 6pm and ended up heading over early for sunset drinks at the bar area with breathtaking views of the rice terraces below as the sun was setting. Absolute perfection if you ask me.

6) Foot massages or Balinese Performance in town 

After getting massages in Thailand every single damn day, we made it our mission to repeat that in Bali. And while we didn’t meet the goal of alllll the days, we came pretty close. After dinner we ended up at Kristina Ubud Spa in town, and got foot massages for 80,000/ hr (which comes out to roughly $5.50USD). Can’t beat that price!

Note that you can opt to watch a traditional Balinese performance at the Royal Palace (Puri Saren) in Ubud Town if massages aren’t your thing (who are you?).

Since we were already planning on heading to Uluwatu Temple later on in the trip to see the Kecak Fire Dance, we skipped the performance in Ubud. (Starts at 7:30pm, costs 100,000IDR pp, length of 1 ½ hours).

Where we slept: Maya Ubud

Part II: 2 DAYS IN JIMBARAN/ULUWATU + (OPTIONAL) Day Trip to NUSA

*Where we stayed in Jimbaran: Ayana Resort and Spa Bali

I had originally wanted to spend our nights in Uluwatu (to take advantage of South Bali’s trendy beach clubs), but after booking ourselves at the Ayana, I’m glad we did.

Located in Jimbaran, about a half hour north of Uluwatu, it’s a bit more central to other spots in Bali and honestly, we didn’t need to leave the resort if we really didn’t want to.

The Ayana Bali has 4 pools (Ocean Beach Pool, River Pool, Upper Pool, and Lower Pool), numerous spots for sunset drinks, a whole slew of restaurants (albeit overpriced of course), a luxurious spa, and it’s own private beach club – Kubu Beach (which you need to take a gondola down to reach!).

I’ll explain in more detail below, since we happily spent a great deal of time at the resort.

Day 4 | Early Morning in Ubud, off to Jimbaran!

Teeeechnically you can head back into Ubud Town to finish exploring this morning if there’s more you wanna see, but we chose to enjoy some activities at Maya Ubud. 

Flower Bath at Maya Ubud

After a private breakfast by our pool, I headed to the spa for my flower bath. It seemed like the ultimate Bali thing to do, so I knew I couldn’t miss it during my 10 days in Bali. Yup, 30 whole minutes of pure serenity and relaxation, all with rose and frangipani flowers floating around me.

The flower bath was everything and then some – I could have stayed in there all day (minus the fact that my fingers were turning into a prune of course!). I honestly thought girls just did flower baths for the ‘gram, but I have to say, I left feeling super relaxed, hydrated, and tranquil. Didn’t hurt that I got a few cute pics outta it too.

Note that you can also make reservations ahead of time at Karsa Spa located near the Campuhan Ridge Walk if you want a flower bath experience and aren’t staying at Maya Ubud, which I definitely want to experience next time!

That morning, since my husband wasn’t participating in the flower bath, he headed to an early morning yoga class and then relaxed by the pool. If you’re staying closer to town, you can head to a class at the Yoga Barn which is apparently rather popular (although a bit overpriced I heard).

Head South to Jimbaran

After breakfast and activities at the resort (yoga, pool, spa), off to Jimbaran we went! Since we had taken a few taxi rides the previous day in Ubud, we managed to acquire a few WhatsApp #’s so scheduled for a pickup from Maya Ubud to take us to our next hotel – The Ayana Bali!

I don’t think Grab will work (the app didn’t work at all in Ubud at all), so definitely don’t count on that like we originally did. The trip took roughly 2 hours or so if I remember correctly, so plan to rest a bit in the car.

We used J Wayan at #+62 812-4608-156 to get from Ubud to Jimbaran. Tell him Jessica and Noah sent you!

We had originally wanted to stop at Bambu Indah for some lunch after reading some rave reviews, but I wasn’t feeling too hot (remnants of Bali belly, perhaps), so we went straight to The Ayana.

If you end up going, lemme know how it is! Bambu Indah is actually hotel known for its interesting architectural designs, completely made out of bamboo. Maybe next time we’ll decide to stay there!

Hang at Hotel/Sunset Drinks at Rock Bar

After an easy check-in process, go explore for a bit then head on down to Rock Bar for sunset drinks (psst – you’ll need to take the cliff-side gondola to get down)! Overlooking the Indian Ocean with the waves crashing onto the rocks, there’s really no better view for sunset, and because of this, it does get quite busy!

People who are not staying at the hotel are allowed to visit Rock Bar (with advance reservations), but if you’re a hotel guest of the Ayana, you’re VIP baby (you should get in just fine – no reservations needed)!

We headed down around 5pm for a 6:15ish sunset, got a bunch of drinks and appetizers, and just watched the sun set into the rolling ocean waves. I can see it being the perfect place for a romantic night out, especially if you snag one of the large plush beds like we did. 

If the Rock Bar doesn’t excite you (and ohhh, it should), I heard that Single Fin in Uluwatu is also great for sunset cocktails and dinner (but it’s 40 minutes away by car, so probably just easier to stay at the resort).

Where we slept: Ayana Resort and Spa Bali

Day 5 | Uluwatu/Jimbaran -or- Day Trip to Nusa Penida

Today’s choice day! Depending how you anticipate to be feeling (and if you booked yourself at a resort like the Ayana with tons to do), you can either:

→ 1) spend ½ day at the resort (beach/pool time) with a ½ day trip to Uluwatu Temple -or- 

→ 2) take a verrrry long day trip to Nusa Penida

If you think you’ll want a more relaxing day (after a few nonstop days of go-go-go), then trust me, take advantage of the resort pools and beach club, and leave Nusa for another trip.

However, if you can’t fathom coming all this way and not seeing Kelingking Beach, suck it up and head to Nusa Penida (I heard it’s gorgeous, yet the climb down/up is excruciating, especially in the heat). We had originally planned for the long day trip to Nusa (and even signed up for a tour ahead of time), but with my stomach acting up a bit and already feeling utterly exhausted, we desperately craved a beach day.

Use your judgement and think about what would be best for you. And if you’ve got an extra day, you could easily do both!

Choice 1: Resort Pool Day and Uluwatu Temple + Kecak Fire Dance

Pool + Beach Time

As mentioned, if you’re staying at a luxurious resort like the Ayana Bali, I can promise you’ll never find yourself bored. We got an early morning start at the Ocean Beach Pool, had breakfast overlooking the ocean, and loveddd the fact that no kids are allowed (sorry, kiddos, there’s other pools for you).

We then made our way to Kubu, Ayana’s private beach club for some more loungin’, before heading back to the room to get ready for our trip to Uluwatu Temple! You can also schedule some time at the spa for a treatment, play a bit of golf, or visit the ultra secluded (and hardly crowded during the day) River Pool, located near the private villas.

Trip to Uluwatu Temple

It’s not the temple itself per say that makes this place absolutely remarkable, it’s the magnificent location high up on a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean. The dramatic coastline of the Bukit Peninsula sure is something else. We could have stared at those rolling waves all day long. But you’re not just here for the views – you’ve got the Kecak Fire Dance awaiting you as well!

Since Uluwatu Temple is roughly 45 minutes away – without traffic, you’ll want to get picked up via private driver around 3:30pm to get there in time to purchase tickets and look around. Tickets to the Kecak Fire Dance performance go on sale at 5pm, and it gets crazy busy around this time.

Our driver graciously waited on line for us in order to get us tickets to the show so we could walk around the temple and admire the ocean and all those crazy waves. 

Do note that others have seen cheeky monkey’s at the temple – so just like in Ubud, be careful with your things as they are known to steal loose items from unsuspecting guests! We were surprised that we didn’t see a single monkey, especially considering how many people told us to watch out for them. But nevertheless, you’ve been warned!

Now, what is the Kecak Fire Dance you ask? Oh, it’s a whole lotta fun – with a huge cast of dancers and chanters interpreting the Hindu history in Bali, the show is quite funny (but I won’t give away any spoilers). I hiiiighly recommend reading the informational paper they hand out, as you’ll be wildly confused otherwise. 

This traditional Balinese dance show is performed every night at Uluwatu Temple as the sun is setting (at 6pm), which makes for an absolutely breathtaking evening. Since the temple is on a cliff directly facing the sun setting into the ocean, you can only imagine what a sight it’ll be.

And just FYI – the temple and performance area gets exceptionally crowded; don’t be one of the last to get seated or you’ll wind up sitting on the hard concrete floor (and trust me, they squeeze in as many people who buy tickets…).

*Note that if you hire a driver, make sure they stay during the show to take you back to your accommodation afterwards (you’ll have a hard time finding a ride otherwise). For reference, if I remember correctly, we paid 400,000 rupiah roundtrip for the two of us (excluding tickets to temple and show, which came out to be an additional 150,000 rupiah per person).

If you want to have it all planned out ahead of time, there’s a bunch of organized tours you can book before you land in Bali. If you don’t mind winging it a bit and leaving your luck up to chance, hire a private driver once you arrive (the day of or the day before).

Since we changed our plans last minute since I wasn’t feeling so hot, we didn’t have the option of booking in advance. Thankfully we had met a gal at lunch the day before who gave us her drivers WhatsApp number. If we didn’t have this number we probably would have unfortunately had to take an overpriced taxi from the hotel, and I would have wished we had booked an organized tour ahead of time. Check out private tours to Uluwatu and the Fire Dance here.

Choice 2: DAY TRIP TO NUSA

If you have your heart set on heading to Nusa Penida, today’s the best day on this Bali itinerary to do it! Just know it’ll be a verryyyyy long day regardless of who you book with, as you’ll first need to make your way to Sanur and then take a fast boat to the island.

Get ready for some rocky, bumpy roads, and possibly a sore back, as the roads are exceptionally treacherous on the island of Nusa Penida. 

But alas, the natural landscapes look breathtaking and I’ve heard the beaches are to die for (although you’ll have to work aka hike down…and then back up, for some of them)! However, coconut trees, sandy beaches, and turquoise blue water awaits!

On a day trip to Nusa Penida from Bali, you’ll visit the following spots: Kelingking Beach, Broken Beach, Angel’s Billabong, Crystal Bay, and Sampalan Beach. All tours are very similar and visit the most popular spots. We booked a tour very similar to this one, although as mentioned, decided to cancel it. The tour does hotel pickup, brings you to the fast boat, then hooks you up with a private driver on Nusa Penida for the rest of the day.

Since we unfortunately missed this day trip, I’m thinking we’ll spend a few days on the Nusa Islands (there’s 3 in total!) to really get a feel for the islands next time we visit Bali (sooner than later, fingers crossed)!

Where we slept: Ayana Resort and Spa Bali

Part III: 3 DAYS ON THE GILI ISLANDS

The Gili islands are full of white sandy beaches, curious sea turtles, coconut palms, and more puka shells you’ve ever seen; it’s absolute paradise and then some. And being so close to Bali, you’d be crazy to miss out on these little islands during your stay in Indonesia, which is why I included it on this 10 day Bali itinerary!

I promise you – after a few busy days in Bali, the Gili’s will feel like a breath of fresh air since you don’t have to do much to have a good ole time here. Think pool, beach, snorkeling, fresh fish, lots of cheap Bintangs, and 1 hour massages for $7.

*You’ll need to decide which island you want to base yourself on (outta 3 main ones). We chose Gili Air, and loved our decision. For reference, there’s Gili Trawangan (commonly called Gili T), which is the largest, liveliest, and most developed island, with tons of late-night beachside parties and lots of drinking (apparently).

Gili Air, where we stayed, is a bit more low-key, but there’s still a whole slew of restaurants, bars, and relaxed nightlife (think listening to live music on the beach in some bean bag chairs while sipping some Bintangs – the local beer).

And finally there’s Gili Meno, the smallest of the islands, for those who just wanna get away from it all (it’s by far the quietest of the bunch without much nightlife).

Read Next: The Complete Guide to Gili Air (everything you need to know before visiting)

Where we stayed: PinkCoco Gili Air

To say we fell in love with the Pink Coco is a huge understatement. There’s just something about it that we found ourselves drawn to immediately. From all the pink accents to the breakfast overlooking the beach, it was the perfect place to rest our heads while on Gili Air.

And plus – all the staff were especially helpful and accommodating (when we had a mishap with our bags). It didn’t hurt that our room was just steps from the scenic pool, which was covered in palm trees and where we spent the bulk of our time while on the islands.

Day 6 | Jimbaran in early morning, then off to the Gili Islands!

Hey, it’s your last day at The Ayana Bali, so take fulllll advantage!

We decided to hit up the instagram famous River Pool, where electronics (yes, including phones, cameras, etc) are not allowed between the hours of 9am – 5pm (which they’re surprisingly crazy strict about – there’s even lockers for your phone at the entrance to the pool)…. Hence the need to go early to snap a few photos, of course!

I must admit that this was not my proudest moment, queueing up in the pool for a bunch of photos, but the water was warm and thankfully not tons of people were out when we arrived at 7:30am. By 8:30am, the place was swarming with instagrammers getting their perfect shot – and that was our cue to head on off to breakfast! 

Transfer to Gili Air 

Finish that hearty breakfast, because it’s time to pack up — we’re heading to the Gili Islands! Yeah, yeah, yeah, the Gili’s are not techhhhnically part of Bali, but since they’re so close (near the northwest coast of Lombok), it’d be an absolute shame to miss out on them. 

There are a few different boat/ferry companies to take you to the Gili Islands, but I highly encourage you to book with Blue Water Express. They are a very reputable company, and after experiencing some pretty rough seas (I still can’t believe we went out – those swells were insane), I’m sooo glad we didn’t take the public boat.

Yes, Blue Water Express is obviously more expensive, but so worth it to me for the 2-3 hour boat ride (plus free pickup at your hotel if I recall).

Although there’s usually an early morning option, I’d opt for the later one around 11am, so you don’t need to rush for checkout (and plus, you’ll have enough time on the Gili’s if you follow this Bali itinerary, I promise). 

Arrival in Gili (around 2pm-ish)

Our first few hours in Gili were spent relaxing by the pool, wandering the cute little town, and taking photos at the famous swings (located all over the island and also at the PinkCoco – where we stayed), which are just perfect for your instagram feed.

Remember that the sun sets around 6pm, so you don’t have tonssss of daylight on this first day in Gili, but much of the appeal of Gili is to slow down and relax, so you’re fine. Make sure to find some live music, order a few fresh juices and/or Bintangs, and plop yourself down on a beach-side bean bag chair and just chillax. That’s the life right there.

Remember, I wrote a full detailed guide on all things Gili Air, so be sure to check that out!

Where we stayed: PinkCoco Gili Air

Day 7 | Snorkeling the Gili Islands  

No trip to the Gili’s would be complete without exploring its vast underwater world, so today we’re off snorkeling! You can either pre-book or book once you get to the island (we were spontaneous and booked the day before while walking to our hotel).

Book ahead here if you’d like to ensure a spot and not get jammed in on a beat up boat like we were (with janky masks and snorkels as well).

Most snorkel tours visit Turtle Point (for you guessed it, turtle spotting), near Gili Meno to see the underwater statues, and another spot or two with coral gardens to see a wide array of tropical fish. I saw a few turtles (my favorite) as well as tons of colorful fish.

A quick note on turtles and underwater life in general: NEVER attempt to chase/touch/pet/feed turtles, as human contact can give them diseases and make them sick. Admire these beauties, (and get your photos), but NEVER at the expense of the animal. PLEASE keep wildlife WILD. 

The area near the statues was unbelievably crowded, as there were quite a few boats there when we were. However, if you know how to free dive (dive below the water without your snorkel), you can easily escape some of the crowds on the water’s surface.

Our boat left around 9:30am or so for snorkeling, stopped on Gili Meno for some lunch, and we returned back to Gili Air at our hotel around 3ish or so.

We spent the rest of the day at the Pink Coco pool, indulging in apps and drinks, and come night time, grabbed dinner on the beach and some lovely foot massages at a stand near our hotel (which we did every day while in Gili Air).

Where we stayed: PinkCoco Gili Air

Day 8 | Wednesday, July 17: Gili Islands, then transfer back to Bali!

Psst: Today’s mostly a travel day. But the Gilis are worth the hassle, I promise you!

Morning in Gili Islands

It’s your last (partial) day in Gili, so either take advantage of the island, or do absolutely nothing – your choice!

There are a few cooking classes in town, which usually happen before lunch, so you can definitely squeeze this in if that’s up your alley, get a massage (either at Slow Spa which I heard is marvelous for a Balinese massage or a simple one from a beach-side stand), spend time at the beach and/or pool, and head into town for breakfast and/or lunch!

We especially loved the smoothie bowls at Gili Bliss Gili Air, and enjoyed a hearty breakfast with some specialty coffee at Coffee and Thyme.

Back to Bali!

Time’s up on Gili Air unfortunately, and it’s time to head back to Bali! Again, like heading to Gili Air, I highly recommend you book with Blue Water Express! We chose the 2:30pm sailing to Serangan Marina (east coast of Bali and closest to our next stop of Seminyak), which came out to about 870k rupiah per person (or approximately $60).

The sailing took a few hours and because there was crazy traffic upon arrival in Bali (hotel transfer included in our booking), we didn’t get to our hotel in Seminyak until roughly 7/8pm or so. It’s safe to say we passed out riiiiiight after dinner that night. No shame!

Where we slept: The Elysian Boutique Villa Hotel

Part IV: 2 DAYS IN SEMINYAK/CANGGU + Go Home

Where we slept in Seminyak: The Elysian Boutique Villa Hotel

This boutique villa was the perfect spot to end our time in Bali, as we had our own private villa (bigger than our 3-bedroom condo I may add)! This stylish property is tucked away on a quiet street in busy, busy Seminyak, making you feel like you’re away from it all, when in reality, you’re only a few minutes walk to the hustle and bustle of town! 

The first-class attention to detail was phenomenal, food outstanding, public and private pools utterly fantastic, and our massages at the full-service spa were much needed. 

And because there are only 28 villas total at the resort (ALL with private pools), it never feels crowded in the common spaces, making for a very intimate, private experience. To say The Elysian is everything and then some is a complete understatement. 

I partially chose this location for our last stop in Bali as the Elysian is pretty close to the airport, (20 minutes or so without traffic), so I knew we’d be able to enjoy the hotel up until the last possible minute!

Book a few months in advance if traveling during the high season as this place books up fast (especially due to the small number of rooms).

Day 9 | Spend the day in Canggu

Relaxed Morning by the Pool

Because, well, we were utterly tired at this point and you probably will be too! Not to mention, the pool was absolutely beautiful and hardly crowded (we were actually the only ones taking advantage of it while we were there…. possibly because everyone has their own private pools, but it was also 9am when most were still sleeping).

We had our breakfast overlooking the pool, then brought the rest (they give you a whoooole lot, trust me) to nosh on at the pool.

Shopping and Cafe Hopping

Although we chose to sleep in Seminyak (one photo of the Elysian and I fell in love), we decided to spend part of the day in Canggu, only 30 minutes or so away.

Canggu is a super hip, trendy surf town, with tons of cute boutiques and countless colorful cafes, making it the perfect day trip from Seminyak. And all those hipster smoothie bowls and instagram photos? Yeahhh, they’re probably taken in Canggu.

After finding a taxi on the side of the road (again, we couldn’t get a Grab driver), we had him drop us off at Cafe Cinta on Pantai Batu Bolong Road. We used this as a drop-off spot so we could easily walk down this main road in Canggu to find local boutiques, well-known surf shops, and colorful hipster cafes.

If I were you I’d plan on hanging out Batu Bolong Road, getting lunch at The Loft (the poke dish was oh so good), grabbing ice cream at Mad Pops, exploring Love Anchor Canggu (a flea market type area with tons of stalls), and going shopping in the local boutiques and surf shops.

And whenever we got hungry/thirsty, there was always a coconut ready for drinking!

Sunset Drinks and Dinner

Once you’ve had your fair share of coconuts, fresh fruit juices, and smoothie bowls around town, head on over to The Lawn for some sunset drinks. Besides the fact that this beach lounge is located directly on and above the black sand beach of Canggu, there’s a pool. A POOL! So if you plan on hanging here for a while, be sure to bring your suit to go for a swim.

Do note that there are different sections at The Lawn, with a beach area, upper deck spot, day bed area, and small table/umbrella area on the actual lawn. If you want a specific spot, you definitely need to either reserve in advance or put your name down.

We enjoyed the lawn area and our cocktails, as it had such a fun vibe and we could feel the breeze from the beach.

Hungry?! I highly recommend heading to Fishbone Local for dinner afterwards as it’s right near The Lawn. We tried the beer-battered fish, fish tacos, and mini tuna tostadas, and loved them all! The garden in the back is so pretty – there’s string lights that just add to the overall ambiance.

Oh, and once we arrived back at The Elysian, we treated ourselves to 1-hour Balinese massages (which were just heavenly and the best way to -almost- end our trip).

Where we slept: The Elysian Boutique Villa Hotel

Day 10 | Brunch in Seminyak; fly home!

Pink Walls and Chill Vibes at KYND Community

It probably definitely sounds extra millennial, but did you really go to Bali if you didn’t have brunch at Kynd Community? You know all those photos of girls holding up their gold-encrusted pineapple spoons about to indulge in a perfectly crafted acai bowl with BALI spelled out in fruit?

Yea, that’s the place. And I wasn’t ashamed one teeny bit to have this last Bali meal for myself (even if the photos are a bit cringe-worthy as everyone and their 235423 best friends have the same insta-worthy shot). :p 

The food? It was pretty damn good, as was the cool, tropical pink decor (there’s a reason why it’s so popular with instagrammers and bloggers). Psst: the place is vegetarian, just FYI, so don’t expect to find your regular bacon hamburgers on the menu.

We got there pretty early (around 8:30ish) and didn’t have to wait at all, but expect a line if you get there later, especially if you want to sit by the instafamous pink wall.

Extra Time Before Your Flight?

We had to get ready for our flight, but if you’ve got more time in Seminyak, there’s tons more to do. Other foodie spots to check out if your flight is a bit later: Sea Circus Bali, known to be the most colorful restaurant in all of Bali, and Motel Mexicola, which I’ve heard has absolutely scrumptious Mexican specialities and cocktails (not your average taqueria, that’s for sure).

Itching for one last massage? Head on over to Jari Menari for a new massage technique that you’ve probably never had before. Some even claim it’s the best massage you’ll have! I’ll have to be the judge of that next time I’m visiting Bali!

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Are you in the process of planning a 10 day Bali itinerary? If so, hope your 10 days in Bali is an absolute blast (can I come with you, pretty please?)

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