Our complete itinerary from our trip to Bali. Our favorite spots and other things we did while visiting this beautiful destination.
Welcome to one of the most beautiful & "Instagramable" spots in the world.
Our 2 weeks in Bali
Everything mentioned is something we did while in Bali, we spent a lot of time researching everything before we left for our trip. I recommend you do the same, as there is so much to do and see here.
My number 1 recommendation is to staying in multiple locations. The traffic in Bali is crazy and will take you a few hours to get to areas that appear close by. I also loved spending multiple days in the different areas to get a better feel for Bali as a whole.
I organized this by details in each area that we stayed in. At the bottom I added our full itinerary & some things you should before visiting Bali.
Kuta
We stayed in Kuta for the first day/night in Bali. It is close to the airport & the beach. It is a very crowed area with small streets. I found that the markets were the cheapest in this area and the beaches were pretty crowded.
We did not do a whole lot here besides walk the markets and beach, we only spent 24 hours in Kuta before heading to our next location.
Massage
We stopped to get a massage the day we landed, I highly recommend this. The 36 hour travel time and uncomfortable plane seats made this massage 100% necessary. Also not to mention we spent about $7 USD on a 1 hour massage. Something to know before getting a massage, They do not understand personal space. Not to mention, the massage lady was pretty much standing on me. Craziest massage ever but worth the $7!
Lempuyang Temple
To get to this temple you will want to reserve a driver (in advance) and you will want to get there around 5 AM. We landed at 1:30 AM and had our driver take us from the air port to the temple. If you get to the temple later in the day you will wait in a long line for hours. We were the first ones there, got our picture and left. We did not waste half our day, and I'm very happy we did it the way we did.
Side note: This photo was taken by the workers with a mirror to make it appear like a reflection.
Nusa Penida
We spent 3 nights on Nusa Ceningan, an island off of Bali and near Nusa Penida. I do not recommend staying on Nusa Penida, I would just schedule a day tour from Nusa Ceningan to Nusa Penida. The boat ride was about 10 min. There were very few food options, the roads are HORRIBLE. Also do not rent a scooter on Nusa Penida. Millions of potholes, small roads and dust.
Kelingking Beach
This spot is the iconic Bali photo spot. It's seriously so beautiful but there are a lot of people waiting to get photos, I recommend getting here early. I also do not recommend taking the stairs down to the beach. There are a lot of stairs, very steep, and challenging.
Tree House
So this spot is on the other side of the island from the normal touristy spots. Very beautiful and not as many tourist when we were here. There are also some "birds nests" to take photos in, just be careful because I put a rip in my dress getting in one.
Beaches and other spots on Nusa Penida
We went to a few different beaches and lookouts during our day trip. You do not get to spend a lot of time at each spot if you are trying to get everything done in one day. Your best option is to find a driver who knows all the best spots on the island. Our driver to us to beaches we have never even heard of.
Ubud
This was my personal favorite spot, when I go back I will spend majority of my time here. Staying right in the middle of the rice fields with monkeys and markets just made my heart so happy. We did a lot of walking here, things are pretty close by to the city center.
Monkey Forest
Wow these monkeys are crazy!! There are signs everywhere telling you to not look them in the eyes, bring in items like water bottles or food. This is the Monkey's home, they just explore around the sacred forest and even the streets of Ubud. If you want to get a photo with the monkey, ask the workers who are there. They will make sure you can get a safe photo.
Bali Swing
Our driver recommended that we go to Hideaway Swing instead of Bali Swing. At Hideaway Swing you are able to do as many swings and photos as you would like. They also have other birds nests and photo spots here. We got here around 8 AM and were the first people here. Food is also included in your ticket to enter. I believe it cost us $30 to enter.
Tirta Empul Holy Water Temple
If you plan on going to this temple bring a swim suit and a towel. They will provide you with a sarong to wear in the temple. Once you get in the holy water you move left to right & are supposed to go to every water spout. This was an amazing experience.
Yoga Barn
Even if you aren't big into yoga I highly recommend stopping by the Yoga Barn. It is a beautiful yoga resort with a spa, restaurant, and yoga studio. I took a yoga flow class here and it was amazing and the studio was beautiful. They provide yoga mats and props.
Cooking Class
We signed up to take a cooking class that we found on Airbnb. The class cost around $20-30 USD and provided transportation. We went in the garden and picked all the veggies, then we cooked a 6 course meal. The food was amazing!
Seminyak
We spent out last few nights in Seminyak. We mostly just did some shopping at the markets and spent some time on the beach. I highly recommend watching the sunset on the beach here.
Random Thing to Know Before Going to Bali
Money Exchanges
If you see a rate that appears to good to be true.. it probably is. I experienced this first hand. I found an amazing rate, and brought up my money. He counted the IDR cash and handed it to me to count, then asked for it back to double check it. While he was double checking it he took money back ( I didn't even notice). A lady walking by told my friend about this and when I check he did take money out. So my advice, only go to exchange places that have clear glass, fair rates, and that count the money on the counter (not in their hands behind the counter). A lot of the exchange places in the markets did not seem legit, just be careful.
Private Drivers
We scheduled private drivers for the days we were traveling to a new airbnb & when we were doing a day trip. The drivers are affordable, very nice, and helpful. This is the safest way to get around Bali. Remember the roads are crazy and accidents happen often.
Our Itinerary
Land in Bali 1:30
Drove to Lempuyang Temple from airport
Kuta 1 night
Nusa Islands 3 nights (1 day in Nusa Penida)
Ubud 4 nights
Seminyak 2 nights
Looking for restaurant recommendations? Check out my Bali Restaurant Guide!