Budget
Budget
Nice
Fancy
Accomodation
(per night)
$10-20
$30-40
$80-200
Food
(per meal)
$2-3
$5-8
$10-20
Activities
$6 scooter rent/day
$2-5 entrance fee temples/waterfalls
Budget
Budget
Nice
Fancy
Accomodation
(per night)
$10-20
$30-40
$80-200
Food
(per meal)
$2-3
$5-8
$10-20
Activities
$6 scooter /day
$2-5 temples
/waterfalls
Bali.. the ultimate travel destination for many. Amazing rice terraces, impressive waterfalls, good surf, beautiful cliffs and the dreamy Nusa islands just around the corner. There is also plenty to see in Bali in terms of culture, from beautifully decorated Hindu temples to fragrant offerings and ceremonies everywhere. Whatever kind of holiday you are looking for: Bali has got it!
Denpasar
Almost everyone will start their trip in Denpasar, as this is where the airport is located. This is not the most interesting place in Bali, but perfectly fine if you want to spend the night in one of the hotels right next to the airport. However, if you still have some energy after your flight, Legian is only 20-30 minutes by car and Canggu about an hour.
Legian / Seminyak / Canggu
Kuta/Legian, Seminyak and Canggu are the most popular locations to stay in Bali. It is close to the airport (Kuta the closest, Canggu the furthest), there are a lot of facilities, there is a huge beach and it is full of hotels and restaurants. Kuta/Legian are known for the many (Australian) tourists, lots of nightlife and tourist shops. It’s not really the most attractive place to stay, but prices are lower in this area. For €25, for example, you have a nice, fairly luxurious hotel with a nice swimming pool, while in Canggu, for example, you have a very basic room in a local guest house.
Canggu is the most popular area to stay. It’s trendy, it feels less city-like as there are still some rice fields around, more cute coffee shops and brunch places than you can count and there is a big community of digital nomads. The vibe here is different from anywhere else in Asia (or even the world), it feels like a perfect combination of Europe and Asia. However, prices here (especially for accommodation) have skyrocketed over the past years. There are quite a lot of nice villas, boutique hotels, etc, but be prepared to pay European prices.
>> Read more about Canggu in our Things to do in Canggu article!
Seminyak is a bit in the middle: literally (in terms of distance), in terms of price but also trendyness. There are some more luxurious restaurants here, a lot of nail studios, hairdressers and shopping malls. It is already quite built up, but you can still see a rice field here and there and it feels a tiny bit less touristy than Legian.
Pick one of these locations for the first 3 days. Take your time to get used to the heat, try out one of the many nice restaurants, take surfing lessons, do some shopping and watch some stellar sunsets from a bean bag at the beach. A little bit north of Canggu you can visit the temple Tanah Lot and if you want to see a real black sand beach, Pig Stone beach is a cool place.
One thing to consider: the beaches in this part of the island are not the most beautiful. They are big, have nice waves and are great for surfing, but as it is volcanic sand, the beaches are sort of brownish. But don’t worry, we’ll get to the beautiful beaches later!
Munduk
If you like waterfalls, you should definitely visit Munduk. Because of the elevation it’s a bit cooler than the rest of Bali, so it’s wise to bring some warmer clothes. There are so many waterfalls to choose from so pick a few, rent a scooter and get exploring!
Ubud
After about a 1,5 hour drive you’ll arrive in Ubud, a laid-back town with lots of vegan restaurants and lots and lots of greenery! It’s about 20 minutes away from the Tegalalang rice terraces which are, despite being very touristy, very much worth a visit!
Ubud is also home to a number of impressive waterfalls. The most beautiful (in our opinion) are Suwat and Tukad Cepung. Definitely pay a visit to Ubud’s market and, if you’re not afraid of cheeky monkeys, the monkey forest.
>> Check out all our tips for Ubud!
NUSA ISLANDS
This may sound strange, but our favorite places in Bali aren’t even on the island itself! Its Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan & Cenigan, 3 wonderful islands located a short 30-45-minute boat ride from Sanur, Bali. It feels like a different world than Bali, there is such a nice island vibe, it feels a bit undiscovered and the beaches are what you expect from a tropical island. There are nice restaurants, but it is not as developed and still feels a very authentic. In short, you cannot skip these islands during your Bali trip!
Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan is the island closest to Bali. It’s a relatively small island, easy to navigate by scooter and it’s connected to neighboring island Nusa Ceningan by a big yellow bridge. It’s super relaxed, there are several beach clubs where you can hang out all day and there is some nice sightseeing to do. Go to Devil’s tear for example, where you can marvel at the huge waves crashing against the rocks. Or pay a visit to the Blue lagoon, where you could try cliff jumping, or just choose one of the beautiful white sandy beaches to do some swimming and relaxing!
>> Read more about it in our Nusa Lembongan Guide!
Nusa Penida
Whereas Nusa Lembongan is particularly suitable for relaxing, you’ll have to get a bit more active on Nusa Penida! Most beaches are incredibly beautiful here, but you have to climb down quite a bit (and up again of course!). However, this is 100% worth it, because this island is absolutely stunning. The high cliffs and wild waves provide the most spectacular views and if you don’t mind a climb (usually there are steps) you should definitely go down to the beach.
The Bukit / Uluwatu
The bottom part of Bali is the peninsula called ‘the Bukit’, which means ‘the hill’. It feels different to the rest of Bali, it is -as the name suggests- very hilly indeed, and big parts of it are relatively untouched. The coast consists of these high cliffs, with beautiful white sandy beaches underneath, which are in our opinion definitely the most beautiful ones you can on the island. The most well-known town is probably Uluwatu (all the way down in the Bukit) which is an awesome place for surfing and nice, trendy restaurants are popping up everywhere!
Hi! We're Sara & Arjen!
In 2018 we quit our jobs and decided to travel around the world. 5 Years later we’re still at it and now we’re sharing our experiences and tips with you!
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