The day-by-day plan
| Day | Where to sleep | What to do | More |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ubud | Arrival, Ubud palace and market, monkey forest | Ubud in one day |
| 2 | Ubud | Tegallalang rice terraces, water temples, waterfalls | Ubud day tour |
| 3 | Ubud | Mount Batur sunrise, or a cooking class | Mount Batur: which tour |
| 4 | Sanur | Day on Nusa Penida by fast boat | Nusa Penida: east or west |
| 5 | Canggu | Beaches, surf, sunsets | Where to stay in Canggu |
| 6 | Uluwatu | Cliffs, Bingin and Padang Padang beaches, kecak dance | Where to stay in Uluwatu |
| 7 | Uluwatu | Last beach, return to the airport | Bali airport |
Guides differ on nights per area: this plan is a base to adjust, not a fixed schedule.
Where to sleep for this itinerary. For the first night, Ubud is the simplest base on arrival and for starting the rest of the trip. Compare hotels with free cancellation in Ubud and see our where-to-stay guide (Bali) to pick the neighbourhood.
Variants
- Less driving: drop Canggu and spend 3 nights in Uluwatu or Seminyak, see where to stay in Seminyak.
- More time: see Bali in 10 days. Shorter: Bali in 3 days.
- Nusa Penida over 2 days: possible if you love the sea, but roads on the island are poor: take a driver there.
What to book ahead
- The fast boat and the Nusa Penida tour (early departure).
- The Mount Batur sunrise, with hotel pickup between about 1 am and 3 am according to offers.
- A private driver for days 2, 4 and 6: see private driver in Bali and Grab and Gojek.
- Best season: see best time to visit Bali.
