Whether it's your first or fourth visit, read this 4-day Ubud itinerary to make the most of your visit.
Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, it consists of five main islands and over 18,000 smaller ones with close to a third being uninhabited. Bali is the most famous island and is also a province encompassing smaller surrounding islands. WIth 593km of coastline, it's easy to see why it's so popular, but Indonesia is much more than just Bali so consider going beyond, like taking a cruise in Flores.
When to visit Bali?
Like the majority of South East Asia, Indonesia has two seasons. Here in Canada, we are used to four but they only have wet and dry. The wet season is considered the ‘off season’, as most travelers do not want to be exploring for days on end in the rain. The dry season is considered ‘peak season’ as it’s perfect for beach days.
Our trip happened to coincide with the wet season, it’s just how it lined up with our parental leave and missing the worst of winter in Canada. The benefits to traveling at this time is less people and lower rates.
The majority of people will recommend you visit in the dry season (April-October), however it depends on what you want. We were lucky and the rain did not really interfere with any of our activities. If you are unwilling to take that risk then you’ll want to go in the dry season.
How to get around Bali?
Even if you have not been to Bali, I am sure you have seen pictures or heard stories about how commonly used scooters are here. You should only rent one if you know how to, and are comfortable, driving one! Traffic can be very different here than your home country and if you are not familiar with a scooter you will be dangerous to both yourself and those around you.
A common way to get around in south east Asia is to use the app Grab, which is similar to Uber. We had no issues using it in Vietnam and it is the way to go in Thailand. However, local taxi drivers in Bali are boycotting it so I would recommend against using it here. Instead, find a local driver and negotiate a day rate. If you'd like to get the contact details for ours, send me a DM on Instagram.
How long to stay in Bali?
This is a 4-day Ubud itinerary, but I highly recommend you actually stay longer than 4 days and intersperse these tours out with some days by the pool. Bali is also famous for massages so make sure to get one while visiting! They are super affordable, I paid a higher price to have the masseuse come to my room and it was still only 13CAD for an hour.
What to do in Bali?
Day 1: Walking Tour
Follow this walking tour to see the best of Ubud! We'll start with the historical Ubud Palace and water palace, a fun visit to the monkey forest, followed up by lunch and shopping, before watching the sun set at Campuhan Ridge.
The royal palace is a complex that was historically the official residence of the royal family of Ubud. It is free to enter, we found there wasn't even an obvious employee tending the place. It is not very large, and you won't spend long there. It is an important place to the history of Ubud and good for checking out the local architecture.
Just a bit down the road, you will find the water palace, famous for it's lotus ponds. Unfortunately, they weren't in bloom when we visited, make sure to check it out if they'll be in bloom during your visit.
For lunch, you will have an abundance of options, both local and more western fare. I would recommend checking out Tropical View. It is right beside the Sacred Monkey Forest, well priced and delicious. The tuna steak was yummy, but the Red Snapper Jungle Curry is an absolute must try!
A trip to Bali isn't complete without a visit to the world famous sacred sanctuary to see the long tailed macaques. The mission of this forest is conserving the area based on Tri Hita Karana, a philosophy in Hinduism meaning “three ways to reach spiritual and physical well-being”.
Top tips for visiting:
Don't have any food or drinks with you.
Don't approach the monkeys.
Don't run or scream.
Keep your valuables packed away.
I'm sure you noticed on your walk to the monkey forest that there is an abundance of shops here. I recommend taking some time to explore and pick up outfits for your adventures here. You can try on clothes, but don't expect a fitting room - I like to wear bike shorts and a tank top to stay covered. This is a great place to pick up colourful dresses, jumpsuits and sarongs that you'll want for the photo spots further into this itinerary. Don't forget to barter for a good deal, the more you buy, the more you can save.
It is possible to walk to Campuhan Ridge from Ubud, or you can flag down a local driver to take you. This is one of the highest rated things to do in Ubud so we were quite surprised to have the trail more or less to ourselves. However, there are no lights, some bugs and the views weren't all that great. I think this is one of those activities that falls flat from all the hype. Make sure to let me know if you have been and what you liked about it!
Day 2: Tourist Traps
This has got to be the number one thing I read in reviews when planning a trip, especially talking about Bali. It's pretty, but its a tourist trap. It's cool, but its a tourist trap. I liked it, but its a tourist trap. Guess what? You're a tourist. There is reason these things are so popular with visitors to a country. We'll hit up a few of the most common 'tourist traps' of Bali; Tegallalang rice terraces, a coffee plantation, a Bali Swing, and a water temple. Then we'll round the day off with two fantastic waterfalls so you can relax and have a swim.
Tegallalang rice terraces is also known as Ubud rice terraces due to their popularity, and maybe the difficulty of saying the real name. It is a UNESCO world heritage site, and a great area to visit if you want to have a full and busy day. Since it is so popular, the field is lined with cafés, shops, swings and restaurants.
Depending on what time you go and what entrance you choose, you will have to pay a fee. The easiest way to access the rice terrace is through one of the tourist attractions along side it. We chose to visit for sunrise and no one was attending the booth so we were able to enter for free. Depending on how many photos you want here or if you'd like to go for a trek, your visit could take hours here. The sunrise wasn't as magnificent as we imagined, but it was nice to have it to ourselves.
Ubud is actually known for having amazing coffee and I couldn't wait to try some! The most famous coffee here is luwak coffee or kopi luwak, and you'll never guess what it's made using...poop! Kopi luwak is made by feeding the ripe coffee berries to civets and then collecting the beans from their poop! We chose a coffee plantation close to the rice terraces so we could have a breakfast stop in the midst of our adventures.
Bali Pulina is a café surrounded by a green forest and was quite tranquil. They have a large garden and educational area they will walk you through to teach you about their coffee making. The coffee plants here are small, I don't believe it is actually a plantation - rather a tourist attraction. We enjoyed our coffee samples and breakfast overlooking the garden.
Pura Tirta Empul has become famous in the rise of social media, although it continues to be a n essential part of Balinese spirituality. This temple is dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu God of water and you can cleanse in the holy spring. Kymani was napping when we visited, so only Shane was able to perform the cleansing ritual.
*Note it is important to go here with a local to respect the local traditions.
Tibuma Waterfall was once nicknamed one of Bali's best kept secrets, unfortunately like many things word gets out. It is a beautiful and tall waterfall and it is possible to swim at it. We visited it for a quick photo opportunity as we the next waterfall is where it's really at.
Kanto Lampo waterfall is definitely a tourist trap but that doesn't mean you should avoid it. There is an entrance fee and guides will be in the water with you. It is quite popular for photos and a great spot to grab some. Your entrance fee actually goes towards having the guides take your photos. This is what they do all day so they know how to work your phone camera to get you some amazing shots. Don't be shy! Join the line ups and follow their directions, I know you'll love the results.
Day 3: West Bali
Most visitors end up at the Tegallalang rice terraces as it's in a convenient location and set up for tourists. However, if you're willing to go a little further (and wake up a little earlier!) you can enjoy this lesser known one. Jatiluwih Rice Terraces comprise almost 1500 acres of rice fields along the hillside of the Batukaru mountain range.
When you hear Bali do you picture two beautifully carved gates with a mountain in the background? You will see these statuesque gates all over Bali as these gates are seen as portals that connect the physical and spiritual world. There are many ones you can visit to get iconic photos for your Instagram feed. Handara Golf & Resort is amongst the top, it's gotten so popular they even charge for you to take photos there. Since we were so early (we watched the sunrise at Jatiluwih) we had the place to ourselves. If you go in the middle of the day, expect a queue and time limit for taking your photos.
Banyu Wana Amertha is a must visit as not only do you get to visit one waterfall, but four! You can hike your way down and visit all four separate waterfalls, diving in to cool off as needed. It's a serene forest walk, when we went it wasn't overly busy. If you get tired, you can hire a scooter to take you back up!
Ulun Danu Beratun temple is a unique temple as the large complex is on the water and there are many activities within. It's done up a bit more like a sculpture park with photo opportunities, as tourists can't visit the actual sacred temple. If you're able to visit at sunset, you'll love the view over the lake.
Day 4: East Bali
Remember those iconic Bali gates? This is the day to visit the 'real' ones. Built in the 11th century this temple complex is one one of the oldest and most sacred places to worship in Bali. There are seven Hindu temples to visit as you ascend the mountain, but most tourists will only visit the first. Pura Luhur Lempuyang or 'Gates of Heaven' is famous for it's view of Mount Agung between the gates.
We were once again on a sunrise tour so we were amongst the first ten people to get here. You will have to pay a shuttle fee, take a shuttle to the temple, pay the entrance fee and borrow sarongs. Both men and women must wear sarongs here, you can bring your own but we choose to use theirs so we could match. If you do not go first thing in the morning, expect to wait in line for your photo.
There is some debate on visiting this temple, perhaps I should have put it under the Tourist Traps...Were you tricked into thinking that was an actual reflection pond in front of the gates? Guides are there to take your photograph using a mirror! It doesn't ruin the experience for me, I think it's part of the fun and creativity. It is run very efficiently, you have 5 poses you can do and they will give suggestions if you can't come up with any. Don't worry if you're going in a group, you will be allowed photos solo and together!
Tirta Ganga temple was once a royal palace in eastern Bali and now a popular photo spot. Named after the sacred river Ganges in Hinduism, it is noted for the Karangasem royal water palace, bathing pools and its Patirthan temple. Make sure to grab some fish food on your way in if you want photos kneeling over the pond full of bright orange fish.
Over 1000 years old, Besakih Temple is giant complex that appears on most Bali Itineraries. It has been nicknamed the mother temple, and consists over 80 individual Hindu temples. It sits below Mt Agung and when the volcano erupted, the temple survived.
Your ticket price includes a sarong if you need one (again men and women must wear one). The ticket price also includes a guide, but ours was upfront with us that he expected a hefty tip. When we told him we weren't going to pay that since it was included in the ticket (he wanted over twice the ticket price!) he turned and walked away. This was disappointing as the complex is quite large and you're not allowed in all the areas without a guide.
It isn't a complete tour in Bali without a visit to a waterfall so today we go to Tegenungan Waterfall. This is one of the busiest and most popular waterfalls in Bali as it's easy to access, just a short walk down stairs and has a big parking lot. There's souvenir shops and restaurants aplenty and even a day club with a pool overlooking the falls.
Bonus:
Consider staying somewhere in Bali beyond Ubud! You can stay in places like Kuta, Sanur, Jimbaran, or Uluwatu. They are less popular amongst tourists, although they are becoming more well known. I've heard accommodations can be more expensive here but you can have a more authentic experience.