I recently spent nine idyllic days on the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia, including four days in the southern part of Bali known as the Bukit Peninsula, and five days in Ubud, located to the north. Ubud, the cultural capital of Bali, is known for its beautiful architecture, vibrant green rice fields and terraces, lush vegetation, and numerous temples and shrines. It is a popular tourist destination due to its spiritual character, as well as the prevalence of luxury hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, and galleries. We took advantage of Ubud’s central location as a base to explore other surrounding areas of Bali. Excursion companies such as Viator, can offer many different types of tours and itineraries throughout Bali. For most of our trip, we had already planned our itinerary, and hired shared rides or drivers to take us to places.
Day 1 – The Viceroy Bali and Pura Tirta Empul
The Viceroy Bali Hotel – We spent most of our first day exploring our hotel, the Viceroy Bali, located on the edge of Ubud. This small but luxurious hotel is surrounded by tranquil verdant rice fields on one side, and a quiet forested valley on the other. The hotel has 40 lavish private Balinese style villas of various size, terraced on a hillside, each with its own infinity pool overlooking the lush valley.
The hotel provides excellent service within all of its amenities. It has two outstanding restaurants and a beautiful bar. Cascades serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Upon entering, you’ll see large stepping stones placed over a shallow pool, leading to the open-air dining area covered by a bamboo thatched roof. Guests seated near the edge are offered a spectacular view of the valley. The restaurant offers both western and Indonesian dishes. Aperitif restaurant and bar offers fine dining in a sophisticated atmosphere reminiscent of an early 20th century social club. The hotel provides social hours regularly in both restaurants, with complimentary cocktails and appetizers.
While we regularly used our own private pool, we also spent time lounging at the main pool, a beautiful infinity style pool overlooking the quiet forested valley. The hotel also offers a spa, fitness center, and squash court.
Tirta Empul Temple – In the afternoon, we hired shared motorbikes through the Grab app (similar to Uber) to take us to Tirta Empul Temple, about 30 minutes north in the village of Tampaksiring. The sacred temple is also known as the Holy Spring Water Temple, and originates from the 10th century during the Warmadewa Dynasty. It is believed that a Balinese ruler, Indrajaya, sought to cleanse his ailing soldiers with pure spring water. Today, the water is considered a source of physical purification, spiritual cleansing and renewal. Upon entering, visitors are provided a sarong to wear. Walking throughout the temple, you’ll be surrounded by intricate stone carvings, courtyards, Balinese architecture, and multiple pools. It was a surreal and spiritual experience to watch dozens of devoted visitors bathing in the sacred waters. The adult entry fee is 50k IDR.
Day 2 – Exploring Ubud
To get the lay of the land, we spent the day exploring the variety of attractions in Ubud, using a free hotel shuttle to the center city. From there, we walked between sites or hired a Grab motorbike.
Ubud Art and Street Markets – We started our morning exploring the Ubud Art Market, located in central Ubud, along Jalan (Street) Raya Ubud. Just around the corner is the street market, located on a long alley known as Jalan Karna. At both markets one can find a huge variety of locally made souvenirs including colorful batik sarongs, handicrafts, jewelry, handbags, homeware, and more. The markets are generally open from 9am to 6pm. It’s best to arrive in the morning, before the heat and the crowds grow. Items generally do not have price tags, so expect to bargain. The best deals can be had in the morning, or just before closing. It’s also recommended to walk the entire market to find the best items before selecting and offering a price.
Ubud Palace – Across the street from the Art Market, on Jalan Raya Ubud, is Ubud Palace which is officially known as Puri Saren Agung. The palace was built as the official residence of the royal family of Ubud. The original palace was built in 1640, and expanded in the early 1800s when Balinese artists flocked to Ubud to show their skills. In 1917, the palace was destroyed by an earthquake and the present complex was rebuilt in 1928. Walking throughout the palace you will see a vast complex with intricately designed stone walls and wooden doorways, and courtyards and gardens. The Pura Marajan Agung Temple located on the north side of the compound serves the royal family. The palace is open between 8am and 6pm and is free to the public. We visited during morning before the crowds arrived. However, a traditional Balinese dance performance is held nightly at 7:30pm, for approximately 100k IDR.
Taman Saraswati Temple – Taman Saraswati Temple, also known as Ubud Water Palace, is located one block west of Ubud Palace. The relatively new temple, built in the 1950s, is mostly known for its beautiful lotus pond. The pink lotus flowers were in full bloom when we visited. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning, literature and art. Upon purchasing an entry ticket, we were given a traditional covering for both our head and body. There are ornate chairs in front of the main temple where you can sit and have your photo taken.
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary – The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is the home to 1,200 Balinese long-tailed macaques. It’s also considered by the locals to be a spiritual complex embodying the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Krana (Three Causes of Well-Being) that consists of harmony with God, People and the Environment. The 27 acre complex consists of serene forests, temples, streams and fountains. The monkeys, seen as sacred animals, symbolize protection and mischief. The sanctuary is a place visitors can connect with nature, observe captivating monkey behavior, and support the ongoing conservation efforts. The sanctuary is open from 9am to 6pm, and the adult entry fee is 80k IDR (weekdays) and 100k IDR (weekends).
Murni’s Warung (Restaurant) – For lunch, we walked a mile to a restaurant I had read about, called Murni’s Warung (restaurant), which offers scenic hillside views. This restaurant is known for good Balinese food at reasonable prices. We ordered two large bottles of water to quench our thirst, along with Beef Rendang and Chicken Curry for our entrees. Beef Rendang has been voted by CNN Travel as the “World’s Most Delicious Food”. The beef is slowly simmered in coconut milk with a mixture of lemongrass, garlic, turmeric, ginger, chillies and other spices, and stewed for hours.
Campuhan Ridge Walk – After lunch, we headed to nearby Campuhan Ridge Walk, which follows a ridge providing scenic views of the surrounding valleys. The entrance was across from the restaurant, off the north side of Jalan Raya Ubud. The paved path follows the ridge between two parallel valleys and rivers for a little over a mile. With the high humidity, we sweated our way along the path before reaching a small village at the north end of the walk, where we ordered Grab motorbikes to take us to Tegalalang Rice Terrace. Continuing along the road north of the village, there are good views of picturesque rice fields.
Ceking / Tegalalang Rice Terrace – Our motorbike drivers delivered us to what I thought would be secluded and stunningly natural rice terraces. In reality, after paying our entrance fee, we realized that Ceking is like an amusement park filled with too many tourists. Apparently over the past five years, the terraces have become a major tourist trap, where one can zipline over the terrace valley, or have glamour photos taken while sitting on a swing with a terrace view. Personally, I found it a little tacky, and the obstructions made it difficult to get good views and photographs from the top. I would much rather see rice terraces in their natural state, and prefer Jatiluwih Rice Terrace (See Day 4). As we walked down the steep paths and along paths adjacent the terraces, we saw local farmers working in the fields. We also observed other adjacent and more natural rice terraces that we couldn’t access. After walking the terrace, we had a cold drink from the restaurant deck, taking in the view. The terrace is open from 7am to 6pm, and the entry fee is 10k IDR (less than a dollar). There are additional fees for using the swings and zipline.
Day 3 – Seminyak and Tanah Lot Temple
We decided to spend our third day relaxing by the beach, followed by sunset at Tanah Lot Temple. We hired a Grab driver to take us to Seminyak, located on the southwestern side of Bali. This area is known for its many upscale restaurants, bars, shopping malls and beach clubs that cater to tourists.
Seminyak Square – We first headed to Seminyak Square, a large commercial area that caters to tourists. Seminyak Village is a large modern multi-level shopping mall that sits in the heart of Seminyak. The mall is filled with dozens of shops, restaurants and other services. It’s a good place to spend an hour or two, to escape the heat and humidity. The surrounding streets also offer numerous opportunities for dining, drinking, coffee or shopping.
Potato Head Beach Club – From Seminyak Square, we hired Grab motorbikes to take us to Potato Head Beach Club. This expansive and beautiful club offers multiple infinity pools, daybeds, three restaurants, five bars, and a hotel. The club is distinguished with bold, modern and curious architecture, and sustainability is an important feature. The entry is designed as a long potato shaped tunnel made of bamboo. A circular building, known as the Coliseum, is made of 6,600 antique windows and shutters collected from all over Indonesia. The roof of another building is tiled entirely of blue and teal colored flip flops. We spent several hours lounging by the pool with cocktails, walking the beach, and eating a delicious lunch. Daybeds or reserved seating can be booked in advance, but we had no trouble getting seating as walk-ins. There is no entry fee for walk-ins. Specific lounge areas require a minimum purchase. However, there are other large areas where no minimum purchase is required.
Batu Belig Beach – Potato Head Beach Club sits at the south end of Batu Belig, a black sand beach known for its strong waves and tides. There are numerous beach clubs, such as Potato Head, that line the beach. It’s a peaceful place to stroll and get away from the energetic beach club, or watch the sunset.
Tanah Lot Temple – From the beach club, we took an hour long motorbike ride through heavy traffic to our final destination of the day, Tanah Lot Temple. Tanah Lot is one of seven sea temples around the Balinese coast. The temple, built in the 16th century, is unique in that it sits on a rock formation off the western coast of Bali, a perfect spot to capture the sunset. The name means Land in the Sea, and the temple’s main deity is Dewa Baruna, a sea god. During high tide, the rock appears as an island, while at low tide, visitors can walk around, and to the rock and temple. We walked up an area called Sunset Terrace, which is lined with restaurants and shops, each providing an incredible view of the sunset behind the temple. We ordered drinks before I walked back and forth along the trail to capture the perfect shot.
Day 4 – Northern Bali
We hired a driver through our hotel concierge to take us on an eight hour tour of the northern part of Bali. Northern Bali is known for its volcanoes, lakes and waterfalls, and is less developed than the southern part of the island. The total driver cost for two of us was one million IDR (approximately 67 dollars, plus tip). We provided a list of sites, and purchased all entry fees on our own. A nice thing about the northern area of Bali is the cooler temperatures. Along the way, our driver provided an overview of the culture and customs of Bali, including the design of local homes and temples, and various artisan skills of each village.
Jatiluwih Rice Terrace – We began the morning exploring the Jatiluwih Rice Terrace to take advantage of the cooler weather and reduced crowds. Jatiluwih is about 1.5 hours north of Ubud near Mount Batukaru, the second tallest volcano in Bali. The terraces are protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, displaying the extraordinary method of agriculture on steep land. Unlike Ceking, Jatiluwih is free of tourist gimmicks such as swings, ziplines and restaurants. Instead, the terraces are largely identical to their original formation. We spent an hour walking the numerous paths capturing spectacular terrace photos with Mount Batukaru in the distance.
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple – Ulun Danu Beratan Temple is a Hindu lake temple that sits on the shore of Lake Beratan, the second largest lake in Bali. The temple sits about 4,500 feet above sea level. Its focal point is the 12-story pagoda that was built on a small island off the coast, by the Balinese king of Mengwi in 1633. The pagoda is featured on the 50,000 Rupiah cash note of Indonesia. The pagoda is especially picturesque with the lake and mountains in the background. The temple was built in honor of the Goddess Danu, queen of the water, lakes and rivers. It was built as early as 1556, but a sarcophagus located left of the temple dates to around 500 BC. The temple is open between 7am and 7pm, and the entrance fee is 75k IDR.
Banyumala Twin Waterfalls – Our last stop of the day was the Banyumala Twin Waterfalls, some of the most impressive falls in Bali. The falls are hidden within the middle of a rainforest. They land in a beautiful pool filled with chilly water, and it was the perfect spot to end the afternoon. There are pedestrian bridges that offer nice views of the falls, and paths lead to some other nearby falls. From the parking area, we had to walk a fair distance (about ten minutes) to the entrance. From there, we continued walking (about another 20 minutes) past some pretty fields of hydrangeas, and down a large number of stairs to reach the falls. The best time to visit the falls is March to October. Monsoon season falls between November and February, and the path can be very slick. The entrance fee is 30k IDR.
Day 5 – Eastern Bali
We enjoyed our previous day with our friendly driver, so we asked him to pick us up at 8am on our last day to explore eastern Bali. Like the prior day, the cost was one million IDR, plus tip and entry fees. Eastern Bali is much more rural than Ubud and southern Bali, and is known for its beautiful forests, beaches, temples and waterfalls. Mount Agung, Bali’s highest volcano, dominates the landscape. The climate is drier than other areas of Bali, and the slopes of Mount Agung can get considerably cold. In fact, our driver showed us a photograph of himself hiking the mountain in snow! Driving through eastern Bali is like stepping back in time to a slower, more laid back version of Bali of a generation ago.
Virgin Beach – We started the day hanging out at Virgin Beach, about a 1.5 hour drive east of Ubud. The beach is located in the eastern region of Karangasem, near the town of Amlapura. As we made our way down the road toward the beach, we stopped at an overlook that offered a breathtaking view. Unlike most of eastern Bali’s black sand beaches, Virgin is pure white sand buffered by a thick grove of palm trees, formed by a bay with beautiful turquoise colored water. Not too long ago, the beach was relatively undiscovered, but it has been growing in popularity. It’s still much less crowded than the beaches of Seminyak and south Bali, and was relatively quiet when we arrived. The beach is lined with many colorful wooden outrigger canoes known as a jukung. Making your way along the beach, you’ll see a number of thatched roof restaurants and bars. As you walk by them, most will offer you a menu. We only spent an hour at Virgin Beach, and I could have stayed much longer. The entry fee to the beach is 15k IDR (about $1).
Tirta Gangga Temple – Tirta Gangga is another water palace located north of Amlapura. The temple is relatively new, conceived in 1946 by the royal Karangasem family. Named after the sacred river Ganges in Hinduism, it is noted for the Karangsem royal water palace, the Patirthan temple, and the numerous bathing pools. The large pools are filled with statues, fountains, stepping stones and perhaps the most popular attraction – enormous koi fish. Feeding the fish is a popular activity, and fish food can be purchased on site. Surrounding the pools are pathways and ornate arched pedestrian bridges and beautiful colorful gardens. I found a good view of the pools and gardens below, from above the upper swimming pool near a private temple. The adult entry fee to Tirta Gangga is 50k IDR.
Goa Lawah Temple – Our driver suggested that we stop at Goa Lawah, which I had not heard of. The temple is located on the coast, near Semarapura. I was pleasantly surprised, as the name means Bat Cave Temple in Balinese. The unique temple dates from the 11th century, and is constructed around a large cave inhabited by thousands of bats. The temple is considered one of the six holiest places of worship in Bali. During our visit, a final purification ritual was occurring, the final stage of burial for the deceased. Twelve days after cremation, families take the ashes to the sea to be purified by water in order for the spirit to return to heaven to begin the process of reincarnation.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall – Tukad Cepung is one of the most beautiful and unique waterfalls in Bali, because it is located within a cave. It’s a great photography spot where you can capture the falls and pool from the entrance to the cave, while rays of light stream from above. From the ticket entrance, we had to walk down many steep stairs, and then along a path. Once you get near the cave, you will need to walk within the river to get to the falls. Make sure to bring water shoes, because the river is filled with many rocks which are uncomfortable, if not painful. If you forget, you can purchase some flip flops from one of several vendors within the park before reaching the stream. The waterfall is a popular tourist site, so it may take you awhile to get a personal, unobstructed photo within the cave. The entry price is 15k IDR.
Pura Lempuyang – Pura Lempuyang, also known as Gate of Heaven, was on my list of places to see, and is one of the most popular tourist sites in all of Bali. It consists of a cluster of temples on Mount Lempuyang. The temple is popular with Instagrammers, where they pose in front of a gate facing Mount Agung at sunrise or sunset, with what looks to be a pool of water in front of them. We were advised not to go here, and we followed through for good reason. People begin the trek as early as 4am to reach the temple before sunrise. Once there, you need to climb 1700 steps, and then likely stand in a line for several hours in order to pose in front of the gate. Finally, the image of the pool is actually fake. Tour guides will hold the face of another camera below and horizontal to your camera to create the image. Visiting the temple would have likely been an all-day affair, so we decided to skip it. However, this should not stop one from visiting, as the temple grounds themselves are beautiful – just keep in mind the issues noted.