Indonesia travel guide
Seven Days in Bali: Beach, Ubud and Uluwatu
The classic first week: Seminyak or Canggu (2 nights), Ubud (3 nights), Uluwatu (2 nights). Hire a private driver for transfer days (~600,000–800,000 IDR / ~A$58–77 for a full day) and the island is easy. Avoid packing the north or Nusa Penida into seven days — save them for next time.
Seven days at a glance
| Days 1–2 | Seminyak or Canggu — beach clubs, sunsets, cafés |
|---|---|
| Days 3–5 | Ubud — rice terraces, temples, monkey forest, a volcano sunrise or rafting |
| Days 6–7 | Uluwatu — cliff temples, surf beaches, kecak fire dance |
Days 1–2: Seminyak or Canggu
Land, decompress, swim. From the airport it is 30–60 minutes depending on traffic — a hotel pick-up or Grab car costs 150,000–300,000 IDR. Seminyak is the polished choice: beach clubs, sunset cocktails, good restaurants. Canggu is younger and surfier, with café-lined shortcuts and black-sand beaches. Both work as a soft landing; see the Seminyak guide and Canggu guide.
Days 3–5: Ubud
Move inland (90 minutes by car). Day 3: the Tegalalang rice terraces early, then the town — the market, the palace, a spa afternoon (massages from ~150,000 IDR). Day 4: the Sacred Monkey Forest (120,000 IDR) and the Campuhan ridge walk at golden hour. Day 5: pick a big one — the Mount Batur sunrise trek (~600,000–900,000 IDR with transfer and guide) or white-water rafting on the Ayung (~500,000–700,000 IDR). Water temples like Tirta Empul (75,000 IDR) slot into any transfer day. The Ubud guide has more.
Days 6–7: Uluwatu
Drop south to the Bukit peninsula (about 2 hours from Ubud). Day 6: the cliff-top Uluwatu temple (50,000 IDR) for the sunset kecak fire dance — book the 6 pm show and arrive early. Day 7: a beach morning at Padang Padang or Melasti, a warung lunch, and the airport is 30–45 minutes away for an evening flight. Keep phones and sunglasses pocketed at the temple — the monkeys are professional thieves.
Getting around
Bali has no useful public transport. Options, in order of ease: a private driver for transfer and excursion days (~600,000–800,000 IDR for 8–10 hours, petrol included); Grab or Gojek cars and scooter taxis in the south; or rent a scooter (~80,000–100,000 IDR/day) only if you are licensed, insured and confident — accidents are the island’s biggest tourist risk. Distances look short; traffic makes them long.
Money and seasons
Mid-range travellers should budget roughly 1,200,000–2,000,000 IDR (~A$115–190) per person per day all-in. The dry season (April–October) is best; July–August and Christmas–New Year are peak-price. The wet season (November–March) brings afternoon downpours but fewer crowds and greener rice. More in when to visit Indonesia.
With more time
10 days: add Nusa Penida (2 nights) or the Gili islands. 2 weeks: add Sidemen’s valleys and the east — Amed’s snorkelling and Lempuyang’s gate of heaven.
Keep planning Bali
Bali itinerary — FAQs
Is 7 days enough for Bali?
Enough for the classic south-and-Ubud loop: beach, rice terraces, temples and Uluwatu's cliffs. Add Nusa Penida or the Gilis and you will want 10 days.
How do you get around Bali?
No public transport to speak of. Hire a private driver for transfer days (~600,000–800,000 IDR), use Grab/Gojek in the south, and rent a scooter only if properly licensed and insured.
How much does a week in Bali cost?
Mid-range travellers should budget roughly 1,200,000–2,000,000 IDR (~A$115–190) per person per day including accommodation, food, drivers and activities.
Last reviewed and updated: by the AmazingAsia editorial team. See our editorial policy.