Two Weeks in Paradise: The Ultimate Bali Itinerary
Plan the ultimate trip with this two week Bali itinerary – where to stay, what to do, and everything you need to know before you go.
Even just the name Bali evokes images of sun-drenched beaches, impressive Hindu temples, and cafes serving up photogenic acai bowls. And, while these things are a huge part of the island’s culture (well, for tourists anyway), there’s plenty more to explore.
But, with so many stunning places, where do you start? We spent a month travelling around the island and have compiled all of our Bali knowledge to help you out. Whether your idea of paradise involves lengthy, sweaty hikes to epic viewpoints or unwinding on postcard-worthy beaches (we like both, fyi), Bali offers a myriad of experiences for the adventurous and the uninitiated.
2-Week Bali Itinerary
Day 1-4: Canggu
Canggu was the first stop on our Bali trip and we quickly fell in love. It’s the best place to visit if you’re after a laidback break, plus there are so many cool restaurants and cafes to explore. In all honesty, you could spend weeks in Canggu and not once feel bored. But, if you’re visiting Bali for a limited period of time, spending four days here is perfect.
You can easily fill your days with early morning surfing, late brunches, and afternoon spa trips. Canggu is also famed for its impressive beach clubs where you can hang out around the pool with a cocktail or two. Our top picks are the classic Finn’s, La Brisa, and The Lawn – you’ll need to book a lounger in advance to get the most out of your experience.
While the beaches in Canggu are not our favourite in Bali (that award goes to Uluwatu – more on that later) there are plenty of spots boasting clean stretches of sand and epic surf waves. Berawa Beach is popular and in close proximity to some of our top cafe recommendations: Baked, Milk & Madu, and Nude.
Or, if you’re hitting up Canggu Beach, pop into La Brisa Market on a Sunday to pick up some cool new trinkets and sample some of the area’s best grub. Spring Spa, one of our favourite places to relax and unwind, is also nearby.
While you’re based in Canggu, pay a visit to Tanah Lot – Bali’s famous ocean temple. There’s a market, a beach, and a Holy Snake Cave to explore. Plus, time your visit just right and experience the best sunset of your life. We’re not kidding.
You might also be tempted to stay in Seminyak or Kuta. However, we recommend basing yourself in Canggu and catching a scooter into Seminyak for an afternoon instead.
Day 5-8: Ubud
Visit Ubud for the next portion of your trip – you’ll need three days minimum to catch all the main sights. We stayed pretty central, just off Jalan Penestanan, and thought it was the perfect location.
Of course, the most popular reason to visit Ubud is for the Sacred Monkey Forest. Our top tip? We found that visiting early in the morning was better as the monkeys were calmer with less people around. The experience is so fun but can be a little bit overwhelming at times.
Another place we recommend you visit is Alas Harum, a huge hub of adventure near the Tegalalang Rice Terrace. Here you can take a photo on the iconic Bali swing, dare to brave a zipline, or simply take a wander and snap some pictures. This is also where you’ll find Cretya, a laidback day club with a pool that overlooks the verdant fields.
Ubud is also home to numerous temples and a famous art market, which are both worth exploring. Or, if you’re keen to stretch your legs, head out on the Campuhan Ridge Walk, a gentle hike through the Ubud countryside.
If you’re after a slightly (ahem) more difficult hike, book a Mount Batur sunrise tour. A local guide will pick you up from your accommodation at around 2am and whisk you off to Kintamani, where the climb begins. We’ll warn you: this is a pretty intense activity but the views of the sunrise from the very top are so worth it.
For budding yogis, Ubud is also the best place in Bali to get a fix. The Ubud Yoga House and Yoga Barn are two of the most popular places to practise yoga or attend teacher training.
Day 9-11: Gili Islands
Just off the coast of Bali lies a trio of idyllic islands – Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. To reach them, you can take a short ferry from Padang Bai in East Bali or Sanur in the south.
These islands offer a similar but far more laidback experience than the one you’ll find in Canggu. They are famous for the surrounding coral reef, ideal for snorkelling amongst huge schools of fish.
Generally, Gili Trawangan (AKA Gili T) is known for its livelier vibe, with plenty of beach clubs and nightlife, while Gili Meno and Air are perfect for those looking to seek refuge in a trendy spa or enjoy toothsome local cuisine. You’ll find equally stunning beaches on all three islands.
We recommend basing yourself on Gili T and heading over to Gili Meno as part of a snorkelling day tour. It’s one of the world’s best snorkelling spots thanks to its cool underwater statues and abundance of turtles.
Day 12-14: Uluwatu
Finish your Bali trip with a serene couple of days in Uluwatu and thank us later. Tucked away in the south of the island, this area is a haven for surfers and sunseekers looking for nothing more than relaxation.
While still under the radar for most travellers, Uluwatu is quickly becoming the new Canggu, so make sure you visit before it gets too popular. The areas beaches are a huge draw – Padang Padang and Bingin are our favourites, though the hike down to Nyang Nyang beach is SO worth it for the epic shipwrecks.
No visit to the south of Bali is complete without a visit to the beautiful Uluwatu Temple – it’s truly the best place to learn more about Balinese Hinduism. Plus, catching a kecak and fire dance show as the sun casts an orange glow over the temple grounds is a magical experience.
If you’re seeking thrills, head out on an ATV adventure (warning: this gets incredibly muddy!) You can also head over to nearby Nusa Dua to catch the famous Water Blow or hit up the Bali Collection mall.
How to Get Around Bali
It’s cliche, but the easiest way to get around Bali is by using scooters (motorbikes). You can use the apps Grab or Gojek to hail a ride or you can easily rent your own. However, if you do not know how to ride a motorbike at home, we do not recommend you rent one in Bali.
When travelling by motorbike, always wear a helmet. If you’re calling a Grab or a Gojek, make sure you ask your driver for the spare helmet – they are required by law to carry one. In the rare instance our driver didn’t have one, we refused to get on the bike. While a little bit awkward, safety comes first.
It’s also possible to travel around Bali by car, though this is a lot more difficult in the congested areas near Canggu and Seminyak. We only advise travelling by car if you’re heading to a different location on the island or to the airport with lots of baggage.
To get to the islands (Gili T, Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, etc,) you’ll need to catch a ferry. There are multiple ferry ports all over the island where boats travel daily. A word of warning: make sure you have seasickness tablets as the waters can be very choppy.
Where to Stay in Bali
The above areas are where we recommend you bed down on a trip to Bali. From a base in Canggu you can easily explore the likes of Seminyak and Kuta, though we don’t recommend staying in those areas as we found the quality of accommodation was a lot lower (and Canggu is generally a nicer area, in our humble opinions!)
When in Ubud, we recommend staying as close to the centre as possible – somewhere along the Jalan Raya. And, when visiting the Gili islands, staying on Gili T is our top choice.
Bali Trip Costs
Transport
Getting around Bali is very inexpensive. The most efficient way to travel short distances is by booking motorbikes via Grab/Gojek. This works in the same way as Uber, where you select your destination and a driver picks you up. Short journeys will cost between 8k and 30k IDR (50¢-$2).
One thing to note is that the traffic in Bali is terrible, especially on the major roads between Seminyak and Canggu. Give yourself plenty of time to travel between towns and to the airport.
In fact, it’s often more cost efficient to hire a driver for an entire day to drive you between landmarks. This will set you back anywhere between 500k IDR to 1m IDR ($30-60) which, depending on how many is in your group, can work out to less than $10 each for an entire day.
It goes without saying that if you rent a driver for the day, make sure you treat them kindly – taking them for dinner is always a nice way to say thank you (and will only set you back an extra couple of dollars).
Accommodation
The cost to stay in Bali is extremely cheap which means you get incredible bang for your buck. You can rent entire villas from around $20 per night, and hostel rooms can cost as little as a couple of dollars.
Because the accommodation is so inexpensive, we recommend moving between areas and trying a variety of options. We like to split our time between luxe hotels and private villas.
Tours
Bali tours can be extremely cheap, but we found that it’s sometimes worth paying more for a high quality experience. On average, tours will cost between $10 and $40, while entrance fees for temples and landmarks will cost around $2.
Food
While there are spots in Bali serving up high end, Western-priced food, the vast majority of cafes and restaurants in Bali are inexpensive. An average meal and drinks at an Insta-worthy joint will cost less than 160k IDR ($10). If you want to save some cash and support the locals, opt for warungs (local restaurants) as the price of a meal here will set you back less than 60k IDR ($4).
Mobile Data
When it comes to data, check whether your mobile phone provider offers global roaming. If not, we highly recommend Airalo for affordable and easy-to-install e-sims. You can choose between Indonesia, Asia, or the Global package.
Best Time to Visit Bali
While Bali is hot year-round, there are definitely months to avoid. Bali’s rainy season falls between October and April, with December and January seeing the most rainfall. As a tourist, it’s also wise to avoid Nyepi at the end of March. This is a religious holiday that sees the island follow a strict silent law for 24 hours – no noise, light, or music is permitted.
Though there are more crowds, we recommend visiting between May and September. We stayed in June and July and, despite some heavy showers in Ubud, the weather was perfect.
Bali Itinerary: What to know Before You Go
The Negative Side of Bali
We spent over a month slow-travelling around the island and it’s safe to say that we learnt some important things. Bali is a truly beautiful place but it does have a significant problem with its lack of infrastructure vs number of tourists. You’ll notice that there are issues with trash and stray dogs all over the island, but mostly in places like Canggu and Seminyak.
As wonderful as Bali is, the island can only continue to function if everyone takes care of it. We urge you to consider giving back when in Bali, by volunteering to litter pick and supporting small, local businesses. We took an hour out of our trip to pick litter with Trash Hero Canggu and it was one of our favourite memories. You can learn all about volunteering in Bali here.
Is Bali Water Safe to Drink?
The short answer is no. While you don’t need to quite believe all the scaremongering on social media – yes, you can have ice in drinks as it’s government regulated – it’s important not to ingest the tap water.
Brush your teeth with bottled water and be careful while you shower/swim. We also took charcoal tablets daily during our visit as a precaution against travellers sickness.
If you’re staying for a longer period of time, it can be a good idea to bring a shower filter to protect your hair from the harsh water. However, we stayed for around a month and didn’t notice any damage.
Eating at Warungs
When it comes to food, don’t be afraid to try something new. While we always recommend checking the reviews, there are so many low-key spots in Bali that you probably won’t see mentioned in travel blogs. We LOVE Sami Warung in Ubud (so much so, we visited more than once) and Varuna Warung in Canggu is another gem.
