Four times Bali in four years, you can say that we love this small Indonesian island. In this blog, I share two itineraries for Bali and the surrounding islands. A great Bali travel itinerary for when you have two weeks, the other for three weeks in Bali. Below the two Bali itineraries, you will find a short description of the different destinations which makes choosing even easier.
The two best itineraries for Bali in Indonesia!
In this blog, we provide two useful itineraries for a trip to Bali. The first itinerary is perfect for two weeks in Bali. The second itinerary is suitable if you want to travel a little slower through this beautiful Indonesian island. Below the itineraries, you will find a description of the different places that are mentioned in the itineraries
Our first time to Bali lasted two weeks, during which we saw most of the highlights in a short time. The next times we mainly stayed in Canggu, our favourite place, and we also made some day trips to places we had not been before. Are you curious about my tips for Bali regarding hotels and restaurants? Then have a look at my travel guide for Bali.
Currently (February 2020) we are in Bali for six weeks. This time we are not here on holiday, but to get some work done, something that can do very well in Bali. There are many digital nomads on the island and the internet is super fast in many places. Also nice are the wonderful co-working spaces and cafes that are suitable to work from. We spend our first four weeks in Canggu, then we move to Uluwatu and discover Nusa Penida.
Curious about the latest hotspots in Bali? Then read our Bali hotspot guide, full of restaurants, hotels and great beach clubs!
The best itinerary for two weeks on Bali
Denpasar Airport – Uluwatu – Canggu – Ubud – Nusa Lembongan – Jimbaran (at Denpasar airport)
Click on the image to see the schedule of this 2 weeks Bali itinerary. I also included some hotels (with prices), and travel times.
Two weeks of traveling around Bali: which places do you visit?
After you have landed at the airport of Denpasar, you will drive in 1 to 2 hours (depending on traffic) towards Uluwatu (3 days). Perfect for acclimatizing and getting rid of your jetlag. You will relax here for 3 days and enjoy the rocky landscape. You will visit the famous Uluwatu temple, you will go to The Rock Bar during sunset, and you will go to Bingin Beach or Nyang Nyang Beach. After three days you are ready to immerse yourself in the surf vibes of the village of Canggu (4 days). Your days consist of surfing, yoga and smoothie bowls! In Canggu, you will be sure to have fun with the many backpackers you meet.
Your next destination is Ubud (3 days), where you will experience the culture. This means visiting temples, following a cooking course, seeing rice fields and a lot’s of yoga and perhaps a massage. All zen you go by boat to Nusa Lembongan (3 days), where you can snorkel and go diving. A day before you fly back, you will take the boat to Bali, this is a precaution for when the boats suddenly don’t sail. You spend your last night in Jimbaran (1 day), half an hour away from the airport, where you can eat the most delicious fish.
Here you can read everything you need to know before you travel to Bali and a lot of practical tips for Bali!
The best itinerary for three weeks on Bali
Denpasar Airport – Uluwatu – Canggu – Ubud – Lovina – Gili Air – Nusa Lembongan/Penida – Jimbaran (at Denpasar airport)
Click on the image to see the schedule of this 3 weeks Bali itinerary. Including some hotels (with prices) and travel times.
Three weeks of travelling around Bali: which places do you visit?
The first part of your journey is the same as with the two-week itinerary for Bali: After arrival, you continue to Uluwatu (3 days). After a few days there, continue to Canggu (4 days) and then discover the cultural Ubud (3 days).
However, you now go from Ubud to Lovina (2 days). Here you can spot dolphins and relax on the beach which is much quieter than in the rest of Bali. It is more than two hours from Ubud to Lovina. If you want less travel time, consider going to Jatiluwih and spending the night at the beautiful Glamping Sang Giri. From Lovina, you go by taxi to Amed (2 hours), where you will sleep for one night, after which you take the boat to Gili Air (3 days). On Gili Air (or one of the other Gili Islands) you can enjoy the ultimate island feeling for three days: no cars, no clock. Go for some Stand-up Paddling, snorkelling and swimming with turtles.
The next stop is Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Penida (4 days) where it is a lot less touristy than on the Gili’s. Finally, you end here your trip in Jimbaran (1 day).
Do you have four weeks? Then consider also visiting Flores and the Komodo Islands.
Flores and the beautiful Komodo Islands are so high on our bucket list. Unfortunately, every time we visit Bali, it’s the rainy season, so a multi-day boat trip to the Komodo Islands is not a good idea. Such a pity!
Are you visiting Indonesia outside the rainy season? Then certainly consider adding the Komodo Islands to your itinerary. For travel, inspiration take a look at the website of Travelmonster. Not only do Mark and Judith have nice information about Komodo, but they also take you on a journey through the Komodo islands through a short video clip.
The different destinations on Bali
Below an overview of the different destinations in Bali which you can put in your Bali itinerary. Do you miss a place here? Let me know!
Denpasar: the capital city
Denpasar is the capital and also the largest city of Bali. It’s mainly a very busy hub where you will drive a few times through going back and forth to the airport. There is no real city centre, it is a vast region with lots of traffic, shops and residential areas. The airport of Bali is just south of Denpasar.
Jimbaran: fish restaurants
Jimbaran is the region that lies immediately below the airport of Denpasar. It is known for good fish restaurants. From here you are quickly at the airport, therefore it’s a convenient base for when you have just landed, or are about to leave Bali.
Uluwatu: surfing
Uluwatu is the name of a small town in a southern tip of Bali, but also the entire southern area is designated by this name. The landscape here is a lot rougher than the rest of Bali, with beautiful rocks and a hill every now and then. Uluwatu is known for surfing. Mainly by professionals because the waves are dangerously high.
Kuta: backpackers
Kuta is one of the most famous places in Bali. It is a large tourist region on the beach. We have often driven through this and (fortunately) never stopped. It reminded us a bit of an Asian version of Salou. Not recommended.
Seminyak: touristic city
Seminyak is a city in the southwest of Bali, right next to Kuta. It is also very touristy here, but very different from Kuta. In Kuta there are mostly drunken backpackers, Seminyak is a lot more fun and hipper. There are many beautiful restaurants, shops and large beach clubs. Seminyak, however, is very busy and massive, which is why we are less inclined to come here.
Canggu: surfing, beach clubs and good food
This is a surfing village close to Seminyak. We have been here more often and this is our favourite spot on Bali. There is a nice surf vibe and it is not too big. There are roughly three main streets where everything takes place. Canggu has changed a lot in the last two years. Before everything was closed at 10 pm, now you can also party here until the early hours. In addition, dozens of hotels and restaurants have joined. It remains a wonderful place, but it is not as quiet as it used to be.
Read here about the latest hotspots and places to be in Canggu!
Ubud: spiritual and cultural centre
Ubud is the spiritual and cultural centre of Bali. You will find here hundreds of beautiful temples, palaces, markets and of course the Monkey Forest. In addition, you can certainly relax with the many yoga and meditation studios, spas and massage centres. Fun to do from Ubud is a day trip to the rice fields or coffee plantations. The most famous rice fields are those of Tegallalang. We also did a sunrise hike to Mount Batur from Ubud. At 2 in the morning, we were picked up by a driver. After an hour drive, we had breakfast with pancakes and then we started a four-hour hike to the top of this active volcano. We arrived just before sunrise and it was magical!
Both activities were booked directly at our hotel, which went well! We found Ubud very touristy, so keep this in mind.
Lovina: dolphins
Unfortunately, we found Lovina a bit disappointing. Lovina is the place where you go to spot dolphins, but whether this is very animal-friendly … no. Dozens of boats that hunt the beasts while tourists are frantically trying to take pictures did not sound very responsible and that is why we have decided not to participate.
The city of Lovina itself is not that special. What is worthwhile is a stay in the mountains just behind Lovina. Here you will find various waterfalls, temples and beautiful nature.
Amed: peace and quietness
Completely done with the busyness of Bali? Then go to the quiet Amed. This is a region in the northeast, where not many tourists come. You can dive and snorkel here, and of course, just relax. Leaving from Amed, you can also easily climb Mount Batur.
Sanur: boat to the islands
Sanur is a somewhat larger town. Not very special, there are nice resorts and the beaches are more beautiful than at Kuta or Seminyak. We only came through this when we made the crossing to Gili Air and when we came back from Nusa Lembongan. For us, Sanur is certainly not a must-see.
The Gili islands: touristic islands and perfect for party
Three tiny islands off the coast of Lombok from the Gili islands! The three islands each have their own character: Gili Trawangan is the largest, a large party island full of backpackers. Gili Meno is completely the opposite: it is very quiet here. A real honeymoon destination. And finally, Gili Air is a mix of the first two. It is quiet, but there is still plenty to do. We spent four days on Gili Air. Here we relaxed, saw turtles during a snorkel trip and learned about supping.
The Gili Islands can be reached by boat from Sanur. There are no motorized vehicles on the Gili’s, and that is not necessary because they are tiny. You can cycle around an island in half an hour. The Gili’s are fun, but we thought it was a little disappointing. Maybe we had too high expectations from these paradisiacal islands.
Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Cheningan: diving and beautiful beaches
Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Cheningan and Nusa Penida are three islands only half an hour sailing east of Bali. We visited the small Nusa Lembongan and the even smaller Nusa Cheningan. They are lovely islands, relatively quiet where you can dive and snorkel. Again, you transport yourself by scooter, and there are hardly any cars. We toured the island by scooter, relaxed on Mushroom Beach, and paid a visit to Dreambeach. We also spontaneously accompanied an old fisherman, who sailed around the island to snorkel in beautiful places. The sea was so incredibly wild that we feared to capsize several times.
Nusa Penida: beautiful rocks and bays
Nusa Penida is the big sister of the other two small islands. This island is currently emerging. You will find more and nicer restaurants, hotels and shops in the south. The first cars are also spotted. Nusa Penida is known for its beautiful rock formations and nice bays. There is not much tourism to be found in the north, much of the old Balinese culture is still intact here.
Finally, Nusa Penida is great for diving. So you have quite a chance to see Manta Rays here.
Click here for our travel guide with 8 amazing activities on Nusa Penida!
Short video impression of our time on Bali!
Click here for all my Bali blogs!
Like this post? Pin it!
