With flawless beaches, incredible volcanoes, cheap and delicious food and the friendliest locals, Bali is one of the best travel destinations in the world.
This 10 day travel itinerary covers all sides of Bali; bustling Seminyak, cultural Ubud and spiritual Nusa Penida.
It stops at all of Bali’s coolest and most popular sights in just 1.5 weeks, including Seminyak’s beach clubs, Sacred Monkey Forest and Kelingking Beach!
This blog post was created without the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and all featured images are original and captured by me to maintain an authentic representation of my experiences.
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SEMINYAK
How to Get to Seminyak
To get to Seminyak, you’ll need to fly to Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport then take a 40 minute taxi to town. If you’re flying from Australia, there are always some good flight deals to be had.
TIP: Pre-book your airport taxi! You do NOT want to have to negotiate with the hustlers outside the airport!
Where to Stay in Seminyak
$ Hostel $
Bali Stellar Capsules
Gang Kahyangan No. 4A, Jalan Drupadi, Seminyak
This hostel has a nice pools and is 5 minutes from the main street and 15 minutes walk to Seminyak Beach. Staying here means avoiding using taxis or Grab. Check availability or see other options.
$ Hotel $
Kubu Petitenget Suite
Jl. Raya Petitenget, Gg. Sunyi No 10, 80361 Seminyak, Indonesia.
This guesthouse offers basic but comfortable rooms. It is located close to central Seminyak and offers a nice pool, which every room looks out over, and a yummy continental breakfast. Check availability or see other options.
How to Get Around Seminyak
Walk
Most of the sights and restaurants in this itinerary are within walking distance of each other.
Grab
If you want to travel longer distances, I recommend downloading the Grab app. This is essentially like Uber for Southeast Asia, where you can book cars or mopeds to drive you to a destination for a fixed price.
DAY 1: Settling In
MORNING
You have probably just landed at Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, so spend the morning getting to your accommodation and settling in to the Bali vibes!
AFTERNOON
Flea Market
The Seminyak Flea Market is honestly not the most impressive flea market I’ve ever seen, but its worth visiting for the experience, and the shops and sights you’ll see as you make your way there.
Because this is such a touristified market, be prepared to HUSTLE. Stall owners will suggest a price that is wayyy beyond what the item is worth.
Relax by the Hotel Pool
We grabbed some random snacks we’d never tried before from convenience store.
We spent the afternoon lazing around in the pool, reading on the sun-beds or trying some snacks (Chitato chips – Mi Goreng flavoured?)
EVENING
Dinner & Drinks at Motel Mexicola
For dinner on our first night in Seminyak, we visited the trendy Motel Mexicola.
This is bar is kind of pricey (Western prices) but the atmosphere and interior makes up for it. For dinner, we had guacamole and corn chips, grilled corn, and tacos.
Red Ruby Nightclub
After dinner, head to Red Ruby Nightclub for a boogie!
DAY 2: Beach Club
Mrs Sippy Beach Club
After a sleep-in, it’s time to try some of Seminyak’s infamous beach clubs on the second day of this Bali itinerary!
A lot of Bali’s tourists come to Seminyak solely to visit these beach clubs, so you can’t leave without seeing what they’re all about.
Mrs Sippy and Potato Head Beach Club are the two most popular ones; I opted for Mrs Sippy.
Mrs Sippy is known for its huge pool and triple level diving board.
There is 100K IDR entry fee which includes pool access and a towel.
For a day bed (double mattress with umbrella) a minimum spend of IDR 2 million is required.
IDR 2 million sounds like a lot, but it will go very quickly. Food and cocktails are both in the 150K range.
You’ll probably spend the whole day at the beach club to make the most of your entry fee, and because its easy to lose track of time in here!
EVENING
Ta Man
If you’re tired of Mrs Sippy, or looking for something a little more local, try Ta Man.
Ta Man is a bar built from an old canoe which you’ll find on Petitenget Beach. They were serving cheap drinks and cocktails, and If you order from them, you could sit at one of their tables with umbrellas.
At Ta Man, you can try arak. Arak is an alcohol made from fermented palm trees and grains. It is VERY strong and VERY cheap, so you do have to restrain yourself a little.
Want more details? Read How to Spend 48 Perfect Hours in Seminyak, Bali!
UBUD
How to Get To/From Ubud
The most budget friendly way to get around Bali is using 12Go.
A bus ride from Seminyak to Ubud will take about 2 hours.
If you prefer privacy, a private taxi will take the same amount of time and cost about double.
Where to Stay in Ubud
$ Hostel $
Sunshine Vintage House
F7M6+GVQ, Gg. Anila, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia
This hostel is a short walk from central Ubud and features cubicle-style beds with curtains, lockers, newly-renovated bathrooms and a homey traditional Balinese feel. Check availability or see other options.
$$ Hotel $$
Alam Terrace Cottages
Jl. Bisma, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia
This guesthouse is situated in a cul-de-sac near central Ubud, providing a balance between quiet and convenience. It offers huge, luxurious rooms, a lovely gardens and an awesome pool, all for a pretty decent price. Check availability or see other options.
How to Get Around Ubud
Ubud is fairly easy to navigate on foot.
If you need to use transport, I recommend using Grab (basically the Uber of Southeast Asia).
DAY 3: Sacred Monkey Forest
MORNING
Sacred Monkey Forest
9am-6pm
Entry IDR 80k weekdays, IDR 100k weekends
Website
The Sacred Monkey Forest is the MOST popular thing to do in Ubud!
This forest is conveniently close to town and is home to over 1,260 monkeys.
Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal
Inside the Monkey Forest, you’ll find the Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal temple.
You can’t go inside, but watching the monkeys scamper across the tiled roofs and monuments was entertaining enough.
Tari Lubdhaka Dance
On the weekends at 11am and 2pm, you can also watch a traditional Balinese dance known as a Tari Lubdhaka.
The costumes, dancing and music make for a really fun performance. It’s done in the forest, with the audience sitting around a small stone amphitheatre.
AFTERNOON
Saraswati Temple
Open 7am-5pm
FREE
After lunch, head to the Saraswati Temple. This temple is also known as the Ubud Water Temple, for obvious reasons (it has a huge pond).
Saraswati Temple is pretty popular with tourists, so expect it to be busy. There will also be worshippers visiting the temple, because after all, it is a temple first and foremost.
Prianka Ubud Art Market
On the road beside Saraswati Temple is the Prianka Ubud Art Market.
The main attraction of this market is the footpath, where locals, businesses and tourists engraved their names or messages into the concrete. See if you can spot someone from your country!
EVENING
Kecak Fire and Dance Show
The Kecak dance is a traditional religious Balinese dance that narrates the unseen power of deities. The story varies depending on where the dance is performed or who performs it.
They usually take place at 7:30pm at Saraswati Temple and Ubud Palace.
DAY 4: Markets & Museums
MORNING
Campuhan Ridge Walk
This chill hiking trail features stepping stones across a gentle hill.
I only walked to the Love Swing before I turned back, because that was the peak of the hill.
There is a temple at the entrance that is nestled in the jungle and it’s peaceful to explore because many tourists can’t be bothered to visit it.
Ubud Street Market
Ubud Street Market is covered in rainbow umbrellas and the stalls are literally crammed in there.
A lot of the stores sold similar or identical products, making it very obviously that this was a solely for tourists.
Despite this, it is worth visiting if you’re looking for some Ubud souvenirs.
Puri Lukisan Museum
9am-6pm.
Entry IDR 50K
Website
This temple turned museum houses a nice collection of Balinese artworks.
The museum also offers workshops to teach visitors skills like basketry, batik, wood-carving, dance and more. If there is something specific you want to try, visit the museum beforehand to check when/if the workshop is taking place. Otherwise, just rock up and try whatever’s on!
Ubud Palace
7 am–5 pm
FREE
Ubud Palace has been the offical residence of the royal family in Ubud since it was built in the early 1800’s.
The buildings are a gorgeous orange-rust colour and feature intricate carvings and manicured gardens.
AFTERNOON
Taman Sari Waterfall & Natural Pool
Rent a scooter and visit the Taman Sari Waterfall, which is a 30 minute drive away.
The parking lot and ticket centre (entry is IDR 20K) was a little way away from the waterfall.
There are many waterfalls around Ubud, but this is one that is a little off the radar, so it was not very busy.
Bring your swimmers and cool down in the huge natural swimming pool below the waterfall.
DAY 5: Mt Batur
On your last day in Ubud, join a day trip to hike Mt Batur.
Mt Batur is an active volcano on the north-east side of Bali.
Eruptions that occurred thousands of years ago caused the land to hollow out and form a caldera, which makes the view from Mt Batur especially breathtaking.
Mt Batur takes about 2-3 hours to hike. The hikes take place at sunrise or sunset and are accompanied with a guide.
I wrote a whole post about my experience hiking Mt Batur (as a not very experienced hiker!), so check that out.
Want more details? Check out my post on How to Spend 3 Days in Ubud, Bali!
NUSA PENIDA
How to get to Nusa Penida
Ferry departures take place between Nusa Penida and Sanur from 7:30am to 5:20pm. There are a few different services available depending on what time you want to depart (this website explains them really well).
Personally I went with Axestone Fast Cruise. The journey usually takes around 30 minutes, depending on the weather and conditions. Tickets cost about IDR 200K each way (make sure to book return!)
Take a taxi or bus from anywhere in Bali to Sanur. I recommend pre-booking this transfer in advance so you can be sure that you will arrive in Sanur in time for your ferry.
Where to Stay in Nusa Penida
$ Hostel $
Nuansa Penida Hostel
This is where I stayed when i visited Nusa Penida. The hostel manager was so lovely, the rooms were tidy, the beds had curtains, the lockers were huge, the pool was sweeeet. What more could you ask for!? Check availability or see other options.
$$ Hotel $$
Aryaginata Cliff Cottages
There’s so many lovely bungalows in Nusa Penida that it’s hard to choose, but I like this one because every room has an uninterrupted view through the forest to the ocean. Check availability or see other options.
How to Get Around Nusa Penida
There is no public transport on the island, so you only have two options:
Hire a car and driver
You can hire a car and driver for a day for about IDR 650K-900K.
You could pre-book it here, or wait until you arrive on the island and see if your accommodation has any recommendations.
Rent a scooter
If you already know how to ride a moped or you’re adventurous enough to try, this could be an affordable and fun option if you are travelling as a single or a couple.
However, Nusa Penida is quite a remote island with small, windy roads and no health services, so I wouldn’t recommend trying a scooter for the first time here.
DAY 6: Ubud to Nusa Penida
MORNING
Ferry from Sanur to Nusa Penida
Take a bus from Ubud (read my Ubud itinerary!) to Sanur.
It takes about 30 minutes before the ferry arrives in Toyapakeh Harbour at Nusa Penida.
EVENING
Dinner at Penida Colada Beach Bar
They have a happy hour from 4-6pm where you could get two the same cocktails for IDR 110K, so I definitely made the most of that.
There are bean bags along the edge of the balcony where you can watch the waves lap along the sand.
DAY 7: Snorkelling & Kelingking Beach
MORNING
Snorkelling Tour
I booked with Karma Diving and Yoga for a 2.5 hour snorkelling trip to the three best spots in Nusa Penida: Manta Bay, Crystal Bay and Gamat Bay. The tour costs IDR 300K.
Explore town
After the snorkelling tour, explore Nusa Penida’s main town of Toya Pakeh and northern beaches.
Most tourists don’t walk along the beachfront, so it allows you to get a little bit of a peek into every day life on the island. There were tumbledown huts perched on the edge of the sand, in front of various boats, tools and bric-a-brac. There were a few locals were heading out to go fishing and some dragging in their catch.
The best bars on this side of Nusa Penida are all beachfront, meaning you can walk straight up from the beach for a midday spritz!
AFTERNOON
Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach, also referred to as the ‘Dino Beach’ or ‘T-Rex Island’ and even ‘the pinky finger’ because of it’s shape, is the most advertised sight in Nusa Penida by far. And this is for good reason, it really is an incredible work of natural architecture.
The descent to Kelingking Beach takes about 20 minutes along a steep and rugged path. The path is lined with wooden rails that get more flimsy as you get closer to the bottom, but the view and water below makes it SO worth it.
EVENING
Amarta Restaurant
Amarta is one of the most popular restaurants in Nusa Penida because it is home to the only Candi Bentar, or ‘Gates of Heaven’ on the island.
While the passageway is the main attraction of Amarta (there will probably be influencers getting their travel shot), there is also an infinity pool surrounded by day beds that overlook Nusa Lembongan.
DAY 8: Angel’s Billabong & Water Temple
MORNING
Angel’s Billabong
The Angel’s Billabong is an impressive rock formation that creates a natural and crystal clear pool.
The difference in colour and clarity between the pool and the ocean is incredible.
Broken Beach
Right next to the Angel’s Billabong is Broken Beach.
It is thought that Broken Beach was formed when a portion of the cliff collapsed and allowed water to enter and erode the cliff further to create the beach we see today.
Guyangan Waterfall
Visiting the Guyangan Waterfall is not for the faint of heart.
You have to climb down the steep and slippery staircase that is literally hanging off the cliffside.
At the bottom there is a small temple (someone has to climb these stairs every single day to bring offerings to the temple!) and a trickling and slightly disappointing waterfall. (In the picture above, the waterfall is to the left of the blue box … yeah.)
There is also a small infinity pool built into the cliff. If the weather is nice and the tide is low, you can safely swim in it.
AFTERNOON
Chill at the pool
Spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the pool.
Day 9: Cave Temple, Diamond Beach & Departure
Goa Giri Putri Temple
Goa Giri Putri Temple is a temple hidden underneath a mountain.
Crawl through a small hole in the rock and emerge in an immense cave lined with temple alters and stone benches.
There is a required ‘donation’ of IDR 20K to 50K per person to enter the temple.
Diamond Beach
Diamond Beach is another of Nusa Penida’s super-hyped sights.
Similar to Kelingking Beach, the stairs down to the beach are carved into the cliff.
On the other side of the little peninsula is Atuh Beach. This beach is much the same as Diamond Beach, except maybe a little easier to access.
Need more details? Check out my detailed 4 day Nusa Penida itinerary!
DAY 10: Head Home
Take a ferry back to Sanur, and then a taxi to Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport.
That is my 10 day Bali itinerary!
This itinerary covers all of Bali’s coolest and most popular sights in just 1.5 weeks, including Seminyak’s beach clubs, Sacred Monkey Forest and Kelingking Beach.
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