Author: Matt and Danielle
22 March 2023
Bali is one of those idyllic destinations that everyone dreams about. Known as the Island of the Gods, it is a beautiful tropical paradise located in Indonesia. This incredible island gets millions of international tourists each year...and why is that? What is Bali most famous for? waterfalls, rice terraces, rainforests, wildlife, incredible people, mouth-watering food and the best beaches. There is so much to see and do in Bali.
If you've booked a few weeks off and you're looking at the best way to spend 2 weeks in Bali then here is the ultimate itinerary for you!
When you're planning the perfect trip to one of the most dreamy destinations in the world you want to make sure you get it right. That starts with arriving at the perfect time. The best time to visit Bali is between April to October because it is a tropical climate which means there are 2 seasons each year - Wet and Dry. To get the most out of your trip you want to aim to arrive in the Dry season. That doesn't mean it won't ever rain, but at least you're giving yourself the best chance of having the perfect weather. This way you can explore as much of the island as possible.
Getting to Bali is easy because the best way to arrive on the island is by flying straight to Denpasar. This way you'll maximise your trip to get the most out of your time in paradise.
Just driving around Bali is a dream in itself. Whether you're cruising along the coast with stunning beach and ocean views, or through the tropical rice terraces and fields throughout the centre of the island...you are in for some amazing sights. Renting and driving a scooter in Bali is by far the best way to see the island in all its glory. If you're currently creating the perfect Bali itinerary then this is the best way to take a day trip to other places on the island, and it allows you to do everything on your own schedule. A scooter should be around 50,000 IDR per day, and if you're going to be spending longer than two weeks in Bali then you can likely negotiate for even better rates.
It's around 50,000IDR per day for a scooter, and if you're going to be spending 3 or 4 weeks then you can barter even better rates.
Disclaimer: Always drive carefully, and be responsible. If it's your first time driving a scooter then take it slow and steady to build up your confidence. Make sure that you have great travel insurance too...just in case.
If you've never driven a scooter before, and want to keep it that way then you will need to look at hiring a driver while you're there. There isn't any public transport in Bali so a driver really is the only way.
Top travel tip: If you want to simply get from point A to B, or restaurants and bars, then you can use Grab or Gojec - they are like Uber. They won't take you huge distances, and remember if you're trying to get somewhere remote then you need to think about how you'll get back too.
If it's your first time in Bali, or maybe you missed some epic spots last time, then these are all the places you NEED to see on the island. Here is our perfect 2 week itinerary for Bali.
Don't forget to visit Booking.com to find the dreamiest places to stay during your trip to Bali.
Our 2 week trip starts here. Located around 1 hour from the airport, Uluwatu is one of the best places on this beautiful island! It's our favourite, anyway. Uluwatu is on the South coast of Bali and is home to the best beaches and incredible clifftop views. When you only have 14 days in paradise you want to make sure you're seeing the best of the best. The beaches you cannot miss are Melasti, Nyang Nyang and Padang Padang Beach. There are still more beaches we would recommend, but if you're on a deadline then these three are a must.
For more information on Uluwatu, check out our detailed guide here.
While at Nyang Nyang Beach you can see the aeroplane on the cliff. When we visited this was open to the public and you could walk along the wing over the cliffs for the most amazing views. It was then closed off as developments happened on a would-be Airbnb. Keep an eye out for that being complete and one of the most unique places to stay in Bali. You can also paraglide from the cliffs here which is one of the best experiences in Bali. It comes with the most incredible views! If you're not looking for a shot of adrenaline then you can spend a few days sipping coconuts and soaking up the sun. Start living that dreamy Bali life you've been watching on TikTok and Instagram over the past few months.
In Uluwatu surfing and sunsets go hand-in-hand. You can find great surf sports all around the coast, and the best sunsets at Batu Juran Hill or Sunset Point. Stop by for a drink and watch the sunset over the ocean.
No trip to Bali would be complete without a few days partying island-style, would it? Canggu is a digital nomad hub of Bali. Foreign ex-pats flock here so they can live and work in paradise, and then party on the weekends and evenings. You can have a great night out at any of the beach clubs along the coast, and experience the best restaurants on the island.
While you're visiting Canggu you can also take a day trip over to Tanah Lot, which is one of the best temples in Bali. Depending on the tide you can have two completely different experiences here. At high tide, the water surrounds the temple making it look like a tiny island off the coast. At low tide, you can walk all the way up to the base of the temple and find little rock pools dotted around. If you're looking for beautiful nature then 2 nights is more than enough here. The best sights that you've put on your Bali bucket list are all quite a drive from Canggu.
For more information on Canggu, check out our detailed guide here.
Ubud is in central Bali and where all those tropical rainforests, breathtaking waterfalls and rice terraces are. You will definitely want to spend a few days here soaking up the culture and seeing the beautiful sights. A trip to the Monkey Forest is also a must. THE PICTURE that you will have seen of people on the giant swing out towards the rice terraces is at Tegalalangang Rice Terrace. It's a 25,000 IDR entrance fee and then 150,000 IDR to use the swing.
Top Tip: If you want to see the beautiful rice terraces and still use a swing, but you're happy not to use THE SWING, then spend a day or afternoon at Tis Cafe. It has beautiful views of Tegalalangang, a swimming pool, very well-priced food and drinks...and their swing is around 50,000 IDR.
If you only have a few days here then you physically can't see everything. Our top 3 waterfalls here are Kanto Lampo, Leke Leke and Sumampan. You can also do a great white water rafting tour which is full of stunning scenic views and conquer Mt. Batur! An active volcano which you can trek to the top of for sunrise, and eat a breakfast cooked in the steam of the volcano. You have to set off at around 2 am to make it to the summit for sunrise...but it is well worth it. This is one of the best things to do in Ubud and one of the most awesome activities Bali has to offer.
For more information on Ubud, check out our detailed guide here.
If you're looking to stay longer and have more days in Bali to plan then we would recommend adding Sidemen and Munduk to your itinerary. They are much less explored than other areas and closer to the image you have in your head of what your trip will be like. If you're planning out a Bali itinerary for 2 weeks then you may only be able to pick one, so here's what to expect from each.
For more information on Sidemen & Munduk, check out our detailed guide here.
Munduk is in Northern Bali and is home to the best waterfalls on the entire island. Sekumpul is the tallest and ultimate waterfall on the island. You can do a day trip to the rainforest and see several waterfalls along your hike down. We wouldn't recommend visiting this far north unless you're there during the Dry season. It could be very cold and incredibly rainy if you do. Banyumala is another, and one of our favourite waterfall spots in Bali! It has a beautiful bamboo bridge which is the perfect place for the most aesthetic pictures. Aling Aling is the third waterfall we'd recommend for anyone on a tight deadline. Check out Munduk Moding Plantation for one of the most luxurious and beautiful stays in North Bali.
Sidemen is East of Ubud by about an hour and is one of our favourite destinations in Bali. It's also home to one of the most amazing places you can stay on the island, Samanvaya. A beautiful resort tucked away in the rice fields. Gembling Waterfall is a unique place to visit as it has a small rockpool placed high at the top. You can take a refreshing dip here and then keep climbing up a little further for the most awesome views of the landscape. Speaking of views, we recommend taking a trip to Lahangan Sweet while you're here. It's a bit out of the way, but it's the perfect place for incredible pictures and the best view of Mt Agung. It's one of the best things to do in Bali without a doubt.
As you come towards the end of a busy 2 weeks in Bali you will want to base yourself in Nusa Dua. That way you can spend a day or two back on the beach, by the ocean and close to the airport. You will have earned some rest after the most perfect two weeks in paradise.
That's how to spend the perfect 2 weeks in Bali! If you're lucky enough to have longer than 2 weeks then here is everything you need to plan out the rest of your Bali trip itinerary.
Our 3 week Bali itinerary takes us off the mainland and over to the Nusa Islands which are off the East Coast. There are 3 islands in total which are Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida. If you're looking to complete the ultimate Bali travel guide then these have to be included!
Nusa Penida is the main island that people visit of the three Nusa Islands. You can do a day trip, but with so much to see 3 nights would be perfect. As your boat gets closer to the island you will quickly feel like you're arriving in Jurassic Park. The tall green cliffs greet you as your boat sails in. Nusa Penida really is is one of the best places to see spectacular views.
Everywhere you visit is high atop the beautiful cliffs while you look down on the beaches and ocean waves below. Getting down to the beaches, and different spots on the other hand can be quite a trek. Kelingking will be familiar as it's a place in Bali where everyone gets a picture. The beach down below is a 45-minute trek, which actually turns into rock climbing further down the bottom. It's tough to reach, but the reward is an (almost) private beach in paradise, since not many venture down to the bottom!
Some other top spots to see are Diamond Beach, Rumah Pohon Viewpoint and Peguyangan Waterfall. Taking 3 days to tick these bucket list destinations off is the perfect way to explore such a breathtaking island.
Visit Get Your Guide for some amazing trips in Nusa Penida. You can scuba dive with manta rays, and find amazing full day tours to the best spots on the island.
These islands are smaller and connected by a big yellow bridge so it doesn't matter which island you stay on. Lembongan has a bit more going on, but both are great to drive around. You can check out our top places to visit on our tour guide for all 3 islands. Highlights on these islands are the devil's tears and mangrove forest on Lembongan, and then the blue lagoon on Ceningan.
These two smaller islands are connected by a yellow bridge. They're easy to explore together, and it doesn't matter which island you stay on either. Nusa Lembongan is the larger island of the two so has a little more going on but either is amazing to cruise around. Our favourite spots across these islands are sunsets at The Devil's Tears, kayaking around Mangrove Forest, cruising along Yellow Bridge Point and looking out at The Blue Lagoon.
If you have a wild side and want an adrenaline rush then you can take on the 13m cliff jump at Blue Lagoon!
For more information on the Nusa Islands, check out our detailed guide here.
That's our 3 week Bali itinerary...but what about staying EVEN LONGER?!
Having an entire month in Bali would be a dream! It's the perfect amount of time to make sure you leave no stone unturned and don't miss a thing. You can hike through the jungle, snorkel the reefs, visit the Balinese temples, and rice fields and live the dream of every backpacker.
After seeing the best of Bali it would be worth venturing out to see another part of Indonesia. If you think you've lived the best island life already...then wait for what's to come. It's time to head to the Gili Islands to explore Gili Trawangan, Gili Air & Gili Meno which are located in, but just off the coast of, Lombok.
The ultimate party destination in Indonesia. It even makes somewhere like Seminyak and Canggu look tame in comparison! This is a small island where you can chill, snorkel and party...that about covers it. This island paradise is a dream where you can sit on the beach sipping coconuts all day long. One thing we would recommend is a snorkel trip to the underwater statues. You can do this from Gili T or Gili Meno. Not only will you snorkel some beautiful statues, but also a few other spots. You are guaranteed to see turtles here...and lots of them!
These are even smaller than Gili T if you can believe it. If you opted not to do a snorkelling trip before then Gili Meno is your chance to tick that off. Other than that, it's more laidback simple living. After travelling the rest of Bali in 3 weeks you will have earned a much-needed rest, so make the most of it now. Spend your time on the island living your best life. These small, but mighty islands are the best places to visit to take a step back. Enjoy being in nature and relax before the trip back home.
We hope you find this useful when you plan your trip to Bali. After living on the island for 6 months we know we've put together a pretty comprehensive list. These are the best places to see and activities to do as you go exploring all around this fantastic island.
Looking for more information on different places in Bali? Check out our other blogs and guides here.
Have we given you the travel bug? Book your flights, accommodation and travel insurance all here.
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