Bali fits a lot into one island. You can be on a beach 10 to 20 minutes from the airport, in rice terraces an hour or two inland, or on a quiet north coast 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes away. Where you stay decides which of those you can easily reach.

The Travelsa take. You will enjoy Bali more if you stay a few nights in each place instead of moving to a new hotel every day. Choose one beach town in the south, then add Ubud inland. Stay at least two nights in most places, and three in Ubud. In one week you can stay in two or three places, and one of them can be an island. With ten days you can stay in three places, with more nights in each. The drive from the airport to Ubud takes 50 minutes to 2 hours, or 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes if you leave after 4pm. So on a day with a long drive, plan less for the rest of that day. Stay longer in fewer places, and you will see more of Bali and spend less of your holiday sitting in a car.

One person on a tight budget spends about IDR 325k to 1.1 million (A$26 to 88 / ₹1,750 to 5,910) a day in Bali: a hostel dorm bed, warung meals and a rented scooter at the low end, a guesthouse room at the high end. One person travelling mid-range spends about IDR 1.9 to 2.9 million (A$153 to 233 / ₹10,200 to 15,600) a day, with a private room in a boutique hotel.

US$1 is about IDR 17,890, and £1 is about IDR 23,690. Exchange rates move, so check the current rate online before you pay.

Give the Travelsa planner your dates and the areas you like from this page; it builds the plan to your preferences.

Bali at a glance

Most visitors pay two separate fees, the Indonesia Visa on Arrival and the Bali Foreign Tourist Levy. Paying one does not cover the other.

Who this guide is for

The areas of Bali, and which one suits you

Here are the fourteen areas most visitors stay in. Start with how far you want to drive, because that matters more than the name of the area. Kuta, Seminyak, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua and Sanur are under an hour from the airport at most times of day. In heavy traffic, Canggu can take up to 1 hour 45 minutes, and Uluwatu, on the Bukit peninsula at the southern tip of Bali, up to 1 hour 30 minutes. Ubud is 50 minutes to 2 hours away, and longer if you leave after 4pm. Sidemen, in the east, is 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes away. Amed, further east, and Munduk and Lovina in the north are 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes from the airport.

The south coast

Kuta. A long surf beach, shopping malls, bars and budget hotels.

Kuta is the closest beach area to the airport, and the most affordable. It's also lively at night, and the bars on Jalan Legian (jalan means street) stay busy until late. Most people take their first surf lesson on Kuta Beach, and Waterbom, a large water park, is a good day out with children. Budget guesthouses and warungs (small local restaurants) are in the lanes behind Jalan Legian, around Poppies Lane, where a plate of nasi goreng (fried rice) costs about IDR 18k to 53k (A$1.45 to 4.26 / ₹97 to 285). On the beachfront, a main dish at a restaurant costs IDR 70k to 180k (A$5.62 to 14 / ₹376 to 967). Two long-running places to eat are Poppies Restaurant, the garden restaurant that gave Poppies Lane its name, and Made's Warung, which began as a roadside food stall in 1969. A room for one or two people costs about IDR 280k (A$22 / ₹1,500) a night in a guest house, and IDR 770k to 1.4 million (A$62 to 112 / ₹4,140 to 7,520) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

The airport is 10 to 20 minutes away, or 20 to 40 minutes in the afternoon, so Kuta is a good choice at the start or the end of your trip. It also suits groups of friends who want nightlife, and anyone who wants a first surf lesson. For quiet evenings or a romantic trip, Sanur and Ubud are the calmer choices.

Don't miss: Kuta Beach · Waterbom Bali · Beachwalk Shopping Center · Jalan Legian · Poppies Lane

Seminyak. Designer clothes shops, cocktail bars, beach clubs and villas behind high walls.

Seminyak is known for its restaurants, beach clubs and shops. Jalan Kayu Aya and Jalan Petitenget are lined with brunch cafes, international restaurants and beach clubs, and Petitenget Temple stands near the beach. In the evening people gather on Seminyak Beach for the sunset. Seminyak's beach clubs include Potato Head, built from thousands of old wooden shutters, and KU DE TA, which opened in 2000. Restaurant prices in Seminyak are among the highest in Bali, and a main dish costs IDR 90k to 250k (A$7.23 to 20 / ₹484 to 1,340). The warungs on the side streets and on Jalan Raya Seminyak serve nasi campur (rice with small portions of meat and vegetables) for much less. A room for one or two people costs about IDR 620k (A$50 / ₹3,330) a night in a guest house, and IDR 1.1 to 2.3 million (A$88 to 185 / ₹5,910 to 12,400) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

Seminyak suits couples, groups of friends who want beach clubs and nightlife, families sharing a villa, and first-time visitors who want smart hotels and good restaurants. Evening traffic can be slow, so choose a place to stay near the restaurants you want to visit. Seminyak pairs well with a few nights in Ubud for the rice fields and temples. The drive from the airport takes 20 to 30 minutes, or 45 to 90 minutes in the late afternoon and evening.

Don't miss: Seminyak Beach · Jalan Kayu Aya · Petitenget Temple · Jalan Petitenget beach clubs

Canggu. Coffee shops, surf schools, shared work spaces for people who work online, and beach clubs on black sand.

Canggu is known for surfing and long cafe breakfasts. Surf lessons happen at Batu Bolong, where the waves are gentler for beginners, and the bars along Echo Beach fill up at sunset. Up the coast, Tanah Lot is a temple built on a rock in the sea. FINNS Beach Club in Berawa is a large beach club, and Old Man's at Batu Bolong is a long-running surf bar. Cafes on Jalan Batu Bolong charge more than cafes in most of Bali, and a main dish there costs IDR 80k to 220k (A$6.43 to 18 / ₹430 to 1,180). On the back roads, warungs still serve nasi campur for IDR 18k to 53k (A$1.45 to 4.26 / ₹97 to 285). A room for one or two people costs about IDR 610k (A$49 / ₹3,280) a night in a guest house in the late-September school holidays, and IDR 950k to 2 million (A$76 to 161 / ₹5,100 to 10,700) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

Canggu suits people who work online, solo travellers, surfers, and groups of friends who want cafes, beach clubs and nightlife. With small children, Sanur is easier, because the waves on most Canggu beaches are strong. Traffic can be slow, especially inside Canggu. In the daytime the drive from the airport takes 45 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Late at night it takes 45 to 60 minutes.

Don't miss: Batu Bolong Beach · Echo Beach · Berawa · Tanah Lot

Sanur. A paved beach path, sunrise swims, night-market satay and boats to the islands.

If you are travelling with small children, Sanur is one of the easier places to start. A reef sits offshore, so the sea inside it is usually calm. The sea changes with the tide and the weather, so keep small children within reach in the water. A paved path runs for kilometres along the beach, past cafes and older hotels. It's quieter than Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu. Boats to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida leave from Sanur Harbour, so Sanur is also a convenient place to stay before an island trip. At Sindhu Night Market, stalls grill satay (small pieces of meat on a stick) and fish in the evening. Warung Mak Beng, open since 1941, serves one set meal of fried fish, fish-head soup, rice and sambal for IDR 55k (A$4.42 / ₹296), and Massimo on Jalan Danau Tamblingan is known for its Italian ice cream. A main dish at a restaurant costs IDR 70k to 180k (A$5.62 to 14 / ₹376 to 967), which is less than the same kind of meal in Seminyak. A room for one or two people costs about IDR 580k (A$47 / ₹3,120) a night in a guest house, and IDR 1.1 to 2.3 million (A$88 to 185 / ₹5,910 to 12,400) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

Sanur also suits couples, divers heading to the islands, and first-time visitors who want a calm place to stay. Evenings are quiet, and the big beach clubs are a drive away in Seminyak and Canggu. The drive from the airport takes 30 to 45 minutes.

Don't miss: Sanur beachfront promenade · Sindhu Night Market · Sanur Harbour · Museum Le Mayeur · Sunrise Beach

The Bukit peninsula

Jimbaran. A fishing bay, calm water, and seafood grilled on the sand at sunset.

Jimbaran is known for dinner on the beach. Rows of tables stand on the sand at Jimbaran and Kedonganan, and you choose the snapper, prawns or squid that the fishing boats brought in that morning. The cooks grill it over coconut husks and serve it with rice and sambal (a hot chilli sauce) while the sun goes down, and Menega Cafe is one of these beach grills. A seafood main dish costs IDR 100k to 300k (A$8.03 to 24 / ₹537 to 1,610), and back from the beach the village warungs charge ordinary Bali prices. For a sunset drink, Rock Bar at the AYANA resort sits on rocks at the foot of the cliff, and visitors who are not staying at the resort must spend at least IDR 300k a person on food and drink (A$24 / ₹1,610). Tegal Wangi is a small beach that people visit for photographs, and the GWK Cultural Park is up the hill. A room for one or two people costs about IDR 780k (A$63 / ₹4,190) a night in a guest house in the late-September school holidays, and IDR 1 to 2.4 million (A$80 to 193 / ₹5,370 to 12,900) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

The water in the bay is calm and the evenings are quiet, so Jimbaran is good for families, couples and first-time visitors. It is close to the airport: the drive takes 15 to 20 minutes, and up to 30 minutes in the late afternoon and evening. For surfing and cliff-top bars, Uluwatu is up the hill.

Don't miss: Jimbaran Bay · Kedonganan fish market · Tegal Wangi Beach · Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park

Nusa Dua. Gated resorts on groomed white sand, calm swimming water and a golf course.

Nusa Dua is a gated area of large resorts, with clean, calm beaches that are good for swimming. Water Blow, Museum Pasifika and Geger Beach are the places to see. Most guests eat inside their resort, where a main dish costs IDR 120k to 350k (A$9.64 to 28 / ₹645 to 1,880). Bumbu Bali, in nearby Tanjung Benoa, serves a Balinese set menu and runs a cooking school, and Nusa Dua Beach Grill, a family-run restaurant on Geger Beach since 1995, grills seafood on the sand. To eat for less, walk to Bali Collection or the cafes at Geger Beach, or go outside the gate to Benoa village, where the warungs charge ordinary prices. A room for one or two people costs about IDR 740k (A$59 / ₹3,980) a night in a guest house in the late-September school holidays, and IDR 1.3 to 2.1 million (A$104 to 169 / ₹6,990 to 11,300) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

Nusa Dua suits families with small children, couples who want a resort, and anyone who wants the hotel to arrange things for them. It is a resort area rather than a town, so most people eat, swim and relax at their hotel. The drive from the airport takes 25 to 35 minutes, and 30 to 45 minutes between 3pm and 7pm.

Don't miss: Nusa Dua Beach · Water Blow · Bali Collection · Museum Pasifika · Geger Beach

Uluwatu. Cliff-top temple, reef breaks, stair-access beaches and sunset bars on the edge.

Uluwatu sits on cliffs above the sea, and the beaches are at the bottom. You walk down long stairways to Padang Padang and Bingin, go through a cave to reach Suluban, and drive down to Melasti. At sunset, Uluwatu Temple on the cliff holds a Kecak dance (a traditional Balinese dance). Food prices vary a lot here. At Balangan, a few local warungs on the beach serve home-cooked Indonesian food. Away from the beach, a meal at a local warung costs about IDR 35k to 50k (A$2.81 to 4.02 / ₹188 to 269), and the cafes, bars and beach clubs on the cliffs charge much more. For a sunset drink, there is Sundays Beach Club, a beach club on a white-sand cove that you reach by a lift down the cliff, and Single Fin, a cliff-top bar above the Uluwatu surf break with parties on Wednesdays and Sundays. A room for one or two people costs about IDR 830k (A$67 / ₹4,460) a night in a guest house in the late-September school holidays, and IDR 1.6 to 2.6 million (A$129 to 209 / ₹8,600 to 14,000) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

Uluwatu suits surfers, couples, groups of friends who want sunset bars and beach clubs, and people who work online. The hotels, beaches and bars are far apart along the cliff, so a scooter or a driver makes getting around much easier. With small children, Sanur or Nusa Dua are easier, because most beaches here are reached by stairs. The drive from the airport takes 45 minutes to 1 hour, and up to 1 hour 30 minutes in the late afternoon, when surfers and people going to the temple use the same road.

Don't miss: Uluwatu Temple and the Kecak dance · Padang Padang Beach · Bingin Beach · Suluban Beach · Melasti Beach

Inland

Ubud. Rice terraces, a monkey forest, yoga studios and the Ayung River gorge.

Ubud is the main reason people leave the beaches and go inland. The Sacred Monkey Forest is in the middle of town, the Art Market fills the centre, and the Campuhan Ridge Walk starts beside Gunung Lebah Temple, below the main road. Tegallalang's rice terraces are a short drive north, and Tirta Empul's springs are up the road. Ubud is one of the easiest places in Bali to eat vegetarian or vegan. The cafes on Jalan Raya Ubud and Jalan Hanoman build their menus around vegetarian, vegan and health food, and a main dish there costs IDR 60k to 180k (A$4.82 to 14 / ₹322 to 967). Alchemy, a fully vegan restaurant that started in Ubud, is in Penestanan, a village on the edge of town. The warungs (small local restaurants) around the market serve vegetable dishes, and a plate of nasi campur (rice with a few small side dishes) costs IDR 18k to 53k (A$1.45 to 4.26 / ₹97 to 285). If you eat meat, Bebek Bengil is known for crispy duck with a view over the rice fields, and Warung Ibu Oka for babi guling (roast suckling pig). A room for one or two people costs about IDR 740k (A$59 / ₹3,980) a night in a guest house in the late-September school holidays, and IDR 1 to 2.1 million (A$80 to 169 / ₹5,370 to 11,300) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

Stay three nights in Ubud. The temples, rice terraces and the volcano are spread out around the town, so you need a few days to see them without rushing.

Ubud is also the usual starting point for the Mount Batur sunrise trek. Mount Batur is a volcano, 1,717 metres high, and tours pick you up in Ubud at about 2am, drive about an hour to the start, and climb for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours to reach the top by sunrise. Breakfast at the top often includes eggs cooked in the steam from the volcano. A shared tour from Ubud costs about IDR 450k (A$36 / ₹2,420) a person, with a local guide. You need to be fit enough for a steep uphill walk in the dark, and some tour companies set a minimum age of 10.

Most of the coffee plantations that visitors stop at are on the road from Ubud to Kintamani. Many plantations give you a free tasting: a tray of different coffees and herbal teas. Many also offer kopi luwak (civet coffee), made from coffee cherries that the Asian palm civet has eaten and passed in its droppings. The free tasting almost never includes kopi luwak, and a cup often costs IDR 50k to 100k (A$4.02 to 8.03 / ₹269 to 537). Civets are often kept in cages near the path, so if seeing caged civets would bother you, choose a plantation that doesn't promote kopi luwak.

Ubud suits couples, solo travellers, people who work online, and anyone who came for culture and quiet. There is no beach nearby, so plan your beach days on the coast. It is more humid than the coast, with more mosquitoes, so pack insect repellent. From the airport the drive takes 50 minutes to 2 hours, or 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes if you leave after 4pm.

Don't miss: Sacred Monkey Forest · Mount Batur sunrise trek · Tegallalang Rice Terraces · Campuhan Ridge Walk · Ubud Art Market · Tirta Empul

The east

Sidemen. A farming valley below Mount Agung, with rice terraces and no town.

Sidemen has the rice terraces and green valleys that people go to Ubud for, without the crowds. The terraces climb towards the volcano, and you can raft the Telaga Waja river and swim at Gembleng waterfall. Sidemen is also one of Bali's weaving villages. Local weavers make endek, a cloth whose threads are tied and dyed into a pattern before they are woven, and songket, which has gold-coloured thread woven into it. There are few restaurants, and most people eat at their guesthouse or at one of the garden restaurants that grow their own vegetables. Sleeping Gajah, the restaurant at the Wapa di Ume resort, has a view across the valley, and Warung Ume Anyar is a small family-run warung looking over the rice fields to Mount Agung. Food here is inexpensive, and a main dish costs IDR 50k to 150k (A$4.02 to 12 / ₹269 to 806). A room for one or two people costs about IDR 1 million (A$80 / ₹5,370) a night in a guest house, and IDR 1.7 to 2.3 million (A$137 to 185 / ₹9,130 to 12,400) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel. Booking.com lists 204 hotels in Sidemen, against 2,421 in Seminyak and 3,880 in Canggu. With so few hotels, the Sidemen room prices are only a rough guide.

Sidemen is good for couples, for families who want a quiet place, and for anyone who wants to see village life and weaving. It is inland, so a day at the beach means a drive to the coast. The drive from the airport takes 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes, and up to 3 hours from 3pm. Lempuyang Temple is further east, and you can visit it from Sidemen or from Amed.

Don't miss: Sidemen rice terraces · Mount Agung views · Telaga Waja River rafting · endek and songket weaving workshops · Gembleng Waterfall

Amed. A line of small fishing villages along a coast of black pebble beaches, with coral reef and old shipwrecks in the sea close to the beach.

The drive from the airport takes 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes, so stay at least two nights in Amed. People come to Amed to snorkel and dive. You can snorkel at Jemeluk Bay straight from the beach, and swim out to the Japanese wreck at Lipah. Up the coast at Tulamben lies the USAT Liberty, an American cargo ship that was torpedoed in 1942. The wreck is about 25 metres out from the beach. Its top is a few metres under the water and its deepest part about 30 metres down, so snorkellers and divers can both swim to it from the shore. On land, Lahangan Sweet is a viewpoint looking towards Mount Agung, and there are salt farms along the shore. Most of the food is fish. Family warungs (small local restaurants) on the sand grill the fish the boats brought in that morning and serve it with rice and sambal matah, a fresh chilli relish. Warung Enak is known for Balinese dishes such as babi guling (roast pork) and fish curry, and Sails is a hillside restaurant with a view of the sea. A main dish costs IDR 60k to 160k (A$4.82 to 13 / ₹322 to 860), and more at the cafes on the cliffs above the bays. A room for one or two people costs about IDR 510k (A$41 / ₹2,740) a night in a guest house, and IDR 1.1 to 2.3 million (A$88 to 185 / ₹5,910 to 12,400) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

Amed suits divers and snorkellers, couples, solo travellers, and anyone who wants to keep costs down. The beaches are black pebble and coral, so bring reef shoes, and the evenings are quiet.

Don't miss: Jemeluk Bay · Japanese shipwreck at Lipah · USAT Liberty wreck at Tulamben · Lahangan Sweet viewpoint · Amed salt farms

The north

Munduk. A cool mountain village surrounded by clove and coffee farms, with four waterfalls you can walk to.

Munduk is a small village in the mountains of north Bali, and the air is cooler than on the coast. It is a place for walking. You can walk to Banyumala's twin waterfalls and to Melanting, and a longer waterfall walk runs from Golden Valley to Labuhan Kebo. Lake Tamblingan lies below the village. Ulun Danu Beratan, the temple on Lake Beratan, is about 30 minutes from Munduk by car, on the main road up from the south, so you can stop there on the way in. Most people eat at their guesthouse or at a village warung on the ridge, where Indonesian food comes with a view of the valley and coffee grown nearby, and a main dish costs IDR 50k to 150k (A$4.02 to 12 / ₹269 to 806). Warung Classic has a long view down the valley and plenty of vegetarian dishes, and MiMPi, the restaurant at the Munduk Moding Plantation resort, takes a small number of outside guests if you book ahead. Dinner is early, and evenings are quiet. A room for one or two people costs about IDR 1.3 million (A$104 / ₹6,990) a night in a guest house, and IDR 1.7 to 2.5 million (A$137 to 201 / ₹9,130 to 13,400) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel. Booking.com lists 153 hotels in Munduk, against 2,421 in Seminyak and 3,880 in Canggu. With so few hotels, the Munduk room prices are only a rough guide.

Munduk suits people who like walking and hiking, couples, anyone who wants a quiet place, and anyone who wants to keep costs down. Evenings are cool and often misty, so pack a warm layer. The drive from the airport takes 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes, so Munduk fits best on a trip of a week or more, and it pairs well with Lovina, which is 30 to 40 minutes away by car.

Don't miss: Banyumala Twin Waterfalls · Melanting Waterfall · Munduk waterfall trek · Ulun Danu Beratan · Lake Tamblingan

Lovina. Black sand beaches, a flat calm sea, dolphin boats in the early morning, and waterfalls in the hills behind the town.

The drive from the airport takes 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes, so Lovina fits best on a trip of a week or more. Lovina is a quiet group of black-sand beach villages on the north coast of Bali, and it is best known for dolphin watching. Wild dolphins live off the coast, and small boats take visitors out at sunrise, around 6am, to see them. They are wild animals, so sightings are not guaranteed. The trip lasts about two hours and costs about IDR 100k a person on a shared boat (A$8.03 / ₹537). Banjar Hot Springs and Brahmavihara-Arama, a Buddhist monastery, are in the hills above, and Sekumpul and Gitgit are two waterfalls inland. Most restaurants are on the beach road in Kalibukbuk, the main village, and serve grilled fish, nasi campur and satay (grilled meat on sticks), and a main dish costs IDR 60k to 200k (A$4.82 to 16 / ₹322 to 1,070). AKAR Cafe serves vegetarian and vegan food, and the Global Village Kafe is run by a foundation that employs deaf and disabled staff. A room for one or two people costs about IDR 610k (A$49 / ₹3,280) a night in a guest house, and IDR 920k to 2.1 million (A$74 to 169 / ₹4,940 to 11,300) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

Lovina suits families, couples, anyone who wants a quiet place, and anyone who wants to keep costs down. The sea is flat and calm and the sand is black, so it is a beach for swimming rather than surfing, and evenings are quiet.

Don't miss: Lovina Beach dolphin boats · Banjar Hot Springs · Brahmavihara-Arama monastery · Sekumpul Waterfall · Gitgit Waterfall

The islands

Nusa Penida. A large, dry island off south-east Bali, with cliffs, viewpoints and rough roads between them.

Kelingking Beach, Broken Beach, Angel's Billabong and Crystal Bay are on the west side of the island, and Diamond Beach is on the east. The roads between them are narrow and winding, so plan the two sides as two separate outings and allow plenty of time. You can snorkel and dive at Crystal Bay. Most hotels and places to eat are between Toyapakeh and Sampalan, near the harbours. Penida Colada at Ped is a beachfront bar with live music in the evening. Amok Sunset is a cliffside restaurant and bar above Gamat Bay on the west side, and a main dish there costs IDR 100k to 205k (A$8.03 to 16 / ₹537 to 1,100). A room for one or two people costs about IDR 670k (A$54 / ₹3,600) a night in a guest house, and IDR 800k to 1.9 million (A$64 to 153 / ₹4,300 to 10,200) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

Boats leave from five ports on Bali. The boat from Kusamba has the shortest crossing, 15 to 30 minutes, but it lands at Sampalan on the east coast, a long way from the famous viewpoints on the west. Boats from Sanur take 30 minutes to 1 hour, and most land at Toyapakeh or Banjar Nyuh on the west side, closer to the viewpoints. From Canggu, Sanur is the nearest port by road. From Seminyak, Serangan is a little nearer than Sanur, but boats from Serangan to Nusa Penida sail only twice a day. From Uluwatu, the boat from Nusa Dua is closer, but it sails only once a day. Travelsa recommends staying one night on Nusa Penida, and two nights if you have more than ten days in Bali. It suits divers, anyone who wants to keep costs down, and anyone who came for the cliff views.

Don't miss: Kelingking Beach · Angel's Billabong · Broken Beach · Crystal Bay · Diamond Beach

Gili Trawangan. A small island off Lombok, and livelier than the other two Gili islands.

There are no cars and no petrol motorbikes, so you walk, cycle, rent an electric bike, or take a cidomo, a small horse cart. Divers come for Shark Point, Manta Point and Simon's Reef. In the evening, from about 7pm, around fifteen food stalls set up at the night market next to the harbour and grill fresh fish, prawns and squid, and one skewer costs IDR 25k to 30k (A$2.01 to 2.41 / ₹134 to 161). A room for one or two people costs about IDR 660k (A$53 / ₹3,550) a night in a guest house, and IDR 1.5 to 2.8 million (A$120 to 225 / ₹8,060 to 15,000) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

The fastest boat to Gili Trawangan leaves from Padang Bai and takes 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. Boats from Serangan and Sanur are slower, and the longest crossings take 4 hours 30 minutes. That is too far for a day trip, so stay two or three nights. Gili Trawangan suits divers, and groups of friends who want beach bars and parties. If you want a quieter island, choose Gili Meno, or Gili Air, which is livelier than Meno and quieter than Trawangan.

Don't miss: Shark Point · Manta Point · Simon's Reef · Trawangan Night Market

Nusa Lembongan. A small island with seaweed farms, beach bars, and cliffs where the sea sprays up into the air.

Most people come to Nusa Lembongan to slow down for a few days. At Devil's Tear the sea sprays up over the cliff. Don't plan to swim at Dream Beach. The currents are strong, so treat it as a place to watch the waves. Jungut Batu and Mushroom Bay are the two main beach areas for visitors. The Yellow Bridge, built for people on foot and on two-wheelers, crosses to the next island, Nusa Ceningan. Jungut Batu has the cafes, beach bars and warungs. Local food is inexpensive. Even the western cafes charge less than the same kind of cafe in Canggu, and a main dish costs IDR 60k to 180k (A$4.82 to 14 / ₹322 to 967). Sandy Bay Beach Club, a beachfront pool restaurant close to Devil's Tear, and The Deck, a cafe and bar on the hillside above Jungut Batu beach, both serve dinner with a view of the sunset. A room for one or two people costs about IDR 870k (A$70 / ₹4,670) a night in a guest house, and IDR 1.07 to 1.91 million (A$86 to 153 / ₹5,750 to 10,300) in a typical 3-star or 4-star hotel.

To get there, you drive to Sanur on the south coast and take a fast boat, which takes 30 to 40 minutes. Allow extra time for the drive to Sanur and for check-in at the harbour, and stay two or three nights. Nusa Lembongan suits couples, divers, surfers, families, and anyone who wants quiet days without long drives. Evenings are quiet. The boats are fast boats, and on a rough day a bigger one is more comfortable than a small one.

Don't miss: Devil's Tear · Dream Beach · Mushroom Bay · Jungut Batu Beach · Yellow Bridge to Nusa Ceningan

The islands you can add

Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Gili Trawangan are normal additions to a Bali trip, and so is Lombok, the bigger island next door, on a longer trip. Each one counts as one of your places to stay. Each crossing time below is a range, because boats vary with the sea and the operator.

Travelsa recommends a night on Nusa Penida, not only a day trip. The visitors who come only for the day take the boats back between about 4pm and 5pm, so if you stay the night, you have the cliffs with far fewer people in the evening and early morning. Most day tours start at Kelingking Beach and visit the same few viewpoints on the west coast, so those viewpoints are crowded while the day visitors are there. Their boats leave Sanur between about 8am and 9am, so if you stay the night, you can see the cliffs before the day-trip visitors arrive. Travelsa recommends one night, and two nights if you have more than ten days in Bali. From Canggu or Uluwatu, the whole journey, including the drive to the port, check-in and the boat, takes about 3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes. The roads on Nusa Penida are narrow and winding, so allow plenty of time between viewpoints. Nusa Penida fits best on a trip of seven days or more.

Nusa Lembongan is a small island 30 to 40 minutes by boat from Sanur. Nusa Lembongan is quiet, and two or three nights there suit a trip of any length.

Gili Trawangan is a small island east of Bali, close to the island of Lombok, and you reach it by boat. You can add it to any trip of a week or more. You do not need a two-week trip to fit it in. There are no cars and no petrol motorbikes on the island, so you walk, cycle, ride an electric bike, or take a cidomo (a small horse cart). An electric bike rents for about IDR 250k to 350k (A$20 to 28 / ₹1,340 to 1,880), a push bike for about IDR 50k to 75k (A$4.02 to 6.02 / ₹269 to 403), and you can cycle the whole island in under an hour. Stay two or three nights on Gili Trawangan.

Lombok is the bigger island next door, and Mount Rinjani is on it. Lombok fits a trip of ten days or more. The flight from Denpasar takes under an hour.

Travelsa recommends a bigger boat with a well-known company, not the one with the lowest fare. The sea can change quickly, and a larger boat handles big waves better than a small fast one. If anyone in your group gets seasick, that choice matters more than the fare or the crossing time. The size of the boat matters, and so does the company behind it: choose one that is well known, runs bigger boats, and has good recent reviews.

Before you book, check the star rating and read the reviews from the past few weeks on more than one booking site, and read them carefully. Recent reviews tell you what older ones cannot: whether the boat is still running to time, whether it has started cancelling, and how the crew handled a rough morning. Read recent reviews even for a well-known boat company.

Then check two things on the day you sail. Check the weather and the sea forecast for that morning, because the sea can be rough on one morning even in a calm week. Check that the boat carries a life jacket for every passenger, and that you can see where they are kept. Life jackets in children's sizes are not always on board, so bring your own if you travel with small children. Take the morning sailing when there is one: the sea is usually calmer early, and if a boat is cancelled you still have the rest of the day to travel.

Boats to Nusa Penida leave from five ports, spread along the south and east coasts of Bali. Choose the port nearest to where you are staying. The drive to the port usually takes longer than the boat, so a closer port saves you time. Boats from Kusamba land at Sampalan on the east coast of Nusa Penida. Most boats from Sanur land on the west coast, which is closer to the famous viewpoints. Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan both charge a local fee. Foreign visitors pay IDR 25k (A$2.01 / ₹134) per adult and IDR 15k (A$1.2 / ₹81) per child aged 4 to 13, for each island area. Designated tourist attractions on the islands also charge IDR 25k (A$2.01 / ₹134) per adult and IDR 15k (A$1.2 / ₹81) per child, which Indonesian visitors pay too, and you pay it at each one.

How many places to stay, by trip length

Stay at least two nights in any place you sleep, and at least three nights in Ubud. Nusa Penida is the one exception, where one night works, or two if you have more than ten days in Bali. An island counts as one of your places to stay. You will see more of Bali if you stay in three places than if you move between six.

Three places in one week is fine. Canggu, then Ubud, then Gili Trawangan is three places, and people do that in seven days. In seven days, three places is the most that works well. Choose areas that are close to each other, and you will spend more of your trip on the beach and less of it in a car.

Getting from the airport, and getting around

A drive in Bali has no single time, because the same road can take much longer later in the day. "Typical" is the morning and early afternoon. The column after it is the same drive from mid-afternoon into the evening. Late at night, after about 9pm, most drives are quicker.

Scooter. A small 110cc Honda Scoopy scooter costs IDR 80k to 140k a day to rent (A$6.43 to 11 / ₹430 to 752), or IDR 900k to 1.5 million (A$72 to 120 / ₹4,840 to 8,060) a month. Whatever passport you hold, your home driving licence is not enough by itself in Indonesia. You must also carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) that covers motorcycles. An IDP is a booklet your own country issues to go with your licence. The permit only covers the types of vehicle on your licence. If your licence is for cars only, the permit is for cars only, and it does not cover a scooter. Get the permit before you fly. For Australians, Australia's travel advice says an Indonesian licence also works in place of the IDP. An insurer can refuse a claim if you ride without the right licence, so check what your travel insurance says about scooters before you ride. Indonesian law also requires a helmet for the rider and for any passenger.

Apps. Grab and Gojek are two phone apps for booking a car or a motorbike ride. From the airport you can book one to Kuta or to Ubud, for example, but they cannot collect you at the terminal door, so walk to their marked pickup area in the car park. You do not need a driving licence to use them, because a local driver does the driving. From the airport to Kuta, a taxi costs about IDR 150k to 250k (A$12 to 20 / ₹806 to 1,340) for the car, and a Grab or Gojek car about IDR 100k to 200k (A$8.03 to 16 / ₹537 to 1,070). A private car you book before you land costs about IDR 350k to 500k (A$28 to 40 / ₹1,880 to 2,690) from the airport to Ubud, for the car.

A driver. A car with a driver costs IDR 700k to 900k (A$56 to 72 / ₹3,760 to 4,840) for a day of ten to twelve hours, and that price includes the fuel and normal parking. You pay extra for entry tickets to attractions, road tolls, any hours past the agreed day, and the driver's lunch. If you stay a week in one area, use the apps for short rides and hire a driver for any long day trip. If you stay for a month or more, compare the monthly scooter rate with what you would spend on rides.

What it costs

Each daily figure below is for one person. On a budget, that person sleeps in a hostel dorm bed or a guesthouse room. At mid-range and luxury, it's one traveller's own spending, with a private room. A couple who share a room and a driver spend less per person than these figures.

Four notes on that table. Every room price is for the room, for one or two people. Hotel prices vary a lot by area, so for a number you can budget with, use the price for your area in the table of room prices below. Fine dining runs from a set dinner at a good restaurant to a many-course dinner at a luxury one, which is why that range is so wide. Each boat fare is the lowest one-way fare published for one adult on that route, so it is a starting price, not a typical one. Fares vary by operator and season, and the Nusa islands charge their entry fee on top. A surf lesson one to one costs more than the group price, at IDR 325k (A$26 / ₹1,750).

To turn any price on this page into US dollars or British pounds, use the exchange rates near the top of this page: IDR 100k is about US$5.60 or £4.20. At those rates, a budget day for one person costs about US$18 to 61 or £14 to 46, and a mid-range day about US$106 to 162 or £80 to 122.

If you are flying from India, our guide to what a Bali trip costs from India adds the return flight and gives the whole trip's cost in rupees.

Room prices by area

Each price below is for one room for one or two people, for one night. Each is Booking.com's usual average price for the area.

\* Booking.com shows no usual average for guest houses in these five areas, so this is its average for a night in late September or early October 2026.

Hotels cost the most in July and August, and the dearest rooms also cost the most in the Australian school holidays in late September and early October. Across Bali, a hotel room costs about a quarter more than the yearly average in July, and about a fifth less in March and May, the two months when hotels cost the least. In school-holiday weeks the dearest rooms rise the most. For the first weekend of October 2026, 5-star rooms on the south coast cost about two to four times their usual Booking.com average, 4-star rooms up to two and a half times, and 3-star rooms changed little, and some cost less. Guest houses in Kuta cost about twice their usual average that weekend, about IDR 580k (A$47 / ₹3,120) a night.

Some hotels quote prices with "++" after them, the same way as restaurant menus. That price leaves out the tax and the service charge, which together add about a fifth. Check whether a price includes them before you book.

Money: cash, cards and ATMs

You will need both cash and a card in Bali. Hotels, restaurants and larger shops take Visa and Mastercard, but warungs, small shops, markets and many drivers take cash only.

ATMs are easy to find at the airport, in shopping centres, banks and hotels. Most give IDR 1.25 million to 3 million (A$100 to 241 / ₹6,720 to 16,100) per withdrawal, and your own bank may charge a fee each time, so take out larger amounts less often. Use ATMs inside banks or shopping centres. If an ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, paying that way usually costs more than paying in rupiah, because the exchange rate is usually worse and there are extra fees. Travelsa recommends choosing rupiah on the ATM screen.

If you change cash, use a licensed money changer. A licensed one shows the Bank Indonesia licence sign with a QR code, and counts your money with a machine in front of you. Count the notes yourself before you walk away.

Many shops accept QRIS, which is Indonesia's system for paying by scanning a QR code with a phone. Bank apps from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and China can pay with it, but apps from Australia, India, the United Kingdom and the United States cannot yet. The list of countries changes during the year, so check your own bank's app before you rely on it, and bring a card and some cash as well.

In many restaurants, a menu price marked "++" does not include tax and service. The tax is usually 10%, and the service charge varies from place to place, usually 5% to 10%. The tax is usually charged on the service charge too, so the bill often comes to about 15% to 21% more than the menu price. Small warungs often add nothing, and a price marked "nett" is the final price. Tipping is not expected, especially where a service charge is already on the bill. Many travellers give their driver IDR 50k to 100k (A$4.02 to 8.03 / ₹269 to 537) for a full day.

Staying well: tap water and Bali belly

"Bali belly" is the local name for travellers' diarrhoea, an upset stomach caused by germs in food or water. A few simple habits help.

Do not drink the tap water, because tap water in Indonesia is not safe to drink. Carry a refillable bottle and fill it from large bottles of drinking water. Use bottled water to brush your teeth, choose drinks cold from a fridge rather than iced drinks from a street stall, and eat food that has been freshly cooked rather than left sitting out.

Oral rehydration salts, small sachets that you mix with bottled water, replace the water and salt your body loses, and pharmacies sell them. See a doctor if it is bad or does not stop, or if there is fever or blood.

No government gives Bali a higher travel advice level than the rest of Indonesia. The one exception is a US health notice for Bali about the Zika virus. It says that if you are pregnant, you should avoid travel to Bali. If you are planning a pregnancy, the US notice says to delay it for a time after your trip. Before you book, read the health advice from your own country's government. Our is Bali safe guide gives each government's travel advice for Bali.

When to go

May to October are the drier months, and the easier time to travel. November to March is the wet season, with fewer visitors. Hotels cost the most in July and August, and the dearest rooms also cost the most in the Australian school holidays in late September and early October. Hotels cost the least in March and May. Hotels from Canggu down to Uluwatu are busy over Christmas and can be almost full at New Year. The wet months are when Ubud, Sidemen and Munduk look their best. If you surf, the wind matters more than the rain, because the wind changes direction with the season. Learners can surf Kuta and Canggu all year. Experienced surfers go to Uluwatu from May to September, and to the reefs from Nusa Dua to Sanur from November to March.

Bali's airport closes every year on Nyepi, the Day of Silence, from 6am until 6am the next day, except for emergency flights, no boats run, and everyone stays indoors. Nyepi falls on 8 March in 2027.

What Bali has that you won't find at home

Most Balinese are Hindus, and many of the customs you won't see at home come from their religion.

Nyepi, the Day of Silence. Nyepi marks the new year on the Balinese calendar, and in 2027 it falls on 8 March. From 6am to 6am the next day, everyone in Bali stays indoors, visitors included, and nobody may go onto the streets or beaches. The airport closes for the whole day, except for emergency flights, and no boats run. You can move around freely inside your hotel, but lights are kept to a minimum. On the evening before, giant ogoh-ogoh statues are paraded through the streets, and visitors are welcome to watch. Many roads close for the parades, so if you arrive or change hotels that day, plan to get there by midday.

Offerings on the ground. The Balinese make small offerings every day, called canang sari: a little palm-leaf tray topped with flowers. You'll see them on pavements and steps, on cars and scooters, and in temples. Don't step on the offerings, and if one is on a narrow path, step to the side.

The Kecak. In this Balinese Hindu dance, a circle of as many as 150 performers chants "chak" instead of playing instruments. The dance acts out a battle from the Ramayana, a Hindu epic. You can see it every evening at Uluwatu Temple.

Rice terraces with their own water temples. Bali's rice farmers share water through the subak, a system of canals and weirs that goes back to the 9th century. Its water temples have managed the rice terraces since the 11th century. Five areas of these rice terraces and temples together form a UNESCO World Heritage site, which includes Pura Taman Ayun, a royal water temple from the 18th century.

Galungan. Every 210 days, Balinese Hindus celebrate Galungan, the victory of good over evil. Bamboo poles called penjor, with offerings hung at the end, go up along the roads. In 2027, Galungan falls on 13 January and 11 August, and each time the celebrations end ten days later, on Kuningan.

Names that tell you the birth order. Most Balinese names have three parts, and one of them tells you the order a person was born in. For example, a first child may be called Wayan or Putu, a second Made or Kadek, a third Nyoman or Komang, and a fourth Ketut. People in Bali use this birth-order name when they talk to each other.

More Bali guides to read next

Before you go to Bali: Tourist levy · Arrival card · Visa on arrival · Is Bali safe? · What a Bali trip costs from India.

Coming: Where to stay in Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, Sanur, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Uluwatu, Ubud, Sidemen, Munduk, Lovina and Nusa Lembongan · Places to visit in Bali · Bali beaches · Surf lessons · Campuhan Ridge Walk · Lempuyang Temple · Ulun Danu Beratan · Nusa Penida in a day · Boats to the islands · Renting a scooter · Getting around Bali, every option · Power plugs · Rainy season · When to go, month by month · Bali for a honeymoon.

Planning the days themselves? The Travelsa planner builds the plan to your preferences from the areas and trip lengths on this page.