Planning a trip to Bali puts you in front of the difficult decision: What places should I visit with my limited time off? In this post you will find a 2 weeks Bali itinerary focused on nature, fun activities and good food. If this sounds like your kind of holiday, keep reading!
Best time to visit
As most South-East Asian countries Bali is a warm destination year round. The primary thing you should consider before booking your trip is the rainy season. Generally speaking, the wet season runs from November to April. During this time, not only are you more likely to get rain, but it is also the prime time for the Dengue mosquitoes. Therefore if you can avoid traveling during this time (or immediately after), I’d highly recommend to go during the rest of the year!
How to get there
Bali is an island in Indonesia. Therefore, the majority of people will fly into Bali through the island capital of Denpasar. The International Airport is very well connected and a lot of major airlines offer direct flights to Bali. If there are no direct flights to Bali, you might want to look at connections with a stopover in Singapore or Bangkok. Both airports are suuuper well connected internationally, and the connecting flights to Bali are usually very cheap.
How to get around
By Scooter
Renting a scooter is probably the most popular form of transportation in Bali, especially among younger people / backpackers. However, I personally cannot vouch for this option since in my eyes it is quite dangerous. Scooters are rented out to people with no prior experience, and some streets are very narrow and crowded. Unless you feel very comfortable on a motor bike, I wouldn’t do it.
By Car
Depends on how much driving you want to do, how many people you are with and where your accommodation is located, renting a car might be an option to consider. The touristy places usually have parking, and I’m sure in more remote places this shouldn’t be an issue either. If you plan to primarily stay in better known tourist hubs (e.g. Ubud, Kuta, Seminyak, etc…) you don’t need a car.
Private Driver
Hiring a private driver sounds very fancy and probably quite expensive. But honestly, if you’re on a trip with a couple of people and are able to split the cost, this is definitely the most convenient way to get around! You can ask your accommodation or other travelers for some recommendations, I’m sure everyone knows someone who they can recommend We hired a driver for 2 days in Ubud and 2 days in Nusa Penida and I’d do it again in a heartbeat!
By Uber / Grab / GoJek
If you’re staying within the touristy areas then Uber / Grab / GoJek or any other available rideshare app is your best friend! In my experience this worked very well for getting around Kuta / Seminyak / Legian, as well as Uluwatu and Sanur. Ubud was a little more difficult but still possible 🙂
How much time do you need in bali?
When I visited Bali in 2022 I spent approx. 3 weeks In Bali. Our trip was a mix of sightseeing and just enjoying life and chilling. Therefore I’d say, if you’re on a super tight schedule and just want to “see as much as possible”, you can definitely see the most interesting things and get a feeling for the island in just 2 weeks. However, if you want to go at a more relaxed pace, and you want to sprinkle in a do nothing day here and there, then maybe rather go for 3 weeks.
2 Weeks Bali Itinerary
Before getting in to the day-to-day itinerary I want to point out, that the different segments of the trip can be switched around as needed. This is just a general outline of what there is to see and how much time I recommend staying at each place. The order really doesn’t matter 🙂
Day 1 – Welcome to Bali!
Your flight will be arriving into the capital Denpasar. From there, immediately take a Taxi / Uber / Private Driver and get out of the city. We booked our driver through Booking.com Taxi and everything went smoothly. Your first destination of this trip is going to be Ubud!
You just have a long flight behind you, so take the rest of the day easy and just hang by the pool, get a massage or explore some of your immediate surroundings.
Where to stay
We stayed at the Honeymoon Guesthouse Ubud and we loved it! It’s a very serene hotel, with lots of traditional architecture and nature around. They also have a very good breakfast.
Day 2 – Explore Ubud
Time to start exploring Ubud! While you’re still full of energy after a good night’s sleep it’s time to go on the Capuhan Ridge Walk. It’s a short walk (approx. 40 minutes) that will take you a little out of Ubud (the city) and into the rice fields. At the end of the trail you will find a couple of cafés, so I’d recommend you choose one to have a cold beverage! We went to Karse Café and it was such a nice place!
Next, get a Grab and head to the Monkey Forest in Ubud. This is probably one of the best-known attractions in Ubud, and it did not disappoint! From the moment you walk in (maybe actually even before!) you will start seeing monkeys left and right. Make sure to NOT bring any food or plastic bottles, as they WILL steal it from you! We spent approx. 1 hour roaming the Monkey Forest 🙂
For lunch, pick any restaurant in central Ubud that looks good to you! Afterwards, spend the rest of the afternoon exploring Ubud city, with all it’s different temples, palaces, markets, shops, Yoga studios, etc…
If you feel like going out in the evening – definitely check out Why Not Bar!
Day 3 – Ubud Day Trip
Time to explore Ubud’s surroundings! If you’re travelling in a group, I’d highly recommend to hire a private driver to take you around for the day. Ask your hotel or other fellow travelers for recommendations.
Our itinerary for the day looked like this:
- Drive to foot of Mt. Batur, enjoy views from foot of mountain
- Coffee tasting (Ubud is famous for their Luwak coffee!). There are plenty of coffee tasting farms, we just trusted our driver to take us to a good one and ended up at Satria Luwak Coffee. We had a good experience 🙂
- Pura Tirta Empul Temple. Remember to dress respectfully, you are visiting a sacred site.
- Tegallalang rice terraces
- Lunch at Tebasari. If you’re looking for some restaurant reviews, check out my post here.
- Tegenungan waterfall & Omma day club
Yep, definitely a full day but we never felt rushed! We were even still fit enough for another night at the Why Not Bar 🙂
Day 4 – Another Ubud Day Trip
Time for another day trip! We really wanted to see Ulun Danu Beratan, which is a beautiful temple right by a lake in Northern Bali. The drive was definitely long, and if you’re not suuuper into temples then maybe it’s not worth it.
Alternatively, you could go visit another waterfall (there are tons around Ubud), or maybe take a cooking or Yoga class in Ubud!
Day 5 – Cretya Day Club
Today is day club time! Visiting Cretya was definitely one of the highlights of our trip, even if it’s not very cultural or traditional. This is how it works: there are several different kinds of seating that you can book ahead or on the spot (e.g. daybeds, hammocks, loungers, etc…). With the fee that you pay for the seating arrangement, you get almost all of the amount back as good credit. During the day, you can therefore keep ordering food and drinks until you use up the paid amount. I’ve never experienced anything like it, and I loved it. Cretya is easily reachable from Ubud city by any rideshare app.
Day 6 – Sanur Beach
Today you’ll make your way to the sea. Sanur is a relaxed sea side town, in close vicinity to the ferry terminal where you will take the ferry the following day to Nusa Penida. In Sanur there isn’t too much to do, but we just spent the day relaxing by the beach, walking along the promenade and enjoying the many beachside restaurants (for inspo check here).
Where to stay
We stayed at the Parigata Resorts and Spa and it was ok for one night. Location was great, hotel felt a little outdated.
Day 7 – Nusa Penida
Time to head to Nusa Penida! Nusa Penida is a little island just off the coast of Bali. It is a lot less developed, and the nature is often times still quite rugged. I’d recommend you to take one of the earliest ferries possible to maximize your time on Nusa Penida. We booked our ferry through 12Go
Upon arrival, we had organized a private driver through Klook to show us around the island. Here is what our day looked like:
- Check in at hotel and then went straight to breakfast on the beach at Coco Penida
- Drive to Diamond Beach, hike down the adventurous path to the beach. If you feel fit and have appropriate footwork I’d highly recommend making the effort!
- Lunch at Next Level Café
- Drive to Crystal Bay Beach for sunset and swimming
- Dinner at Penida Colada
Where to stay
We stayed at the La Colina and it was ok for one night. The accommodation consists of several small bungalows located a little up the hill. It’s definitely not a walkable accommodation. We tried to walk down to dinner at night and it was not a pleasant walk.
Day 8 – Nusa Penida
Time to visit THE most famous beach on Nusa Penida. If you have social media you have definitely come across Kelingking beach at one point or another – maybe you know it under the name T-Rex beach.
Once again, we hired a private driver for the day and did the following itinerary:
- Drive to Kelingking beach. I’d recommend to get there quite early since it does tend to get very crowded. If you have enough time, you should definitely make the hike down to the beach again. Bare in mind though, this hike is even more adventurous than the Diamond Beach one!
- Snorkeling with Mantas, if you’re lucky at least haha. We didn’t see any but maybe your luck is better than mine…
- Head to the ferry terminal and go back to Bali
Take a rideshare to your next destination: Uluwatu!
Day 9 – Uluwatu
Time to explore Uluwatu! Uluwatu is known for its surf break, so if you are interested in surfing (whether it’s surfing yourself or watching the pros) then head down to any of the beaches and spend the day there.
Alternatively, you could also explore the Uluwatu temple.
Where to stay
We stayed at the Dreamland View and it was not the best experience. The location is kind of inconvenient, there’s really nothing around and it wasn’t super cheap either. I’m sure you can find something better.
Day 10 – Sundays Beach Club
Time for another day club! But unlike Cretya, Sundays Beach Club is right by the beach 🙂 The day club is easily reached by any rideshare. Besides the great atmosphere and good food at Sundays, getting to the beach club is quite an experience in itself! There is a very steep funicular that will take you from the entrance area down to the beach area. Another fun feature are the nighttime marshmallows. Since they set up fire pits on the beach at night, it only makes sense for them to hand out free marshmallows to their guests to enjoy by the fire Additionally, you can rent snorkels free of charge and we saw tons of fish and even a baby sting ray! Definitely a fun day out!
Either spend another night in Uluwatu or head back to Sanur, since you will be taking another ferry tomorrow morning!
Day 11 – Gili Islands
Time to go to the Gili Islands!!! The Gili islands are a group of 3 tiny islands close to Bali / Lombok. What’s interesting about the Gilis is that they are car-free islands. Only pedestirans and bikes are allowed, which is a welcome change after the busy streets of the rest of Bali.
In my experience the ferries to the Gili islands are a little hit or miss and highly affected by the waves / sea. Hence, to make sure that you are not stressed or anything I wouldn’t make any plans the day of arrival. You can book the ferry tickets through 12Go again.
On our itinerary we went to Gili T, so the recommendations for the following days will be based on our experience on Gili T. You might want to do some research yourself and decide which island is right for you 🙂
If there’s still time in the day upon arrival, head to the beach and start looking for turtles. There’s a ton in the shallow waters just off the shore!!! They are most likely to be found among the grassy areas in the water, as that is where they get their food 🙂
Where to stay
We stayed at the Villa Almarik Resort, a hotel right by the beach! We really enjoyed our stay here.
Day 12 – SnorkelLing Trip
While you’re on Gili T, I’d also recommend to take a snorkelling day trip which includes a visit to one of the other Gili islands. On a typical snorkel trip they will take you to 3 different snorkel sites and then you’ll have lunch on Gili Air or Gili Meno. There are plenty of tour operators on the island where you can book this tour.
If you’re a diver, you can of course also use this day for a diving trip!
Day 13 – Explore Gili T
Today you have a little more time at hand, I’d recommend to rent some bikes and circle the Gili T once around the coast. You can stop for viewpoints, have a drink in the beach bars, snorkel again and just follow your instincts 🙂
Day 14 – Back to Bali
Time to head back to Bali! As I mentioned, the ferries are not always reliable, so I would highly recommend NOT to take the ferry back ON the day of your flight. In this case, you would need to fly back on day 15 just to be on the safe side…
Optional: Day 15-21
If you have 3 weeks at your disposal, here are a couple of ways how you can extend your trip for another week.
Option 1
Base yourself in Seminyak / Legian / Kuta / Canggu and explore the area surrounding area. Here are some options you might want to check out:
- Beachwalk Shopping Center
- Tanah Lot Temple
- La Plancha Sunset Bar
- Surf on the beach
- Eat your way through all the different restaurants. Check out this post here for some inspo.
- Find a yoga studio
- Get massages. We went to Ambiente Spa Bali but there are plenty of good places!
This is what we did since we wanted to take it easy after the pretty busy schedule of the 2 weeks before, yet it still gave us the flexibility to do whatever activity we wanted really close by.
Where to stay
We stayed at the Rama Residence Padma and it was perfect. They have a rooftop pool and the hotel is within walking distance to the beach. The breakfast was also really good!
Option 2
Pick a nice (perhaps all inclusive) hotel on Nusa Dua and REALLY relax for the last couple of days on your trip. If you have the budget for it, then this is definitely a great option to consider…
Option 3
Bali has a plethora of surf camps and Yoga retreats. If you’re into that then you might want to book yourself a one-week surf or yoga experience. This might be what I would choose next time 🙂
Option 4
If you’re interested in getting PADI certified, you might want to extend your stay on the Gili islands and get your Open Water diving certification. There are tons and tons of dive schools (at least on Gili T), so you will have plenty of options to choose from!
That’s it – a full 2 or 3 weeks Bali itinerary! Whatever you decide to do, you will surely have an amazing time on this island 🙂 If you’re wondering how much money you might need for a 2-3 weeks trip in Bali, check out my budget breakdown in this post.