ULTIMATE Bali Road-trip Guide
We know why you’re here…
You’ve got a 2-week vacation coming up and you’ve booked your flights to Bali Indonesia. Now all you have to do is figure out where to stay and what to do. You’re quite a busy person so you don’t have much time to plan out your entire trip. Plus, you’ve never been to Bali before so you don’t even know WHERE TO START! If you’re looking for someone to just give you an itinerary that you can just follow and not give too much thought to, you’re in luck!
We’re South African YouTubers and content creators that have lived in Bali, on and off, for over a year. Here is our YouTube channel. We’ve travelled around the beautiful island a few times and we think we’ve got a pretty good idea of where a first-time Bali traveller should visit.
Best time to go:
Bali has two seasons: wet and dry. April - October is dry season and probably the best time to visit. June-August are peak tourist season so Bali might be quite busy and expensive during this period. It’s best to visit in April, May, September and October.
TRANSPORTATION:
We hired a Suzuki Kurimun car for this trip from Bali Car Hire. We suggest hiring a private driver if you’ve never driven on roads in Asia before. It’s most certainly not the same as driving back home in a developed country. Predy is our go-to driver (WhatsApp +6281339555006), he’s also a tour guide so he’s a very good contact to have when you’re in Bali. If you’re confident about driving yourself, and have an international drivers permit, then go ahead and hire a car. If you’re feeling super adventurous, rent a scooter/bike but beware, your back and your arse will be broken at the end of the trip. We use a bike hire company called My Bike Rental: WhatsApp +6287822439775. ‘Grab’ and ‘GoJek’ are two affordable Apps you can download and they work the same way as Uber does, just with the option of ordering a bike or a car.
The island of Bali (located in Indonesia) is 5780km squared. It’ll take you approximately 3 hours to drive in a car from the southern most part of Bali to the Northern most part. It’s a relatively small island with A LOT to do so let’s get started.
South Bali:
You’ll land at Ngu Rai International Airport, close to the south of the island so it’s best to just head down to Uluwatu. This is home to the best beaches, surfing and beach bars on the island. While spending 3 days in this part, make sure to visit the following places. All places are linked, so make sure to save them all on Google Maps.
Time:
2-3 nights
Where to stay:
We stayed at Bale at Bingin beach. Not recommended if you have a lot of luggage to carry down steep stairs.
The Surf Bingin Beach. Good alternative to Bale.
Bingin Cliff House. Big villa, great for families or friends sharing
Le Cliff Bali. Not on Bingin beach but it’s near to.
You can stay at any resort/villa/hotel in Uluwatu, Nusa Dua etc. Most places are good and close to all attractions.
Places to visit:
Go at sunset to watch the kecak dance.
A nice free activity to do at sunset.
A touristy place, but totally worth it. You can watch the kecak dance here too.
Beach bars
Savaya Beach club, Singlefin, Palmilla Bali, Karma Beach are our favourites in the area.
Beaches
Click this link to watch our YouTube video on our favourite beaches.
Central Bali:
After days spent on the beach, surfing and enjoying the chilled lifestyle Uluwatu has to offer, it’s now time to head north to a more authentic part of Bali - Ubud. Ubud is known for its spirituality, nature, rice terraces, yoga retreats, river activities and vegan cafes.
Time:
2-3 nights
Where to stay:
We stayed in this AirBnb: click here.
Capella Ubud Bali. Super fancy and totally out of our league, but we’ll just put it here and manifest staying here one day. Lol. *crying while typing this*
Places to visit:
Bathe in the holy springs, make sure to bring a bathing-suit and towel.
A nice free activity in Ubud.
Meet the crazy Bali monkeys in a very sacred area.
Go for sunrise and beat the crowds.
A beautiful, traditional village full of authentic Balinese culture.
Learn how to cook Balinese food while you’re here!
Cafe’s
Zest Cafe is our favourite, but there are so many more to choose from. Just have a walk around Ubud.
East Bali:
It’s time to head East to a small village called Sidemen, located close to some famous attractions in this part of Bali. Wake up early because you’ll make many stops before reaching your destination for the evening.
Time:
1 night
Where to stay:
Magic Hills Eco-Lux Lodge (close to Sidemen)
Places to visit:
The most beautiful and unique waterfall in our opinion
Feed some fish at the water palace, and take some great Instagram photos.
Gates to heaven. Another spot for an iconic photo. A bit of a tourist trap though.
For incredible views of Mount Agung, and great snorkeling. Stay a few nights here if you’re getting your divers license.
North Bali:
Now head north and admire the views of Mount Agung, the active volcano on the island. You’re going to be staying in the north east for one night and the main purpose is to climb Mount Batur for sunrise one morning.
Time:
2 nights
Where to stay:
Places to visit:
Mount Batur sunrise hike
Make sure your tour operator includes the hotspring afterwards
A cute cafe with amazing views of Mount Batur
One of, if not, the most popular waterfall in Bali.
Now head west, to areas that not a lot of tourists visit and totally miss out on, yet there’s so many iconic things to do. You’ll need a break from the heat and humidity, time to head into the mountains for a bit.
Time:
2 nights
Where to stay:
Places to visit:
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Iconic photo spot amongst influencers but we’ll be honest, tourists could probably skip this one.
Gorgeous twin waterfalls and pools to swim in
So much fun and highly recommended if you’re in the area!
A waterfall great for cliff jumping and natural waterslides
After 2 nights in the mountains and peaceful nature, head south towards Canggu and stop at the Jatiluwih Rice terraces on the way down. You’ll then spend the last bit of your trip in Canggu, the area we, and most digital nomads, live in.
Time:
2 nights
Where to stay:
Places to visit:
One of many cafes and restaurants. Our favourites: Sari, Koast, Nook, Milu by Nook, Ingka, Urban Bites
Bars and clubs: Finns, La Brisa, Mano, Motel Mexicola, La Favela
Markets in Seminyak for gifts to take home
Quick trip to the Nusa’s
If you still have time, and energy, book yourself a trip to the neighboring islands Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan for proper island vibes, snorkeling and site seeing.
If not, you’ll still go home satisfied with everything you did in Bali!
Just like that, your vacation is over and now it’s time to head home with a full heart, soul and mind.
We hope you found this blog post helpful and if you want this all in video form, WATCH OUR VIDEO HERE. If you have any further questions, feel free to follow us and message us on Instagram @rhettandclaire
Stay safe and happy travels!
For links to over 20 accommodation options, our google map links, links to visa agents, drivers, tour guide etc get our Bali Resource Pack below!
