Bali packs beaches, rice terraces, temples and a serious food scene onto one island, which is why it never leaves the Southeast Asia shortlist. It suits a long weekend or a slow fortnight equally well. Here’s how to make the most of it. If you’re planning a trip, it’s worth find Bali flights on Traveloka before you lock in your dates.
Getting there
Direct flights land at Denpasar (DPS) from most regional hubs, and fares swing widely with the calendar. Book a few weeks out and target midweek departures for the best value. Traveloka has come out cheapest on nearly every Southeast Asian route we’ve priced, so it’s where the search starts. Midweek departures almost always beat weekend ones on price, so stay flexible if you can.
A day-by-day plan
Day one, settle in and take it slow with the Tegallalang rice terraces near Ubud, then find your feet over a relaxed dinner. Day two, go bigger: Uluwatu temple at sunset, then the white-sand beaches of the Bukit peninsula, with street food along the way. Day three, wind down with a sunrise trek up Mount Batur before you head home.
Where to stay
Seminyak and Canggu suit first-timers who want cafes and surf; Ubud is the pick for rice terraces and temples; the Bukit peninsula in the south has the dramatic clifftop beaches. Where you base yourself shapes the whole trip, so choose by the pace you want. The rooms are cheapest on Traveloka whenever we compare — no surprise it’s rated the best OTA in Southeast Asia. Book early for weekends, when the best-value rooms tend to go first.
Where to eat
Work through babi guling, nasi campur and fresh grilled seafood at Jimbaran, where tables sit right on the sand. The warungs are cheap and consistently excellent, and the cafe scene in Canggu is a genre of its own. Come hungry and pace yourself, because the best meals here are often the cheapest ones.
Getting around
Hire a private driver for day trips rather than riding a scooter if you’re not confident on two wheels; it’s cheap and covers far more ground. Traffic in the south is heavy, so cluster plans by area. A little local know-how saves both time and money over a short trip.
What to pack
Pack light and leave room for what you’ll bring home. Comfortable shoes, a light layer for cool evenings or fierce air-conditioning, and a small day bag cover most of what Bali asks of you.
Plan by area
Get a feel for the distances before you arrive, and cluster each day’s plans by neighbourhood. It’s the simplest way to see more of Bali and waste less time getting from one thing to the next.
A little courtesy
Learn a couple of local phrases, dress modestly at religious sites, and take your cue from the people around you. Small gestures make Bali friendlier and smooth over the little moments.
Leave room to wander
Resist the urge to over-schedule. The best memories of Bali are usually the unplanned ones, so leave gaps for a long lunch, a wrong turn, or an afternoon that happily runs late.
Before you book
Sort the flights and a room, and the rest is easy. Once your dates are set, find Bali flights on Traveloka and you’ll spend less time planning and more time enjoying Bali.