Bali Indonesia Travel Guide

Top things to do in Bali

Bali's headline temples charge tiny entry fees. Uluwatu Temple, perched on 70-meter sea cliffs, costs Rp 50,000 (about $3), and the famous Kecak fire dance at 6 pm is Rp 150,000 (about $9) ~ buy dance tickets the moment you arrive because sunset shows sell out. Tanah Lot, the sea temple on its own rock, is Rp 75,000 (about $4.50) and unbeatable at sunset, though it's mobbed by 5 pm; at low tide you can walk to the base for a blessing. Watch the monkeys at Uluwatu ~ they genuinely steal sunglasses.

Around Ubud, the Sacred Monkey Forest (Rp 80,000-100,000, about $5-6) puts you among 700+ long-tailed macaques in a jungle temple complex, and the Tegallalang rice terraces cost just Rp 25,000-50,000 (about $1.50-3) ~ go at 7-8 am for empty paths and soft light. The Instagram-famous jungle swings there are separate operators charging Rp 150,000 and up.

For the big adventure, the Mount Batur sunrise trek runs Rp 400,000-600,000 (about $25-38) with a guide and hotel pickup around 2 am. The two-hour pre-dawn climb rewards you with sunrise over Lake Batur and Mount Agung, and it was one of our favorite mornings anywhere. In the cool highlands, Ulun Danu Beratan, the lake temple on the Rp 50,000 banknote, charges Rp 75,000 and pairs well with the UNESCO-listed Jatiluwih terraces on a north-Bali day loop.

Food in Bali: warungs, cafes, and what it costs

The local warung is the heart of Bali eating, and it's absurdly good value. Nasi goreng, mie goreng, or a nasi campur plate (rice with a spread of dishes you point at) costs Rp 25,000-50,000, about $1.50-3. The island's ceremonial dishes are worth hunting down: babi guling (spit-roast suckling pig) from a specialist warung runs $3-5 a plate, and bebek betutu, slow-roasted duck in spices, is the Ubud classic. Fresh coconuts on the beach are about $1.

At the other end, Bali's cafe scene rivals any city we've visited. Canggu and Ubud overflow with smoothie-bowl brunches for $4-7 and flat whites for $2-3. Beach clubs charge Western prices ~ expect $8-15 cocktails with a minimum spend for a daybed ~ while a lovely mid-range dinner for two with drinks lands around $25-40. Seafood grilled on the sand at Jimbaran Bay, picked fresh and priced by weight, is the classic splurge at $15-25 per person.

Deep dive: Ubud, Bali's cultural heart

Give Ubud at least two or three nights rather than a rushed day trip. Mornings belong to the Campuhan Ridge Walk (free) before the heat, then the Monkey Forest, the royal palace, and the craft villages strung along the roads north: Celuk for silver, Mas for woodcarving, Batubulan for stone. Yoga classes drop in at $8-12, and hour-long Balinese massages start around $8-15 ~ we averaged one a day without guilt.

Daily temple offerings, incense on every doorstep, and gamelan drifting from community halls give Ubud a rhythm no beach town matches. Time your visit to catch a temple ceremony or a legong dance performance at the palace (around Rp 100,000, about $6, most evenings). From Ubud, the Tegalalang terraces, Tirta Empul water temple, and Mount Batur all sit within an easy driver's loop, making it the best single base for the island's interior.

Getting around Bali and where to stay

There's no single hub in Bali, so pick your base by personality: Ubud for culture and rice terraces, Canggu for surf and cafes, Seminyak for restaurants and beach clubs, Uluwatu for cliffs and world-class waves, and Sanur or Nusa Dua for calm family beaches. Many travelers split the trip: three or four nights inland in Ubud, then three or four on the coast. Guesthouses run $15-30, gorgeous mid-range villas with pools $50-100, and luxury resorts from $150.

For transport, hire a private driver for day trips at roughly $40-55 for a full 8-10 hours ~ the temples are scattered and traffic is real, so a driver beats scooter marathons for long days. Scooter rental is $5-7 a day and glorious for short local hops, but ride only if you're licensed and experienced; police checks and accidents are both common. Grab and Gojek work well in the south and Ubud for rides from $1-3, though some villages restrict pickups.

Best time to visit Bali and practical tips

The dry season runs April to October and is the best window for beaches, volcano treks, and waterfall days; July, August, and the holiday weeks are peak crowds and prices. We actually love the shoulder months of May, June, and September ~ dry-season weather with noticeably fewer people. The wet season (November to March) means humid afternoons and heavy but usually short downpours; mornings often stay clear, and the island turns intensely green.

Since 2024 Bali charges a one-off tourist levy of Rp 150,000 (about $9), payable online before arrival or at the airport. Sarongs are required at temples and are usually included with entry or lent at the gate. Carry small rupiah notes for entries and parking (usually Rp 2,000-5,000), drink bottled or filtered water, and watch the tide tables for temple photo stops. Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence in March, shuts the entire island including the airport for 24 hours ~ magical to experience, but plan around it.

How much does a Bali trip cost?

Bali's sights are cheap; comfort is where budgets diverge. All the classic paid entries combined ~ Uluwatu with the Kecak dance, Tanah Lot, the Monkey Forest, Tegallalang, Ulun Danu Beratan, and a guided Mount Batur sunrise trek ~ come to roughly $45-65 total, and under $25 if you skip the trek. That's a full week of headline sightseeing for the price of one European museum pass.

Daily budgets: backpackers do fine on $30-45 with guesthouses, warung meals, and a scooter. Mid-range travelers spending $70-120 a day get a private pool villa, cafe brunches, massages, and drivers for day trips ~ Bali's sweet spot, honestly. Luxury starts around $200 and scales infinitely. For a typical 10-day trip, $700-1,200 per person on the ground covers a very comfortable mid-range experience, excluding flights.