From surfing and snorkeling to biking and hiking, there are thousands of ways to spend a day in Bali, and you get to choose how to spend it. Lucky you!
Bali is the perfect destination for people who like to spend time outdoors, whether your idea of fun is lying horizontally on a beach or hiking vertically up a volcano.
This Bali bucket list aims to help you put a dent in all the things there are to do on the island. Or, inspire you to plan a trip to Bali if one isn’t in the works already.
Let’s get into it.
Explore the village of Ubud
Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali. Spend the afternoon wandering the streets of the winding village to get a taste of the Balinese way of life. From the Ubud Art Market to the Ubud Palace, there are plenty of places to pass the time.
On the outskirts of town, the Campuhan Ridge Walk offers a lush green escape from the bustling village.
Visit one of Bali’s 10,000 temples
Bali is called the land of a thousand temples, but that’s an understatement. There are well over 10,000 temples in Bali. The word pura means temple in Balinese.
The best area to go temple hopping is in the jungle around Ubud. The most notable temples in the area are Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati (the Ubud Water Palace located in the city center), Goa Gajah, Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, and the famous Pura Tirta Empul where people bathe in the holy springs.
Other notable temples are Tanah Lot near Canggu, the Uluwatu Temple, and Pura Ulun Danu Beratan on a lake in northern Bali.
Meet monkeys
Monkeys cohabitate with the locals in Bali. You can meet monkeys in Ubud at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary for as little as 1 USD. You can also see them “in the wild” at the Uluwatu Temple or Padang Padang Beach in Uluwatu.
Macaque monkeys are known to be thieves, so make sure to watch your belongings. They’re not just after food, they’ll steal your sunglasses, too.
ThatPlannerFriend Tip: Don’t make direct eye contact with a monkey, they see it as a threat.
Catch a Kecak fire dance show at the Uluwatu Temple
The Uluwatu Temple hosts a traditional Kecak fire dance show every day at sunset (5:45) and at 7 p.m. The dancers literally walk on fire putting on a captivating and culturally-significant performance every night.
You’ll want to arrive early to explore the Uluwatu Temple and meet the monkeys that walk around like they own the place. Tickets for the sunset time slot sell out fast, so get your tickets in advance here.
Go to a yoga class
Start your day with a yoga class at The Path in Canggu. While yoga originated in ancient India, it’s widely practiced in Bali because of its Hindu roots. Yoga studios have sprung up in tourist beach towns like Canggu and Seminyak offering classes to tourists in English.
Hike Mount Batur
People flock to Mount Batur before dawn to catch the sunrise atop the second-highest peak in Bali. But, if waking up at 3 a.m. to hike a volcano isn’t your idea of a relaxing vacation, you can hike it at sunset like I did. The hike takes about 2 hours, but you can take a shortcut on a motorbike if you aren’t an avid hiker.
The last time Mount Batur erupted was in 2000. Because it is an active volcano you should go with a guide. I trekked up with Wayan from Mount Batur Sunrise Trekking. A tour to Mount Batur with a stop at hot springs, a coffee plantation, and lunch was about 130 USD for two people.
Relax in the hot springs
Around Mount Batur are hot springs heated by the geothermal activity of the nearby volcanos. The hot springs are a great activity to do before or after hiking Mount Batur.
The springs themselves aren’t very natural. Hot spring water is pumped into a resort-style swimming pool, so it feels like you’re just in a heated pool rather than a natural spring. Regardless, it’s a relaxing way to kill a few hours before or after your hike.
Visit a coffee plantation and try luwak coffee
Indonesian coffee is world-renowned with household blends from Sumatra and Java. In Bali, people drink luwak coffee (or kopi as the Balinese call it), a smooth coffee roasted from beans that have been ingested and digested by a wild cat. And by digested…I simply mean pooped out. (I can’t make this up. This is totally serious.)
At a coffee plantation, you’ll learn about how luwak kopi is made and try local coffees and teas free of charge. When you visit a coffee plantation, you aren’t really at a coffee farm. It’s more like a tap or tasting room since the coffee isn’t typically grown on-site.
Dance or relax at a beach club
Beach clubs lure in tourists on the east side of the island in Canggu and Seminyak. Seminyak beach clubs like Potato Head or Finns are known for partying. In Canggu, you’ll find more laid-back beach clubs like La Brisa and COMO.
Many beach clubs have a minimum spend to reserve a pool chair or table. We spent the day at La Brisa where the minimum spend was 588,500 rupiah (about 36 USD) for the least expensive set of chairs.
Surf or swim at the beach
The shores of Uluwatu are the best beaches in Bali to spend the day at. Uluwatu’s waters are known for their big waves for surfers, but there are also calm coves for sunbathers to cool off and swim in. At Padang Padang Beach, you can both swim and surf.
Balinese locals welcome you by trying to sell you a shady spot under an umbrella and a sarong to use as a towel. At beaches, locals sell freshly grilled fish and cold beer on the sand.
Visit an island off the coast
Three islands sit along Bali’s coast: Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan. Nusa Penida is the most popular of the three. You can take a day trip to Nusa Penida from Sanur Port. Spend the day hopping from vista to vista on Nusa Penida or spend the night for more adventures.
Snorkel off-shore
Go for a snorkeling adventure in the Indian Ocean. Many tour companies will take you off-shore to swim with giant manta rays, sea turtles, and tropical fish. You can go on a group charter boat out of Sanur Port on the island of Bali or go snorkeling while on Nusa Penida.
Support locals at an art market
The most famous art market in Bali is the Ubud Art Market. It’s known for selling the woven circular “Ubud” bags that were popular in the late 2010s. It’s easy to get lost in the huge market because many of the stalls sell similar goods.
Love Anchor is another popular market or “bazaar” in Canggu with local goods.
Swim in a waterfall
In the northern part of Bali, you can dive into the natural pool of a jungle waterfall. The swimming holes at the base of waterfalls are totally safe to swim in. To reach a waterfall, you might have to hike a little ways.
Many waterfalls charge a small entry fee, so make sure to bring rupiahs with you. Some of the best waterfalls to visit in the north are Nungnung Waterfall, Leke Leke Waterfall, and Banyumala Twin Waterfalls (pictured above).
See the famous rice terraces
Rice fields dot the landscape in rural areas of Bali, especially around Canggu and Ubud. Farmers carve rice terraces into the hills of northern Bali to make the most use of the sloped terrain. The most famous terraces are the Tegaglang Rice Terraces (pictured above) near Ubud.
But, the best rice terraces to see are the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces further north. UNESCO designated the Jatiluwih terraces as a World Heritage Site. It feels like the rice goes on for miles, making it worth the extra drive to see them.
Eat local Balinese food at a warung
Warung means small restaurant in Indonesian. Warungs are typically family-run cafes that serve local Indonesian food. You can expect to find delicious rice bowls and freshly squeezed fruit juices on the menu.
Eat at a trendy Australian cafe
Bali is teeming with aesthetic Australian cafes with avocado toast and plant-based smoothies. Whatever your stance is on Aussies owning resorts and boutiques in Bali, you can’t deny that Australians know how to make a good breakfast.
Explore any major village in Bali (Canggu, Seminyak, Uluwatu, and Ubud) and you’ll find an Australian cafe. My favorites are Copenhagen in Canggu and Salty Coffee in Uluwatu.
Hop on the back of a motorbike
Scooters and motorbikes are the preferred modes of transportation for locals in Bali. On the Gojek app, you can choose to be picked up on a scooter to go to your next destination. While I don’t recommend traveling long distances on a scooter from a safety standpoint, it’s a fun thrilling ride to check off your bucket list.
Inspired to go to Bali? Check out The Non-Influencer Guide to Bali to help you plan your trip. I’m also happy to answer any questions in the comments below!
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