Bali can mean many different things to different people. Some are drawn to the island’s rituals of spiritual well-being, while others are drawn to the party and beach vibes of South Bali. Some want to explore the wonderful and rich marine life that makes Bali and snorkelling and diving paradise, while others come to enjoy the island’s lush and beautiful natural landscapes. Then there’s also the endless list of stunning waterfalls, historic temples and iconic palaces. If some of these aspects resonate with you, then you’ll probably love to discover Bali just like we did. To help you plan your trip here, we put together this 3-week Bali itinerary that focuses on slow travel and four specific areas: Central Bali (based in Ubud), Eastern Bali (based in Sidemen), the Nusa Islands, and the nearby Gili Islands (which are actually part of Lombok and not Bali).
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You might also be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali
Bali 3-Week Itinerary – Summary
* Ubud (7 Days) – Ubud is Bali’s cultural center, and is a must-visit for anyone travelling to Bali. Yes, it can get more crowded and is busier than the other home bases in this itinerary, but with good reason. There’s so much to do here, including visiting temples, hiking through scenic rice fields, taking cooking classes, visiting the monkey forest, enjoying dancing shows, and so much more. But beyond all of these fun activities, Ubud is also the perfect home base from which to explore Central Bali’s best attractions, of which there are many and include some of Bali’s most iconic temples and stunning waterfalls.
* Nusa Lembongan (4 days) – For a change of pace, we recommend heading to the Nusa Islands and using Nusa Lembongan as a home base. Although you can find some luxury and beach clubs here, on average, the islands are more gritty, less developed and more rustic than Bali. The Nusa Islands are known for their slower pace and more laid-back atmosphere, reminiscent of how Bali used to be a few decades ago. They are also known for their pristine, secluded beaches.
* Gili Trawangan (4 days) – The Gili Islands are the perfect place to unwind and relax on endless stretches of white sand. There are no cars here, and you can easily walk or cycle around the islands in less than 2 hours. The islands were also our favorite place to do some snorkelling activities and swim with sea turtles. Although Gili Trawangan (Gili T) has a reputation as a party island, it’s only true of a few specific areas; we found that most of the island enjoys either calm and relaxing evenings or lively settings without being overly loud.
* Sidemen (6 days) – Sidemen is probably are favorite area in all of Bali. It perfectly exemplifies what most people imagine when they think of a green, lush island, with mountains and jungle as far as the eye can see, mixed in with stunningly beautiful rice fields and charming rural villages. The village of Sidemen, in particular, makes a great home base from which to explore the many attractions of East Bali.
We will present a more detailed version of this 3-week Bali itinerary further below, highlighting some of the best activities and attractions in and around the selected home bases.
Bali Itinerary Planning and Logistics
Our suggested itinerary focuses on a nice mix of home bases that are ideally located to explore specific areas of Bali (and the Gili islands), and makes it easy to enjoy a wide variety of activities, from hiking across rice terraces to sunbathing on idyllic beaches, and from visiting historic temples and to snorkelling with sea turtles.
We also wanted to focus on a slow-paced itinerary, one that minimizes displacements and the number of home bases used. This was decided in part because Bali isn’t that big of an island (it’s only 153 km long by 121 km wide; it’s smaller than Corsica, Cyprus, and Crete), making it easy to explore a lot of different places from a single home base, which in turn minimizes the hassle of hotel check-ins/check-outs and luggage unpacking/packing.
In building our itinerary, we opted not to include specific areas of Bali.
–West Bali: West Bali is very appealing, as it’s more remote and much less visited than any other area of Bali. For instance, there’s Bali National Park, and there are great snorkelling opportunities on Menjangan Island. Of the areas we’ve omitted from our 3-week itinerary, this is the one we were most interested in, but in the end chose to focus on East Bali instead, in part because it’s far easier to get to the Nusa and Gili Islands from there.
–South Bali: South Bali (Kuta, Canggu, Legian, Seminyak, Nusa Dua) is primarily known for its beaches, surf culture, and nightlife. With plenty of beaches to see on the Nusa and the Gili Islands, and little interest in surfing and nightlife during our time on Bali, we opted to forgo spending any time in South Bali. The only place we considered basing ourselves in was Sanur on the southeast coast, to make the transit to and from the Nusa and the Gili Islands easier, but in the end, we opted to use Ubud and Sidemen as home bases. South Bali also has some of the worst vehicle traffic in all of Bali, heavy most of the day and congested during peak rush hours.
–North Bali: North Bali is primarily known for its coastlines and beaches, with people often choosing to base themselves in either Lovina or Amed, both known for their good snorkelling. Since the inclusion of the Nusa Islands and the Gili Islands in our itinerary would allow many snorkelling opportunities, we opted to focus on inland attractions while on the island of Bali.
That being said, we still visited several places that could be considered part of North Bali as part of day trips from Ubud, such as Ulun Danu Beratan Temple (a stunning Hindu water temple and Mount Batur (a great hiking destination to witness an epic sunrise).
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Ubud – 7 Days
As we mentioned above, Ubud has a lot to offer in terms of sights and attractions. One of the most popular activities is to walk the numerous scenic and rice field trails around town, such as the Sari Organic and the Sweet Orange trails, and the Campuhan Ridge Walk. None of the trails is particularly long, but they are all very scenic and pleasant.
Ubud also has several great temples that you can visit, several of which are within walking distance of the town center. Although they aren’t as large or impressive as some of the other famous temples out of town, we still found many of them to be worthy of a visit.
Another must-visit when in town is the fantastic Ubud Monkey Forest. You can easily spend an hour or two here strolling through this enchanting forest, which is home to over 1200 Balinese long-tailed macaques. The walking paths are well-maintained and they scenically wind through the lush and dense forest. The forest also still used by the local community for worship as there are three temples within the forest grounds, including the impressive 14th-century Pura Dalem Agung.
For more ideas and information, check out our travel guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Ubud, which details other unique attractions and activities.
As we highlighted earlier, Ubud is also an excellent base from which you can explore several fascinating and unique places around Central Bali.
These include several iconic temples, such as Tirta Empul and the Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring. Tirta Empul is known as the floating temple, whereas Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring is a very unique temple complex that encompasses a huge archeological site that includes royal tombs, and a series of stunning rice terraces.
Ubud is also near several stunning waterfalls, such as Tibumana and Taman Sari.
Also, two expansive Tegallalang and the Jatiluwih rice terraces can easily be visited as part of a day trip from Ubud. Both offer completely different experiences.
Finally, another must-do and truly unique Bali adventure is the Mount Batur Sunrise Trek, an organized expedition that takes you to the summit of an active volcano to watch one of the most stunning sunrises you’ll ever see. It was one of our favorite activities during our time in Ubud.
For ideas on how to best package various attractions into specific day-trip itineraries, be sure to check out our guide on the Best Day Trips from Ubud.
Where to Stay in Ubud
All of the following are some of the best mid-range hotel accommodations located within walking distance from Ubud center:
Komaneka at Rasa Sayang Ubud Hotel
Nusa Lembongan – 4 Days
Of the three Nusa Islands, most people choose to either stay on Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Penida. We prefer Lembongan because the island is more compact (the main attractions are closer to one another) and the island is easier to navigate (Nusa Penida’s roads are notoriously in bad shape). Also, Nusa Lembongan has a more laid-back village vibe and is more developed for tourism, making it a better base for a multi-day stay. Nusa Penida’s main attractions are more spread out and difficult to get to, and, perhaps counterintuitively, they are often quite crowded as most visitors tend to go to the same 4-5 places/attractions.
That being said, Nusa Penida has some stunning, dramatic landscapes and is definitely worthy of a day trip from Lembongan, which can be easily combined with snorkelling activities and the chance to see some manta rays up close.
Back to Nusa Lembongan, its main attractions are its varied collection of beaches (some are long and expansive, others are beautiful, sheltered coves), and the Devil’s Tears, a collection of blow holes and natural tidal pools where large waves come crashing into a craggy coastline, creating a spectacular show of high-rising splashes.
For more details on visiting the Nusa Islands, we put together these three travel guides:
Best Things to See and Do in Nusa Lembongan
The Perfect Day Trip to Nusa Penida
Best Beaches on Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida
Where to Stay in Nusa Lembongan
Here are some of the best-rated mid-range accommodation options on the island:
Batu Karang Lembongan Resort & Spa
Gili Trawangan – 4 Days
The Gili Islands are the perfect place to relax, unwind, and sunbathe on gorgeous beaches. The snorkelling and diving opportunities here are fantastic as well, even for beginners. Some people might find that 4 days is too much here, given the small size of the island, while others prefer to stay at least a week, enjoying the chill holiday tropical island vibes.
Regardless of which of the three Gili islands you visit, there are no cars on any of them, with walking and cycling being the only means of getting around, which is more than fine given how small the islands are. The three islands (Gili T, Gili Air, and Gili Meno) are part of Lombok, and not Bali, and the locals are Muslim as opposed to Hindu, like on Bali. There are several daily calls to prayer, which can be heard throughout the island via loudspeakers positioned around the main Mosque, but apart from this, you definitely won’t feel like you are on a muslim island, given how geared it is towards tourism.
Of the three Gili islands, we prefer Gili T (Gili Trawangan). It’s the largest of the islands, there’s more to see and do, and it strikes the right balance between laid-back vibes and a lively atmosphere. Though it has gotten somewhat of a bad reputation due to its festive nightlife as ” party island”, we found this to be true in very small and specific areas of the island where there’s a concentration of beach bars and clubs. We still could easily enjoy quiet and relaxing evenings with nothing but the sounds of nature around us. What we also like about Gili T is that large portions of the island are still undeveloped, with lots of green spaces within the island (most of which are used by farmers and locals).
In contrast, Gili Meno and Gili Air are smaller islands with more relaxed vibes, more suited for those who really want to be in a more peaceful and intimate atmosphere. Gili Meno has the reputation for having the best beaches and best snorkelling, but there is little else to do on the island. We prefer to visit Gili Meno as part of a snorkelling excursion from Gili T.
Our favorite things to do on Gili T are to spend time on the beaches, walk/cycle around the island, enjoy cooking classes, watch sunsets and of course, snorkelling in the shallow waters with sea turtles.
Other great activities on Gili T include taking an introduction to diving course and joining a snorkelling tour around Gili Meno.
For more information on the islands, how to get there from Bali, and what to expect during your stay, check out our two Gili Island Travel Guides:
– Best Things to See and Do in Gili T
– Best Beaches and Snorkelling Spots on Gili T
Where to Stay on Gili Trawangan
There are loads of accommodations to choose from on Gili T. You’ll find great options along every coast. Accommodations along the East Coast are great because they are close to most shops and restaurants, but they may not be as quiet as you’d like during the late evening, given their proximity to all the action. Also, they might not be ideal in the early morning if they are too close to the main mosque (link to Google Maps) from which the prayer announcements are made.
For a quieter and more relaxing stay, you might want to consider accommodations and hotels on the western, southern, or northern coasts. There’s also a growing number of inland accommodations, particularly around the main east-west drag, Jalan Vila Klp.
But no matter where you are staying, the East Coast shops and restaurants are at most a 30-minute walk (or an even shorter bike ride) away. And there’s a growing number of restaurants and shops along the west coast as well.
Here are some of the best-rated mid-range accommodation options on the island:
Hotel Lumi Gili Trawangan (West Coast)
Aston Sunset Beach Resort (West Coast)
Jali Resort (Island Center, near East Coast)
La Bella Hotel Villa and Spa (East Coast)
PinkCoco Gili Trawangan (South Coast)
Kardia Resort (West Coast)
Sidemen – 4 Days
Sidemen is hands-down our favorite area of Bali. It’s probably what most people imagine when they think of a green, lush island, with mountains and jungle forests as far as the eye can see, mixed in with stunningly beautiful rice fields and charming rural villages. While it does have several resort hotels scattered across the rice fields, it gets nowhere near the amount of visitors that Ubud or South Bali get.
There aren’t as many “attractions” directly in Sidemen as there are in Ubud, and that might be a good thing. Sidemen is a place to leisurely explore small rural villages and to trek across beautiful rice fields surrounded by towering mountains, with the imposing Mount Agung watching over the area from a distance.
Due to its location and natural beauty, Sidemen also makes an excellent base from which you can explore many of the attractions of East Bali. So some of our favorite Balinese temples and royal palaces are easily reachable from Sidemen, such Tirta Gangga, Taman Ujung, Pura Kehen and Goa Lawah (the bat temple – yes, you see lots of bats here!).
Sidemen is also a great base to visit several of our favorite Balinese waterfalls, such as Goa Raja, Yeh Bulan and Gembleng.
For more ideas and information to plan your stay here, check out our travel guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Sidemen.
Where to Stay in Sidemen
All of the following are some of the best mid-range hotel accommodations located along Jalan Rayan Tebola Road in Sidemen:
If you are looking to splurge, Wapa di Ume Sidemen is simply fantastic and is located on the same street as the other two accommodation options above:
Getting Around Bali – Transport Options
In our opinion, the three best transport options for moving around Bali are: renting a scooter (moped), joining a group tour that hits several nearby attractions within a day or a half-day, or hiring a car and driver (which really isn’t as expensive as it sounds).
You can also use Bali ride-hailing apps such as Gojek or Grab, and make use of local taxis, but these options will typically cost more, especially if you plan on visiting several sites and attractions on the same day. Also, Gojek or Grab are not authorized to pick up people in certain locations where local taxi unions limit their services, including Canggu, Sanur, and Ubud. For more information on getting around the island and the different available options, check out our guide on How to Best Get Around Bali.
Getting to Ubud by Scooter: Once you get to Bali, you’ll quickly realize that scooter rental operators are everywhere. Although most street-side vendors will regularly be the cheapest option, they come short in several other aspects compared with more reliable and established vendors. For instance, most won’t offer roadside assistance or insurance that covers theft, nor do they regularly sanitize the helmets or have their scooters undergo regular maintenance. For this reason, we highly recommend using Bikago for your scooter rentals. Renting from them might be slightly more expensive (but still can be rented for as low as 12-15 US$/€ per day), but you get great peace of mind, as among many other perks, all scooters undergo extensive quality checks.
What you get with your Bikago rental:
-Helmets
-Full tank of petrol and unlimited mileage
-Free Delivery and Collection at your Hotel
-24/7 Roadside Assistance and First Aid Medical Kit
-Charging Mobile Phone Holder
By Car and Driver hire: Hiring a car and driver to explore Bali can be a practical and cost-efficient way to experience a full day of sightseeing. Although this option is more expensive than renting a scooter (typically 40-60 US$/€ per day), you don’t have to worry about navigating the Bali roads and traffic. Also, most cars are modern and air-conditioned, which is welcome in Bali’s humid heat, and the local drivers always know the best routes to take and can optimize your ideal itinerary. Here are some of the best options to choose from:
How To Travel Between Bali and the Nusa Islands
Getting to Lembongan (30 min)
The best way to get to Nusa Lembongan from Bali is to get a ride on one of several fast boats to Nusa Lembongan, which are offered by several different private companies (including Rocky Fast Cruises, Scoot Fast Cruises, Tanis Fast Cruise, Arthamas Express and D’Stars Fast Ferry). While public ferries are slightly cheaper, the journey from Bali to Nusa Lembongan is nearly three times as long and significantly less comfortable, as these boats tend to get overcrowded.
The quickest routes depart from the Sanur port, along Bali’s southeast coast. As to which fast boat company to choose, we did a lot of research to determine which of those had the best reputation regarding safety, timely departures and customer service. The hands-down winner in our view was Rocky Fast Cruises, which can also provide hotel pickup in Bali and hotel drop-off on Nusa Lembongan. We provide further details on the transport process and why we prefer to use Rocky Fast Cruises in our Nusa Lembongan Travel Guide.
Getting to Nusa Penida (45 min)
The best way to get to Nusa Penida from Bali is to hop on one of several fast boats that connect both islands, which are offered by several different private companies (including Angel Billabong, Arjuna Fast Boat, El Rey Fast Cruise, Tanis Fast Cruise, Maruti Fast Boat). While public ferries are slightly cheaper, the journey from Bali to Nusa Penida is significantly longer and less comfortable, as these boats tend to get overcrowded.
Though the quickest routes depart from Kusamba and Padang Bai, we recommend departures from Sanur along Bali’s southeast coast. This is because there is a brand new fast boat terminal in Sanur, which makes it easier to board the fast boats without having to get into the water yourself. The main ports of Nusa Penida are Banjar Nyuh, Buyuk, and Sampalan, with Banjar Nyuh being the main port of arrival in Toyapakeh, near the northwestern tip of the island. We provide further details on the transport process and the various operator options in our Nusa Penida Travel Guide.
We recommend booking your tickets in advance with Maruti Fast Boats, as they are generally cheaper online than in person at the ticket office. Also, this way you guarantee your preferred departure and return times. You can prebook your fast boat tickets here:
As we mentioned earlier, for travel on Nusa Penida, it’s best to hire a private driver, as the roads aren’t considered safe for tourists unfamiliar with the roads, many of which are notoriously in bad condition. You can book a private driver here, with whom you can decide on a specific itinerary together:
Travel Between Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida (10-15 min)
You can easily reach Nusa Penida via a short 10-15 minute boat ride that departs from the Yellow Bridge on the Nusa Lembongan. There are several operators that run boats, but if you want to book a transit in advance, you can do so here. This company offers at least three departures per day in each direction.
How To Travel Between the Nusa Islands and the Gili Islands
From Nusa Penida to Gili T (2h -3h)
Most fast boat companies that connect the Nusa Islands and the Gili T first transfer back to Bali (but you won’t have to change boats). We have typically used Eka Jaya for this journey.
Alternatively, there are other operators that make a similar journey but stop in Lombok first (which is a short 10 min from Gili Air and another 15 min from Gili T. We are not overly familiar with the provider (Gili Voyages), but they have received great reviews so far on GetYourGuide. If you would like to visit Gili T from Nusa Penida, you can pre-book single-trip tickets here:
How to Travel Between the Gili Islands
You have a few options to travel between the Gili Islands (10-25 minutes) :
– Use the “Island Hopper”, a public slow boat that has only two departures per day. There’s no website, so you will have to buy tickets from the ferry terminal. (cash only)
– Use one of several public shuttle boats. These are more frequent but have unreliable departure times as they only depart once full. (cash only)
– Book a ticket aboard the Karya Bahari Fast Boats, which connect Lombok and the three Gilis. They have hourly departures from Gili T, which you can book online via Gili Tickets.
– Book a private water taxi charter between islands. These are obviously more expensive, but you can book a transfer with Sundin Transport Water Taxis in advance via Gili Bookings. You can specify the exact time at which you would like the transfer.
How to Travel Between Bali and the Gili Islands
Gili Trawangan — Padang Bai (2h-3h)
The best way to get to Gili T from Bali (or vice-versa) is to hop on one of several fast boats that connect the Gili islands with Bali, which are offered by several different private companies (including Golden Queen, Eka Jaya, Semaya One, Blue Water Express, Ganggari, Gili Getaway, Wahana Virendra, and Gili Gili Fast Boat).
The most common routes to the Gili islands connect with the Padang Bai port, along Bali’s east coast. As to which fast boat company to choose, we did a lot of research to determine which had the best reputation regarding safety, timely departures and customer service. Those that consistently rank near the top are Blue Water Express, Gili Getaway, Wahana Virendra and Eka Jaya (Eka Jaya has had bad reviews in the past, but they have since significantly improved on several fronts).
Wahana Virendra is particularly well-regarded for trips to Gili Trawangan, and you can easily book your tickets here for about 30 US$/€ for a one-way trip:
Wahana Virendra offers two daily departure Wahana Virendra offers two daily departures from Bali to Gili T (or Gili Air), 9 am and 11 am, which are ideal morning departures when the seas tend to be calmer. They also have two return trips to Bali, which depart at 10h30 and 12h30 from Gili T. Each journey typically takes about 1h30-2h30, depending on sea conditions and wind direction.
Tips for a Smooth Fast Boat Trip to/from Gili T
– Note that the waters of the Badung Strait can get quite choppy, even on beautiful sunny days, and often regardless of the boat operator. As a general rule, the larger the boat, the more likely the ride will be comfortable. If you’re prone to seasickness, you might want to consider taking motion sickness tablets beforehand.
– It’s best to book your fast boat tickets at least several days in advance, especially during peak season (we bought them several weeks in advance). Fast boats can fill up quickly, so booking online beforehand ensures that you get your preferred travel day and departure time.
– Also, many ferry and fast boat operators, including Wahana Virendra, will message you with confirmation details and alert you of any delays via WhatsApp, so be sure to have the app installed on your phone.
– If you are not based near Padang Bai, your hotel or accommodation can generally arrange for a transfer from your lodging to the Padang Bai port (or vice-versa).
Best Time to Visit Bali
The best time to visit Bali is during the dry season, which typically runs from late April to late October. This period offers the most favorable weather with less rain and lower humidity. The rainy season also comes with an increased risk of mosquitoes, particularly around the rice terraces and in more rural areas.
You may also want to consider off-peak months like May-June or September-October for a more personal experience with fewer crowds.
Planning a Trip to Bali?
You might be interested in these pages: (coming soon)
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Bali: The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide
Lonely Planet Bali, Lombok & Nusa Tenggara
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
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e-Sim cards
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Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Travel Guide on the Perfect 3-week Bali itinerary and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.
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