Best Things to See and Do in East Bali

Temples & Palaces

Tirta Gangga

Though it shares similarities with many traditional Balinese temples, Tirta Gangga is not a temple but a former royal palace and was named after the sacred river Ganges in India, symbolizing the holy water of life and reflecting its spiritual importance. Known for its stunning water ponds, beautiful fountains, lush gardens, and intricate stone carvings, the palace has significantly grown in popularity over the past years due to the photogenic and Instagrammable stepping stones that allow you to cross one of the water ponds.

swimming pool in Bali's Tirta Gangga Water Palace

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Tirta Gangga Water Palace Guide.

Taman Ujung

Taman Ujung Water Palace is an extravagant former king’s palace. It was built in the early 20th century by the same king who was behind Tirta Gangga Water Palace and is known for its large ponds, impeccably manicured gardens, beautiful bridges and historic “floating” pavilions, all of which show an impressive blend of Balinese, Chinese, and Dutch influences. The Taman Ujung Water Palace complex is the largest temple or palace site we visited in Bali, it receives significantly fewer visitors than Tirta Gangga, and you can enjoy peaceful moments wandering around the beautifully manicured paths that crisscross the water palace grounds.

gardens in Taman Ujung Water Palace in Bali

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Taman Ujung Water Palace Temple Guide.

Goa Lawah

Although the temple is one of Bali’s most important temples from a spiritual and cultural perspective, the main draw for tourists is the large cave that is home to thousands of bats. Although you are not allowed to enter the bat cave, you can still get pretty close to admire these creatures of the night. Pura Goa Lawah was established in the 11th century by Mpu Kuturan, one of the first priests to introduce Hinduism to Bali.

The bats here are mainly nectar bats (Eonycteris spelaea), which means they eat fruit and are not a threat to people.

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Goa Lawah Temple Guide.

Kertha Gosa Park

Kertha Gosa Park is a rare temple complex that is located in the heart of a large city (Semarapra) that stands where a larger palace once stood from the 17th century until the early 20th century when it was destroyed during the Dutch colonial conquest. Although not a large complex, it makes for a fascinating visit as several museum-like buildings host important historical artifacts from both before and during the colonial conquest, highlighting many important moments of Bali’s history.

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Kertha Gosa Park Temple Guide.

Lempuyang Temple

Although Pura Lempuyang is a historic and important Balinese temple on the slopes of Mount Lempuyang, the temple itself isn’t the main draw here (in fact, visitors can not enter the main temple), but rather an iconic candi bentar (Balinese split gates often found at temple entrances). The gates at Pura Lempuyang are perfectly positioned to frame Mount Agung in between them, have turned into an Instagram sensation and have since received the “Gates of Heaven” nickname. The photo spot has become so busy that lines form quickly and people often wait for their turn upwards of two hours, regardless of what time you show up (the lineup starts forming hours before the temple even opens to visitors in the morning).

There are just so many beautiful temples across Bali that we didn’t think the trip to Lempuyang would be worth having to deal with such massive numbers of tourists looking for the perfect photo

Besakih Great Temple

Perched on the slopes of Mount Agung, Besakih is the most important, largest, and holiest temple of Balinese Hinduism, and is often referred to as the “Mother Temple of Bali”. It is no doubt an impressive site, which encompasses 23 separate but related temples, with the largest and most important being Pura Penataran Agung, built on six levels terraced up the slope. We however, opted to skip a visit for a few reasons, mostly because over the past few years, it has gained a growing reputation as a tourist trap, where aggressive touts, more so than anywhere else, try to extort money from you. Understandably, the locals are just trying to earn a living, and we respect that, but when it gets to the point of negatively impacting your experience, it becomes rather regrettable. Maybe some of the reports we had read and the stories we heard were exaggerated, but we preferred not to risk it and to focus our time on visiting various hidden gems throughout the island, such as Pura Kehen, Pura Luhur Batukaru, and Pura Mengening.

Waterfalls

Gembleng Waterfall

Gembleng is definitely a unique waterfall experience, as here the waterfalls are not the attraction, but rather a series of small pools at the top of the waterfall are the main draw. The first pool in particular is popular amongst Instagrammers as it provides visitors with an infinity-like pool experience with a jaw-dropping jungle view ahead. Like many waterfalls in Bali, you’ll have to walk a short trail to reach the falls, except here you’ll have to walk uphill instead of downhill to reach the pools.

For more information on this waterfall and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Gembleng Waterfall Guide.

Goa Raja Waterfall

Goa Raja was definitely one of our favorite falls to visit in Bali. A tall curtain of water cascades into a large cavern, which becomes even more beautiful in the late morning when sunbeams come crashing down into the cavern. We also really enjoyed the trail that leads to the waterfalls, where you walk through a scenic, narrow canyon following a gentle river with lush jungle vegetation all around.

For more information on this waterfall and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Goa Raja Waterfall Guide.

Yeh Bulan

This is probably our favorite waterfall in Bali. The location features not one but two stunning waterfalls in the middle of the jungle, and can only be accessed by walking through a very shallow and scenic stream that makes its way through a narrow canyon surrounded by lush vegetation. Another reason why we love this waterfall so much is that it gets a fraction of the crowds that other nearby waterfalls get since it only opened to the public in 2023 – in fact, we had the place to ourselves during our visit!

For more information on this waterfall and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Yeh Bulan Waterfall Guide.

Tukad Cepung Waterfall

Much like Goa Raja, Tukad Cepung is a waterfall located in a deep cavern where morning sunbeams can create a unique magical atmosphere. The main difference between the two is that Tukad Cepung is no longer a hidden gem and is one of Bali’s busiest waterfalls. However, the trail to reach the falls is quite fun, particularly the final section where you’ll have to wade in shallow ankle-deep water within a tall and narrow canyon.

For more information on this waterfall and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Tukad Cepung Waterfall Guide.

Villages

Penglipuran Village

Penglipuran Village is Bali‘s most famous “traditional village”, renowned for its pristine beauty and steadfast preservation of traditional Balinese customs. It is also a place where the community has graciously opened its doors to the public to help promote and celebrate Balinese culture. Often described as the cleanest village in the world, it strongly adheres to the Balinese philosophy, promoting harmony between humans, nature, and the divine. If you have some extra time, be sure to explore the scenic bamboo forest trail next to the village.

For more information on the village and what to expect during your visit, check out our travel guide for Bali’s Penglipuran Village.

Sidemen

Sidemen village is a place of true natural beauty where time just seems to slow down. The area is known for its picturesque rice fields, traditional farming, stunning natural beauty, and for offering a unique glimpse into local Balinese customs and life.

One of the most interesting farmer’s markets is located, and its tailor-made for early risers (it’s only open between 4:30 am and 10 am). You’ll find all sorts of veggies, fruits and various other local delicacies.

The village is also well-known for its silver craftsmanship and its weaving shops.

To learn more about this fascinating village, be sure to check out our travel guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Sidemen.

Beaches

Two beach areas are particularly worthy of mention. The first is Amed (link to Google Maps), a unique black-sand beach along the northeast coast of Bali. The beach, however, isn’t just soft sand as it’s mixed in with a lot of small rocks, making walking along the beach less comfortable than in other places. The main draw to this beach is that it boasts some of Bali’s top diving and snorkelling sites due to its collection of vibrant coral reefs, diverse marine life, and dramatic mountainous coastal scenery.

The other is Virgin Beach (link to Google Maps), which is one of Bali’s most beautiful beaches that provides visitors with soft white sand and clear blue waters set in a secluded cove, making it a great place to enjoy the scenery and go for a relaxing swim. The beach also doesn’t get as crowded as those in South Bali. Snorkelling is also possible here, though there is marine life here isn’t as rich and diverse.

We cannot comment on our own experiences with either beach as we opted not to visit them during our time in Bali to focus on the inland sights and attractions, since we spent a lot of time visiting beaches and snorkelling nearby on Gili Trawangan and the Nusa Islands.

Rice Terraces

Though Bali’s most famous rice terraces are located in central (Tegallalang Rice Terrace) and north-central Bali (Jatiluwih Rice Terraces), some of our favorite rice terraces surround Sidemen Village.

One of the most beautiful rice field trails in Bali is the Sidemen Rice Field Trek. It isn’t particularly long (it’s just under 3 km), but you might want to take your time, given how beautiful the scenery is from the get-go: beautiful, gently sloping rice fields surrounded by dramatic mountains all around. On a clear day, you see the towering Mount Agung in the distance (Bali’s tallest peak).

Beyond the rice field trek, Sidemen is surrounded by many other beautiful rice fields. Most hotels and accommodations in the area also offer spectacular views of them. We highly recommend staying in the area if possible, as it was one of our favorite places to stay in Bali (we suggest a few fantastic hotel options further below). Many of the rice fields can easily be explored by walking along various small rural roads with little traffic, or by cutting through the rice fields themselves along narrow walking paths.

For more information, check out our travel guide on The Sidemen Rice Field Trek, which includes information on how to reach all of these other Sidemen rice fields.

Best Time to Visit East Bali

The best time to visit East 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.

East Bali – How Long Do You Need?

To see everything we listed above, you would nearly need a full week. For a 2-week Bali trip, we recommend dedicating at least 3 days to East Bali to get a decent glimpse of what the area has to offer. If you have more than two weeks in Bali, then you should definitely try to stay here for several days.

Our preferred Bali itinerary skips south Bali and focuses on Ubud (central and west Bali) and Sidemen (East Bali) as bases, along with the Nusa Islands (Lembongan & Penida) and the Gili Islands for some beach time and snorkelling adventures.

Where to Stay in East Bali

We highly recommend staying in Sidemen, which makes an excellent home base from which to explore most of the East Bali attractions. All of the following are some of the best mid-range hotel accommodations located along Jalan Rayan Tebola Road, near the above-mentioned restaurants and surrounded by rice fields and mountains.

Samanvaya Luxury Resort & Spa

Sawah Indah Villa

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:

How to Travel to East Bali

In our opinion, the three best transport options to reach the majority of these East Bali attractions 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.

We highly recommend Airalo (eSIM card) for your connectivity needs when travelling abroad. Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide.

Getting to the Temples 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:

By Group Tour: Group tours can be a great option to lower costs and reduce the hassle of having to plan an efficient itinerary. Their main downside is they might not exactly be tailored to your specific interests and preferences. But if you are mostly interested in hitting the main sights and attractions, there are these great tour options departing from nearby Ubud that visit several temples:

Planning a Trip to Bali?

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
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.

e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.

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 Bali travel guide on the Best Things to See and Do in East Bali and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.

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