Bali can be one of those polarising destinations as when you’re travelling in Indonesia you can experience ultra-touristy places but also traditional and less crowded ones. Here are my recommendations for a 2 weeks Bali itinerary trying to visit famous places but avoiding the resort-like destinations.
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Even before going to Bali I already knew that I wanted to avoid places like Canggu and Kuta as being possibly the two most visited places. Surely they may have something nice but for me I just didn’t even consider them.
Instead, I started my two weeks in Bali in Uluwatu, in the southern tip of the island. Then I moved to Ubud and Bedugul. Keep reading for all my tips on where to stay in Bali and the best things to do in Bali from my experience.
Do you need a visa to go travelling in Bali?
It obviously depends where you’re from so make sure to check your own Government website. In my case, I had to apply for an e-visa online, this was pretty easy and allowed for one of the smoothest airport experiences in my life. Indonesia also offers visa on arrival for many countries but I highly recommend doing the e-visa as it was a breeze to go through the e-gates at the airport.
What language is spoken in Bali?
The island of Bali has its own Balinese language, which locals told me is quite different from Indonesian. I found lots of locals that were able to communicate in English. Some phrases I learnt though were in Indonesian such as Terima Kasih (thank you), Tolong (a sort of “please”) and Selamat (a greeting which combines with Pagi/Siang/Malam for good morning, afternoon or evening)
Making just an effort to say hello and thank you in the local language of the countries you visit already opens many doors and will make your travel adventures much better. This is pretty much the only rule I tell everyone when they ask me about how to travel the world.
Arriving to Bali Denpasar Airport
This was one of the smoothest international airport arrivals I’ve ever had, only second to the boat arrival to Koh Lipe from Malaysia! The e-visa allows you to go directly through electronic gates with no queuing at all. You can also prepare in advance your customs declaration, it can be done at the airport but better to have it ready and saved on your phone as it’s also electronic.
You can get wifi in some areas as well to then get a Grab taxi to your accommodation.
There’s a large Grab office less than 5 minute walk from the arrivals hall. As usual in most airports, there are plenty of taxis wanting to take you, I quite enjoy to haggle if I have to but knowing that Grab is pretty cheap and convenient, I just preferred to take one after my long flight.
The Grab from the airport to Mangga Wangga Living in Uluwatu was 143k IDR
2 weeks Bali Itinerari: Uluwatu, Ubud, Bedugul
Things to do in Uluwatu
After checking in at Mangga Wangga Living and renting a scooter from them, I started exploring the southern tip of Bali which is much quieter than other areas and pretty stunning.
If like me, you decide not to take a local SIM, make sure to download offline maps either on Google or on maps.me
Uluwatu is world famous for surfing and you can find a beach for whatever level you have, beginner or expert but you can equally just chill by the beach. Some of the most remote beaches in Uluwatu require a bit of a hike so be prepared for that.
I found lots of great traditional places to eat in Uluwatu, but my favourite was very close to my guest house, SS Sambal is a place where you can try lots of small traditional dishes and it’s super cheap. It was one of the best places to eat in Bali that I visited just because it offered me the chance to try many different things. When I went I was the only tourist there, and it was packed with locals. Always a good sign!
Go to the beaches!
There are plenty of beaches to go in Uluwatu, and if you’re moving around with a scooter is easy to visit 2 or 3 on a single day without rushing much.
I first went to Nunggalan Beach which I found really beautiful. This sandy beach is not that touristy as it has a bit of a climb down and up from where you can park. There are a couple of shacks by the beach selling drinks and food as well.
Next stop was Nyang Nyang Beach, where I went for sunset on my first day, this one was nice but not my favourite in Uluwatu.
The next day I went to the famous Suluban Beach which is quite famous for the cave entrance that it has. This is a very popular surfing spot and you will find lots of restaurants on the cliff with views of the waves so it’s quite cool to go for breakfast there although generally it’s more touristy rather than local vibes.
If the waves in Suluban are too big and you’d like to try surfing in Bali, head up to Balangan Beach which is about 20 min away with the scooter. This was also not the most beautiful beach but I did rent a surfboard there to give it a go on the Balinese waves.
Finally, my favourite beach was Gunung Payung Secret Beach (pictured above) on the south east of Uluwatu. This beach also has a bit of a walk from the parking on top of the hill which makes it less crowded that the other beaches.
Whilst Nunggalan is super beautiful and much bigger for walking along the shore, I liked Gunung Payung as it has less rocks in the water so it’s easier to walk and swim. I feels really secluded and there were only a couple of people when I went. There’s a temple and an amphitheater on top of the hill which adds a few more chances to learn a little about Bali’s culture and traditions before heading down to the beach.
Visit the Uluwatu Temple
This is possibly one of the most touristy things to do in Uluwatu but the scenic location makes it worth a visit. The entrance to the temple is 50k IDR, beware with the monkeys as they will steal sunglasses, phones or anything they can take from you, the only way to get them to return the items is by giving them some food.
I went to the Kecak Fire Dance in the temple as well, the ticket is 150k IDR and you can buy it an hour or so before the show starts which is at around sunset. Once you read a little bit of the tradition is quite interesting but it was not the most enjoyable thing to do in Uluwatu for me simply because lots of tourists decided to leave before the show ended which was very disruptive to the show itself.
Moving on to the next destination, and my personal favourite: Ubud!
Things to do in Ubud
Ubud for me has a wonderful combination of traditional places, beautiful nature, friendly locals and a thriving expat community so it’s no wonder there are so many digital nomads moving there.
From cheap local restaurants to cool bars with live music, I really enjoyed the vibes here. To get from Uluwatu to Ubud I took a Grab taxi, I recommend taking a proper car for the ride instead of a motorbike as even that it seems close, it can take a good couple of hours or more with the traffic which wouldn’t make it too enjoyable under the Indonesian sun.
If you’re looking for a place to stay in Ubud, I first stayed in Umah Nik Kepitu for a few nights and really loved it. It’s a bit out of town but that allows you to go walking by the rice fields right from your room! The family there was also super friendly and I had some lovely conversations with Nyoman (the owner) who took the time to explain many things about Bali and places to go. The gardens in the guesthouse are also beautiful.
After staying at Umah Nik Kepitu, I moved for a few more days closer to the centre and spent a few nights at Leket House, although it’s quite common in Ubud and elsewhere in Bali, it’s pretty cool to be inside a family temple in your own guesthouse.
I wrote a more detailed post about things to do in Ubud so head there for more tips about travelling in Bali!
In Ubud you don’t really need to join any tours, as long as you’re able to ride a scooter safely, rent one and you will be able to explore the region at your leisure. There’s no shortage of places to rent one, I rented mine from Aloha Ubud Scooter Rental and they were friendly and offered fair prices.
After almost a week in Ubud I made my way to Bedugul in the northern part of Bali.
Things to do in Bedugul
When I was travelling in Ubud I saw in the map a big lake close to Mount Batur and asked my guesthouse host about it. Bedugul is well-known for the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple which is right by the lake and makes it really picturesque.
I rode my scooter for about an hour from Ubud and arrived to ECO Bedugul Adventurer Camp which has some cool bungalows with great views.
Bedugul tends to be mostly a quick visit for most people on a tour from Ubud but I highly recommend you to stay a day or two as it’s really relaxing and chilled.
It’s also possible to go hiking in Bedugul which I loved even that I had a massive storm just when I was about to arrive to the summit of Gunung Pengelengan (pictured above) which is the mount right on the other side of town as you look from Ulun Danu Beratan. Just beware of the leeches in Bedugul as they do abound!
Bedugul is famous for a cooler climate and they grow lots of strawberries so make sure to give them a try as there are quite a few places in town just for strawberries, I had them with ice cream and they were delicious!
Things to know when renting a scooter in Bali
As in most South East Asian countries, the most common transportation for travellers is with scooters that you can rent cheaply from lots of places.
I highly recommend you to get an International Driving Permit whenever you travel to South East Asia. To get one is normally really cheap in your country and by having it, you will not be fined by the local police that don’t give a s**t about your own country license.
When renting a scooter is also really important to give it a quick try, specially to test both brakes. Check that the tires look “ok” as they tend to be quite worn as well.
If you have never ridden a motorbike or scooter in your own country, you really should be extremely careful. This is not a joke and I have seen lots of nasty accidents of foreigners that didn’t know what they were doing or were expecting the other road users to follow the rules as it happens in most of Europe. Remember, if you crash with someone, even if it’s their fault, it will always be your fault because you’re the foreigner.
Don’t give the local police reasons to fine you as they will find them so always make sure to wear a helmet even if you see others without it.
Sample prices in Bali in 2025
As with all travel destinations in the world, you will find something for all budgets when you travel in Bali. As I tend to travel low cost wherever I go, the references below are just that, but of course you will find much more expensive things. Almost everything can be negotiated of course:
At the time of writing 100K IDR were about £5, €6
Dinner at a local warung (restaurant) 40-100K IDR
Surfboard rent in Uluwatu 100K IDR
Scooter parking by the beaches 2-5K IDR
Large beer by the beachfront 40-50K IDR
Fresh coconut by the beach 40K IDR (cheaper in town)
Coffee 20K IDR
Scooter rental 60-110K IDR (depending on the model and your negotiating skills)
Waterfall entry 20-30K IDR
Tirta Empul Temple and Goa Temple 50K IDR
Monkey Forest in Ubud 100K IDR
Grab from the airport to Uluwatu 140K IDR
Is this Bali itinerary for you?
If you like to experience a bit more traditional places this is for you. This Bali itinerary avoids in purpose the most touristy areas of Canggu and Kuta and offers plenty of time to explore three of the best places to visit in Bali at a relaxed pace and combining traditional stuff with some touristy things, at the end of the day we’re all tourists!
Feel free to drop a comment below if you have any questions about other places to visit in Bali or if you have suggestions for other travellers.
Happy adventures!
