There are countless unique experiences and interesting things to do in Bali. The ‘Island of the Gods’ offers rich cultural and spiritual traditions, gorgeous natural landscapes and outdoor activities, and bustling food and nightlife.
Here are some things to do in Bali, as recommended by an expat living here!
Uluwatu hidden beach
Adventurous Things to do in Bali
For those seeking adventure, Bali offers a range of outdoor thrill-seeking activities. From white-water rafting on the Ayung River, hiking up Mt. Batur for sunrise, riding in jeeps up the caldera to try mountain top yoga, or driving a quad 4 wheeler through the countryside. I’ve even gone scuba diving inside a World War II shipwreck near Amed!
Mt. Batur at sunrise (unfiltered)
I personally recommend doing the Mt. Batur hike at sunrise. While it requires a very early start (pick up at 3:00 am), it is so worth it to watch the sun peak over the volcano from the top of the hike. You will see lots of monkeys up there too! You can read more in my other blog post about the Mt. Batur hike.
Unique Things to do in Bali
There are so many unique things to do in Bali, ranging from classes or workshops to tours. I really enjoyed taking a Balinese cooking class! Even though I’m not great in the kitchen and the odds of replicating the meal at home are slim, it was still a nice activity to try something new and we got to eat the food afterwards!
Here are some other random, yet fun ideas:
Make your own perfume
Do a coffee and tea tasting tour
Take a pottery class
Take a language lesson to learn the Bahasa basics
Spiritual Experiences in Bali
If you’re looking for self care, relaxation or have come to Bali to heal, Ubud might be the place for you (as it’s well known to be the yoga hub of the island). Try a yoga class, meditation session or one of the infamous ecstatic dance events. You can even try “puppy yoga“. I used to regularly attend classes at Yoga Barn, but lately I’m enjoying yoga and meditation classes at Alchemy in Ubud and can recommend the centre.
There are countless spas, yoga spaces, wellness retreats and temples to visit around the island though, so it’s easy to find things to do in Bali that are health conscious or which promote spirituality. For example, you will find spas that offer traditional Balinese massage almost everywhere. I highly recommend trying one at least once! The going rate at locally owned spas range from 100,000-150,000, though it can drastically increase at foreign owned spas or hotels.
For those more spiritually inclined, I can recommend visiting a water temple to experience melukat, a Balinese purification ritual. Pura Tirta Empul is the most popular place to do a cleansing, but go early to avoid the crowds.
I wrote about this experience and my guide De in my travel memoir ‘With Love from Bali‘. You can reach out to De, who is a priestess, to guide you through the purification experience. Her WhatsApp is +6281353485443.
You can also visit a traditional healer, which may be especially of interest if you read the Eat, Pray, Love novel or watched the movie (you can even join a ‘Eat Pray Love’ Day Tour.
I visited Wayan (the female healer from the Eat Pray Love book) on my own. You can show up without an appointment for an energy reading session at her property in the North of Ubud (I have another blog post about this with her location). I have also heard it’s possible to visit the son of Ketut (the elderly male healer from the book).
Beachy Things to do in Bali
The beaches and water activities are an obvious option for things to do in Bali, so here is where my expat knowledge can help you plan your trip. Not all of Bali’s beaches are built the same. The beaches of the south are a surfer’s paradise, which means they are not as idyllic for swimming (inclusive of lots of seaweed, sharp rocks and tumultuous waves).
For example, Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu are known for surf, but are not as nice (in my opinion) for swimming. If you will be in this area, I definitely recommend taking a surf lesson! I took mine in Pererenan beach for 350k (you can contact my instructor on Instagram @pillowbali or explore surf packages).
Insider tip: if you don’t take a lesson and venture into the waves yourself, be cautious with renting boards off the beach. There are well known scams where they will blame you for damaging the board and demand money from you.
Uluwatu has some really beautiful hidden beaches, which are way less busy, but the water can be very choppy and dangerous for swimmers. Meanwhile, the calmer waters of the East (such as Sanur or Manggis) and in the North (such as Amed) are better for families and beach goers wanting to swim.
Other ‘beachy’ things to do in Bali include snorkelling from Nusa Penida to see the manta rays (which you can do as a day trip from Bali). You can also snorkel in Amed to visit an underwater temple! Scuba diving can be booked from Sanur or Amed, or join a boat trip to go dolphin watching in Lovina.
Authentic Things to do in Bali
If you’re lucky enough to be in Bali during a local festival, make sure to join in the celebrations as it is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Balinese culture and spiritual beliefs. You might even happen upon a ceremony in the streets (I was lucky enough to stumble on this cremation ceremonial procession a few months ago).
Visit a temple to learn more about Balinese spirituality, such as the famous Ulun Danu Beratan Temple. Make sure to dine at a warung, a local restaurant, to try Indonesian food. You cannot leave without at least trying Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng or satay from a Balinese owned warung.
Visit an art gallery or wood working studio in Ubud, or watch the Balinese dance show at the Ubud Palace.
Explore the Rice Terraces
If you are seeking a place to explore the rice fields, I can recommend a day trip or even one night in Sideman. The roads in Sideman are steep with angular hairpin turns, which creates very picturesque views of hilly rice fields (but if you are self driving, it’s not for the faint of heart).
Sideman
Ubud is also well known for having gorgeous rice field walks, including one of my favourites called the sweet orange trail. Ubud’s Tegalalang Rice Terraces are a UNESCO World Heritage site, though in my opinion it is quite a ‘tourist attraction’ rather than a nature walk. There are incredible photo opportunities though, and the instagram-worthy swing. You can even get a day tour to explore all the best rice fields and viewpoints.
There are vast rice fields in many parts of the island though, you don’t need to go to a well known field to get a rice field view. This picture below was just outside a place I used to live at in Ubud.
Insider tip: Keep in mind that the rice field view you might be seeking is seasonal. There are times of the year that the fields will be harvested already, leaving behind mucky razored fields. The best time to see the lush green fields would mean traveling in rainy season, which in my experience over the last 3 years has ranged (generally speaking Feb-April= rainy season).
Day Trips from Bali
If you have extra time, a day trip to Nusa Penida should be added to your itinerary when planning things to do in Bali! I went scuba diving to see the manta rays and it was so amazing (you can also experience this on a snorkelling day tour as well).
Nusa Penida is well known for its beaches with dramatic coastlines. You’ve probably seen Kelingking beach on social media. Other beaches to check out include Diamond Beach and Broken Beach. I recommend getting a day tour with a driver to take you around the island versus self-driving, as I was very nervous on my scooter on the winding and steep roads.
Enjoy Bali!
Bali is a top destination for travellers for a reason—there are so many special and unique experiences and things to do in Bali! I wrote about many of them from my own experiences living in Ubud in my travel memoir ‘With Love from Bali‘, now available on Amazon.
Whether you’re looking to immerse yourself in culture, relax on stunning beaches, or seek adventure in nature, Bali has it all (in my opinion, that’s why I live here).
Safe travels!
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