7 Day Bali Itinerary: a Complete Guide to the Best Temples, Iconic Photo Spots, and More
With one week to spend on Bali, we recommend splitting your time evenly between the beaches and the jungles. You’ll get the best of both worlds, and leave feeling like you earned a well-rounded glimpse into the Island of the Gods. Read on, for inspiration of what a 7 day Bali itinerary should look like.
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Day 1 – 3: Beaches
We recommend starting your trip at the beach, which will be the more relaxing part of your time on Bali. After a long flight, the island’s postcard-perfect beaches will help you decompress from your travels, and fully ease into vacation mode. Take this time to swim, surf, snorkel, and otherwise laze.
Here we leave the actual destination flexible, as it depends on what type of vacation you’re looking for. Personally, we recommend either Uluwatu, Canggu, or Seminyak, for the reasons detailed below. However, they’re all reasonably close to the airport, for easy transit after you arrive.
Best for Beautiful Beaches, Intermediate to Advanced Surfing: Uluwatu
For the prettiest beaches, set off for Uluwatu, which sits on Bali’s southern Bukit Peninsula. Some classic spots here include Thomas Beach, Padang Padang, and Dreamland. Uluwatu is also a surfer’s paradise for those with intermediate to advanced skills.
Best for Beginner to Intermediate Surfing: Canggu
For those who want to learn to surf while in Bali (or improve their wave-riding skills), head to Canggu.
Waves are gentle, and there are plenty of surf schools here. You can either take a beginner lesson, or intermediate surfers can hire a guide for more personal instruction. Additionally, those who prefer to just paddle out on their own can find cheap board rentals at Batu Bolong Beach.
Best for Beach Clubs and Parties: Seminyak and Kuta
Just south of Canggu are the towns of Seminyak and Kuta, which are ideal for revelers in search of a good time. With beach clubs, bars, and nightlife in excess, you’ll always find a party here.
Seminyak and Kuta also have the same gentle waves that break at Canggu, making them another solid option for beginner and intermediate surfers.
Day 4 – 7: Ubud
No trip to Bali is complete without visiting Ubud, which remains the spiritual heart of the island. There is an ancient mysticism that pervades Ubud, and it’s easy to see why it’s long been a mecca for yogis and those in search of spiritual enlightenment. In more recent years, Ubud has also become a trendy destination for jetsetters, with luxurious resorts and a vibrant culinary scene.
With four days to spend in Ubud, we recommend planning your itinerary as follows…
Day 4: Ubud Palace, Saraswati Temple, Goa Gajah Elephant Cave, Campuhan Ridge Walk
Once you arrive in Ubud, get your bearings in town, with trips to Ubud Palace and Saraswati Temple. Both are located in the heart of the city center, a block apart.
Ubud Palace
Ubud Palace was the 19th century home of the royal family, and while it may be considered “new” by Bali history standards, it remains a beautiful example of Balinese architecture. Ubud Palace frequently hosts traditional dance shows, and you may be lucky enough to catch a performance while you’re here. Directions.
Saraswati Temple
Also known as the Water Palace, Saraswati is a stunning Hindu temple famed for the expansive lotus pond that fronts the complex. While visitors won’t be able to enter the inner sanctum, strolling the outer grounds is still a top highlight of things to do while in Ubud. Directions.
Goa Gajah Elephant Cave
Completing your checklist of Ubud’s most famous temples, next head to Goa Gajah Elephant Cave, just a 10-minute drive from the town center.
Goa Gajah dates back to the 9th century, and the main shrine consists of an intricate, grinning face carved into the opening of a small cave. You can enter, just as devout pilgrims did 1,000 years ago, to visit the sanctuary within. Goa Gajah was only rediscovered by archeologists in the 1920s, and feels straight out of Indiana Jones. Directions.
Campuhan Ridge Walk
Complete your first evening in Ubud with a languid stroll along the Campuhan Ridge Walk. This popular footpath traverses one of the hilltops running north out of town, and is best in the soft light of morning or evening.
The full trail is 4.5 kilometers (approximately 3 miles) roundtrip, but you can complete as much or as little as you wish. Along the way, you’ll gently wind along the ridge line, with views of peaceful rice terraces and resorts tucked into the hillsides. Directions.
Day 5: Tegallalang Rice Terrace, Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi
Today is a good day to venture just outside of town, and experience a few of the island’s more famous photo spots. We recommend getting an early start, as the light is best at Tegallalang in the early morning and you’ll want to beat the crowds to Tirta Empul.
Tegallalang Rice Terrace
Begin at Tegallalang Rice Terrace, which is one of Bali’s most widely-recognized photos. If you’ve ever admired the glossy marketing images of steeply terraced rice paddies, framed by lush vegetation and palms, it’s inevitably Tegallalang.
Located about halfway between Ubud and Tirta Empul, today is a good time to visit the iconic photo spot.
Know before you go: What once used to be expansive, meandering trails along the terraces have recently been closed off by enterprising locals, who recognize an income opportunity when they see one. Now, the many terraces are fenced off from one another, with each requiring a paid ticket for entry. You can still walk a decent distance along “your” section, but it’s not the holistic experience it once was.
Directions: while you can choose from multiple entry points, we personally did Uma Ceking, which is considered one of the primary stretches of Tegallalang.
Tirta Empul Temple
If you’re going to visit one temple in Bali, make it Tirta Empul. This ancient shrine, built in 962 A.D. to honor the Hindu god Vishnu, is one of the holiest places on the island. Pilgrims have journeyed here for over a thousand years to bathe in the sacred waters, which flow from local mountain springs.
Tirta Empul is best experienced in early morning, before the heat of the day and the worst of the crowds arrive. Plan to spend an hour or more here, as the entire complex is worth exploring, beyond the purification pools.
Proper attire (to enter the pools) is included with your entry ticket. Please just remember that this is an active house of worship, and be respectful during your time here. Directions.
Gunung Kawi Temple
Located 5 minutes down the road from Tirta Empul, the 11th century Gunung Kawi is another ancient marvel. Known as the Valley of the Balinese Kings, it includes 10 shrines carved into a cliff face, along with sleepy rice terraces and jungle terrain.
To get here, you’ll park at the top of the hill and then walk approximately 10 minutes down into the ravine where the temple is located. The entire visit should take just under an hour.
Day 6: Day Trip to Northern Bali
For a more authentic look at “real” Bali, take a day trip to the northern side of the island, where local village life lives side by side with untamed nature.
Note: while destinations don’t appear far on a map, roads are slow and the drive takes about 2 hours each way from Ubud. The easiest transportation is via private driver (see Private Cars section below). For about $40 USD for the day, your driver will pick you up and drive you wherever you want to go, before returning you to your hotel that evening.
Jatiluwih Rice Terraces
These emerald rice terraces sprawl over many hectares, and are frequently touted as an alternative to Tegallalang. Neither is better than the other, they’re just different. Jatiluwih is much more expansive, and you can easily pass an hour traversing the multiple kilometers of trails.
Jatiluwih is open farmland, and while it lacks the lush jungle of Tegallalang, the resulting vistas offer crisp views of Mount Abung, Bali’s tallest volcano, in the distance. Directions.
Sekumpul Waterfall
From Jatiluwih, continue on to Sekumpul Waterfall, which is the tallest on the island. A few separate streams converge at the crest, before plummeting 80 meters (260 feet) to the pool below.
Visiting Sekumpul Waterfall: At the parking lot, you’ll purchase your ticket (tickets are mandatory, to access the waterfalls) and be assigned a local guide. From here, it’s a 5-10 minute ride on the back of your guide’s motorbike to the trailhead. The total hike is about 15 minutes each way, including a set of 350 stairs to the ravine below. Your guide will take you to both Sekumpul and Fiji Waterfall, another powerful cascade that’s another 5-minute hike beyond Sekumpul.
We recommend wearing comfortable sneakers or water shoes with grip, which help when traversing the dirt footpaths and scrambling over rocks to reach the falls. Just don’t forget a bathing suit, as the pools at the base of the falls make a refreshing dip after your hike! Directions.
Sangeh Monkey Forest
On your return to Ubud, be sure to stop at Sangeh Monkey Forest, which is located just 25 minutes outside of town. Sangeh is a refreshing alternative to the Ubud Monkey Forest, in a more natural setting with less aggressive monkeys.
The protected forest consists of 14 hectares, along with a 17th century temple. You’ll still see hundreds of local macaques, who roam free on the grounds. Local guides will lead you on a personal tour through the grounds, and help you capture photos with the monkeys. Just remember to tip your guide on the way out. Directions.
Safety Tip #1: be careful of your belongings. The macaques love snatching anything they can grab, and are smart enough to steal phones and sunglasses to barter for snacks. Don’t bring anything with you that you don’t absolutely need. Especially don’t carry food!
Safety Tip #2: don’t make eye contact with the monkeys. They see this as a sign of aggression, and will not hesitate to react. One member of our group momentarily forgot this cardinal rule and was immediately punched in the face.
Day 7: Wellness Day
With presumably a long travel day ahead of you, keep your last day in Bali flexible, and soak up the restorative wellness culture that Ubud is so prized for. You can allow for as many activities as your schedule permits, perhaps indulging in a yoga class or restorative massage.
Yoga
Whether you prefer a power vinyasa flow or a restorative yin, there are more yoga studios in Ubud than you could ever visit in one trip, with classes for every style and ability level.
Some of the more famous studios include Radiantly Alive and The Yoga Barn. Personally, we are partial to Ubud Yoga House, which came recommended to us by a few different professional yoga instructors in Ubud for training. Situated along a serene rice paddy, on the edge of thick jungle, the morning vinyasa class is the perfect way to start your day.
Massage
Day spas abound in Ubud, where you can choose from a host of treatments that are all relatively cheap for those used to Western prices. Some of the more highly rated spots include either Ubud Traditional Spa, Jaens Spa Center, or Karsa. Or, for a cheaper hidden gem, we also found Synergy Spa, where a modest storefront belied a quality Balinese massage. Each treatment comes with aromatherapy oils of your choice, as well as a refreshing tea afterwards.
Things to Know Before You Go
Entry Fees
Indonesian Visa Requirements (cost: 500,000 IDR)
International travelers must obtain a visa in order to enter Indonesia. The associated fee is 500,000 IDR (approximately $35 USD) and can be obtained online.
Tourism Fee – New in 2024 (cost: 150,000 IDR)
Additionally, in 2024 the Indonesian government also introduced a new tourism fee that all international visitors are required to pay upon arrival. The 150,000 IDR (approximately $10 USD) fee is separate from the visa fee listed above, and is intended for environmental conservation and cultural preservation.
Getting Around Bali
Public transit is nonexistent in Bali, but both private drivers and the Grab app are an economical way to get around, without costing too much money.
Private Car
Many Balinese work as private drivers, offering affordable rides for anywhere you want to go on the island. The drivers do not have websites, instead operating off SMS and word of mouth. You can book a driver for everything from short drives to a full day. For example, a 10-hour day will cost around $40 USD.
Every tourist seems to have a “guy”, recommended to them by a friend who has visited Bali previously. For what it’s worth, we used Agus, who was great (phone: +62 813-3764-8755). Another wonderful driver is Reny (+62 819-9785-3082).
Grab (the Uber of Southeast Asia)
Grab is extremely prevalent around Bali, and offers a low-cost and convenient way to get around.
You can download the Grab app in the Apple or Google Play store. Drivers typically arrive within minutes, and rates are insanely cheap. For example, a 20-minute drive will typically cost around $1 USD.
What to Wear to Temples and Sacred Sites
The island of Bali is Hindu, and with that comes a robust cultural and religious history. Thousand-year-old temples are dotted throughout the landscape, and have become popular tourist destinations.
When visiting temples, be sure to dress modestly and behave reverently, as you would in any other house of worship.
Both men and women should take care to wear a shirt that covers their shoulders and upper arms, while also covering their legs down to the ankles. Both of these are easily accomplished by a simple sarong wrap. You can wait until arriving in Bali to purchase a sarong, where they are very cheap and plentiful.
Most temples also offer cover-ups included with an entry ticket, but it doesn’t hurt to have your own sarong on hand.
Bali Belly: A Quick Note on Eating and Drinking
You’ve probably heard of the infamous “Bali Belly,” which affects Western digestive systems unused to the local bacteria. Bali Belly is contracted through eating contaminated foods or drinking unfiltered water (the more medical term is “traveler’s diarrhea”).
While it’s wise to take precautions, with simple common sense it’s easy to avoid a bout with the Belly:
- Only drink bottled water.
- Wash your teeth with bottled water; never use the faucet.
- Avoid ice cubes, which could be frozen from untreated water.
- Practice caution when consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, which could have been washed with untreated water. We’ll eat fresh produce that’s served at a restaurant catering to Western tourists, but skip it at the local warung.
Thankfully, today’s large numbers of tourists have ensured that greater efforts are taken to minimize the risk of Bali Belly. You’re much less likely to contract a digestive bug here than you are in other, less developed regions of Indonesia.
For more detailed recommendations while in Bali, check out our guides on the best restaurants in Ubud, where to eat in Canggu, and more. Feature image courtesy Artem Beliaikin.
