Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you book through them, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps us keep making free guides and videos.
Bali has been our second home since 2019. We lived here before, during and after the pandemic, then stayed away for three years, and we finally went back in 2026. A lot has changed: there's more traffic, there are more villas, and sadly there are fewer rice fields. But honestly, it was just really good to be back. The people, the culture and the beauty are all still here, and there's still nowhere quite like it.
So we've updated our road trip guide with what we'd tell a friend today. This is the order we'd do it in now: start in the South, add an island if you want one, then work your way around through Ubud, the East and the North, and finish in Canggu. Plus what we'd skip and what's changed.
Free download: our Essential Bali Guide covers the visa, the arrival card, the tourist levy, when to go and real costs in three pages. Grab it before you book anything.
Watch our Bali road trip on YouTube →
Our Bali road trip at a glance
Uluwatu: beaches, cliffs, the kecak dance and our favourite beach club
Nusa Penida or Lembongan (optional): two nights on an island, straight after Uluwatu
Ubud or Sidemen: rice terraces, temples, adventure and Mount Batur at sunrise
East Bali: waterfalls, Sidemen's valleys and black sand in Amed
North Bali: huge waterfalls and cool mountain air in Munduk
Canggu: world-class food, surfing and a soft landing at the end
Golden hour over the rice fields and villas of the South
When to go, and what's changed
The best time to visit Bali is from April to October, when it's sunny and much drier. November to March is the rainy season: stays are cheaper and everything's green, but sudden storms can wash out your beach days. We wouldn't book a short trip or a honeymoon then. June to August is the busiest time of all.
Arriving is far smoother than it used to be. We were through the e-gates in minutes in 2026, after years of spending hours in that airport. You'll pay IDR 500,000 for a 30-day visa on arrival (or get it online first) and IDR 150,000 for the tourist levy, and fill in the free All Indonesia arrival card before you land. Then the bags can take 45 minutes, of course.
The biggest change is the traffic. It can now take over 90 minutes to get from the airport to Ubud or Canggu, and one spontaneous trip from Canggu to Uluwatu took us close to 3 hours at night. Our advice: don't base yourself in one place and try to see it all on day trips. Move around instead.
How to get around
We did our road trip by car, and we'd recommend a car or a private driver for the freedom. Ask your stay for a driver, or use Grab or Gojek for short trips. If you're an experienced rider, a scooter is the classic Bali way to get around: we always hire ours from MyBike Rental (WhatsApp +62 878 22439775, and tell them Rhett and Claire sent you). Our PCX was about $91 for three weeks in 2026. But please don't learn here. There are far too many accidents, and you'll need a licence and an International Driving Permit for your travel insurance to pay out.
The cliffs at Uluwatu, just before sunset
Uluwatu: start in the South
Uluwatu is close to the airport and quieter than Canggu, so it's where we always start. It's home to jaw-dropping cliffs and some of the best beaches on the island. Suluban is our favourite, and Padang Padang, Green Bowl and Melasti are all close by.
Two nights is a good start. We used to stay right on Bingin Beach, but much of the cliffside strip there was demolished from July 2025 and the area is being redeveloped, so check recent reviews before you book anything on that beach. Instead, Bombora Surf Camp at Padang Padang is a good affordable pick, and Gravity Eco Boutique is a lovely adults-only option. For a treat, Le Cliff and Alila Villas Uluwatu are both beautiful.
Uluwatu Temple: go for sunset on the cliff edge and stay for the traditional kecak fire dance at 6 pm
GWK Cultural Park: touristy, but the giant statue is seriously impressive
Beach clubs: Savaya is our favourite in Bali. Single Fin, Palmilla and Karma Beach are great too
Karang Boma Cliff: a lovely free sunset spot
Us at Diamond Beach on Nusa Penida
Optional: Nusa Penida or Lembongan
If you'd like an island, this is the moment to go, straight after Uluwatu and before you head inland. Pick one, stay for two nights, and don't do a day trip. Nusa Penida is home to Kelingking, the famous 'dinosaur' viewpoint, and Diamond Beach. It's rustic and adventurous, and the walks down to the beaches are intense. We did it as a day trip in 2019 and hated it: we spent most of the time in a car. Since September 2026, foreign visitors also pay an island fee and a ticket at many of the sights, so carry cash.
Nusa Lembongan and its little sister Nusa Ceningan are our personal favourites. They're tiny and calm, with the bluest water we've seen in Bali. Mushroom Bay is our favourite beach, and Mahana Point is great for lunch, a surf or cliff jumping. You can book boats on 12Go.
Preparing offerings, a daily ritual in Bali
Ubud or Sidemen: the heart of Bali
Everyone coming to Bali for the first time should see Ubud. It's cooler and calmer, surrounded by rice terraces and jungle, and it's the best base on the island for day trips, even up to the North if you'd rather not keep moving. Stay for at least three nights. We'd honestly stay longer. If you want something much quieter, base yourself in Sidemen instead, which we cover below.
Tirta Empul: one of the few temples where you can join in, bathing in the holy fountains. Bring a towel and a change of clothes
Tegallalang Rice Terrace: the most visited in Bali, so go as early as you can
Campuhan Ridge Walk: free, and beautiful at sunset
Sacred Monkey Forest: great fun, but keep your food out of sight
A cooking class: we loved Pemulan Bali Farm
An adventure day: try an ATV quad ride with lunch, ATV, rafting and the Monkey Forest in one day, or a zip line and river rafting
Mount Batur at sunrise: one of the best things we've done here. Book a guided hike, soak in the hot springs if you can, and have coffee afterwards at Montana Del Cafe
For cafés, Zest is our favourite. To stay, we rented one room at Rejeki in Nyuh Kuning, back when it was listed separately. It's now let as a whole house for six, so message the owner if you only want a room. Green Coconut Cottage is a great budget pick. For something special, look at Origin Ubud.
Tukad Cepung, the waterfall inside a cave
East Bali: waterfalls and black sand
Head East out of Ubud and the crowds drop away. About 50 minutes on, Tukad Cepung is one of our favourite waterfalls on the island. It falls inside a cave, and if you arrive before 11 am the sun beams right through the rocks. Bring flip-flops and a towel.
From there it's about 40 minutes to Sidemen, a quiet valley of rice fields at the foot of Mount Agung, the biggest volcano on the island. We can't describe our reaction when we first saw it up close. Samanvaya is a gorgeous adults-only place to stay, and Magic Hills is what Claire calls a bucket-list stay.
Then it's a stunning hour's drive through the mountains to Amed, a quaint fishing village with black sand beaches, great snorkelling and diving, and huge views of Agung. Stop at the water palace of Tirta Gangga on the way. From here you carry on up the coast towards the North, and The Tiing Tejakula is a real hidden gem on the way that we can't recommend enough.
Twin falls in the mountains of North Bali
North Bali: mountains and big waterfalls
This is the Bali that a lot of people miss, and it's a relief from the coastal heat. Bring a warm layer: it does get chilly.
Sekumpul: one of the best waterfalls in Bali. Guides wait at the car park
Banyumala: gorgeous twin falls with pools you can swim in
Lemukih: a natural water slide in a beautiful, local area. It's a hidden gem
Aling-Aling: a great waterfall for cliff jumping
Handara Gate and Ulun Danu Beratan: the iconic photo spots. Get to the lake temple at sunrise
We stayed in Munduk at Munduk Moding Plantation, a beautiful splurge in the mountains. Sidemen, Amed and Munduk are the quiet alternatives to Ubud, so if you only want one slow stop on this trip, pick one of those. On your way South to Canggu, stop at the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, arguably the most beautiful in Bali.
Canggu from above, with the rice fields still hanging on
Canggu: the soft landing
We have a love-hate relationship with Canggu. It's chaotic, there's construction everywhere, and it breaks our hearts to see the rice fields disappearing. But it's also where all our friends live, and the convenience is unbeatable: you can get practically anything on WhatsApp, from a massage to an IV drip at your villa.
Spend your last days here. Take a beginner surf lesson at Batu Bolong, get a massage, then head to the beach at 5 pm like everyone else. For food, Koast is our absolute favourite café, Warung Local is our favourite warung, and for dinner we love Sa'Mesa (reserve ahead), Smoke and Billy Ho. Prices have gone up, but it's still affordable: in 2026 a coffee with oat milk was $2.77, breakfast for two delivered to our villa was under $10, and a 90-minute deep tissue massage was about $24.
To stay, try Anwa, one of our favourite guesthouses, or Hotel Tugu for a treat. We stayed at the lovely Villa Akita in 2026, with rice fields all around it.
Riding the black sand at Pasut Beach
What we'd skip
Lempuyang Temple's 'Gates of Heaven': that lake reflection is a mirror held under the phone, and you'll queue for hours
Dolphin boats in Lovina: far too many boats chasing the dolphins
Kuta: unless you're looking for budget hostels and rowdy nightlife
Want our exact plan?
We've put everything we know into our Bali Destination Guide: our 14-day route day by day, quieter swaps for Ubud, our Google Map with 250+ places Claire has pinned over the years, 30+ hand-picked stays and the drivers we actually use.
You can also browse our Bali wishlist on GetYourGuide, with the tours and drivers we'd book.
Don't travel without insurance, either: we've used SafetyWing for years. And for data, we like Holafly (code RHETTANDCLAIRE).
Final thoughts
Bali might not be exactly the place we remember, but the things that made us fall in love with it are all still here. Could we see ourselves living here again? Honestly, yes. Give it a chance, get out of the busy bits, and you might just love it too.
Start with our free Essential Bali Guide, and if you'd like the whole trip planned for you, our Bali Destination Guide has the route, the map and the stays. Terima kasih!
