This action packed non-stop itinerary, covers everything the wonderful island of Bali has to offer. Hitting up all the main sights and locations across the island, you’ll see temples, beaches, mountains, monkeys and of course, your fair share of stunning rice paddies!

(Note: This itinerary covers the region’s main highlights and experiences. Stops can be shortened, extended or changed, take inspiration from this guide and cater the route to match your own personal requirements.)

Things to Do

• Visit one of the world’s best waterparks, Waterbom Bali.
• Learn to surf at one of Kuta Beach’s many surf schools.
• Party hard along the infamous strip of Jalan Legian.
• Release baby sea turtles at the Bali Sea Turtle Society.
• Dine in a selection of delicious seafront restaurants.

Kuta is conveniently located just ten minutes from Ngurah Rai International Airport, making it the ideal spot for kicking off your time in Bali. Once you’ve checked into your accommodation and unloaded the bags, it’s time to head to the beach! Bali is known the world over for its famously stunning beaches, opt to spend your first day with an exciting surfing lesson or simply choose to relax on the golden sand with a cold Bintang in hand.

After some well deserved beach time, you’re gonna want to head back to your accommodation to get ready for a crazy night on the infamous strip of Jalan Legian. This awesome street is jampacked with a huge selection of bars, pubs and clubs. Not only is the area frequented by a heap of Australian tourists but it’s also a smash hit with backpackers from all over the world.

There’s no need to worry about the hangover the next day though, as you’re off to one of the best waterparks on the planet, Waterbom Bali! Spend the day slipping and sliding around the various slides and attractions on offer at Waterbom, this is one of those places that genuinely has something for everyone.

After an action packed day of splashing around, it’s time to see some little creatures doing their own kind of splashing. Head down to the Bali Sea Turtle Society to release your very own baby sea turtle into the wild! Be sure to check the current release schedule, as things can vary throughout the season. As the evening rolls in, wrap up your time in Kuta with a delicious meal at one of the many seafront restaurants, why not try out the local cuisine by indulging in some freshly caught seafood!

Things to Do

• Party all day long at Finns Beach Club.
• Indulge in the area’s excellent café and coffee culture.
• Admire the iconic Tanah Lot Temple.
• Check out some of Canggu’s funky Street Art.
• Browse the local Markets.
• Witness an unforgettable sunset at Berawa Beach.

Canggu is ideally located just a little further North along Bali’s western coastline, easily reachable from Kuta within a short 40 minute drive. This area is truly one of my all time favourite travel spots, a view that’s shared amongst a large collection of the travel community. It won’t take long for you to realise why Canggu is rightfully referred to as a real backpacking mecca.

Upon arrival into Canggu, you’ll want to drop your bags and head straight out to explore the area’s vibrant sights and activities. Start the day off with a visit to Tanah Lot Temple, located on a rock jutting out into the Indian Ocean, this beautiful holy site is an extremely important spot for the local Balinese people.

As the afternoon rolls in, you’ll want to dive head first into Canggu’s deliciously vibrant café culture. This area is one of the best places in all of Bali to grab that perfect cup of coffee, or tea, whatever floats your boat, Canggu’s got you covered.

Round off your day in Canggu with one of the best sunset spots you’ll ever lay eyes upon. That’s right, Berawa Beach is the perfect location to witness a breathtaking sunset, it really is one of those stop and stare moments.

The following morning, jump out of bed bright and early in search of the local markets and impressive street art. The village of Canggu is an energetic hub of cultural diversity, something that can easily be seen and admired by just wandering through the area’s lively streets and alleyways.

There’s still one last thing to do in Canggu before you leave, and that’s to hit up the ever vibrant Finn’s Beach Club! No trip to Canggu is complete without checking out this awesome spot. Sip on ice cold drinks, lounge around beachfront pools and listen to world class DJ’s, all whilst under the constant rays of the glorious Balinese sunshine.

Things to Do

• Hike to the summit of Mount Batur for sunrise.
• Explore the natural beauty of the surrounding rice terraces.
• Pay a visit to the local Monkey Sanctuary.
• Join a rejuvenating yoga class.
• Visit the holy Tirta Empul water temple.
• Browse the town’s traditional arts and crafts shops.

Ubud is centrally located inland, approximately 50 minutes by car from coastal Canggu. Ubud is the only destination on this itinerary that isn’t located on the coast, but trust me, this place is an absolute must see location for anyone taking a trip to Bali. Surrounded by sensational landscapes, traditional architecture and fantastic activities, Ubud truly is one of Bali’s absolute gems.

Spend your first day in town visiting two iconic locations, the Ubud Monkey Sanctuary and the Tirta Empul water temple. Be sure to keep your belongings secure at the Monkey Sanctuary though, those monkeys love to grab anything and everything they can get their hands on. If you’re feeling brave enough, purchase a bunch of bananas at the entrance to feed these cheeky inhabitants (They will honestly jump all over you!).

The Tirta Empul water temple is a holy site containing sacred and purified waters. Visitors are able to go inside the temple and enter the sacred water, an experience that I would highly recommend. Remember to always remain respectful to the local people and their beliefs, this temple is an extremely important site to followers of the Hindu religion.

Grab yourself an early night and set the alarm for 2am, yep that’s right 2am. One of the best things (and one of my favourite things) to do in Bali, is to hike to the summit of Mt Batur in time for sunrise. The volcano is still active to this day, with guides cooking eggs at the summit through the volcano’s natural heat and steam. I’d recommend doing the hike with an accredited guide, as the path can be hard to follow, especially in the dark. It’s incredibly straight forward to organise a tour, just head into the centre of Ubud and speak to one of the many tour agencies operating within the town. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed with the early wakeup call, admiring sunrise from Batur’s summit is an experience I’ll never forget.

It’s been a pretty action packed itinerary up until this point, so it’s time to unwind with an authentic and therapeutic yoga class. There are a ton of venues across Ubud offering fantastic yoga and meditational classes, all of which are set amongst the most spectacular surroundings. Just picture this, you’re sat in a tiny little tree house high in the sky, totally encompassed by rice fields after rice fields.

Things to Do

• Rent a bicycle to explore the island.
• Party all night long in Gili T’s famous beach bars.
• Go snorkelling or diving in crystal clear waters.
• Hop on over to Gili Meno & Gili Air.
• Munch your way through the delicious night market.

Gili Trawangan, known simply as Gili T, is a tiny island located off the Northeast coast of mainland Bali, towards the neighbouring island of Lombok. It’s pretty straight forward to get to, there are tons of tour companies all over Bali that will happily organise your entire transport route. The total travel time between Ubud and Gili T is around three hours, one and a half hours by car and then another one and a half hours via speedboat.

There aren’t any vehicles on Gili T itself, so the best way to get your bearings and do a little bit of exploring, is to rent out a bicycle for the day. You can pretty much cycle the entire perimeter of the island in under sixty minutes, so there’s no need to worry about getting lost!

After familiarising yourself with the island, it’s about time you put on your dancing shoes, or should I say, your dancing flip flops! The beach bars dotted around the shoreline of Gili T are absolutely pumping with terrific vibes and awesome tunes. Often the bars will take it in turns each night to be the last bar open, meaning at a certain point in the night, all the remaining revellers will descend on one particular bar, making for one hell of a party!

Dust off your Gili hangover the following morning, by submerging yourself in the crystal clear waters surrounding the island. Whether it’s a good old fashioned snorkel, or a full out scuba diving adventure, the underwater scene here is truly phenomenal. It’s extremely common to see a wide range of stunning sea creatures in the waters just off Gili T’s shoreline, with many swimmers often getting the opportunity to see a beautiful sea turtle up close and personal!

Spend your final evening on Gili T trying out the delicious food and snacks on offer at the daily night market. This wonderful market has a wide selection of stalls. boasting some of the tastiest local cuisine around. (Think delicious Nasi Goreng accompanied by an ice cold Bintang!)

P.S. Those looking to spend time on the Gili Islands, that would prefer more of a chilled out and quiet atmosphere, may wish to catch a boat over to the neighbouring islands of Gili Meno and Gili Air. These locations offer more of a resort style accommodation, as well as a wide range of luxurious experiences and high end dining establishments.

Things to Do

• Relax and unwind on white sandy beaches.
• Experience a traditional Indonesian massage.
• Take a stroll along the boardwalk.
• Get the blood pumping with some thrilling water sports.
• Shop for authentic gifts and souvenirs.

Heading back to mainland Bali from Gili T, is again a super straightforward process. Travel one and a half hours by speed boat back to the mainland, before driving around one and a half hours South to reach your next destination, the colourful coastal resort town of Sanur.

After all that partying and travelling to and from the Gili Islands, it’s time to put up your feet and enjoy a little bit of relaxation. Sanur is one of the best spots in Bali to experience a traditional Indonesian massage. Feel all those nasty aches and pains simply drift away from your body, as you blissfully lay there enjoying an authentic massage experience surrounded by white sandy beaches and the relaxing sound of the breaking ocean waves.

Feeling rejuvenated from your massage, I’d recommend taking a long walk along Sanur’s charming boardwalk. The promenade runs for miles along the beachfront, passing a huge selection of traditional restaurants, bars and cafes. Set the pace as fast or as slow as you like, but make sure you give yourself enough time to properly soak up the area’s calming atmosphere.

Day two in Sanur is all about the town’s thrilling selection of epic water sports! From parasailing and kitesurfing to jet skiing and banana boating, you can be sure Sanur has every avenue of water entertainment covered. There’s plenty of other options too, take a gentle swim in the water, head out on a rented kayak or simply relax on the beach, whatever you choose, Sanur won’t disappoint.

If you still need to purchase those Balinese souvenirs, then there’s no better place to browse the giftshops than in Sanur. Along the boardwalk you’ll find a vast selection of authentic sellers, offering a wide range of bespoke handicrafts and traditional art. Just be sure to have your bargaining skills at the ready, negotiating a good deal is an integral part of traditional Balinese culture!

Things to Do

• Visit the Insta-famous Kelingking Beach.
• Take a dip in the stunning Angel’s Billabong.
• Admire sunset from Teletubbies Hill.
• Snorkel with Manta Rays!
• Marvel at the golden sands of Diamond Beach.

Nusa Penida is a small island off the East coast of mainland Bali, easily accessed by hopping aboard one of the regular fastboats departing from Sanur. With a short sailing time of 45 minutes and boasting some of the most spectacular scenery in the area, it isn’t hard to see why Nusa Penida rightfully belongs on every Bali itinerary.

After settling into your accommodation on the island, it’s time to explore the hidden gems Nusa Penida has to offer. Start off with a visit to the extraordinary Kelingking Beach. This spot has gone super viral over the last few years, so it’s fair to say you’ve probably seen a photo of this stunning location somewhere before! No images quite do this place justice though, you need to witness it with your own two eyes. The same can also be said for Nusa Penida’s next location, the sensational Angel’s Billabong. This naturally formed, crystal clear infinity pool, is up there as one of the island’s most breathtaking spots. You’ll have the opportunity to swim amongst the impressive cliffs and slowly take in your wonderful surroundings. Just don’t forget to bring your towel!

Compared to its lively neighbour Bali, Nusa Penida has a more chilled out vibe, so you’ll certainly be grateful of a bit of downtime to catch up on some of the sleep you’ve missed out on. The next morning you’ll want to be out bright and early to enjoy one of my all time favourite travel experiences, swimming and snorkelling with wild manta rays! Nusa Penida’s Manta Point boasts an incredibly high concentration of these phenomenal creatures, making it one of the best spots on planet Earth to get up close and personal with giant manta rays! These fascinating sea creatures can grow a wingspan of up to five metres, so you certainly can’t miss them if they’re swimming close by!

After that exhilarating ocean experience, there’s no better way to round off your time in Nusa Penida, than by admiring a glorious sunset at the appropriately named, Teletubbies Hill. Trust me, the sunset view here is truly to die for!

Things to Do

• Catch some gnarly surf waves.
• Sip on cold beers at a range of trendy cliff bars.
• Take a visit to Uluwatu Temple.
• Soak up the view from Karang Boma Cliff.
• Catch a Kecak Fire Dance performance.

Uluwatu, located on Bali’s Southern peninsula, is a fantastic spot for beach and ocean lovers. It’s also super straightforward to travel to, from Nusa Penida you’ll need to take the 45 minute fastboat back to Sanur and then travel for a further 45 minutes by road to reach central Uluwatu.

Travellers that visit Uluwatu are instantly blown away by the area’s incredibly large ocean waves. Therefore, it’s no surprise that most people visiting the area, grab themselves a surfboard and hang tight on some gnarly waves. A word of caution though, the conditions here are favoured more towards intermediate surfers, as opposed to beginners, so make sure you’re at the right ability level before entering the water.

Don’t worry if surfing isn’t your thing though, you can still soak up the incredible atmosphere of the mighty Indian Ocean from one of Uluwatu’s many cliff bars. These amazing venues are scattered all along the rugged coastline, dishing up sensational views of the ocean and beaches below. Whether it’s just a couple of beers you’re after, or a crate load of Bintang, the variety of venues on offer in Uluwatu can cater to all circumstances.

As your departure from Bali looms, I’d recommend taking your last day nice and slow, with a few epic viewpoints and beautiful coastal trails. One of my favourite spots in this area is Karang Boma Cliff, this blissful location boasts some marvellous panoramic views of Bali’s Southern coastline. It’s also the perfect spot to soak up the clear Indonesian air and give yourself some time to reflect on your epic Balinese adventure.

Uluwatu is also located in a great position for heading back to the airport, you can easily reach Ngurah Rai International Airport by taking a short 40 minute shuttle bus or licensed taxi directly from your accommodation.