We had done a 2 week trip to Bali. As part of planning it, we did a lot of research online. We also took feedback from our children who had spent 10 days on their scuba diving trip there before we finalised our itinerary. Now I am sure there will many others who are also wanting to do a trip Bali. Through this post I hope to provide inputs that will hopefully help such people planning theirs.

Best Time to Visit

Bali is a tropical place. So the temperature remains mostly the same throughout the year. The main aspect to consider is the amount of rainfall in different months of the year. May to September is considered the relatively drier months. In this period, July and August are the busiest tourist months. As we do not like crowds, we generally try and pick the shoulder season in our trips. It also means relatively lower prices overall.

We did our trip from 25th Sept to 9th Oct. In this period you can expect rain on some days. When we thre, we got strong rains on atleast 2 days. Don’t worry. In Bali, it does not rain the whole day. So you will get to do things part of the day, even if it rains. Remember, rains also mean better waterfalls when you visit them 😃.

Duration

Now there is no right answer for this. It really depends on how much you can spare, what your interests are, your style of holidaying, experiencing new places etc. Like I had mentioned in my first post about our Bali trip, we like to take time to experience and explore a new place. We try and seek our spots that are less crowded. This usually means longer travel. We also try and include some physical activities (like a hike) into ours trips. All these require time. But we do start our days early. So the 2 week duration was perfect for us. This allowed to spend the first of each day (till around 10AM) exploring new places or doing new things and gave the second half to us to relax or work.

My general guidance is, if you have time, make your trip longer. Bali has plenty to offer.

Places to Visit

Again this one depends on your interests. We like a mix of culture and outdoor. And we try and avoid places that are too crowded, unless they are a must see. Good thing is that, even with popular tourist attractions, you may still be able to beat the crowds if you reach early in the day. That is what we try and do when possible. Also we are not partying people, as we do not seek it out. So our recommendations will not include such destinations. Do keep that in mind.

Here are the places that you should include based on our research and experience from the trip:

Ubud

This has to be in your itinerary. Lots of popular places to visit and things to do in and from Ubud.

Here are some of the things that you should consider doing when in Ubud.

  • Make sure you visit the Palace and some of the key temples in Ubud
  • Now Tana Lot for sunset is something that should be included by everybody. It can be easily done as an activity from Ubud.
  • Going to waterfalls is another must do. You will need to do your own research on the ones you want to visit, given your preference and willingness to travel. You will have plenty of choices that suit your criteria.
  • Visit rice terraces. A popular one close to Ubud is Tegallalang Rice Terraces. But it is very popular. So if you have the time, I would suggest going to Jatiluwih instead. It will not disappoint both in terms of scale and beauty.
  • Ubud offers various cultural programs including the Kecak Dance. Consider trying one.
  • If exploring different food and restaurants is your thing, then you will not be disappointed with the amount of choices that will find in Ubud.

For further inspiration, check out my detailed post on our visit to Ubud here.

Amed

Don’t want to stay in a crowded place? Want to stay close to the sea? Want to do some water activities like snorkeling or scuba diving? Well, if the answer to any of these questions is a Yes, then Amed is a great place to consider including in your itinerary.

There are lots of things that you get to do if you base yourselves here for a few days. Consider doing the following:

  • Visit Lahangan Sweet to get stunning views of Mount Agung and get fantastic photos
  • Visit Lempuyang Temple to get the social media famous pictures but also enjoy the surrounding hills
  • Enjoy stunning sunrises and sunsets around Amed
  • Do some water activities like snorkeling, scuba diving or just chilling by the beach
  • Check out Tirta Gangga and may be even Besakih Temple enroute to or from Amed
  • Amed too has a good set of restaurants. But not some much as that in Ubud

For further inspiration, check out my detailed post on our visit to Amed here.

Nusa Penida

This is certainly worth a visit to get an experience of the surrounding turquoise blue waters.

Now the question is if you need to do it as a day trip from the main Bali island or spend one night. Well, that is a tricky one. I am inclined to say do it as a day trip. But if you do, then you will not be able to include all the sites that we visited. Though the island is small, the roads are narrow and undulating. So getting around in a car takes time. Here are the popular ones that people do:

  • Visit Kelingking Beach to see the “T-Rex” shaped landmass
  • Visit Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach and Devil’s Billabong
  • Visit Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach

For further inspiration, check out my detailed post on our visit to Nusa Penida here.

South Bali

I think this is worth a visit, especially to catch the Kecak Dance at Uluwatu Temple during sunset.

But then, there are also lots of resorts that you can stay at if you want to end your Bali trip with luxury. That is what we did. So a region that is definitely worth considering.

For further inspiration, check out my detailed post on our visit here.