In a nutshell
- Bali is incredibly diverse — the island packs stunning beaches, jungle, rice terraces, and volcanoes into one place, and the attractions are seriously impressive.
- We’ll show you which Bali places to visit are truly worth your time — and which overhyped spots you can skip, or how to see them with far fewer tourists.
- The best way to see everything is on a two- to three-week road trip through Bali — that’s how we did it.
Our Top Bali Sights on a Map
Bali has something different to offer around every corner. Our highlights are concentrated mainly in the center, the south, and on Nusa Penida. But the north also has a few beautiful sights worth discovering.
To see all the highlights, your best bet is a road trip around Bali.
Tegallalang Rice Terraces
What do you need to know? The Tegallalang Rice Terraces are the most beautifully laid-out rice terraces on Bali. You walk along small paths and there are plenty of spots to sit and soak it all in. There are also some touristy extras, like large swings. You don’t pay the entrance fee (50,000 IDR / €3) at the main entrance, but on a side street (Google Maps).
Our Tip: The rice terraces are divided into two sections, and a ticket for one doesn’t get you into the other. We visited the first one — it’s our top Bali travel tip if you want stunning rice terrace photos, because it’s so beautifully designed. The second section is larger and gives you a longer walk-through.
Jatiluwih Rice Terraces
What do you need to know? The Jatiluwih Rice Terraces are much larger than Tegallalang. There are hiking trails of various lengths, and because the terraces are so expansive, you’ll encounter far fewer people. The trade-off is that the terrain here is relatively flat. Admission is 50,000 IDR (€3).
Our Tip: Take one of the longer hiking trails — ideally the yellow or blue one. Most visitors just snap a few photos and walk the short red route at most. All trails are signposted at the entrance.
Gembleng Waterfall
What do you need to know? The Gembleng Waterfall is one of the most beautiful waterfalls on Bali. It has several tiers, each with small naturally formed pools you can swim in — with views over the jungle. You walk upward along the waterfall and can stop at any pool along the way.
Our Tip: Get there early and climb all the way to the top. Past Warung Gembleng there’s another pool that’s almost always empty — most people stop halfway and never realize the waterfall keeps going much higher. The warung itself (small local restaurants in Indonesia) is seriously cool and has a great view over the jungle.
Mount Batur
What do you need to know? Mount Batur is one of the highest volcanoes on Bali and is still active — but don’t worry, there are warning systems in place. The volcano is especially popular for sunrise hikes. From the summit you get a spectacular panorama, as long as the clouds cooperate. You can only go up with a guided tour.
Our Tip: The sunrise hike up Mount Batur is no longer an under-the-radar Bali experience. We went during the rainy season and it was packed. As a great alternative, consider the sunset tour — you’ll barely see another tourist up there.
Book the Sunrise Tour up Mount Batur
Book the Sunset Tour up Mount Batur
Here you'll find all our tips for the tour to Mount Batur:
Monkey Forest
What do you need to know? There are huge numbers of monkeys on Bali, and near Ubud they have an entire forest to themselves. The Monkey Forest is totally enchanting — beautiful paths, ancient statues, and temples around every turn. The real highlight, though, is the 600 monkeys roaming freely throughout. Admission is 80,000 IDR (€4.50), and you can buy bananas for the monkeys at the entrance.
Our Tip: Keep a really close eye on your valuables. The monkeys are notorious for snatching sunglasses right off your head and phones right out of your hand — they’ve learned that doing so gets them food.
Book a Tour of the Monkey Forest
Ubud
What do you need to know? Ubud sits in the center of Bali and is a perfect base for day trips to rice terraces, waterfalls, and Mount Batur. But Ubud itself is absolutely worth exploring. It’s far more authentic than Canggu or Kuta, and has a number of lovely things to see.
Highlights:
- Sweet Orange Walk Trail through rice fields right in the middle of town
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Ubud Market
- Ubud Palace
Our Tip: When looking for where to stay in Bali, try to find a place just outside central Ubud. You’ll be able to reach the surrounding attractions without dealing with frustrating traffic, and you can spend a full day in town to explore at your own pace. We recommend The Studios.
All tips for Ubud can be found here:
Kelingking Beach
What do you need to know? You’ve almost certainly seen a photo of Kelingking Beach. It’s THE Instagram hotspot on Bali. The steep cliff behind the beach looks like a dinosaur’s head from above, and a small trail leads down to the sand. The beach itself is absolutely stunning — white sand, turquoise-blue water, the works.
Our Tip: Get there early and hike down to the beach. Fair warning: the trail is seriously strenuous even in the morning, so wear proper footwear. Some sections are exposed, and the steps going down are very steep. Once you’re at the bottom, though, there’s hardly anyone around and you’ll have this dream beach almost entirely to yourself.
Broken Beach
What do you need to know? Broken Beach is a cove completely surrounded by rocks, with water flowing in through a natural hole. From the opposite side you get a great view of the cool natural rock bridge, and you can also walk across it and around the cove. Right next door you’ll find Angel’s Billabong. That said, Broken Beach gets very touristy.
Our Tip: Another spot where arriving as early as possible really pays off. And don’t forget to look out to sea — you can often spot dolphins, sea turtles, and manta rays.
Diamond Beach
What do you need to know? Diamond Beach is genuinely one of the most beautiful beaches on Bali. Steep cliffs frame the sand, and a large rock rises dramatically from the sea. Up top it gets crowded with tourists, but you can walk down to the beach itself — and then you’ll have an almost deserted stretch of sand to yourself. Only attempt the descent if you’re sure-footed and comfortable with some scrambling.
Our Tip: Check the tide times before you go. At high tide the beach is more or less gone, so low tide makes your visit so much more worthwhile. The times shift by a few hours every day.
Aling Aling Waterfall
What do you need to know? The Aling Aling Waterfall is actually made up of three waterfalls. You can’t get right up to the water — but that’s fine, because the real attraction comes before that. In the waterfall area you can jump from rocks 5, 10, and 15 meters high into the water below, and slide down natural waterslides of varying lengths. Super fun if you’re on vacation with older kids.
Our Tip: If jumping and sliding isn’t your thing, just say so at the entrance — you’ll pay significantly less for admission and can relax and watch everyone else take the plunge.
Sekumpul Waterfall
What do you need to know? Sekumpul Waterfall is said to be the tallest on Bali — though no one could give us a definitive answer on that. It’s impressive either way. It’s actually several waterfalls cascading down through the middle of the jungle. You’re only allowed to hike to the waterfall pool with a guide.
Our Tip: If you’ve already visited several other waterfalls, you don’t necessarily need to hike all the way down — you can save the guide fee and instead pay about one dollar (20,000 IDR) to visit the viewpoint. From there you get a fantastic vista of the waterfall without the full trek.
