By Michèle
- 2 min read
First time in Bali: two weeks without the crowds
Your first time in Bali? A 14-day route through Ubud, Sidemen, Amed, Munduk and the coast, with the famous places at smart times and little time in the car.
- route
- first time
- itinerary
Most people plan their first trip to Bali from lists: the swing, the gate, the cliffs, the beach club. You end up with a lot of traffic and a lot of queues. This route does it differently. You see the best of the island, sleep in five places, and rarely spend more than two hours in the car.
The route at a glance
| Days | Place | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Ubud, just outside the centre | Recover from the flight, culture, rice fields |
| 4–5 | Sidemen | Walking in the valley below Mount Agung |
| 6–8 | Amed | Snorkelling, fishing villages, the east coast |
| 9–10 | Munduk | Mountains, waterfalls, cooler weather |
| 11–13 | Sanur or Nusa Lembongan | Beach and sea to finish |
| 14 | Departure | Sanur is half an hour from the airport |
Days 1–3: Ubud
You land, Dek Leonk is waiting in the arrivals hall and drives you an hour and a half to a place to stay among the rice fields. Take it easy on the first day. After that: the market early in the morning, a walk along the Campuhan ridge, a dance performance in a temple courtyard. Skip the Monkey Forest and the swings, or go at 8 am.
Days 4–5: Sidemen
An hour to the east. It is quiet here: rice terraces, a river, weaving workshops. Spend a morning walking with a guide from the village. On a clear day you see Mount Agung rising above everything.
Days 6–8: Amed
On the way you stop at 8 am at the Tirta Gangga water palace. In Amed you snorkel off the beach, go out to sea on a fishing boat at sunrise and, if you like, dive the shipwreck at Tulamben.
Days 9–10: Munduk
The longest drive of the trip: three to four hours along the north coast, with a stop at the Sekumpul waterfall. Munduk lies in the mountains, among coffee and cloves. In the morning you visit the temple on Lake Beratan.
Days 11–13: Sanur or Nusa Lembongan
On the way down you walk for an hour through the rice terraces of Jatiluwih. Then three days by the sea. Sanur is quiet and easy; Nusa Lembongan, half an hour by boat, is a small island with clear water and manta rays.
Day 14: home
From Sanur you are at the airport in half an hour.
What you skip, and why
- Canggu and Seminyak: fun for an evening, but mostly you lose time in traffic.
- The Lempuyang gate: two hours in a queue for a photo.
- Nusa Penida as a day trip: a long boat ride, bad roads, crowded viewpoints. Better to spend two nights on Lembongan.
Roughly what it costs
For two people, about €1,500 to €2,500 on the ground, depending on where you stay. More on this in our article on what a trip to Bali costs.
This route is a starting point. Slower, more beach or more walking? Then we will turn it into your route.
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Shall we think up your trip together?
Book a free 15-minute introduction, or send a message with when you want to go and what you are looking for. You are not committed to anything.
You chat with Michèle (Dutch or English) or with Dek Leonk (English). Real people, not a chatbot. During the day in Europe you usually get an answer within a few hours.