# My Bali Tour Guide > A tailor-made trip through the real Bali. Michèle designs your trip, Dek Leonk drives you around the island. You pay us only for your trip plan; you pay for the trip itself directly to the people on Bali. My Bali Tour Guide sells tailor-made personal trip plans for Bali, not trips. Michèle, a Bali expert in the Netherlands, designs your trip: route, daily plan and, if you want, places to stay. Dek Leonk (I Made Partha Wijaya), born in Karangasem on the eastern tip of Bali and a driver for twenty years, drives you around the island. Bas (ESBL B.V.) provides the website and the trip tool. You pay for the trip itself locally or directly to Dek Leonk and the accommodation; we only earn on the trip plan and take no commission. Packages: Trip plan €250, Trip plan with stays €350, All arranged €500 (incl. VAT); contact with Dek Leonk is free. A driver costs from about €45 a day. The focus is on quiet Bali: the east, the north and the mountains. - Contact: through the chat on https://mybalitourguide.com/contact, or by email: hello@mybalitourguide.com - Full text of all pages: https://mybalitourguide.com/llms-full.txt - Every page below has a markdown version: add .md to the URL. - This site in Dutch: https://mybalitourguide.nl/ - Sitemap: https://mybalitourguide.com/sitemap.xml - RSS: https://mybalitourguide.com/feed.xml ## Round trips and day tours (example routes) - [Quiet Bali: ten days of rice fields, volcanoes and black sand beaches](https://mybalitourguide.com/trips/quiet-bali): Round trip, 10 days, 9 nights. Ubud, Sidemen, Amed and Munduk in ten days, with your own driver and the well-known places at the right times. Personal trip plan from €250. - [Bali in three weeks: Ubud, the east coast, the north and the mountains](https://mybalitourguide.com/trips/bali-in-three-weeks): Round trip, 21 days, 20 nights. Three weeks in Bali in six places: Ubud, Sidemen, Amed, Pemuteran, Munduk and the coast. With your own driver and little packing. Personal trip plan from €250. - [Bali with kids: two weeks of short drives and plenty of pool time](https://mybalitourguide.com/trips/bali-with-kids): Round trip, 14 days, 13 nights. Short drives, places to stay with a pool and outings for the whole family. Two weeks in Bali with your own driver, from Sanur via Ubud to Amed. - [North and West Bali: rice terraces, mountain lakes and snorkelling at Menjangan](https://mybalitourguide.com/trips/north-and-west-bali): Round trip, 8 days, 7 nights. Jatiluwih, Munduk and snorkelling at Menjangan. The green, quiet side of Bali in eight days, with your own driver. Personal trip plan from €250. - [East Bali in one day: Tirta Gangga, Taman Ujung and the old village of Tenganan](https://mybalitourguide.com/trips/east-bali-day-tour): Day tour, About 9 hours. Tirta Gangga at eight in the morning, the Taman Ujung water palace by the sea and Tenganan, a Bali Aga village. A day in East Bali with Dek Leonk. - [Rice terraces and mountain lakes: a day to Jatiluwih, Beratan and Munduk](https://mybalitourguide.com/trips/jatiluwih-and-munduk-day-tour): Day tour, About 10 hours. The best rice terraces in Bali at Jatiluwih, the temple on Lake Beratan and a waterfall near Munduk. A full day out with your own driver. - [Cooking with a Balinese family: market, kitchen and a shared meal](https://mybalitourguide.com/trips/balinese-cooking-class): Workshop, About 5 hours, morning and lunch. A morning cooking with a Balinese family: first the market, then making basa genep and dishes such as sate lilit and lawar, and lunch at the family table. - [Melukat: a Balinese water blessing at a quiet spring](https://mybalitourguide.com/trips/water-blessing-melukat): Experience, About 4 hours. Melukat is a Balinese purification ritual under fountains of spring water. Dek Leonk takes you to a quiet spring and explains every step beforehand. ## Destinations - [Ubud and around](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/ubud): Central Bali, About 1 to 1.5 hours by car from the airport. Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali, and it's busy. Stay just outside the centre among the rice fields and go early to the well-known places. - [Sidemen](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/sidemen): East Bali, About 2 hours from the airport, 1 hour from Ubud. Sidemen is what Ubud was thirty years ago. Walking, weaving workshops and homestays among the rice terraces, at the foot of Mount Agung in East Bali. - [Amed and Tirta Gangga](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/amed): East Bali, About 2.5 to 3 hours from the airport. Fishing villages on the east coast, snorkelling from the shore among coral and turtles, and the wreck at Tulamben. With Tirta Gangga on the way. - [Munduk and the mountain lakes](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/munduk): Mountains in the north, About 2.5 to 3 hours from the airport. Munduk lies at over 800 metres and is cooler than the coast. You walk past plantations to waterfalls, with three crater lakes close by. - [Jatiluwih](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/jatiluwih): Central Bali, at the foot of Mount Batukaru, About 2 hours from the airport. Jatiluwih is the largest continuous area of rice terraces in Bali and a UNESCO World Heritage site, with walking trails where you meet hardly anyone. - [Pemuteran and Menjangan](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/pemuteran): Northwest Bali, About 4 hours from the airport. Pemuteran is a small village on a bay in northwest Bali. From here you snorkel at Menjangan, among turtles and coral walls that drop steeply away. - [Sanur](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/sanur): South Bali, About 30 minutes from the airport. Sanur is the quietest place on the south coast: calm water behind the reef, a long beach path and half an hour from the airport. Good with children. - [Nusa Lembongan](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/nusa-lembongan): Island off the southeast coast, About 30 minutes by fast boat from Sanur. Nusa Lembongan is the smaller, quieter sister of Nusa Penida. Snorkel with manta rays and cross the yellow bridge to Ceningan, half an hour from Sanur. - [The south: Canggu, Seminyak and Uluwatu](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/south-bali): South Bali, 30 minutes to 1.5 hours from the airport, depending on traffic. Canggu, Seminyak and Uluwatu: beach clubs, surf beaches, cliffs and a lot of traffic. Fine for a few days, but not for your whole trip to Bali. - [Karangasem and the eastern tip](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/karangasem): East Bali, About 2.5 to 3 hours from the airport. Karangasem, the easternmost part of Bali: Mount Agung, water palaces, the village of Tenganan and villages where life revolves around temple and harvest. - [Lovina and the north coast](https://mybalitourguide.com/destinations/lovina): North Bali, About 3 hours from the airport, 1 hour from Munduk. Bali's north coast is drier and quieter: black sand beaches at Lovina, hot springs, waterfalls and Singaraja, the old capital from the Dutch era. ## Practical guides - [Best time to visit Bali, by month](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/best-time-to-visit): Rain, temperature, crowds and holidays month by month, with Nyepi and Galungan in 2027: when to go to Bali, including the east and the mountains. - [Is Bali safe? Traffic, the sea, rabies and more](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/safety): Bali is safe, but watch out for the traffic, the currents and the monkeys. What you need to know before you go. - [Health in Bali: vaccinations, Bali belly, dengue and rabies](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/health): Which jabs you need, what helps with Bali belly, how to avoid mosquito bites and rabies, and where to go if you fall ill in Bali. - [Travelling solo in Bali as a woman: safety, transport and where to stay](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/travelling-solo-as-a-woman): Is Bali safe for women travelling alone? Yes, with a few habits. On getting around, drinks, evenings, clothing, homestays and the quiet east and north. - [Visiting temples in Bali and what to wear](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/temples-and-what-to-wear): In a Balinese temple you wear a sarong and a sash, men and women alike. Cover your shoulders and knees, and don't step on the offerings on the pavement. - [Money and payments in Bali](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/money-and-payments): In Bali you pay in rupiah: €1 is about IDR 20,000. About cards and cash machines, cash, bargaining, tips and the costs you should budget for. - [Internet and eSIM in Bali: SIM cards, IMEI, coverage and wifi](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/internet-and-esim): eSIM or local SIM, the IMEI rule for foreign phones, mobile coverage in the east, north and mountains, and what wifi is like in homestays. - [Getting around Bali](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/getting-around): There is no train in Bali and public transport is limited. About Grab and Gojek, the boat to the islands and why your own driver is the easiest way to travel. - [Nusa Penida, Lembongan, the Gilis or Lombok? Which island suits your trip](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/nusa-penida-lembongan-gili-or-lombok): What each island offers, how long the boat takes from Sanur and Padang Bai, what it costs, how safe it is, and whether to go for a day or stay the night. - [Food and drink in Bali](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/food-and-drink): Don't drink the tap water, and eat where the Balinese eat. What to try in Bali, how to avoid Bali belly and why you should be careful with arak. - [Language and etiquette in Bali](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/language-and-etiquette): The Balinese speak Balinese and Indonesian, and English in tourism. A few words of Indonesian, how Balinese names work and the manners that matter. - [Visa and tourist levy for Bali (2027)](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/visa-and-tourist-levy): Visa on arrival or e-VOA, the IDR 150,000 tourist levy and the arrival declaration. Step by step. - [Packing list for Bali](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/packing-list): What to pack for Bali: a sarong and sash, light clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, a jumper for the mountains, reef-safe sunscreen, ORS and more. - [Travelling respectfully in Bali](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/responsible-travel): Choose local stays, warungs and guides, so your money reaches the people who live there. How to travel respectfully in Bali, with less plastic and more calm. - [Mount Batur at sunrise: is it worth it?](https://mybalitourguide.com/practical/mount-batur-sunrise): How the Mount Batur sunrise trek works, what it costs in 2026, the downsides you rarely read about, and quieter options such as the sunrise jeep. ## Blog - [Instagram Bali versus the real Bali](https://mybalitourguide.com/blog/instagram-bali-vs-real-bali): The swing, the gate, the cliffs: five famous Instagram spots in Bali, what they are really like, and a quiet alternative for each one. - [Ubud or Sidemen? An honest comparison for choosing your base](https://mybalitourguide.com/blog/ubud-or-sidemen): Ubud or Sidemen as your base? How busy each is, what you do there, where you stay and eat, how you get there, and why most routes include both. - [What you get for €250: this is what a trip plan looks like](https://mybalitourguide.com/blog/what-you-get-with-a-trip-plan): What is in a My Bali Tour Guide trip plan, how soon do you get it and what happens next? The difference between the three packages, short and honest. - [First time in Bali: two weeks without the crowds](https://mybalitourguide.com/blog/first-time-in-bali-route): 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. - [Nyepi 2027: the day Bali goes silent](https://mybalitourguide.com/blog/nyepi-2027): On Monday 8 March 2027 Bali stops for 24 hours: Nyepi, the Balinese New Year. What happens, what you can and can't do, and how to plan your trip around it. - [Where your travel money goes: twelve days on Bali worked out](https://mybalitourguide.com/blog/where-your-travel-money-goes): What do twelve days on Bali for two cost on the spot, and who gets that money? A worked example with the driver, the places to stay, outings and your trip plan. - [Renting a scooter in Bali: what you need to know](https://mybalitourguide.com/blog/renting-a-scooter-in-bali): Renting a scooter in Bali? Which licence you need, what the police check, how your insurance works and when a driver is the smarter choice. - [Why we do not sell trips, only a personal trip plan](https://mybalitourguide.com/blog/why-we-do-not-sell-trips): With My Bali Tour Guide you only pay us for your personal trip plan. You pay for the trip itself directly to Dek Leonk and the places you stay. Here is why. - [What does a trip to Bali cost in 2027?](https://mybalitourguide.com/blog/what-does-a-trip-to-bali-cost): What do two weeks in Bali cost in 2027? Flights, visa, places to stay, transport and food worked out for two people, from budget to upmarket. - [Bali is more than the south: why you should go east and north](https://mybalitourguide.com/blog/bali-is-more-than-the-south): Bali is busy in the south, but the east and north are still quiet and authentic. Where to find the real Bali, and how to get there. ## Other - [Frequently asked questions](https://mybalitourguide.com/faq): what we do, paying, the packages, Bali, emergencies - [About](https://mybalitourguide.com/about): Dek Leonk (driver on Bali), Michèle (personal trip plans and advice), Bas (website and trip tool) - [Personal trip plan](https://mybalitourguide.com/personal-trip-plan): tailor-made personal trip plan: the four packages and how it works - [Contact](https://mybalitourguide.com/contact): chat with Michèle (Dutch or English) or Dek Leonk (English), or email - [Trip planner](https://mybalitourguide.com/trip-planner): choose when, how long, who with and what you want to see, and see a direction and a cost indication right away - [Private driver by the day](https://mybalitourguide.com/private-driver-bali): Dek Leonk as private driver, by the day or your whole trip; from about €45 a day, paid to him directly - [Compare day trips](https://mybalitourguide.com/day-trips-bali): six private day trips side by side: how long you are out, how long in the car, who they suit - [Airport transfer](https://mybalitourguide.com/bali-airport-transfer): pick-up at Ngurah Rai airport, with driving times and indicative prices per destination - [Scooter rental](https://mybalitourguide.com/scooter-rental-bali): which licence you need, what the police check and how to stay insured - [Terms](https://mybalitourguide.com/terms): terms and conditions for the personal trip plans (draft)