A 7-day Bali itinerary + Things to Do and Places to Visit

Bali-floating-temple

Are you visiting Bali in the coming days or planning to cover Bali in your next trip to Indonesia? Looking for a sample 7-day Bali itinerary with tips? Searching for the best things to do in Bali and fit in your Bali trip itinerary ? Wondering about the perfect season to visit Bali and how to get to Bali?

Fret not! You have come to the right place.

Well, I have just the perfect Bali travel guide for you with the required information, in a nutshell.

Honestly, none of the Bali trip itineraries you find online, may do justice to this Indonesia’s only Hindu island.

Wondering why?

Because, there are a plethora of beautiful places to visit in Bali, things to do, experience and explore across this island, that you will be running short of time.

For instance, a couple of weeks could easily be dedicated to just lazing around the beaches in Bali, and indulging in water sports activities.

While a few more weeks could be consumed to loiter away and visit at least a handful of volcanoes in Bali, hop in and out of the vibrant temples that dot Bali, and admire the expansive terraced rice fields that the island is peppered with!

Therefore, putting together this 7-day Bali itinerary has been quite a herculean task.

one-week-Bali-itinerary

This post may contain a few affiliate links. Read our affiliate policy for further information.

Bali – a family destination

No doubt that Bali is a backpackers’ paradise, an exotic honeymoon destination and a digital nomad’s dream.

However, as a family traveller, I found the tropical paradise of Bali—a perfect family destination, offering a lot of things to do and experience with kids along.

Well, if you are rolling your eyes wondering, “Why the heck will I take my family to a place like Bali, which is a solo traveller’s dream?”

Ahem, Ahem…Maybe your spouse is also reading this write-up. And, you might actually change your solo plan to a family outing!

Nevertheless, here is a comprehensive Bali travel guide and a 7-day Bali itinerary — to explore in and around this paradisiacal island.

I’ve tried to include as much as insider’s information as possible in this Bali trip itinerary.

And, this one week Bali itinerary has been put together and suggested keeping the Kuta neighbourhood as a base, due to its proximity to the airport.

If you choose to explore Bali and experience it with the help of a guide, do try to choose one from below. I had used the GetYour Guide services during my trip to Russia, and completely enjoyed my experience.

 

A 7-day Bali itinerary to explore in and around the Hindu island

Before I dwell into details of what to see and where to stay in Bali , apart from the 7-day Bali itinerary, let me give a brief idea as to where the island is located.

Information on Bali

Bali is one of the 17,500 islands that make up Indonesia — the largest archipelago in the world : out of these, just a mere 6000 islands are said to be inhabited.

And, many islands might be getting created slowly as you are reading this, due to constant volcanic activities around the region.

And, no, Bali isn’t the capital, but a province in Indonesia!

Day 1 of one week Bali itinerary

The first day in Bali may just go in shaking off your jetlag depending on the region and country from where you’ve travelled.

It’s quite a long flight from India to Bali, with a stop-over at Singapore or Kuala Lampur or Bangkok depending on the airlines and flight route.

Our trip to Bali was by Singapore Airlines with a super-impressive service.

I suggest extending the layover time at Singapore, to avail of the free city-tour offered by Singapore’s Changi airport, as well as to explore the Jewel Changi Airport. It’s a world in itself!


You may want to make use of a guided tour of Changi airport like the ones below, to save time and make your life easier.

 

Upon reaching the airport in Denpasar, we had stayed at a property in Kuta – a pleasant buzzing neighbourhood with a beach in Bali.

Kuta is just a 15min drive from the airport, and is quite accessible at any time of the day and night.

A short walk around the Kuta neighbourhood, relaxing family time along its beach or indulging in water-sports activities, could be a perfect way to end Day1 of this one week Bali itinerary.

Bali-itinerary-GWCulturalPark
The massive Garuda statue at Garuda Wisnu Cultural Park

Alternately, if you aren’t jet-lagged and want to kickstart your Bali itinerary right away — engage a cab, and drive towards Garuda Wisnu Cultural Park(GWCP) to spend quality hours exploring this architectural marvel.

And, then catch the setting sun at the picturesque Tanah Lot temple or one of the beaches in the Uluwatu area.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Perched on a small rocky island is the revered Hindu site of Tanah Lot temple, at Baraban village, 30km from Denpasar town in Bali, Indonesia. * Tanah lot in Balinese language translates to ‘Land in the sea’, and the temple is dedicated to sea god – Dewa Baruna. This 16th century temple was constructed during the reign of King Dalem Baturenggong under the guidance of Dang Hyang Nirartha ( Pedanda Shakti Wawu Rauh) a Shiva devotee and a religious figure of the Shaivites in Java. * . Interesting to note: Brahmins of Bali are known as Pedanda! * . #travelphotography #travelguide #indonesian #wonderfulindonesia #bali #bali🌴 #hindutemple #hinduism #balinese #temples #architecturephotography #archilovers #agameoftones #natgeotravel #fodorsonthego #freelancewriter #travelgram #travelblogger #seaside #seascape #teampixel #pixel_ig #pixel #flowerstagram

A post shared by meenakshi j iyer (@polkajunction) on

One can also opt to explore Nusa Dua – an upscale area with a lot of 5-star accommodations, relaxing spas, and fun water-sports adventure activities, as part of this one week Bali itinerary.

Here are a few options that I found during my research on this. This may come handy to plan your day in Nusa Dua.

Bali-itinerary-spa
MSpa in Nusa Dua

Recommendation: A great stay option could be the Ramayana Hotel which is centrally located to the market, money exchangers, ATMs, shopping markets, restaurants and pubs.While the Kuta beach is just a stone’s throw away!

Another property that I found very functional, uber chic and a great value for money is Sol, Bali.

Bali_stay-Sol
The eclectic interiors of Sol House Bali

Day 2 and 3 of the 7-day Bali itinerary: Explore in and around Ubud

Ubud has got a lot to offer in terms of shopping, sightseeing and serenity.

However, drive towards Ubud in the early hours of day to escape the famed Bali traffic.

The picturesque Tegallang terrace rice-fields flood this area and so do the coffee outlets of Luwak coffee.

You could spend hours in the Monkey sanctuary or just walk through the narrow lanes of Ubud with rice fields and temples for constant company.

While here, do experience the famed swing of Bali. If given an opportunity, I could dedicate the whole of this 7-day Bali itinerary to Ubud!

Since that may not be possible owing to a lack of time and resources, I share with you a mini ‘Bali best places to visit’ bucket-list when in Ubud.

Pay obeisance to Saraswati, Goddess of Wisdom and knowledge, at Pura Taman Saraswati and also explore the Goa Gajah temple, an 11th-century cave complex with Hindu and Buddhist influences and figurines.

Saraswati temple Bali
Puran Thaman Saraswati Temple / Source: Pixabay
bali-itinerary-buddha
Goa Gajah Temple / Source: Pixabay

Take a brave walk inside the 12.5 hectares of lush greenery dotted with ancient temples in Ubud Monkey sanctuary

Bali temple
Ubud Monkey Sanctuary / Source: Pixabay

Heal naturally at the sacred springs of Tirta Empul temple

bali-itinerary-springs
Sacred Springs / Source: Pixabay

Visit the beautiful Ubud Palace, that’s just beside the market area.

Bali-Itinerary-UbudPalace
The entrance of the Ubud Palace

Go shopping at the Ubud market

Bali-Ubud-Shopping
The Ubud Market

Shopping tips: Ubud market is flooded with souvenirs, silver jewellery and other paraphernalia at throwaway prices. And, these are the best of things to buy in Bali. Do not forget to slash the quoted price to 75%. And, yes, bargaining is encouraged in Bali.

Spend an afternoon at Alas Harum Agrotourism centre, Ji Lunga Tegallang in Central Ubud

Bali-itinerary-Luwakcoffee
The Luwak!
 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Luwak coffee , a speciality of Bali; popularly also called the civet coffee, the Kopi Luwak beans are the partially digested coffee beans defecated by the Asian Civet, that are sun-dried, its dry skin is peeled out by hand, and, then dried further to be roasted to this deep brown colour and the unmistakable aroma of coffee beans. They are further pounded in a mortar to be made into its finer form of th famous Kopi Luwak coffee powder. * . No, I didn’t taste it for sure 😀 * . #wonderfulindonesia #coffee #kopiluwak #luwakcoffee #travelphotography #travelwriting #travelwriter #indonesia #exploreindonesia #fodorsonthego #agameoftones #passionpassport #nature #naturephotography #travelgram #travel #travelblogger #mediatrip #morningcoffee #polkapics #bali🌴 #bali

A post shared by meenakshi j iyer (@polkajunction) on

Watch an exhilarating performance of Kecak fire dance

I have penned an in-depth blog-post for layman and tourists, dedicated to Bali Kecak dance – covering its origins, history, evolution and a breakdown of the dance form. Do give it a read for better understanding of the dance before you watch a Kecak dance perfomance.

bali-kecak-fire-dance
Kecak Dance – a must in your Bali itinerary

Have an afternoon meal with a volcano view at Kintamani Highlands

bali-itinerary-batur
A meal with a view of Mount Batur

You may also want to combine your lunch with a view of Mount Batur, with a village tour, watching a Barong dance , and also a short trip to Ubud, with this guided tour of Kintamani highlands.

And, Mount Batur isn’t the only active volcano in Bali, and for that matter there are umpteen active volcanoes all across the various islands of Indonesia.

So, do read about the Top 10 incredible volcanoes you could visit in Indonesia.

mount-batur-trek
The landscape around Mount Batur

Visit the floating temple of Ulun Danu Beratan

Bali-floating-temple

Day 4 and 5 of one week Bali itinerary: Island hopping, natural wonders and water adventures

Now that you have spent the first three days of this Bali itinerary exploring the land of Gods — Bali, it’s time to embark on sea adventures for the next few days. The most gorgeous natural wonders and non-touristy white beaches are to be found around the Nusa islands of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. The nearest harbour to catch a ferry to these islands is at Sanur. It usually takes a good 30-45 mins to reach Nusa Penida from Sanur by boat.

Sanur-harbour
A view of the Sanur harbour
Bali-ferry-ride
Row row row your boat across the Indian Ocean
Nusa-Penida

Nusa Penida is the largest of the three islands. Spend a day exploring the island by staying overnight. Angels’ Billabong and Broken Beach, Crystal bay and Kelingking Beach, are worth your time.

Did you know that Nusa Penida was once known as the ‘Black Magic Island‘? Read more about the island and its religious rituals in my article Ahoy! Nusa islands

Nusa-Penida
Nusa-Penida-Devils-tear
Devil’s tears!
Nusa-Penida-dinosaur-point-Tyrannosaurus-Rex
The ferocious yet cute Tyrannosaurus Rex @ Kelingking Beach

Recommendation: We stayed overnight at the beautiful Star Semabu resort in Nusa Penida, that offers mesmerizing views of Mount Agung and the Indian ocean.

Nusa Lembongan has got pristine white beaches, mangroves and water-sports activities to indulge in. Dream beach is the most popular white stretch while the nearby’s Devil’s tear shouldn’t be missed. A mangrove tour and an overnight stay at Mahagiri resorts are highly recommended. Do not miss to catch the sunrise and sunset while here. The island offers beautiful views of Mount Agung (the highest volcano in Bali).

The best place to indulge in world-class snorkelling and scuba-diving is here.

Nusa-Lembangon-bali-itinerary

Nusa-Lembangon-Mahagiri-Bali-itinerary
Mahagiri resorts with its own private beach!

How to reach Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan

The boat cruise to either Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan from the Sanur harbour costs USD 10 per person for a one-way ride(₹750 approx). It’s better to book these tickets in advance. Although, there are booking kiosks available at the Sanur harbour

Day 6 and 7 of one week Bali itinerary: Shopping, Batik and silver jewellery

Spend time exploring Celuk, a village of silversmiths and shop for exquisite Bali silver jewellery. En route, stop at one of the many Batik centres to have a first-hand account of the intricacies of making this handloom.

Bali-itinerary-Batik

Shopping for souvenirs is best done at the Krisna Oleh Oleh shopping mart. They have a wide range of options from clothes to wooden artefacts to handwoven mobile covers and of course, everyone’s favourite- fridge magnets and keychains!

Bali-itinerary-Shopping
Shoppers’ Paradise

bali-itinerary-batik-making

Batik: one of the best things to buy in Bali

Alternate 7-day Bali itineraries.

One week Bali Itinerary II

Day 1, 2 and 3 – In and around Ubud

Day 4, 5 – Nusa islands

Day 6 – Nusa Dua, Tanah Lot and Wisnu Garuda cultural park

7-day Bali Itinerary III

Day 1 – Kuta, Nusa Dua, Tanah Lot and Wisnu Gardua cultural park

Day 2 and 3 – Nusa Islands

Day 4, 5, 6 – In and around Ubud

The best month to visit Bali

Bali and the surrounding islands experience just two seasons: rainy and dry. Hence, the best time to visit the
Nusa islands would be the dry season, which is from April to October.

Hope this 7-day Bali itinerary and alternate one-week itineraries, along with information on Bali tourist places, best places to visit and things to buy in Bali and more, help you in planning an upcoming trip to Bali. Feel free to send me your queries, suggestions and feedback by using the contact form.

This post is just the first part of the series on Indonesia travels. Thanks for reading and do keep a watch on my blog for such informative posts. Ciao!

Disclaimer: This Bali trip was in collaboration with Indonesia Tourism office New Delhi, Om Tourism and Singapore airlines. However, as with my other posts based on media trips, the views expressed in this write-up too are my own and are not influenced by the sponsors.

polkajunction

Pin this article for a later read!

A 7-day itinerary to explore in and around Bali with focus on what to do in Ubud, Tegallalang, Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, what to buy, where to stay | Indonesia | Bali | SEAsia #travel #Bali #itinerary #indonesia #guide

A 7-day itinerary to explore in and around Bali with focus on what to do in Ubud, Tegallalang, Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, what to buy, where to stay | Indonesia | Bali | SEAsia #travel #Bali #itinerary #indonesia #guide
Please note: This write-up on Bali may contain affiliate links. Which means, I may earn meagre commission if you make a purchase of a tour or package by clicking a link on this post. Affiliate links help me keep this website up and running, but will be at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support as usual!

13 thoughts on “A 7-day Bali itinerary + Things to Do and Places to Visit”

  1. Doibedouin || Travel Blogger (@BedouinDoi)

    I love your blog. I literally do. All those pictures speak for itself. It is as if you are indeed taking us to Bali <3

  2. Jayashree Sengupta

    Bali is always on everyone’s list. And your pictures say it all over again. Just the perfect place for relishing nature up close.

  3. You managed to pack quite a bit into the four days that you were there and I am saying this coz Bali is notorious with distances. I am glad to see some of my favorites here – like the Tegalalang Rice fields and the famous Kecak dance. Nusa Penida in your pictures looks awesome. I completely second your choice of that as one of the days in Bali. In fact, a visit here makes you want to stay there for the night. Don’t you agree?

  4. Never heard about this Kewal fire dance , this must be interesting . I am yet to visit this super touristic yet an important place in Indonesia only contemplating that how many days should I budget for Bali alone .. this post helps indeed . And yes batik buy are very important ..few of the things even I recommend to acquire while shopping for exquisites .

  5. I am always confused for how to start with Bali trip and it is great you listed some amazing tips and full 7 days itinerary and with this information, now I can easily plan my trip. First of all I loved your hotel selections, the first one Ramayana and it really looks interesting with that huge mural of Lord Ram. Also another sleek and chic one – Sol, Bali is beautiful too. Even looking out some local handicrafts by stopping at Celuk is a good idea and I love such artisan villages. I am bookmarking your post.

  6. Wow, you managed to pack in quite a lot during your 7 days. I’ll have to rent a car next time I’m in Bali so I can explore more. I stayed in Nusa Dusa and relaxed on the beach, which I rarely do. But I’m skipping the Luwak coffee. 🙂

  7. Well prepared itinerary. I was eager to start exploring right from day 1, but had to give up the idea due to jet lag. I was in Bali twice but sadly Ubud market evaded me both the times. Next time I hope to get there particularly for the hand made souvenirs. Island hopping is a great suggestion and visit to Nusa Penida most rewarding!

  8. I’m in the US and haven’t been to any part of this area. The flight scares me, I think I would go stir crazy! Yet there’s so many things to see and do I really want to visit. Of course time by the water is essential but Ubud is calling my name… monkeys, rice fields, that swing and fire dancing!

  9. Bali is beautiful and your pictures bring out the best. Indonesia is high on my list as islands fascinate me. This is such a lovely guide which I am going to use. Would save me precious time on planning.

  10. I havent been to Indonesia (and Bali) yet and it is on the plans to take my family there maybe in the next year or two (just waiting for my little one to grow up a bit first). I am really glad you have done this guide as you have added stuff on here which I wouldn’t have even thought of like the Tanah Lot temple, which does look really beautiful. I think when i get to this part of the world, I may end up staying for at least a month! Bali and the Nusa Islands really look beautiful.

  11. I’ve been wanting to visit all the far-eastern countries including Indonesia as well. I hope to plan a trip in 2 years. So, thanks much for this detailed itinerary.
    Tanah Lot temple looks so fascinating. Just its setting in the rocky terrain on the beach makes it so pictureesque!
    I generally don’t shop while traveling but here it would be an exception. I need to buy some traditional Batik fabrics!

  12. Oh my God, Meenakshi! Bali is on top of my travel bucket list for years. We plan but something or the other always comes up. As you mentioned, why to wait for the spouse, I now think! Beautiful pictures and I’m bookmarking this for the future.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

error: Copyrighted
Scroll to Top
%d bloggers like this: