The BEST 2 weeks in Bali! — Evan and Lemon

Prepare for an extraordinary two-week journey through the enchanting island of Bali! This carefully crafted itinerary will take you on an adventure spanning Uluwatu's stunning cliffs, the surf and relaxation of Canggu, the cultural heart of Ubud, the natural beauty of Nusa Penida, the adventure of Mount Batur, and a vibrant end in Kuta. Let's explore Bali's diverse landscapes, rich culture, and breathtaking experiences.

Be sure to read our guide Everything You Need To Know About Bali.

Day 1-2: Uluwatu - Cliffside Beauty

Where to Stay: Uluwatu Beach Area - Uluwatu is a smaller area and there are incredible places to stay near the ocean. We splurged and stayed at PinkCoCo Uluwatu (adults only) and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. For a more budget friendly stay, look for a guesthouse.
What to Do: Begin your Bali adventure in Uluwatu by exploring the iconic Uluwatu Temple. Watch the captivating Kecak Dance at sunset, and relaxing on the pristine beaches like Padang Padang. If you're a surfer, don't miss the renowned surf spots along the coast. If you are an experienced motorbike rider, we recommend to rent one from your hotel and ride around Uluwatu exploring beaches like Green Bowl, Suluban and Dreamland. Otherwise, hire a driver for the day (or half the day) and head to Melasti Beach. If beach clubs are your thing then you will be in heaven! This beach area is stunning and packed with fancy beach clubs. You can also opt to eat some delicious local food at the food stalls located just near the beach clubs.
Where to Eat: For breakfast and delicious coffee head over to The Loft. You might want to visit this next spot twice for dinner because it is THAT GOOD. Make a reservation at Ours for incredible pasta and wine and save room for dessert because it’s delicious!

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Day 3-4: Canggu - Surf and Relaxation

How to Get There: Hire a driver or take a Grab Taxi from Uluwatu to Canggu.

Where to Stay: If you aren’t an experienced motorbike rider then look for an accommodation within a 10 minute walk to the beach. Otherwise anywhere in the Canggu area will be fine. The traffic here is MAD so be sure to take that into account when looking for an accommodation. We’ve stayed at the following places and can recommend all of them. Na-Mi Guesthouse, #01 Modern Apartment Close to Batu Bolong Beach, and Frii Echo Beach Bali.
What to Do: Immerse yourself in the surf culture of Canggu with surfing lessons or simply relax on Echo Beach. Explore the trendy cafes, beach bars, and boutique shops. The shopping here is unlike anywhere else in Bali. You will find many unique clothing and jewelry shops but what Canggu is lacking in is culture. Canggu is the digital nomad capital of Bali so you will also find many western amenities here like co-working spaces, gyms, bars and restaurants.
Where to Eat: Try smoothie bowls, fresh juices, and international cuisine at Canggu's famous cafes. Some of our fav spots are Roti Canai Street Kitchen any time of day, Lola’s Cantina Mexicana for dinner (this whole place is a vibe), Shady Shack for breakfast and lunch. Honestly there are SO many places to eat in Canggu, just be sure to read the recent google reviews.

Day 5-8: Ubud - Cultural Exploration

How to Get There: Instead of just taking a taxi from Uluwatu to Ubud, hire a driver for a day and make a day trip out of it. Ask your driver to make some stops along the way and turn your travel day into an adventure! We’ve used Ketut as our driver several times in Bali and he’s super reliable and friendly- you can contact him on WhatsApp +6281999405463. WhatsApp is the app everyone uses for texting in Bali (including restaurants and other businesses).
Where to Stay: Ubud Center if you want to walk everywhere. If you are an experienced motorbike driver, or don’t mind taking a taxi into town, we recommend accommodations amidst rice terraces for an authentic experience. Ubud is a very central location which will acts as a great homebase for day trips. We’ve stayed at the following places in Ubud and can recommend them all: Ayunda Ubud Cottage, this Airbnb is a little off the beaten path but had STUNNING views of the rice terraces, Ubud Kerta City Hotel is a great budget option and right in the middle of Ubud.
What to Do: Dive into Ubud's rich culture by visiting the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. We aren’t big fans of monkeys so we have skipped this on our trips to Bali. Hire a driver and explore Tegallalang Rice Terraces. Go shopping at the Ubud Art Walk or Ubud Market. At night, witness the traditional Balinese dance- these tickets can be purchased from the venu but make sure to get there at least 30 minutes ahead of time to get a good seat. Get a massage! The BEST massage I’ve ever had was at Gratia Spa- for the life of me I cannot remember the womans name but I’m sure they all give great massages. If you’re wondering how much a 30 minute foot massage is- its less than $6. As we mentioned before, Ubud’s central location will allow you to explore a lot of the island. An hour before sunset, hike the Campuhan Ridge walk for beautiful views. Visit the Goa Gajah Temple and be sure to dress appropriately (cover your legs, midrif and shoulders). A lot of Temples will still require you to wear a traditional sarong and will provide them for you either for a fee or included with the temple entry ticket. We recommend to hire a driver for the day and see as much as possible. If you aren’t sure what to do or where you want to go, you can always ask your driver for recommendations. Below we have listed several things you could do on day trips from Ubud.
Day Trips: Stop by a local coffee plantation for a tour and tasting of local coffee, including Luwak (poop) coffee. Visit one of Bali’s MANY waterfalls like Nyung Nyung or Leke Leke (waterfalls are best visited early in the morning to avoid the crowds). Hike Mt. Batur, which will require you to get up extremely early, or take a Jeep tour up to watch the sunrise. We opted for the latter and had the most amazing morning! 10/10 we recommend you take this walking tour that includes lunch. Not only did we get to spend time in the rice fields but our guide,Putu, was an incredible speaker and story teller. We learned SO much about Balinese culture, food and traditions. His wife, Ria, cooked us lunch at the end of the tour and to this day it was one of the best meals we’ve ever had. Head up to Sideman and make your own silver jewelry at Agung Silver- this was by far one of our favorite things we’ve done in Bali. Spend the morning at Taman Ujung Water Palace, it’s so beautiful here and a great place to take some photos. What you won’t see mentioned here is any of the “bali swing” locations as they are incredibly busy and not really our thing- no judgement at all so do it if you want! Get the real Balinese rice terrace experience without the crowds at Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, a Unesco World Heritage site.
Where to Eat: Savor Balinese dishes at local warungs like Nasi Goreng, Nasi Campur or Gado Gado. Ubud is also FILLED with cafes and restaurants serving up delicious coffee and food. Here are some of our favorite restaurants. Stroll through the rice terraces just before sunset and have dinner at Sweet Orange Warung. They have both western and Balinese food and be sure to pet their friendly cat. Lazy Cats Cafe is going to be your go to breakfast spot, not only is this cafe incredibly aesthetic but the food and coffee are good too! For an escape from the Ubud crowds have breakfast or lunch at the true hidden gem Lexxy’s Ground. Located on top of a hill and connected to a hotel, this little slice of peaceful heaven is the perfect spot to have a quiet, and delicious, breakfast. Enjoy the most delicious coconut affogato at Tukies Coconut Shop. Some other places we enjoyed are MD Burger, Sushi at Ikigai Ubud, splurge on cocktails at The Lair.

Day 7-9: Nusa Penida - Island Paradise

How to Get There: Take a ferry from Bali to Nusa Penida. You can book this through 12Go Asia.
Where to Stay: Nusa Penida - Choosing a location can be tricky here. The island roads arevery narrow and not well paved. For this reason, we chose to stay closer to the pier at this hotel and hire a driver for the day to explore the island. However, there are several properties with stunning views like this one and this one. A lot of properties in Bali offer free breakfast which is a HUGE bonus. The menu usually consists of a choice of coffee or tea, juice, pancakes or eggs and toast. 10/10 recommend booking an accommodation with breakfast. When choosing a location, be sure to see if the hotel has a restaurant or if there are some near by, if not, then you might want to rent a scooter if you are an experienced rider.
What to Do: Hire a driver to take you to Angel's Billabong, Broken Beach, Kelingking Beach, Diamond Beach and snorkel in Crystal Bay. You can also book a day tour if the island here. Snorkel with manta rays with this tour. I will say this island was a bucket list adventure for us and it is not for the faint of heart. We were there in 2022 and Diamond beach required a very steep hike down with no railing which actually sent Evan into a panic attack. We did take photos at the top of the very famous Kelingking Beach but opted not to hike down as many people have died or had to be rescued. We have heard that they are building an elevator to take people down to the beach.
Where to Eat: Try local seafood and Balinese dishes. Ask your driver for restaurant recommendations. Stop at Wyn’s Penida any time of day for delicious food, excellent service and decent cocktails. Getting a coffee and freshly made pastry at Orion Bakery is a MUST. It’s located by the pier and the quality of this coffee is absolutely outstanding. We deeply regret that we only found this place on our last morning in Nusa Penida. It’s truly a hidden gem. Sunny Cafe Penida is also worth a visit.

Day 10-12: Mount Batur - Adventure and Relaxation

How to Get There: Take the ferry back to Bali and hire a driver or a grab/taxi to Lake Batur, Kintamani.

Where to Stay: Mount Batur Area - Find accommodations with views of the lake and the volcano. We stayed at this hotel and had the BEST pancakes of our lives and incredible views of the lake. If you aren’t experienced in riding a motorbike, be sure to bring some provisions with you and inquire with your hotel if there is a place to store them. The roads are windy and not super walkable. Most restaurants are located at these little hotels and options are limited so take this into consideration when booking an accommodation. We also informed our hotel that we would be drinking beer so they could stock up. Most of these businsesses are very small and family run and serve mostly Balinese food with little western options. We cannot stress enough to either choose a hotel with an on site restaurant or stay somewhere within walking distance (5-10 mins). Volcano Terrace Bali also offers views of Lake Batur and is top rated in the area.
What to Do: Embark on a thrilling sunrise trek to the summit of Mount Batur. Afterward, relax in natural hot springs with stunning views of the volcano and Lake Batur. If you’re not feeling super adventerous, you can take this jeep tour which we took and throughly enjoyed, up a mountain to watch the sunrise on top of the jeep and eat a local breakfast and coffee or tea.
Must-Try Food: Warm up with a cup of traditional Balinese ginger tea and enjoy local favorites like Nasi Goring and Gado Gado.

Day 13-14: Kuta - Vibrant Farewell

How to Get There: Hire a driver or take a grab/taxi.
NOTE: We only recommend to stay in Kuta the day before your flight. The traffic in Bali can be INSANE and for us, it’s not worth the risk of missing our flight by staying somewhere outside of the airport area. Kuta used to be a popular spot in Bali years and years ago but it is now a little run down and completely westernized. You won’t experience the true Bali culture in Kuta but you will have peace of mind knowing you are only 10 minutes or less from the airport.
Where to Stay: Mamaka by Ovolo , BS Home and Amnaya Resort are some of the highest rated hotels in Kuta. We stayed at Amnaya and it was a beautiful ending to our time in Bali.
What to Do: Spend your final day in Bali with a visit to Kuta Beach to watch the sunset with a Bintang in hand. There is also a lot of shopping available in Kuta if you want to pick up any last minute souvenirs.
Must-Try Food: You will find mostly western restaurants in Kuta and honestly, we ordered delivery to the hotel instead of venturing out.

As your remarkable two-week journey in Bali comes to an end, you've experienced the best of Bali's natural wonders, surf culture, cultural treasures, and adventure. Bali's unique blend of experiences has left a lasting impression.

Take these cherished memories with you, and let them inspire future journeys to this beautiful island and beyond. Bali will always welcome you back with its warm hospitality and endless discoveries.

Safe travels, and may your future adventures be filled with new horizons and lasting memories!

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