Bali 5-Day Itinerary

Five days is enough for a real sense of Bali if you stick to two bases and let a driver handle the long transfers. This plan puts Ubud first, while you have the energy for early mornings, and ends on the Bukit, close to the airport, so the last day isn't spent in a car.

Day 1: land and head inland

Afternoon: drive from the airport to Ubud, around an hour and a half. 6pm: walk to the palace for a Legong or Kecak performance. 8pm: dinner at a warung off the main road. Keep it light. The heat and the jet lag arrive together.

Day 2: Ubud on foot

7am: the Campuhan Ridge Walk, carrying on into the rice fields at Bangkiang Sidem. 10am: breakfast back in town. 11am: the Sacred Monkey Forest. 1pm to 4pm: lunch, then rest through the hottest hours. Late afternoon: the market streets and a cooking class or a massage. Our Ubud guide has the details of the route.

Day 3: water temples and rice

8am: with a driver, Tirta Empul while the pools are quiet. 10am: Gunung Kawi's cliff shrines, a short drive away and around 300 steps down. Midday: lunch overlooking the terraces, then Tegallalang only if you still want it. Or swap the whole day for a Mount Batur sunrise hike, which means a pickup at about 2am and a long nap.

Day 4: highlands to the sea

8am: check out and drive north to Ulun Danu Beratan on its lake. 11am: the terraces at Jatiluwih, with lunch there. 4pm: Tanah Lot for the late light. Evening: continue south to your hotel on the Bukit. This is a long day in the car, so if it sounds like too much, drop the highlands and just stop at Tanah Lot. Background on each temple is in our temples guide.

Day 5: beaches and Uluwatu

Morning: Bingin, Padang Padang or Melasti, whichever suits the tide. 4:30pm: Uluwatu Temple for the clifftop paths. Sunset: the Kecak dance. Dinner: grilled fish on the sand at Jimbaran, 20 to 30 minutes from the airport for tomorrow.

With a sixth day, add a night on Nusa Penida by fast boat from Sanur. With a week, swap the Bukit for Amed or Sidemen. Our where to stay guide helps you choose the second base.