1-Week Bali Travel Itinerary: Monkeys, Temples, & Beaches

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Bali has such an amazing variety of things to see and do: jungles, temples, markets, beaches, waterfalls, green rice paddies, and so much more.

One week won’t be nearly enough time to see it all, and a week spent in Bali feels more like a day (trust me), but you’re still guaranteed to have a heck of an adventure along the way.

This 1-week Bali travel itinerary will guide you through just a few of the unmissable highlights of the island, starting in the cultural center of Ubud and ending in the beach-filled Bukit Peninsula (also known as the Uluwatu area).

You can click the links for more information on each of these activities as you go!

 

About This Bali Travel Itinerary

To give some background on this Bali travel itinerary, my wife is Balinese and we always stay here between our other travels. It’s her home, and my second home, so we’ve spent countless days exploring the island.

Some Bali itineraries will tell you to split up your trip and spend 2 days in each area of the island. I think that’s crazy, because it’s not enough time to ‘put down roots’ or get familiar with an area, and constantly switching hotels will cut into how much sightseeing time you have!

Hence, this Bali travel itinerary spends 5 days based in Ubud (near the center of the island), and 2 days based in the Uluwatu area (south island). This gives you a good position for exploring sights in central/north Bali and also the south peninsula.

With that said, Bali is not a huge island, so you could easily accomplish this same itinerary while basing yourself in Kuta, Sanur, Canggu, etc if you want. The only difference is that you will spend more time driving, so you may want to cut a few things from the list (or sleep less!).

For most of the sights on this itinerary, you will need transportation. It’s easy to rent a scooter in Bali, or you can hire a private car with driver for 10 hours of sightseeing.

 

✈ Where To Start

This entire itinerary takes place on Bali island in Indonesia, but first you have to get there!

Fly to Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Bali, which is served by a bunch of budget friendly airlines with good ratings. AirAsia often has flights from Singapore (SIN), Bangkok (DMK), or Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Bali for 1 million Rupiah ($70 USD) or less.

You can shop for flights to Bali at Skyscanner.

Better yet, if you’re located in Australia or New Zealand, you can fly directly to Bali through a number of international airports like Adelaide, Cairns, or Perth, and the costs will be similar.

When you arrive in Bali, take an airport transfer by private taxi to Ubud (you can book this in advance on GetYourGuide).

Check in to your hotel in Ubud, and get rested up for the tropical adventure ahead!
 
 

• Day 1: Ubud Center

○ Monkey Forest Sanctuary

First things first: the monkeys! Swing by the famous Ubud monkey forest for a funny experience getting your pic taken with the Balinese macaques. There are hundreds of them living in the jungle here, and they’re (mostly) friendly to outsiders.
 

○ Ubud Market

Just up the street from the monkey forest, you’ll find the Ubud art market. It’s full of interesting handmade souvenirs like wood carvings, paintings, coconut bowls, rattan hats and bags, and everything else you can imagine. Feel free to haggle for lower prices, because some of the sellers here start a bit on the high side.
 

○ Ubud Palace

On the street corner is this fancy palace from the 1800s, with amazing Balinese stone carvings and courtyards. It’s a quick stop (15 minutes) but very worthwhile!
 

○ Saraswati Temple

Across the street from the Ubud palace, with just a 3 minute walk you’ll find Saraswati Temple. This one has elaborate doors and walls that make for some great photo spots.
 

Where To Stay In Ubud: Adiwana Unagi (Luxury) or Umah Dajane (Budget)
 
 

 

• Day 2: Ubud Terraces & Temples

○ Tegalalang Rice Terraces

Bali’s most famous rice terraces are at Tegalalang, just a 15 minute drive north of Ubud. There are foot paths to walk through the whole valley and see the terraces up close.
 

○ Gunung Kawi Sebatu Water Temple

For some reason this is one of the least known temples in Bali, even though it’s one of the most scenic (IMO) and easy to reach from Ubud. It has a nice koi pond, garden, and courtyards to explore, and it’s only a 5 minute drive north from Tegalalang.
 

○ Tirta Empul Temple

Tirta Empul is the most famous temple in the Tegalalang area, and one of the most famous in Bali. Tourists and locals alike come here to bathe in the Hindu spring. Even if that’s not your thing, you might enjoy the interesting buildings and the big art market nearby.
 

○ Gunung Kawi Temple

This is a hidden temple and archaeological site more than 1,000 years old, where you can see ancient funeral shrines carved into the cliffs. It’s a fascinating piece of Bali’s history.
 

○ Goa Gajah Temple

By this point you might be feeling templed out. If not, head over to Goa Gajah, a weird looking cave temple from the 9th century. It’s got one of the craziest doorways you’ll see in Bali.
 
 

 

• Day 3: Bangli Waterfalls

○ Goa Giri Campuhan Waterfall

The Bangli area has lots of great waterfalls and it’s not far from Ubud. Start with Goa Giri Campuhan waterfall, in the north. This one is hidden and you have to sneak through a couple of cool caves to reach it.
 

○ Kuning Waterfall

This is a unique looking waterfall and swimming hole at the bottom of a big ravine in the jungle. It’s a steep hike down, but you can cool off in the natural pools at the bottom.
 

○ Tibumana Waterfall

Tibumana used to be a secret waterfall, but it’s exploded in the last couple years and now every Instagrammer comes here. It’s still worth a visit!
 

○ Taman Sari Waterfall

This is another free waterfall just 500 meters from the entrance to Tibumana. It’s a small 2-step waterfall with no crowds, and you can reach it in 5-10 minutes.
 

○ Goa Rang Reng Waterfall

Watch out for slippery rocks! Goa Rang Reng has 3 different waterfalls, but my favorite is the first one, a big sloped cascade that looks like a natural Slip N Slide.
 
 

 

• Day 4: Bedugul Day Trip

○ Sekumpul Waterfall

Drive 2 hours north of Ubud to Sekumpul, one of the biggest and best waterfalls in Bali. The jungle surroundings and rice terraces here are completely epic — sure to be one of the highlights of your time in Bali.
 

○ Fiji Waterfall

This triple waterfall is a free bonus on the same hike. You can reach it with just a 10 minute walk from the Sekumpul waterfall.
 

○ Ulun Danu Bratan Temple

This pagoda temple in the middle of a lake is one of the most iconic photo spots in Bali. Even cooler is the fact that the lake it sits on is a former caldera (volcanic crater), and it’s the 2nd biggest lake in Bali.
 

○ Bali Botanic Garden

You might not see this place on many Bali itineraries, but we loved it and it’s very close to the lake temple. Some of the trees and plants here look like they’re straight out of Jurassic Park. The highlight is a huge Banyan tree that may be hundreds of years old.
 

○ Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

Drive south to Jatiluwih, where you’ll find some of the biggest and best rice fields in Bali. Take one of the trekking paths through the rice terraces and enjoy the views!
 
 

 

• Day 5: Ubud To Uluwatu

○ Mas Wood Carving

Hire a private driver for day 5 and head south from Ubud to Uluwatu, checking out some places on the way. First stop: Mas wood carving village. Balinese wood carvings are some of the best in Southeast Asia, and the carvers at Mas are known for being top notch. Warning though, some of these can be very pricey. Research and haggle before you buy.
 

○ Kemenuh Butterfly Park

This is a small park with hundreds of butterflies, but the best part is getting to hold an Atlas Moth, the biggest moth in the world. They also have giant stick bugs from Borneo.
 

○ Tegenungan Waterfall

Tegenungan is the busiest and most touristy waterfall in Bali. Don’t go here to escape the crowds, but it’s still a nice spot for lunch, and you’ll be driving past it anyway!
 

○ Bali Bird Park & Reptile Park

This park has more than 1,000 birds and reptiles ranging from tropical parrots to Komodo dragons. The grounds have an ancient ‘Angkor Wat’ theme that fits perfectly with the wildlife, and everything is very well managed. If the park’s not your thing, you can swap this with Batuan Temple (which is also nearby).
 

○ Transfer to Uluwatu

Drive the rest of the way to the Uluwatu area (45-60 minutes from the bird park) and check in to your next hotel. Get rested up and ready to see some beaches!
 

Where To Stay In Uluwatu: Green Escape Resort (Luxury) or Tempekan Hotel (Midrange)
 
 

 

• Day 6: Uluwatu

○ Tegal Wangi Beach

Head over to the west coast of Bali and check out Tegal Wangi, a small hidden beach with two sea caves and a set of tide pools to swim in.
 

○ Padang Padang Beach

Even though this beach is hidden at the bottom of a cliff, it’s a popular spot and it can get pretty crowded by noon. It has nice white sand, good surfing, and more monkeys! Everything you need for a good time.
 

○ Suluban Beach

This is a beach hidden in a cave, but my favorite part is the restaurant above, where you can grab drinks with a great view of the cliffs along the coast.
 

○ Uluwatu Temple

This temple sits on the edge of a big cliff and it’s one of the most popular places in Bali to watch the sunset. Hide your sunglasses! The monkeys at Uluwatu Temple are known for trying to snatch anything they can.
 
 

 

• Day 7: Uluwatu

○ Karang Boma Cliff

This is another steep cliff near Uluwatu, except with way less people and no safety fences to block your view of the waves crashing on the rocks below. It’s a nice quick stop for day 7 of your Bali travel itinerary.
 

○ Nunggalan Beach

Nunggalan is one of my favorite beaches in Bali. It’s an exhausting hike down the cliffs, but you’re rewarded with a huge beach mostly to yourself, and there’s a cool shipwreck for taking photos.
 

○ Green Bowl Beach

Green Bowl is another nice white sand beach with a couple of big caves, and it’s also a great spot to watch the sunset. The catch is that it requires going down more steep stairs.
 

○ Oneeighty Cliff Pool

Oneeighty is the coolest club in Bali, with an epic glass pool that sits on the edge of a cliff. The pool is part of a luxury hotel, but for a fee you can use the pool all day and that includes a food and beverage credit. Great place to wrap up your Bali trip!
 
 

 

More Bali Travel Tips

I hope this Bali travel itinerary was helpful for planning your own trip.

Don’t forget to check out my full Bali Travel Guide with free tips, info, photos, and more!
 

Ubud Hotels

 

Bali Private Driver & Motorbike Rental

If you want to explore Bali in the comfort and safety of a private car with an English speaking driver, my top recommendation would be GetYourGuide.

Their price is 650k Rupiah ($45 USD) for a full day of driving and sightseeing in Bali (up to 10 hours) for 1-5 passengers. That's the total price for the whole car + driver + petrol! It's a great deal. They also offer affordable hotel transfers from the airport.

If you'd rather travel by motorbike, they have that too. Their scooter rentals start at 140k Rupiah (~$9) and include a helmet, rain coat, and free delivery in the south Bali area.

We've used GetYourGuide for lots of tours and activities around the world, and they're great! Highly recommended.

Book Now: Bali Private Driver / Scooter Rental
 

 

When Is The Best Time To Visit Bali?

The best time to visit Bali depends on what you’re looking for:

☁ Bali’s rainy season runs from November to April. The weather during the day can be hot and humid at 90-95 F (32-35 C), but it’s less crowded during this time, and the rain is mostly at night.

☀ From May to August, the temps are a lot cooler, and it’s more breezy and sunny. This is the nicest weather. It’s also the high season, so it’s generally more crowded.

The sights on this Bali travel itinerary are spectacular at any time of the year, but I personally think the best months for photography are March to May (right after the rainy season ends), when most of the island is covered with green foliage.

 

See Also

• Bali Beach Guide - The Best Beaches In Bali
• Bali Waterfalls Guide - The Best Waterfalls In Bali
• Bali Temple Guide - The Best Temples In Bali
• Bali Travel Guide - Info, Pictures, & Blog
• Nusa Penida Island Guide - How To Visit From Bali
• Most Beautiful Indonesian Islands - Best Places To Visit In Indonesia