Where to go on the island of the gods.

Bali is small on the map and enormous on the ground. From cliff temples in the south to crater lakes in the north, every village has a story. This is our field guide — the places we drive to most often, what makes each one worth the journey, and what to know before you go.

Travel times are measured from Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in south Bali.

Pura Luhur Uluwatu sea temple perched on a limestone cliff above the Indian Ocean at sunset, Bali
South Bali

Uluwatu

Cliff-top sea temple, sunset kecak fire dance, the very edge of Bali.

1h 10m
Late afternoon for sunset
Ubud rice paddies and palm trees in the central highlands of Bali, Indonesia
Central Bali

Ubud

The cultural and spiritual heart of Bali — palaces, monkey forest, art, rice paddies.

1h 30m
Year-round; mornings are quietest
Pura Tanah Lot sea temple silhouetted against the sunset on a rocky outcrop off Bali’s west coast
West Bali

Tanah Lot

Bali’s most photographed sea temple, perched on a tide-cut rock.

1h 15m
One hour before sunset
Stepped emerald rice terraces of Tegalalang near Ubud in central Bali, part of the UNESCO subak landscape
Central Bali

Tegalalang

Stepped emerald rice terraces and a thousand-year-old irrigation system.

1h 50m
Mid-morning, in the growing season
Mount Batur volcano and Lake Batur seen from the Kintamani highlands of north Bali
North Bali

Kintamani

An active volcano, a vast caldera lake, and a cool-mountain village.

2h 30m
Sunrise hike (start 3:30am) or late morning
Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, the water temple on Lake Beratan in the central highlands of Bali
Central Bali

Bedugul

A cool highland lake, an iconic water temple, and Bali’s only botanical garden.

2h 15m
Morning, before the highland mist
The split gate of Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang framing Mount Agung at sunrise, East Bali
East Bali

Lempuyang

The Gates of Heaven, the easternmost of Bali’s six sad kahyangan, and a pilgrimage up a sacred mountain.

2h 45m
Sunrise, for the clearest Mount Agung view

Found somewhere that caught your eye?

We can take you there. Tell us where you’d like to go and we’ll help you plan a half-day, full-day, or multi-day trip with one of our drivers.

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