6 Amazing Things to Do in Bali

Planning for bigger trips is stressful, and I am one to get overwhelmed when there is so much to see and do with limited time. To help with that, I collected my favorite things to do in Bali. I hope these give some inspiration for different ways to see this amazing place.

Why Go to Bali?

First things first, why Bali?

There are so many amazing photos and stories of Bali, Indonesia. It has beautiful beaches, amazing landscapes, incredible culture, amazing temples, and it’s filled with kind people. Not to mention, it is one of the more affordable places to travel. There is so much to see and do! Almost too much to see and do…

If you need more convincing, I actually wrote a love letter to Bali, for being so amazing to me. It really holds a special place in my heart.

Unless you have months to explore, Bali is hard to fully experience. So below is a small list of some amazing tours and destinations I curated to help inspire your trip.

For a Map of all these places, consider checking out my Google Pins: Best of Bali

Without further ado, let’s get started.

Tegallalang Rice Fields

The Tegallalang Rice Fields in Ubud are a large cluster of paddies that follow the traditional Balinese irrigation system. It has since become a super popular tourist attraction – for good reason.

I spent half my day here trying to get the full experience. These fields are a beautiful site to walk through and offer fantastic photo opportunities with the landscape, the gardening setup, and the small activities around the fields. In the summer seasons, you can even pay to do ziplines across the fields for better views.

This is also one of the locations of the famous “Bali Swing” photos. Because this is such a hot commodity, they offer a place to rent a big flowy dress, secure you into the swing, and even have a photographer available to get the best photos. (The photographer will use your phone camera if you ask them to).

Pura Tirta Empul Water Temple

This water temple blew me away with how empowering it was. Pura Tirta Empul is famous for its holy spring water and sacred ponds with small ever-going whirlpools. This temple stands out, however, by the ceremony it allows you to participate in (at a price of course – but it’s only like 4$ US).  

This temple is where people go for a ritual purification called Melukat. The holistic ritual is performed to clear the spiritual and physical body from our past. With the help of a guide, the ceremony takes you through offerings, prayers, and a series of pools to rid yourself of negative elements.

Even without the support of religious beliefs, this place still feels empowering and you can feel something lighter after participating. It left a mark on me and I will always recommend it to others visiting.

Monkey Forest

If you are in Ubud this is the most touristy place you can go to, but this is also a must-do location. The Monkey Forest is a protected area home to hundreds of monkey families!

You are guaranteed to see monkeys as soon as you walk in, with them often trying to see what’s in your bag, steal your shoes, or join in with your selfies.

In addition to the monkeys watching you from everywhere, this place is also a beautiful temple covered in unique tree vines and bridges. The monkey forest is such an odd contrast to the bustling city that surrounds it. It’s so interesting to see the transformation from city to forest as you drive in.

The forest entry fee is about USD 6 per person and you could honestly spend a good 3 hours here exploring the whole park. It’s a cute afternoon activity that I think is worth the visit.

Sekumpul Waterfalls

Bali is filled with amazing cities, but if you don’t mind venturing a little bit out, it’s also so lush with amazing forests and filled with hidden waterfall gems.

The waterfalls in Bali were the #1 reason I fell in love with it there. Never before have I seen such breathtaking scenery. Sekumpul Waterfalls was my absolute favorite spot. It started as a hike down a steep section of stairs and across a small river, but it opened up into an absolute jaw-dropping view.

Mount Batur Sunrise Hike

Mount Batur is an active volcano in the northwest of Bali. As a hiker, this was a must-do on my trip and should be on yours too.

I went with a company on Airbnb Experiences and had a fantastic time.

This hike starts around 4 am (depending on where you are) to get picked up from your hotel. From there you are equipped with flashlights and a local guide to start the climb up in the dark around 5. The hike itself is about 2-3 hours but with the conversations with the guide and the many stop points for rest, it didn’t feel that long (in my opinion).

The top of the volcano offers amazing views of the landscape around the mountain and cities that border the ocean. Not only do you get to have breakfast while the sun rises, but you also get to explore the volcano top and all the holes that still seep warm steam. It’s pretty cool.

Additionally, when making your way down the volcano after sunrise you start to realize how interesting the mountain is. Of course, you can’t see much in the dark, but in light, you have a full view of the open space and volcanic ash everywhere.

There are also multiple jeep tours to different vantage points on the volcano. The jeep tours skip the hike but still bring you stunning places atop Mt.Batur.

Additionally, some amazing sunrise hikes bring you views of Mount Batur instead of from the mountaintop. I didn’t do this myself but I hear they are amazing as well.

Visit the Chocolate/Coffee Plantations

I put visiting a chocolate/coffee plantation on my list of must-do’s for everyone – coffee and non-coffee drinkers alike and here’s why:

Balinese coffee and chocolate are famous for their quality and unique harvesting/production. But I was sold by the views that each plantation offered. The coffee/chocolate shops are not homes to big factories for product production, instead, they are surrounded by the lush plants used for harvest.

These plantations do not only let you taste their different brews, but they also go through the process of how they make them and why Balieniese coffee is so unique compared to the rest of the world.

I went to Santi Coffee Plantation where they walked us through how the coffee was prepared – from harvest to cup – and told us the history of Kopi Luwak Coffee! They also had a series of amazing teas and chocolates to try.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg. I truly love Bali and all it has to offer its travelers. There are so many more amazing things to do and see, that one post will never be enough. I encourage you to keep looking for activities to try and places to explore while planning your trip, but for now, I hope this post helped a little bit.

Thank you for reading!

About the Author

• Instagram
• Pinterest