Itineraries
Visit the Tegallalang rice terraces in the early morning, before the day-trip buses arrive — bring a sarong for any temple stop. In the afternoon, explore the Ubud Royal Palace and the Ubud Art Market right next to it. In the evening, catch a Kecak or Legong dance performance at one of Ubud’s regular venues — this is a living tradition, not a tourist show, so it’s worth the effort of booking ahead.
DAY 2: TEMPLES
Start at Tirta Empul in the morning — the sacred spring temple where Balinese come for ritual purification, one of the most genuinely active religious sites you can visit anywhere in Indonesia. In the afternoon, head to Tanah Lot sea temple for the late light. The sunset view here is heavily photographed for good reason — the temple perched on a rock in the sea at low tide genuinely delivers even knowing exactly what you’re about to see.
DAY 3: BEACH SOUTH
Spend the day in Seminyak or Canggu soaking up the beach club culture — this is the hedonistic, modern Bali, and there’s nothing wrong with giving it a day after two days in the cultural interior. Catch Uluwatu temple at sunset, with a Kecak performance on the clifftop overlook — one of Bali’s most dramatic combined experiences.
ONE THING WORTH KNOWING: a private driver for all three days, arranged through your accommodation, is the most practical and economical way to cover the distances between sites — they’re spread across the island and not well served by public transport for tourist routes.
