The best Bali tour starts with your theme, your days and how you will get around. Day tours run from 3 hours to 12 or 13 hours. The three private 10-hour tours below cost from US$89 to US$94 per person. A private guide gives you the most control, and a set tour takes the planning off your hands.
What kinds of Bali day tours are there?
Day tours range from short 3-hour outings to full days of 12 to 13 hours. Some tours stretch over 3 days, but this guide stays with single-day choices. Pick a theme first: waterfalls, World Heritage sites, monkeys and temples, city food, or a sunrise trek.
Three private 10-hour tours
All three are listed as all-inclusive.
East Bali gate and water day
This day stops at Lempuyang Temple, Tirta Gangga, rice terraces and Tukad Cepung Waterfall. The company focuses on private or small groups.
Temple and dance day
A cultural day can start at Tanah Lot Temple on its rock formation. It continues to Pura Taman Ayun, known for its gardens. It ends with a Legong dance performance at Ubud Palace. Entry to Ubud Palace is free.
City walk and food
This tour is a guided walk through Central Denpasar’s heritage streets, with a visit to Pura Agung Jagatnatha. You eat street food at Badung Night Market. The tasting covers babi guling and bakso, plus Indonesian Arabica coffee. Guests also receive an udeng for men or a sash for women.
Sunrise trek and active days
A sunrise trek up Mount Batur suits adventure seekers. Surfing, snorkeling and a Balinese cooking class are other options. Mountain bike tours and nature tours are also common.
Private local guide
With a private guide, you choose the hour, the day and the place. You set your own itinerary, and there is no waiting for a group.
How do you choose the right tour?
Start with your interests. Are you a nature lover, a history fan or a foodie? Match the tour to that answer, and the day will count.
- Group size: Smaller groups and fewer stops give each place more time.
- Price: Compare what is covered. Ask any operator whether temple and park entry fees are included, since sites charge them separately.
- Flexibility: Some tours refund you if you cancel up to 7 days before. Easy rescheduling is also worth asking about.
- Stamina: A 10-hour day is long. A short 3-hour excursion suits a lighter schedule.
- Festival timing: Galungan falls every 210 days, and Kuningan follows the next week.
How many days do you need in Bali?
For most travelers, 7 to 10 days is the sweet spot. A split of 3–4 days in Ubud for culture and nature and 2–3 days in South Bali for beaches and sunsets fills a week. A five-day trip still works if you stay in just one or two regions.
Seven days gives an overview of the highlights. With 10–12 days you can experience the culture, and you can add East Bali, North Bali or nearby islands. Families and honeymooners often prefer 10–14 days.
A 4-night solo plan covers Ubud and Seminyak.
How much does a Bali trip cost?
Money is easier than time. $100 per day is more than enough for a comfortable trip. Budget travelers can live on less than $50 a day. Mid-range travelers spend more on massages, entrance fees and good restaurants.
Book flights early. For travelers from India, there are no direct flights to Bali yet, and advance round trips average INR 20,000–30,000. Book a few months out.
Groups can think about villas. For a group of six, villas made more sense than hotels and cost less over a longer stay. They also come with security day and night and assistance all day.
How do you get around?
The island is compact, and there are no huge distances to cover. Even so, drives eat into a day, and traffic is heavy. Allow buffer time if you need to catch a flight.
Hired driver
Traveling by car, with a rental or a hired driver, is the most convenient way to explore the island. You set the stops, the pace and the start time. Day trips and two-way trips work out a lot cheaper with a driver than with taxis. Drivers and excursions are mostly booked over WhatsApp.
Rideshares, taxis and buses
Grab and Gojek both run on the island. GrabCar has a range of vehicle options, including 6-seaters, and rides come at fixed rates. For short trips, the Blue Bird taxi app is another choice. Tourist shuttle buses also run.
Local minibuses called bemos are cheap but infrequent, and they do not go everywhere.
Scooters
Scooters suit confident riders. Rentals run INR 400–500 a day. Wear a helmet, and make sure your travel insurance covers scooter riding. Seminyak roads are chaotic, while Ubud looks more doable on two wheels.
Arriving
Most visitors land at I Gusti Ngurah Rai airport, about 13 km outside Denpasar. Prebooked taxis, regular taxis, rideshares and buses reach Denpasar in around half an hour. They also run straight to the traveler hubs on the coast. Some travelers arrive by ferry from Java and Lombok instead.
Visitors from eligible countries can use a Visa on Arrival for stays of up to 30 days. Other visa options exist for longer stays.
Driving times between stops
- Uluwatu to Seminyak is a 40-minute drive.
- Canggu to Tanah Lot Temple is 25 minutes.
- Tegenungan Waterfall is about an hour from Canggu and half an hour from Ubud.
- Tegallalang Rice Terrace is a 20-minute drive north of Ubud.
- Sekumpul Waterfall is about a 2-hour drive from Seminyak.
When is the best time to go?
High season is July, August and December, when crowds swell and prices soar. July and August are the driest months, with good weather for exploring and good surfing conditions. December is often damp and cloudy but still warm and very busy.
For a calmer trip, May, June and September bring lower prices, moderate rainfall and smaller crowds. Temperatures stay warm all year. The average only occasionally dips below 27°C (81°F).
Bali has two seasons, wet and dry. Rain need not ruin a wet-season trip, and December showers can be short and welcome. Light clothes suit the humidity. A long-sleeve swimsuit and high-SPF sunscreen guard against strong sun.
What do entry fees cost?
Tour prices may not cover every ticket. Entry fees are small, but they add up over several days.
What can you see on a self-guided day?
Ubud packs several stops close together. You can also build days around other regions. Here are the ideas that work best.
An Ubud culture day
Start at the Ubud Palace, which is free.
The museum sits near Ubud Monkey Forest.
End with a dance show. Ubud Palace is one of the most popular venues, with performances in an ornate royal courtyard. Pura Dalem Ubud stages Kecak and other traditional dances against flame-lit backdrops.
An Ubud waterfall and rice terrace day
Tegenungan Waterfall is one of the most famous in Bali. It has a trail of about 100 steps, changing rooms and cafes, and it can get busy. Afterward, head to Tegallalang Rice Terrace, one of the most visited attractions in the area.
For a longer trip, Sekumpul Waterfall has a walk down of about 30 minutes along a muddy path with steep steps. A second waterfall nearby is about a 5-minute walk away and is often quieter. Pack snacks, water, a towel and shoes that can get wet.
An ancient temples day
Begin at Goa Gajah on Jalan Goa Gajah. Move on to Gunung Kawi in Tampaksiring. Tirta Empul is nearby. Both temple tickets include a sarong, so you need not bring one.
A South Bali coast day
Start in Seminyak at Petitenget Temple. It was built in the 16th century and is an active place of worship. It is small and compact, with traditional Balinese architecture and garden spaces.
Finish at Tanah Lot for the evening. The name means “land in the sea”, and a land bridge lined with souvenir stalls leads to it. Sunset is the best time to visit, when the sea turns gold.
A Bukit and Nusa Dua day
Nusa Dua Beach is nearby. Then head to the Bukit Peninsula and Garuda Wisnu Kencana. A viewpoint of the Garuda statue sits within the park.
A Denpasar and Sanur culture day
The capital suits a museum day. Alun-Alun Puputan and Pura Agung Jagatnata are nearby.
Then go to Sanur. Sanur Beach is nearby.
A garden and nature day
The Bali Botanic Garden is the largest botanical garden in Indonesia. The Bali Treetop Adventure Park is nearby.
What does a sample 5-night plan look like?
A short trip can mix two regions. On day 1, arrive in Seminyak and watch the sunset at Tanah Lot. Day 2 is a beach day with café hopping and an optional spa.
The middle days can go to Ubud. Use the culture day and the waterfall day above. Day 5 can close with a cultural dance show or a sunrise hike up Mount Batur. Tanah Lot, Uluwatu Temple and Tegallalang all fit in five days.
A 7-day circuit
If you have a week and like variety, try a circuit. It runs from the surf beaches of the southwest coast to Ubud. It ends on the east coast in the diving center of Tulamben. It moves a lot, so it works best with a driver.
Should you book a package?
Some operators sell fixed plans by traveler type. They range from a 4-night solo plan covering Ubud and Seminyak to a 12-night honeymoon plan with Ubud, Gili Trawangan and Nusa Penida. Packages take the booking work off your hands. A self-built plan gives you more control over stops and pace.
A base-and-day-trip plan sits in between. Pick one or two bases and radiate out. Ubud suits culture and the south suits beaches. With a full week you can add day trips to Nusa Penida, Mount Batur or the waterfalls of North Bali.
What else should I know before I go?
- Several museums close early on Fridays, so check hours before you fix the order of stops.
- Respect active temples. Petitenget Temple welcomes tourists, but it is an active place of worship.
- Skip the sarong rental at Goa Gajah, since the ticket includes one.
- Pack SPF 50 for strong sun and light clothes for humidity.
- Do not fly a drone at the botanic garden without paying.
What is popular to do besides tours?
Beaches and forest escapes draw many visitors. So do the areas of Uluwatu, Ubud, Seminyak and Kuta. Cooking classes and surfing are other choices.
When is the cheapest month to go?
The cheapest month is not known, so check fares for your own dates. May, June and September bring lower prices than the high season.
Opening hours, prices and visiting details: Bali Museum, Puri Lukisan Museum, Agung Rai Museum of Art, Neka Art Museum.