bali in 5 days, 4 nights
Two nights in Ubud for the Monkey Forest and the rice terraces, then down to the south coast by way of Tanah Lot, for Jimbaran seafood and the clifftop sunset at Uluwatu.
Day 1 Up to Ubud
- Morning
- Fly from KL to Denpasar, about 3 hours; Bali is on the same time as Malaysia. Then drive up to Ubud, about 1.5 hours depending on traffic.
- Lunch
- Nasi campur Bali at a warung in Ubud: rice with a little of everything.
- Afternoon
- Check in, then walk to the Ubud Monkey Forest at the southern end of town. Keep sunglasses, snacks and anything loose out of sight.
- Evening
- Bebek betutu for dinner, duck slow-cooked in spices and banana leaf.
Day 2 Rice terraces
- Morning
- Go to the Tegallalang rice terraces early, about 30 minutes' drive north of Ubud, before the heat and the tour groups. Walk down the paths between the terraces.
- Lunch
- Babi guling, Balinese spit-roast pork with spiced rice, back in Ubud.
- Afternoon
- Rest by the pool or book a massage. Ubud is a good place to do nothing for an afternoon.
- Evening
- Dinner in Ubud town, and a traditional dance performance if there's one on nearby.
Day 3 Tanah Lot and the south
- Morning
- Check out and drive about an hour to Tanah Lot, the temple on a rock in the sea. At low tide you can walk across to the base of the rock.
- Lunch
- Lunch at a warung near Tanah Lot.
- Afternoon
- Drive down to Jimbaran or Uluwatu, about 1.5 hours, and check in for the last two nights.
- Evening
- Jimbaran seafood: grilled fish and prawns at a table on the sand as the sun sets. From Uluwatu it's about 30 minutes back up the road.
Day 4 Uluwatu
- Morning
- A slow morning at one of the beaches below the Uluwatu cliffs. Some are down long flights of steps, so wear sandals with grip.
- Lunch
- Lunch at a café or warung along the clifftop roads.
- Afternoon
- Rest through the afternoon heat.
- Evening
- Get to Uluwatu Temple well before sunset for the clifftop views and the Kecak dance. Hold on to your sunglasses; the monkeys here grab things too.
Day 5 Home
- Morning
- A last swim and a slow breakfast, then check out.
- Lunch
- An early lunch near the hotel.
- Afternoon
- Drive to the airport, about 45 minutes from Uluwatu or less from Jimbaran, and fly home.
Good to know
- Book a car and driver for Day 3. It's the easiest way to stop at Tanah Lot on the way south, and most hotels can arrange one.
- For the Mount Batur sunrise trek, swap it in for Day 2. Pickups are in the small hours, and you can stop at Tegallalang on the drive back.
- Foreign visitors pay a tourist levy on arrival. Dress respectfully at temples; sarongs are usually provided.