Bali Travel Guide: The Places We Loved, What We Learned & Why We'd Go Back
Planning a trip to Bali? From Ubud and Nusa Penida to Gili Air and Uluwatu, here's what our 16-night Bali adventure taught us about choosing where to stay, what to prioritise and how to make your trip feel like more than just another Bali holiday.
There are some destinations that you visit and come home from thinking:
'That was amazing'.
And then there are destinations that somehow follow you home.
For us, Bali was the second kind.
We arrived with a rough plan.
We left with memories we hadn't expected.
There were temples and ceremonies, rice terraces and beaches, manta rays and mountain views, long lunches, unexpected friendships, a handmade piece of jewellery, far too many beautiful sunsets...
And, somewhere along the way, a proposal. 🤍
But what surprised us most wasn't any one particular place.
It was how dramatically Bali changes from one area to another.
Canggu feels completely different from Ubud.
Ubud feels completely different from Gili Air.
Nusa Penida feels like another world entirely.
And then there's Uluwatu - the place neither of us expected to love quite as much as we did.
So if you're planning your first trip to Bali, here's a little taste of what we discovered.
Not a complete itinerary.
Not every restaurant, hotel and hidden gem.
Just enough to help you understand why we fell for this island - and where we'd start looking if we were planning it all over again.
🌺 First things first: Bali isn't just one experience
This is probably the biggest thing I'd want someone to understand before booking a Bali trip.
When people say: 'We're going to Bali'.
that could mean almost anything.
A week around Seminyak.
A wellness retreat in Ubud.
A surf trip to Canggu.
A villa holiday in Uluwatu.
A backpacking adventure around the islands.
A honeymoon.
A family holiday.
Or something like our trip:
A little bit of everything.
We spent 16 nights travelling through six destinations, with a short Singapore stopover at the beginning.
Our route was:
Singapore → Canggu → Ubud → Gili Air → Nusa Penida → Uluwatu
And the contrast between each stop became one of our favourite parts of the journey.
✈️ Getting to Bali
We flew into Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali's main international airport.
If you're travelling from the UK, you're likely to be looking at a long-haul journey, potentially with one or more connections.
We chose to make ours part of the adventure with a short Singapore stopover before continuing to Bali.
And honestly?
We loved that decision.
Two nights in Singapore gave us a completely different experience before we even reached Indonesia.
It meant our holiday didn't feel like:
airport → hotel → Bali.
It already felt like the adventure had started.
If you have the time and budget for a stopover, I'd absolutely consider adding one.
How long do you need in Bali?
There isn't really one answer.
But I would say:
Don't try to see everything.
Bali looks relatively small on a map.
That doesn't mean getting around it is quick.
Traffic can be slow, journeys can take longer than expected and moving between destinations repeatedly can eat into your holiday.
Our trip was 16 nights, which gave us enough time to experience several very different parts of Bali without spending every day moving hotels.
And even then...
We didn't see everything.
Not even close.
That's why I think the better question is:
'What do I want my Bali trip to feel like?'
Do you want:
🌿 Culture and spirituality?
🏝️ Beaches and island life?
🥾 Adventure?
🧘 Wellness?
🍜 Food?
🍹 Nightlife?
💑 Romance?
Or a mixture?
Once you know that, choosing where to stay becomes much easier.
🌴 Canggu: beautiful, Instagrammable... but not quite us
Our first Bali stop was Canggu.
And I'll be honest:
We didn't completely fall in love with it.
That doesn't mean we disliked it.
Canggu is beautiful.
It's full of stylish cafés, villas, beach clubs, restaurants and that very recognisable modern Bali aesthetic.
If you love the digital-nomad lifestyle, café culture, surfing and a lively social scene, you might absolutely adore it.
For us, though, it felt a little too polished and performative at times.
And that's okay.
Not every destination has to be your destination.
What we did love was discovering that Canggu isn't really one place.
Different areas have noticeably different personalities - from busy Batu Bolong to the quieter feel of Pererenan.
Our advice?
Experience Canggu.
But don't automatically assume you need to spend a week there.
For us, two nights was enough.
And one unexpected highlight?
Waterbom Bali.
We went in with fairly low expectations and ended up having one of the most fun days of the trip.
Sometimes the unexpected experiences are the ones you remember most.
🌿 Ubud: the soul of Bali
If Canggu felt like modern Bali, Ubud felt like something completely different.
This was where the trip started to feel more deeply connected to the island.
Rice terraces.
Temples.
Offerings.
Incense.
Jungle.
Ceremonies.
Wellness.
And that feeling that Bali wasn't simply somewhere beautiful to look at - it was somewhere with a living culture happening around you.
We experienced one of the most meaningful moments of our trip here: a sacred blessing ceremony.
And this is one of the reasons I think Ubud deserves more than a quick day trip.
Give yourself time.
Wander.
Slow down.
Allow yourself to experience something that wasn't necessarily on your original checklist.
Ubud was also where we discovered some of the more adventurous sides of Bali, from ATV experiences to exploring the surrounding countryside.
But I'm deliberately not going to give you our full list here.
Because the exact experiences we'd recommend, where we'd stay, where we'd eat and how we'd structure your time in Ubud are all part of our Bali Travel Guides.
🏝️ Gili Air: when you need to slow down
After Ubud, we headed for Gili Air.
And the atmosphere changed again.
There are no motorised vehicles on the island.
Instead, you'll find bicycles and cidomo carts, sandy paths and a much slower pace of life.
And sometimes that's exactly what a holiday needs.
Nothing.
No rushing.
No trying to fit six attractions into a day.
No worrying about whether you're making the most of your time.
Just: beach → swim → eat → sunset → repeat.
We only spent a couple of nights here, but it gave us the reset we didn't realise we needed.
And if you're someone who likes snorkelling or diving, Gili Air can also be a brilliant addition to a Bali itinerary.
It's particularly well suited to people wanting to combine island relaxation with underwater experiences.
🐠 Nusa Penida: wild, dramatic and unforgettable
Then came Nusa Penida.
And honestly?
Nothing quite prepares you for it.
After the relative refinement of Ubud and the slow island life of Gili Air, Nusa Penida feels raw.
The roads are bumpy.
The cliffs are dramatic.
The landscapes feel almost unreal.
And it has that wonderful feeling of being slightly on the edge of the world.
It was also where something very important happened to us.
I (Ma) got down on one knee 🤍
So perhaps I'm slightly biased.
But Nusa Penida will always have a very special place in our story.
🐋 Manta rays & Nusa Penida
One of our biggest experiences here was manta ray snorkelling.
We headed out in the morning to look for manta rays around Gamat Bay.
And yes:
We saw them.
But there's something important I'd tell anyone planning this experience.
They're wild animals.
There are no guarantees.
And conditions can be challenging, particularly if you're not a confident swimmer.
The experience can also be busy.
So go for the experience, not because someone on Instagram promised you a perfect encounter.
And if you do go?
Respect the wildlife.
Don't chase them.
Don't touch them.
Let them be wild.
🏖️ Nusa Penida isn't just Kelingking Beach
Kelingking is probably the image that immediately comes to mind when someone says Nusa Penida.
And yes...
It's spectacular.
But there's so much more.
There are dramatic beaches, viewpoints, natural pools, snorkelling spots and quieter corners of the island.
The east and west sides also offer completely different experiences.
And here's one thing we learned:
Timing matters.
A lot.
Arriving at an iconic viewpoint even a little later can completely change the experience, with crowds building quickly.
That is the sort of detail that sounds small when you're planning a trip from home.
When you're standing at a viewpoint surrounded by hundreds of people...
It matters rather a lot.
🌊 Uluwatu: the one that stole our hearts
And then came Uluwatu.
I didn't expect this one.
I'd assumed Ubud would be the place that stayed with me.
But Uluwatu completely surprised us.
The cliffs.
The ocean.
The slower pace.
The sunsets.
The long lunches.
The villa life.
The freedom to jump on a scooter and see where the road takes you.
It felt like the perfect ending to our trip.
We stayed in a private villa with a pool, and that sense of having our own little space was exactly what we wanted by this point in the journey.
And if you're looking for somewhere in Bali that feels romantic without being overly 'honeymoon-y', I'd definitely put Uluwatu on your list.
🔥 Don't skip the Kecak Fire Dance
Yes, it's popular.
Yes, it's touristy.
And yes: I'd still do it.
The Kecak Fire Dance at Uluwatu Temple takes place around sunset, with the performance set against the dramatic clifftop surroundings.
It is one of those experiences where you can understand why something became popular in the first place.
The setting alone is spectacular.
And seeing the sun disappear over the ocean while the performance unfolds?
Definitely worth experiencing.
Just book ahead.
Bali is made for slowing down
One thing I hadn't fully appreciated before visiting Bali was just how easy it is to combine adventure and wellness.
You can spend one day:
🥾 climbing
🐠 snorkelling
🏍️ exploring
🌴 wandering through rice fields
and the next:
🧘 having a treatment
♨️ relaxing
🌅 watching the sunset
🍜 eating for hours
That balance became a huge part of why we loved the trip.
And if you're planning a couples' trip or honeymoon, I think this combination is particularly special.
You don't need to choose between:
'doing things' and 'doing nothing'.
Bali gives you plenty of opportunities for both.
🍜 And then there's the food
I could probably write an entire article about eating our way around Bali.
Indonesian food is one of the joys of travelling here, from tiny local warungs to beautiful restaurants and everything in between.
But here's my biggest piece of advice:
Don't eat every meal at your hotel.
Go local.
Try warungs.
Order things you've never heard of.
Have a fancy meal.
Have a £2 meal.
Try something because you have absolutely no idea what it is.
Some of our favourite food memories weren't the most expensive meals.
They were simply the meals attached to a particularly good day.
🚗 Getting around Bali
This is one area where I'd strongly recommend doing your research before arriving.
Because Bali traffic can be...
an experience.
We used a private driver, and this ended up being one of the best decisions we made.
Having somebody who knew the roads, understood timings and could take care of the logistics made such a difference.
Our Complete Guide goes into much more detail about the driver we used, how we organised our transfers and why we'd recommend approaching transportation this way rather than simply improvising everything once you arrive.
Would I recommend hiring a scooter?
Only if you're genuinely confident and legally permitted to ride one.
Don't learn to ride a scooter for the first time in Bali traffic.
And make sure your travel insurance actually covers you - scooter use can require specific conditions and cover.
For us, having a driver meant we could concentrate on experiencing Bali rather than navigating it.
💰 Is Bali expensive?
Compared with the UK, Bali can offer excellent value.
But your budget will depend enormously on how you travel.
You can stay in a simple guesthouse.
Or a private pool villa.
You can eat from local warungs.
Or book high-end tasting menus.
You can take local transport.
Or have a private driver.
The important thing is that Bali can be whatever kind of trip you want it to be.
Our own guide uses a broad daily budget rather than pretending there's one 'Bali budget', because your accommodation and experience choices can change the total dramatically.
☀️ When is the best time to visit Bali?
The traditional dry season is generally May to September, while April and October can offer a useful shoulder-season balance.
The wet season typically runs from around November to March, bringing more rain but also greener landscapes and potentially better value.
But don't assume:
wet season = ruined holiday.
Tropical rain can arrive dramatically and then disappear again.
The trade-off is that weather is less predictable.
So choose your dates based on what matters most to you:
Weather?
Price?
Crowds?
Surf?
Diving?
Green landscapes?
There isn't one perfect month for everyone.
🧳 A few things I'd definitely pack
Without turning this into the packing list from our guide, there are a few things I wouldn't leave home without.
☀️ High-SPF sun cream
The tropical sun is no joke.
🩴 A sarong or modest temple outfit
You'll need to dress appropriately when visiting temples and sacred sites.
👟 Proper shoes
Particularly if you're planning ATV experiences, hikes or more adventurous activities.
🌧️ A lightweight rain jacket
Especially if you're travelling outside the driest months.
💧 A dry bag
Particularly useful for boat journeys and water-based activities.
💵 Indonesian Rupiah
Cash is still useful for smaller vendors, local transport and certain island expenses.
🛂 A few practical things to sort before you fly
Indonesia's entry requirements can change, so always check the latest official requirements before travelling.
At the time of writing, our guide covers the e-VOA, Indonesia's digital arrival card and Bali's tourist levy as part of the pre-trip checklist.
The big lesson?
Don't leave your arrival admin until the airport.
Sort what you can in advance.
Save your confirmations.
Keep digital copies.
And make sure your passport details are entered correctly.
It sounds boring.
Until you're standing in an airport queue after a long-haul flight wishing you'd spent 15 minutes doing it at home.
❤️ The Bali moments we'll remember
When I think back to Bali, I don't immediately think about a specific hotel or restaurant.
I think about:
The smell of incense in the morning.
A ceremony we were lucky enough to witness.
Swimming alongside manta rays.
Standing on cliffs above impossibly blue water.
Getting engaged in Nusa Penida.
The people we met.
The driver who became part of our story.
Long evenings over food.
The feeling of slowing down.
And perhaps most of all:
The fact that the trip became something completely different from what we'd imagined.
We came for Bali.
We left with a story.
So, where should you go in Bali?
If you're planning your first trip, here's my biggest piece of advice:
Don't try to do everything.
Instead, choose a handful of places that give you different experiences.
For example:
Want culture & spirituality?
Ubud
Want beaches & island life?
Gili Air
Want dramatic scenery & adventure?
Nusa Penida
Want cliffs, sunsets & romance?
Uluwatu
Want cafés, beach clubs & a lively social scene?
Canggu
And if you have enough time?
Combine them.
That's exactly what we did.
And the contrast between them is what made the trip feel so rich.
🗺️ Our Bali route
Our 16-night route looked like this:
Singapore - 2 nights
↓
Canggu - 2 nights
↓
Ubud - 4 nights
↓
Gili Air - 2–3 nights
↓
Nusa Penida - 2 nights
↓
Uluwatu - 3–4 nights
It gave us a mixture of:
city + culture + adventure + island life + beaches + wellness + romance.
But this isn't necessarily the route I'd recommend blindly to everyone.
And that's exactly why we created our guides.
Want our actual Bali recommendations?
This article is intentionally just the beginning.
Because we don't want to give you a giant list of 50 hotels, 40 restaurants and 30 activities and tell you: 'Good luck!'
That's not how we travel.
And it's not how we create our guides.
We've actually been there.
We've stayed there.
We've eaten there.
We've tried things.
We've changed our minds about places.
We've worked out what we'd do again.
And, perhaps most importantly, what we wouldn't bother doing again.
Our Bali Mini Travel Guide is designed as the quick-reference version - perfect if you want the essential recommendations without wading through pages and pages of information.
It covers our route across six destinations, with where to stay, what to do, where to eat and an insider tip for each.
Want more?
Our Bali: The Complete Travel Guide goes much further.
It's where you'll find the detailed recommendations, practical planning information, accommodation choices, experiences, food, transportation advice and our full approach to creating a trip that actually works.
Choose your MaJa guide:
The essentials for planning an unforgettable Bali adventure.
The full MaJa experience - more detail, more recommendations and more of what we'd actually do.
📍 And there's more Bali coming...
Our Bali story isn't finished.
We're already thinking about what we'd explore next, what we'd revisit and which parts of the island deserve a little more time.
And just like Sölden, we're building towards something bigger for Wandering with MaJa:
A curated Bali Google MaJa Map.
A map you can actually use while you're there.
Not hundreds of random pins.
Not every restaurant that happens to have five stars.
Just our curated recommendations - places we'd genuinely send our friends, based on our own experience.
Because sometimes when you're standing somewhere in Bali, you don't want to read another 2,000-word article.
You want to open your phone and think: 'Where would MaJa go?'
That's what we're building.
🤍 Our MaJa Take
Bali wasn't perfect.
And I think that's part of why we loved it.
Some places were too busy.
Some experiences were overrated.
Some days didn't go according to plan.
And some places completely exceeded our expectations.
But somewhere between the temples, beaches, mountains, island crossings, food, laughter and long evenings...
Bali became one of those trips that changed the way we think about travel.
We came for the island.
We left engaged.
And we left knowing one thing for certain: We'll be back.
MaJa x
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