The 19 best things to do in Bali

Telegraph

4 days ago

Despite its diminutive size (about 95 miles at the widest point), Bali must surely be one of the most diverse islands in the world. You see huge differences between the landscapes of the arid Bukit Peninsula – bursting like an over-ripe papaya with resorts and luxury hotels – and the paddies and desa-desa (villages) you pass through to bustling Ubud, still peddling its claim as the island's traditional heartland.
Further uphill, you'll find dramatic volcanic scenes and – even today – spectacularly unspoiled jungle-clad valleys. Bali rewards those who take the time to venture away from the normal confines of the tourist trail. Here are the real highlights.
All our recommendations below have been hand-selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best things to do in Bali. Find out more below, or for more Bali inspiration, see our guides for the best hotels, restaurants, bars and nightlife, and beaches.
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Best for families
Walk with Buffalo
Learn about Bali's rice-farming heritage
Farmer Pak Sudana has established a grass-roots conservation project for his small herd of rare pink buffalo. Traditionally common in the paddies of West Bali, pink buffalo are now more often raised for use in religious sacrifices or for the brutal sport of chariot racing.
Under Sudana's guidance, you can help drive the small herd along the beach to the inlet where they bathe and wallow contentedly, like pink whales. You will also learn about the complexities of rice cultivation.
Insider tip: Allow enough time to accept Sudana's invitation for snacks at his nearby home. His wife, Ketut, makes the best Bali kopi (coffee) and you can learn about village life before having the opportunity to visit a traditional family temple.
Waterbom Bali
Cool off in one of Asia's most spectacular water parks
Waterbom has been the number one destination for families on the island since it opened in 1993. There are 26 slides across five hectares, offering enough thrills to challenge kids of all ages. You can easily spend an entire day at this water park with more than enough activities to keep the youngsters occupied while the parents chill out in one of the many designated areas.
Insider Tip: If you are going as a family or group, consider renting a private gazebo. There are more than 50 to choose from, ranging from the more basic to the VIP Oasis Gazebos, which come with a concierge service and space for up to 16 people.
Potato Head Beach Club
Have fun at one of Asia's best beach clubs
Situated right on Seminyak Beach, Potato Head Beach Club is part of the vast Desa Potato Head, a sprawling complex of restaurants, pools, hotels and entertainment venues. Indonesian-owned Potato Head places great importance on sustainability. Set up as a creative village, Potato Head is an innovative, interactive experience that even offers children a Waste Tour and a chance to practice crafts that focus on up-cycling.
Insider Tip: Arrive before 4.30pm, when the Beach Club is free to enter and there's no minimum spend. After that, there's a charge per visitor, fully redeemable against food and beverages. Kids under 12 enter for free. Be sure to ask about the range of complimentary kids activities.
White-water rafting on the Ayung River
Raft on Ubud's sacred jungle river
The Ayung River is known for the luxury resorts that line the ridgetop on its eastern banks. However, it's only from water level that you realise just how dense and lush the jungle still is at the bottom of the valley. A rafting tour down the Ayung is a real insight into this unexpectedly wild, hidden world and one of the most exciting family activities to do on the island.
Insider Tip: For a truly unique family holiday experience, consider booking at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, which is probably the only luxury hotel in the world that you can check into directly from a white water raft.
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Best free things to do
Perancak Fishing Boats
Visit one of the world's most vibrant fishing fleets
Perancak river inlet, near Negara city in West Bali, is home to more than 100 spectacularly decorated selerek fishing boats. With their rearing prows and ranks of propellers spiking out of the gunwales, they resemble a colourful fleet of Viking longboats.
Notice that these unique boats are moored in pairs: traditionally considered to be 'husband and wife'. These boats were constructed on Madura, an island off Java, but this is the biggest collection of these vessels in the country.
Insider Tip: For a closer look at the fleet – and at the mangrove forest that lines the Perancak inlet – ask Ibu Anita at Warung Lesehan Taman Pesisir riverside eatery to arrange a boatman to take you for an hour-long tour.
Campuhan Ridge Walk
Enjoy a view of the famous Ubud paddies
While the picturesque rice paddy landscapes of Tegalalang, a 20-minute drive north of Ubud, are now entirely overshadowed by selfie spots, terrace cafés and giant swings, Campuhan Ridge Walk remains relatively unspoiled. The two-mile route has been paved so that it is accessible to pushchairs, but it retains its natural appeal. The mornings in particular are a great time to visit in order to spot birds, and you might even meet a local farmer who will take the time to explain the unique Balinese rice-farming techniques.
Insider Tip: A lovely – and less well-known – five-mile walk loops through the paddies north of Ubud. Walk north up Jalan Subak Sok Wayah, cross over and then return southwards on Subak Juwuk Manis. A subak is an ancient irrigation channel and both of these are marked on Google Maps.
Bunut Bolong sacred tree
Visit West Bali's famous 'tunnel tree'
The banyan tree, known as Bunut Bolong, that forms a tunnel over the main north-south highland road is big enough for motorbikes, cars and even trucks to pass through. You might notice that local drivers usually beep their horns as they approach, saluting the spirits and demons who are believed to inhabit the tree. Not only is it a unique photo opportunity, but also a fascinating cultural site.
Insider Tip: Be sure to stop for snacks at the little cliffside warung (eatery) on the highland side of the tunnel. The little terrace offers unbeatable views of the uninhabited jungle that fills this side of the island.
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Best for adrenaline junkies
Take a surf lesson
Surf Yeh Sumbul Beach
While Uluwatu attracts Bali's big-wave chargers, Yeh Sumbul's relatively gentle beachbreak is perhaps the best and least crowded spot to learn on the entire island. The waves here are equally suited to longboards or shortboards and the relaxed atmosphere of the beachside cafés and homestays – here and in nearby Medewi – adds to the chilled beach-bumming vibe.
Insider Tip: Once you've mastered Yeh Sumbul beachbreak, you can graduate a mile to the east to Medewi's more challenging left-hand point break. Absolute beginners at Medewi quickly realise that the sharp rocks will punish those who haven't at least mastered their turns.
Dive with rays
Experience unforgettable schools of mantas
The appropriately-named Manta Bay is a manta 'cleaning station' near Nusa Penida, Bali's neighbouring island. It is one of the best places in the world to dive among large groups of manta rays as well as reef sharks, eels and turtles. Nusa Lembongan and tiny Nusa Ceningan (less than 2.5 miles long) lie closer to Bali and both have established dive centres and excellent reefs.
Insider Tip: Most people reach Manta Bay on a boat tour via Nusa Lembongan. Lembongan's appealing – and inexplicably underrated – Jungutbatu Beach offers fantastic snorkelling and world-class surfing, right in the same bay.
Cycle down Bali's volcanoes
Cruise down the slopes of an active volcano
While the cycle ride from Ubud to the crater rim of Batur (representing about 1,300m of altitude gain) would be an almost superhuman challenge for most people, the downhill cruise is a blissful way to experience Bali's dramatic volcanic landscapes. Six to seven-hour trips typically start with breakfast in the highland village of Penelokan and include several stops for insights into village life along the way.
Insider Tip: Warning. Apart from guided tours such as this, Bali is not a recommended destination for a cycling holiday; the roads that circle the coastline are thick with buses and lorries and almost anywhere inland it is insanely steep, not to mention invariably hot and humid.
Foil on an offshore reef
Experience a different type of surfing on Sanur's barrier reef
Foiling (riding a surfboard that seems to fly above the waves on a hydrofoil fin) is not something you'd want to attempt at crowded Kuta Beach. Instead, head out with the team at Sanur's exclusive Rip Curl School of Surf. They know all the tricks and are so confident that they guarantee you'll be foiling by the end of your first session – or the second foiling session is free.
Insider Tip: The easiest way to escape crowded surf line-outs in South Bali is to take a boat to an offshore reef such as Kuta Reef, Airport Reef or Sanur Reef. Few people realise that it's possible to take a three-hour speedboat ride from Kuta all the way to the paradisiacal surf camps at legendary G-Land on eastern Java.
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Best for nature lovers
Sangeh Monkey Forest
A stress-free alternative to Ubud's famous Monkey Temple
Sangeh Monkey Forest is a half-hour drive from Ubud. Its population of resident macaques are habituated to human worshippers, but spared the vast numbers of tourists that visit the town's Monkey Forest, often rated as Bali's most popular tourist spot. Sangeh, by comparison, is a much more relaxing place to wander, relatively free from thieving primate hands and the simian aggression that is a part of the main temple experience.
Insider Tip: Look out for kittens in the trees; Sangeh's monkeys regularly catnap babies from the neighbourhood and nurse them as pets. Unfortunately, the kittens rarely survive due to the monkey's ignorance concerning suitable cat food.
Serangan Turtle Rehabilitation
Help release baby turtles
The Turtle Conservation and Education Center (TCEC) on Serangan Island, near Sanur, has helped rescue many thousands of hatchlings and injured turtles since it opened in 2006. A visit to the WWF-funded project is a fascinating educational experience. Unlike other regional organisations, when you release a turtle from TCEC, you release it from a boat into deep water in the bay, thus giving it a crucial headstart on predators.
Insider Tip: The facility is free to visit. If you wish to 'adopt' a hatchling, there's a fee; you'll then transport your charge (in half a coconut) to the release site via a boat. Children are given a certificate inscribed with their name and the name they gave to the hatchling.
Snorkeling at Menjangan
Explore Bali's secret diving spot
Menjangan Island, at the remote western end of Bali's north coast, is less than a mile at its longest point. The turquoise reefs that surround it are so packed with submarine gardens, drop-offs and coral formations that some divers have compared it to the Maldives. You'll often see sea turtles, reef sharks, barracuda, rays and eels here and, with a bit of luck, even dolphins and whale sharks.
Insider Tip: Visibility is best in the morning. Most hotels and homestays in the area can arrange tours to the island (about 15 minutes across the bay), but there are always guides at Labuhan Lalang jetty on the mainland who can arrange a half-day trip.
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Best for hikers
Batur Volcano
Tackle Bali's most popular hike
The hike up Mount Batur volcano for a rendezvous with sunrise is an uber-Instagrammable item on many Bali bucket-lists, so most tour operators on the island can arrange it. Depending on the location of your hotel, expect to leave at around 2am for the transfer to the trailhead. Also, expect to share the summit with two or three hundred other people; unsurprisingly, the Instagram shots don't usually show the crowds.
Insider Tip: If the sunrise hike is not your scene, consider the popular 4x4 excursion to Mount Batur. You'll leave a little later – around 4am – and will share the parking area with a hundred or more kitted-out Jeep-style Suzuki Jimnys.
Mount Batukaru
Visit West Bali's most enigmatic pilgrimage spot
For something more adventurous – and certainly far more solitary – head to Mount Batukaru in West Bali. Bali's second-highest peak (2,275m) is far removed from the tourist trail. The climb from Pura Luhur Batukaru – the temple that serves as the trailhead – takes you through soaring bamboo stands and up through spice-scented forests of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. The peak, rising out of untouched jungle, offers a magnificent view of the uninhabited rainforests at the heart of West Bali.
Insider Tip: The 12-mile return hike to the summit can be completed in about nine hours, but camping on the summit is an unforgettable experience – and a less exhausting challenge. Prepare for a cold night and carry plenty of water.
Swim in a waterfall
Discover the Balinese Highland – the land of waterfalls
The 15m-high Tegenungan Waterfall is a popular picnic and swimming spot due to its location halfway between Ubud and the tourist resorts of South Bali. Further off, on the northern flanks of the volcanoes, you'll find Sekumpul Waterfall, where you descend to a beautiful pool that is filled by no less than seven crashing falls, the tallest of which drops about 80 metres.
Insider Tip: Juwuk Manis Waterfall in West Bali is a rarely-visited yet beautiful spot. Climb down the flight of 868 steps and you'll usually have the chance to picnic and swim in complete solitude.
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Best for culture
Rambut Siwi Temple
Visit Bali's forgotten Sea Temple
Bali is famous for its series of so-called 'sea temples'. Uluwatu and Tanah Lot, in particular, entice vast crowds. But if you want to experience true serenity and spirituality, head instead to Rambut Siwi Temple. Standing on the clifftop, you can gaze along many miles of deserted beach and watch the sun drop behind Java and its volcanic landscape.
Insider Tip: Be sure to climb down the steps to the beach to explore the spooky shrines at the foot of the cliff. Also, look out for the unique 'drive-through blessings' on the main road where Hindu drivers stop to let priests bless their journey.
Align your chakras
Experience an ancient aspect of Asian culture with a yoga class
Yoga has become almost synonymous with the 'Island of the Gods' and wherever you stay, you're unlikely to be more than 10 minutes from a class. While it's an industry that has historically been dominated by expats, happily, there are more Balinese yogis with each passing year. Shanti Shanti Shanti Om.
Insider Tip: Fivelements Retreat, ranking among the world's best wellness retreats, offers yoga classes – including Hatha, Kundalini, Vinyasa and Yin Yoga – among an incredible selection of holistic wellness packages. The Yoga Barn, one of the world's leaders in the yoga industry, offers around 25 varied classes each day.
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How we choose
Every activity or experience to do in this curated list has been expertly chosen by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of areas and styles, from popular city beaches to lesser-known corners, to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up-to-date recommendations.
About our expert
Mark Eveleigh
I first fell in love with West Bali during a surf trip 25 years ago. Since then, I've returned at every opportunity and, whenever I'm not on assignment, I write from a bamboo and thatch house in the West Balinese village of Pekutatan.