BEST TIME TO TRAVEL: Try to travel in June or September. We found Bali to be way too touristed when we visited, but we were there during peak season, which is July-August. Also, a lot of our trip incorporated diving, so we would recommend traveling during the dry season (June-September), to allow for smooth travel to the Gilis.

NOTE: If I had one recommendation, it’s to do the country by motorbike. It’s so cheap and easy to get everywhere. It’s also THE BEST way to stumble about amazingly beautiful rice fields and just see the authentic beauty of Bali. I had never ridden a motor bike before, and felt perfectly comfortable doing it.

padangbai / gili trawangan.

To get to the Gilis, we flew into Denpasar and then spent the night in Padangbai. There is only one boat between Padangbai and the Gilis per day, so you will have to spend the day in Padangbai if you get there after 8 a.m. While in Padangbai, I recommend grabbing lunch at Café Ozone. It is a cute bar for Indonesian food. They also have a nice seating area where you have to take off your shoes and sit on the floor. For dinner, we went to Sunshine Bar. This is a good spot to post up and relax for the evening. They have cheap beer and live music. It’s all outdoors, so it will put you in FULL vacation mode.

Once you arrive in Gili Trawangan, I HIGHLY recommend planning to get your scuba certification. I got my diving certification Trawangan Dive Centre in two days, and LOVED every second of it. The dive masters are professional but really chill and friendly. The shop is right on the water, and they will take you out into the ocean on your first day of training. For lunch in between dives, I recommend grabbing lunch here as well. The food is super fresh, delicious, and affordable. I think I ate lunch here every day. Le Petit is another good option if you are craving a delicious burger.

In the evening, rent a bicycle, and bike to Pearl Beach Lounge. We grabbed dinner here, relaxed on a bean bag chair on the sand, and watched our first sunset on the island.

For breakfast before your next day of diving, check out Kayu Café. It is a bit pricey, but they have a nice rooftop area to grab a healthy and fresh breakfast. I loved their smoothies!

Then, after another day of diving, make sure to check out the Night Market. It’s a handful of food stands with good cheap eats to fill up your stomach before a night of partying.

ubud.

Ubud is probably my favorite spot we visited while in Bali, even though it is one of the more touristy places that we went. I think a lot of that had to do with where we stayed. We stayed at The Jero and WOW it was awesome. It has a beautiful pool, incredible architecture, and cost less than $20 a night.

DAY 1: For your first day, start with breakfast at Clear Café.  It has a great atmosphere and BEAUTIFUL vegan food to start your day. Next, head to the Sacred Monkey Forest before it gets too crowded. I would recommend avoiding bringing a backpack if possible, because the monkeys will jump on you and try to grab items out of your bag. After exploring, head to Zest for lunch. This is probably my favorite restaurant interior and the food is unreal. Do not miss this place!

For the afternoon, head over to Ubud Bodyworks for some yoga. Yoga Barn is the most popular spot for yoga, but Bodyworks is the local recommendation. If you have time, definitely arrange to have a massage here as well. It is a bit more expensive than other spots, but well worth the extra investment.

For dinner, check out Copper Kitchen for a bit of a splurge. The setting is SPECTACULAR and  the food is really creative. After dinner, walk nearby to Pura Dalem. Arrange for tickets in advance to see a dance performance. It is a really unique cultural experience and they limit the number of tickets sold to keep the audience small, so the performance is more intimate. You could see the show for cheaper elsewhere, but the venue is prestigious and beautiful, so the quality will be much higher.

DAY 2: For your second day, start with breakfast at Mudra. The food is super fresh and the restaurant looks like Eden. The acai bowls are fantastic.

Then, spend the day out exploring the Tegalalang Rice Terraces. Be prepared to make small donations along the way to the local villagers—people who aren’t prepared for this can be a bit put-off by what is otherwise a really beautiful place.

For lunch, head to Sage. On trend, it is another awesome vegan spot in Ubud. If you want a more traditional spot that is on the cheap side of the spectrum, head to Sania’s House instead. We were impressed with how affordable it was for the price, and the architecture is really pretty since it doubles as a hotel.

For the afternoon, I would either walk the market, relax in the pool, do another yoga class, or stroll through Ubud to find different cute boutiques.

Finally for dinner, consider doing the Paon Bali Cooking Class. It’s apparently a spectacular experience, though we didn’t have the chance to try it. If you aren’t in the mood for making your own food, and are craving some sushi, Toro Sushi was super good when we visited.

mount batur.

I HIGHLY recommend making the trek to Mt. Batur. During the drive, you will pass through all of the Indonesian rice fields that you have pictured for this trip. The drive is short, but will take you a while because you will want to keep taking pictures. On your drive from Ubud, stop into Tirta Empul. This was one of my FAVORITE spots to visit because you can go through a traditional cleansing ritual through the fountains. There are a lot of locals and tourists together, and you are able to explore the entire area after the baths.

Also on the drive to Batur, stop into Gunung Kawi. It is such a cool area to walk around. It is a temple complex, but it is fairly calm and quiet. The temple is also in a valley surrounded by rice fields, so it is one of the most picturesque places that we visited.

In Batur, we stayed at Bali Sunrise Villas, and I loved it! They had good food, gorgeous rooms, and an organized tour up the volcano. Make sure to arrange the tour with them in advance. We had to get up at 4 a.m., but the sunrise hike was one of my favorite memories from the trip. You will be there early enough to see the entire sunrise, and then cook your breakfast in the steam from the volcano!

amed.

Amed is a nice, relaxed beach town in Bali. It is not a great spot for nightlife, but was a good spot to take a break and unwind before leaving Bali. Most people come here for great snorkeling and to relax by the pool. It is much less touristic than other places you will visit. On the drive from Batur, make sure you swing by Tirta Gangaa Water Palace. It is a beautiful massive garden area with AMAZING photo opportunities. It is a bit out of the way, but I’m really glad we stopped here!

kuta.

I am not the biggest fan of Kuta, but it has a fun party scene. If I was to do it again, I would recommend staying in Seminyak instead. Kuta is kind of like the Vegas of Bali and if you are looking for a more authentic experience, you won’t find it here. If you choose to go, spend the morning relaxing on the beach. There are a lot of food stalls, so you can plan to get lunch on the beach. For nightlife, we walked around and bar hopped, but you should definitely plan to check out Sky Garden. It is a super fun club with a bunch of different levels with different vibes. My favorite area was the rooftop, but the entire club is worth the price of cover. If you go before a certain time (check with the bouncer), you may be able to avoid paying cover as well.