A visit to Bali can take in a cliff-top kecak dance, a temple by the sea at sunset, rice terraces rising up the hills and a volcano to hike before dawn.
Bali's cultural heart: a royal palace with evening dance shows, a busy art market, the Sacred Monkey Forest and the Campuhan Ridge walk through green hills.
Best time: Morning (cooler, fewer crowds)
Tip: Macaques in the Monkey Forest grab phones, glasses and food - keep bags closed and do not feed them. Check the palace dance schedule for your dates.
A small Hindu sea temple perched on a rock just off the shore, with waves crashing around it - Bali's best-known sunset view.
Best time: Late afternoon to sunset
Tip: At low tide you can walk to the base of the rock; at high tide it is cut off. Wear shoes with grip as the rocks are slippery. The inner temple is closed to visitors.
A sea temple on a high limestone cliff above the Indian Ocean, with a chanting kecak dance staged at dusk as the sun sinks into the sea.
Best time: Sunset
Tip: Monkeys here snatch sunglasses and phones - hold them tightly. The kecak show often fills up, so arrive early. Stay behind the cliff railings; sarongs are lent at the entrance.
Steep green terraces stepping down a river valley just north of Ubud, with palm trees, walking paths and cafes looking over the fields.
Best time: Early morning
Tip: Go early before the tour buses and photo-swing queues. Steps are steep and slippery after rain, and some path owners ask for a small donation.
A water temple dedicated to the goddess of lakes and rivers, whose tiered shrines seem to float on Lake Beratan in Bali's cool central highlands.
Best time: Morning
Tip: It is much cooler than the coast, so bring a light jacket. Mornings are calmer, and mist can hide the view later in the day.
A rugged island with dramatic cliffs, the famous Kelingking T-rex headland and clear blue water, reached by fast boat from the mainland.
Best time: Dry season, early start
Tip: Kelingking's steps are steep and poorly kept - the viewpoint is enough. Island roads are narrow and rough, so use a driver, and never swim in strong currents. Rough seas can cancel boats.
A long sandy shore from Kuta to Seminyak with surf lessons, beach clubs, restaurants and shops, and sunsets that draw crowds onto the sand.
Best time: Late afternoon
Tip: Strong waves and rip currents are common - swim only between the flags near lifeguards. Traffic here is heavy, so allow extra time for transfers.
A relaxed east-coast beach behind a reef, with a paved seafront path for walking and cycling, fishing boats, cafes and the harbour for Nusa Penida boats.
Best time: Sunrise / morning
Tip: The water pulls far out at low tide, so swim around high tide. It faces east, which makes it a calm place for sunrise.
A pre-dawn climb of about two hours up an active volcano to watch the sun rise over Lake Batur and Mount Agung, often with a breakfast cooked by steam vents.
Best time: Sunrise (start about 3-4 am)
Tip: Take a local guide, a torch and warm clothes - the path is dark and the summit is cold. Batur is active, so check the official volcano alert level before you go.
Wide terraced rice fields on the slopes of Mount Batukaru, part of Bali's UNESCO-listed subak water-sharing landscape and far quieter than the better-known terraces.
Best time: Morning
Tip: Stay on the marked paths - these are working fields, not a park. The fields change colour with the planting season, so what you see depends on your dates.
It is about 33 km in a straight line from Bali.
It is about 76 km in a straight line from Bali.
It is about 143 km in a straight line from Bali.
Only Ngurah Rai Airport Taxi has both a counter and permission to offer rides from the airport, Indonesia's tourism ministry says. The official counter is outside the arrivals hall: come out of arrivals, turn right, pick up a slip of paper there, and pay the driver when you arrive. The airport is about 13 kilometres south of Denpasar.
Scams at tattoo parlours, nail salons and spas in Bali are rising, according to UK advice, which says to choose providers carefully and agree fees in advance. Canada's advice says the Love Bali tourist levy has to be paid directly on the official levy website. Indonesia's tourism ministry adds that it can be paid through the Love Bali system or at non-cash counters at the airport and Tanjung Benoa port.
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
Driest months: Jul, Aug, Sep. Wettest months: Jan, Feb, Dec.
Prices here are about 29% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) is in the south, near Kuta. Seminyak and Sanur are usually 30-45 minutes away and Ubud about 1-1.5 hours, longer in heavy traffic. Many travellers also arrive by ferry from Java.
The dry season, roughly April to October, brings the clearest skies for beaches and volcano treks. The rainy season (about November to March) is greener, with showers mostly in the afternoon. Nyepi, the Day of Silence (usually March or early April), closes the airport and keeps everyone indoors for a day - check the date for your trip.
Wear a sarong and sash in temples (often lent at the gate), cover shoulders and knees, and do not step on the small offering baskets on the ground. Bali is mostly Hindu: halal restaurants and mosques exist in the main tourist areas, and menus may include pork, so ask if it matters to you.
Sights are spread across the island and public transport is limited, so a car with driver is the easiest choice. Traffic is heavy around Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud. Scooters are popular but many tourists are hurt on them - consider a driver instead.
religious
Everything on Bali halts for 24 hours. The airport is shut and visitors remain inside their hotels. On the night before, huge Ogoh-ogoh parades take place.
culture
For one month, Taman Werdhi Budaya, an arts centre, stages parades, music and Balinese dance.
112 - general emergency (free, works from any phone where the service is live). 110 - police. 118 / 119 - ambulance and medical emergency. 113 - fire. 115 - search and rescue (BASARNAS). English is understood in the main tourist areas; elsewhere ask your hotel to call for you.
Report a lost passport to the nearest police station (get the police report), then contact your embassy or consulate for an emergency travel document. Keep a photo of your passport in your e-mail or phone - it speeds everything up. The official embassy list linked here shows where to find your country's embassy or consulate.
Big cities and Bali have international-standard private hospitals (e.g. Siloam, BIMC in Bali, Mayapada, RS Pondok Indah in Jakarta). Public referral hospitals are cheaper but busier. Ask your hotel or travel insurer for the nearest suitable hospital.
local government
Helps with: Indonesia's national tourism ministry. Its contact page lists a call centre, a WhatsApp contact centre, an email address and its office in Jakarta for tourism enquiries.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Indonesia or planning a trip there.
Phone: 021-3838000
Email: info@kemenpar.go.id
Address: Gedung Sapta Pesona, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No.17, Gambir, Jakarta Pusat, Jakarta 10110
un agency
Helps with: The UN migration agency, operating in Indonesia since 1979. It works with governments and partners on migration management and crisis response.
Who qualifies: Migrants, governments and partners working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +62 21 57951275
Email: iomjakarta@iom.int
Address: Sampoerna Strategic Square North Tower 10th Floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav 45-46, Jakarta 12930
local government
Helps with: Hotline run by the Bali police. An Indonesian National Police article says it is a 24-hour multilingual line that lets international visitors report incidents without language barriers.
Who qualifies: Residents and international visitors in Bali who need to report an incident.
Phone: 110
ngo
Helps with: The ICRC says it works with the society on training first responders in pre-hospital care, reuniting separated families and emergency preparedness. No contact details are given, so use the society's website.
Who qualifies: The page does not say who can use it. It names the society as the ICRC's partner in Indonesia.