Top 10 must see/do places in Bali
Bali is probably the most well-known island in Indonesia, which got extremely popular over the past few years. One reason for its popularity among travelers and backpackers could be the movie ‘Eat, pray, love’!
While there are plenty of tourist spots (which are still worth visiting) there are still some hidden gems. Here is a Top 10 things to do and see when visiting Bali.
1. Lovina
The small town Lovina is located in the North of Bali – away from the touristy areas of Ubud and Denpasar. Even though the town itself doesn’t have to offer too much (apart from some cute restaurants and the black sand beach) people come here to relax and to see dolphins, lots of dolphins. I recommend you going on a private sunrise tour, which usually start pretty early around 5am.
Google Maps location of Lovina!
2. Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud
The monkey forest in Ubud should be part of every must-see list, not because of all the tourists but because it is one of the safer places to get close to monkeys! There are a lot of guards walking around the area to ensure your and the monkeys’ safety! You will be provided with food, which you can feed to the monkeys. However, make sure you put everything in your backpack and don’t put anything on the ground as the monkey will steal it!
Google Maps location of the Monkey Forest!
3. Sea Walker in Sanur
The Sea Walker experience in Sanur is the best way for people, who would like to explore Bali’s underwater life without going scuba diving. The underwater ‘full head helmet’ provides oxygen, which means you can breathe normally while you face doesn’t even get wet!
Even though I have a scuba diving license, I still enjoyed this experience – because it simply is a lot of fun walking on the ground of the ocean.
Google Maps location of the Sea Walker in Sanur!
4. Tegalalang Rice Terraces
The famous rice terraces of Bali are part of the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province UNESCO World Heritage Site and definitely worth visiting. When I visited a few years ago the area was very hard to find, but once you were there it was free to visit. Now there is an entrance fee of 15,000 IDR per person and you need to pay 5,000 IDR for parking.
Google Maps location of the Rice Terraces!
5. Air Panas Banjar Hot Springs
The Air Panas Banjar are a natural hot spring which a beautiful atmosphere since it is surrounded by tropical garden. This place is perfect to relax and to recharge your body. In addition the water is supposed to cure some skin diseases. The area is very clean and it is definitely worth going for a swim in the warm water. Despite the sulfuric water the pools do not smell like rotten eggs – like most sulfuric pools. There is a small entrance fee to visit the area!
Google Maps location of the Hot Springs!
6. Uluwatu Cliff
The Uluwatu Temple also known as Pura Luhur Uluwatu is not the biggest temple but probably has the most spectacular location of all temples in Bali, as it is located right on top of a very steep cliff. The cliff is about 70 meters above the sea level. In addition to this majestic temple there are also plenty of monkeys around if you want to skip the touristy Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud. The entrance fee is around 30,000 IDR for foreigners.
Google Maps location of the Uluwatu Cliff!
7. Gili Islands
Only a short trip away from Bali are the Gili Islands, which are my absolute favorite! All three island are completely different from each other, but all offer a unique and amazing vibe.
Gili Trawangan is the busiest island with lots of backpackers partying and drinking. Gili Meno is the smallest and quietest one which could be a great romantic escape. Gili Air is a great combination of the other two Gili islands.
These three islands are surrounded by perfect scuba diving and snorkeling spots, so make sure you don’t miss this experience!
There are plenty options to get to these three amazing tiny islands. Whether you take the fast boats, public boats, planes, or even helicopters will depend on your budget and the amount of time you have.
Google Maps location of the Gili Islands!
8. Tanah Lot Temple
The Pura Tanah Lot is a pretty big popular tourist destination, however apart from the big crowd of people I still think it should be on everyone’s Bali list due to its unique location. The Tanah Lot Temple is called the ‘sea temple’, which makes sense as it is built on a rock formation in the sea. At low tide it is possible to walk over to the temple itself, however only locals are allowed to enter the actual temple. The entrance fee is around 60,000 IDR for foreigners.
Google Maps location of the Tanah Lot Temple!
9. Padang Padang Beach
This beach is famous for multiple things – the movie ‘Eat, pray, love’, surfing, beautiful sunsets and great events. Be prepared for a lot of steps down to the beach though. To visit the famous beach bear in mind that there is and entrance fee of around 10,000 IDR and the car park costs 5,000 IDR.
Google Maps location of the Padang Padang Beach!
10. Blowhole at Nusa Dua Beach
This place is definitely a great natural phenomenon and a cool picture spot. The waves are breaking on the rocks which splashes up the water several meters above the reef. While the tide is high (usually in the mornings) the waves tend to be the biggest. Apart from the blowhole the area around it is beautiful as well and invites for a little walk and the entrance is free!
Google Maps location of the Blowhole!
