10 Things to Do in Bali: The Complete Bucket List Guide
The top 10 things to do in Bali include visiting the Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest, walking the Tegallalang Rice Terrace, riding the Bali Swing, and bathing at Tirta Empul Temple, alongside volcano hikes, island day trips, and cooking classes that round out a proper Bali bucket list. With hundreds of possible activities scattered across the island, narrowing a trip down to what genuinely earns a spot on this list is where most travelers get stuck.
Is Visiting the Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest Worth It?
For most travelers, yes, though it deserves an honest warning first. The sanctuary sits right in central Ubud and protects several hundred long-tailed macaque monkeys considered sacred in Balinese culture, alongside genuinely beautiful temples and shrines tucked into the forest. Entry runs around $5 on weekdays and closer to $6.50 on weekends, and the gates open at 9am, though arriving right before opening consistently beats the crowds on one of the island’s most visited attractions. The honest downside here matters: the monkeys have a well earned reputation for grabbing sunglasses, phones, and snacks from unsuspecting visitors, and some travelers genuinely decide to skip the forest entirely on a first Bali trip specifically because of this. Keeping loose items zipped away and staying a respectful distance solves most of the risk, but it’s a fair reason some first timers choose to admire the monkeys from a distance instead.
What Is the Tegallalang Rice Terrace?
Tegallalang, also called the Ceking Rice Terrace, sits in a village just north of Ubud and delivers exactly the cascading green rice paddy view that shows up on every Bali postcard. The terraces work thanks to the traditional Indonesian subak irrigation system, and beyond simply walking the paths, the site has grown into something closer to an adventure park, with a giant swing, a bird’s nest photo spot, and a coffee tasting shop overlooking the fields. A small entrance fee under $4 covers walking access, though the swing, zipline, and dress rentals for photos each carry their own additional cost. Locals recommend arriving right at the 7am or 8am opening time, since the terraces get genuinely crowded by midday, and comfortable walking shoes matter more than flip flops given the puddles, uneven stairs, and occasional wildlife along the paths.
Is the Bali Swing Worth Visiting?
Yes, and it’s become one of the island’s signature adrenaline experiences. Located just outside Ubud, Bali Swing offers a series of jungle swings ranging from 10 meters to a genuinely dizzying 78 meters above the ground, overlooking a river, waterfall, and dense greenery below. Entry runs around $35 and includes access to every swing and nest on the property, plus drinks and a Balinese buffet, with professional photos available for an extra few dollars. The same advice applies here as at Tegallalang: get there right when the gates open, since midday brings both long queues and intense afternoon heat that makes waiting around considerably less pleasant.
What Is Tirta Empul Temple?
Tirta Empul, whose name translates to “holy spring,” is where Balinese Hindus and visitors alike come to participate in a genuine water purification ritual using spring water that fills the temple’s pools. Entry costs roughly $4 and includes a mandatory sarong rental, since swimwear alone isn’t permitted for cultural reasons. Three pools represent the past, present, and future, each with multiple spouts to move through, though locals recommend skipping the final two spouts after the first pool entirely, since those are traditionally reserved only for death ceremonies. The temple sits about a 30 minute drive from central Ubud, making it an easy pairing with a Tegallalang or waterfall stop on the same day.
Should You Hike Mount Batur or Mount Agung?
| Volcano | Difficulty | Hike Time | Crowds |
| Mount Batur | Easier, beginner friendly | About 2 hours up | Busier summit |
| Mount Agung | Harder, more physical | 2 to 4 hours, starts around 2:30am | Much quieter |
Bali is home to more than 139 volcanoes, but Mount Batur and Mount Agung are the two that offer guided sunrise treks. Mount Batur is the easier, more popular choice, taking around two hours to reach the summit where hikers are rewarded with views over Lake Batur and the surrounding caldera. Mount Agung, Bali’s highest volcano, demands considerably more effort, starting in the dark around 2:30am and taking two to four hours depending on fitness level, but travelers who’ve done both consistently say the payoff is a genuinely quieter summit without Batur’s crowds, and on a clear day the neighboring island of Lombok is visible from the top. First time hikers or families should lean toward Batur, while fitter travelers chasing a less crowded sunrise should book Agung instead.
Is a Day Trip to Nusa Penida Worth It?
Yes, and it’s consistently named among the best single day trips from Bali. Nusa Penida is a smaller island off the east coast, home to the famous Kelingking Cliff, often called the T-Rex cliff for its dinosaur-shaped silhouette, along with Broken Beach and its natural rock bridge. Getting there matters: a slow public ferry is the cheapest option, but ferries here have a real reputation for being cramped, uncomfortable, and prone to delays, so most travelers opt for a speedboat day tour instead, which typically bundles transport, snorkeling, and lunch with coastal views into one straightforward booking, generally running just over $100 per person.
What Is a Floating Breakfast in Bali?
A floating breakfast is exactly what it sounds like, a spread of food served on a tray that floats in a private villa pool or resort swimming pool, and it’s become one of the activities most closely associated with a Bali stay. Some resorts limit the experience to guests staying in specific villa categories, while others open it up to outside visitors for a set fee, so checking directly with a resort before assuming access is worth the extra step. It’s a genuinely relaxing, low effort way to start a morning, and pairing it with an early Tegallalang or Bali Swing visit before the afternoon heat sets in makes for an easy, well paced day.
Where Are the Best Sunset Spots in Bali?
| Spot | Location | Vibe |
| Rock Bar | Ayana Resort, Jimbaran | Cliffside, glamorous, book ahead |
| Potato Head | Seminyak | Beach club, lively crowd |
| Double-Six Sunset Rooftop Bar | Seminyak | Rooftop views |
| Uluwatu Temple | Uluwatu | Kecak dance at sunset |
Rock Bar, carved into the cliffside within the Ayana Resort in Jimbaran, ranks among the most photographed sunset spots on the island, though only hotel guests can reserve tables in advance, so arriving early for the stairlift down matters for everyone else. Seminyak offers a denser cluster of options, including Potato Head’s lively beach club scene and the more low key Double-Six Sunset Rooftop Bar. For something that combines sunset with culture, watching the Kecak dance perform at Uluwatu Temple as the sky changes color behind the cliffs is one of the more memorable ways to end a day on the island.
Is It Worth Taking a Balinese Cooking Class?
Yes, and it’s one of the more consistently praised activities across every kind of Bali trip. Options span a wide budget range, from group classes around $45 that include a market visit for fresh ingredients, up to private classes run in a family’s own home for $74 to $98 per person, where guests learn recipes passed down through generations. More budget friendly options exist too, with evening classes in Ubud running closer to $20 to $25, often skipping the market trip but still delivering a full multi course Balinese meal cooked from scratch. Dishes commonly covered include satay grilled over an open fire, banana leaf wrapped fish, and traditional desserts sweetened with palm sugar, giving a genuinely hands-on introduction to the island’s food culture beyond just eating it in a restaurant.
Where Is the Best Snorkeling and Diving in Bali?
Bali sits within Indonesia’s coral triangle, making it a genuinely serious destination for both snorkeling and scuba diving. Manta Point near Nusa Dua is the most reliable spot on the island for encountering manta rays, while Shark Point off Serangan offers a different kind of encounter entirely for divers comfortable sharing the water with reef sharks. Mangrove Point near Nusa Lembongan suits snorkelers chasing variety, with a wide range of fish species in calmer, shallower water. For something historical, Tulamben on the northeast coast is home to the Liberty Wreck, a World War II era cargo ship that sank in 1942, now covered in coral and swarming with marine life, making it one of the most popular beginner-friendly wreck dives in the world.
What Should You Know About Uluwatu Temple and the Kecak Dance?
Uluwatu Temple perches dramatically on a clifftop and ranks among Bali’s most important temples, with entry running around $3 and a separate Kecak dance ticket adding roughly $6 more. The Kecak dance itself takes place every evening at sunset, performed by dozens of chanting performers acting out a legendary battle between good and evil, with fire dancing that makes the cliffside setting even more dramatic. Since Uluwatu sits up to a two hour drive from busier parts of the island like Canggu or Ubud, many travelers pair the temple and dance with dinner afterward in nearby Jimbaran, widely considered Bali’s seafood capital, turning the whole evening into one complete outing rather than a rushed round trip.
Final Thoughts
Narrowing Bali down to just 10 things to do really comes down to balancing culture, adventure, and rest across a trip that’s genuinely easy to overfill. Get to Tegallalang and Bali Swing right at opening to beat both the heat and the crowds, pick Mount Batur or Mount Agung based on your fitness level rather than just picking the more famous one, and don’t skip the Monkey Forest just because of the warnings, unless the idea of a cheeky monkey grabbing your sunglasses genuinely isn’t for you. Whether it’s a floating breakfast, a cliffside sunset, or a plate of babi guling learned firsthand in a cooking class, the best things to do in Bali reward travelers who plan around timing as much as the activities themselves
FAQs
How many days do you need in Bali?
Most travelers need at least 7 to 10 days to comfortably cover the highlights across Ubud, the southern beach areas, and a Nusa Penida day trip without feeling rushed, though a shorter 5 day trip can still hit the essentials.
Is it safe to rent a scooter in Bali?
It carries real risk and remains a genuinely debated topic among travelers, given Bali’s traffic conditions and road quality, so anyone without prior scooter experience should strongly consider a driver or car instead.
Is the Pura Lempuyang reflection photo real?
No, the mirror-like reflection seen in famous photos at the Gateway to Heaven is created by a photographer holding a small mirror beneath the camera lens, not actual water on the ground.
How much does a Balinese massage cost?
Standard massages run as low as $10 for a 60 to 90 minute session at local parlors scattered across the island, while luxury spa experiences at resort properties cost considerably more.
