Most visitors to Bali follow the same loop: Ubud, Tanah Lot, Kuta, Seminyak, Uluwatu. All worth seeing — but Bali has hundreds of square kilometres of interior valleys, east-coast fishing villages, and north-coast highlands that see a fraction of the tourist traffic. These 20 places are genuinely under-visited, most are free or nearly free, and all are accessible by scooter or hired driver.
Secret Waterfalls
Nungnung Waterfall (Badung Regency)
Nungnung drops 50 metres and sits 1.5 hours from Canggu on the road toward Kintamani. The descent to the base takes about 20 minutes on steep concrete stairs — 400+ steps — but the payoff is a misting plunge pool with almost no crowds before 10 am. Entry: IDR 20,000 (about USD 1.25). Parking: IDR 5,000.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall (Bangli Regency)
The waterfall itself is modest but the canyon approach makes this unique. You walk through a shallow river for 10 minutes, enter a narrow gorge, and emerge in a cave where shafts of light pierce through a hole in the rock ceiling above the falls. Best between 9–11 am when the light angles in. Entry: IDR 15,000. Located near Bangli, about 45 minutes from Ubud.
Tibumana Waterfall (near Bangli)
Twin falls in a forested canyon, 5-minute walk from the parking area. Rarely mentioned in mainstream guides. Entry: IDR 15,000. No food stalls so bring water.
Tip
Most Bali waterfall car parks are run by locals, not the government. The IDR 5,000–20,000 entry fee is legitimate and goes directly to the local banjar (village council). Pay it without argument — it funds maintenance and gives the community an economic reason to protect the site.
Off-Grid Temples
Pura Lempuyang (Karangasem) — Go Early
The "Gateway to Heaven" shot is famous, but almost nobody photographs what else Lempuyang offers: a pilgrimage complex of seven temples ascending 1,175-metre Gunung Lempuyang. Most tourists snap the gate and leave. The walk to Pura Penataran Agung at the summit takes 2–3 hours through cloud forest and is almost completely deserted. Departure before 6 am means the gate photo queue is zero. Entry: sarong rental IDR 30,000 if you don't have one.
Pura Goa Giri Putri (Nusa Penida)
A sea cave temple on Nusa Penida's north coast reached by squeezing through a tiny entrance hole in the cliff face. The interior cavern holds a shrine and extends 300 metres. Nusa Penida is 45 minutes by fast boat from Sanur (IDR 150,000–200,000 one way). The cave entrance is near Ped village.
Pura Batu Karu (Tabanan Regency)
One of Bali's nine directional temples (Sad Kahyangan), set at 800 metres on the slopes of Gunung Batukaru. Surrounded by dense primary forest with no vendors and almost no foreign visitors on weekday mornings. The nearby rice terraces at Jatiluwih are UNESCO-listed and less photographed than Tegalalang.
Villages Worth Slowing Down For
Penglipuran (Bangli Regency)
A living traditional Balinese village with uniform bamboo gates, a central ceremonial street, and a functioning community. It charges IDR 40,000 entry because it's become somewhat known, but on weekday afternoons after 3 pm the tourist groups clear out. The village bans motorised vehicles on the central lane. Bamboo forest behind the village is free to walk through.
Sidemen (Karangasem)
A valley village with rice terraces, weaving workshops, and a direct view of Gunung Agung. Stay overnight — several guesthouses charge IDR 200,000–350,000 per night. The morning light across the terraces is extraordinary. Pura Besakih is 45 minutes away.
Amed (Karangasem)
A string of fishing villages on the northeast coast, 2.5 hours from Kuta. Known for shore diving and snorkelling over the Japanese WW2 wreck (USAT Liberty at Tulamben is 20 minutes further north). Black sand beaches, almost zero surf, and accommodation from IDR 150,000/night for a basic bungalow. Salt-making pans visible near Amed village itself.
Warning
The road from Candidasa to Amed via Seraya is narrow with blind corners. If you're not confident on a scooter, hire a driver for this stretch. Google Maps occasionally routes you down unmaintained tracks — use Maps.me or Waze as a backup.
Underwater and Coastal Secrets
Crystal Bay (Nusa Penida)
Famous for mola mola (ocean sunfish) sightings between July and October. The bay itself is sheltered for snorkelling. Most day-trip boats visit between 10 am and 1 pm — if you stay on Nusa Penida overnight you can have it at 7 am. Snorkel rental: IDR 50,000.
Bias Tugel Beach (near Padangbai)
A 200-metre white sand cove accessed by a 10-minute walk from the Padangbai port area. Rarely crowded, calm water suitable for swimming, no vendors on the beach itself. Small warung at the top of the path serves nasi campur for IDR 25,000.
Interior Highlands
Munduk (Buleleng Regency)
A spice-farming village at 900 metres above sea level. Cooler than the south by 8–10°C. Clove and coffee plantations surround the town. Several waterfalls within 3 km (Munduk Waterfall, Git Git Twin Falls). Most tourists visit Bedugul lake nearby but skip Munduk itself.
Kintamani Caldera Rim Walk
The ridge village of Batur sits on the rim of an ancient caldera. A 4-hour rim walk goes around the outer caldera with Gunung Batur and Danau Batur visible throughout. Start from the village of Songan at the lake's edge. No official tour needed — ask locally for the trail head.
Overlooked Areas Near Ubud
Campuhan Ridge Walk (before 7 am)
This walk is on every itinerary, but departing before dawn and reaching the ridge at sunrise means you'll have it almost entirely to yourself. The walk is 9 km return from Warwick Ibah hotel. By 9 am it gets crowded.
Penestanan Village
Immediately west of Ubud, Penestanan is where many artists and long-term expats live. Narrow lanes, rice paddies, working studios open to visitors, and good cafes. 15 minutes walk from central Ubud but feels completely different.
Tirta Empul at 6:30 am
Tirta Empul holy spring (IDR 50,000 entry) sees bus groups from 9 am onward. The gates open at 6 am. Arriving at opening means the purification pools are quiet, locals are present for genuine prayer, and photography is possible without crowds. Sarong required — provided at entrance.
North and West Bali
Pemuteran (Buleleng Regency)
A small fishing village on the northwest coast with calm sea (protected by reef), a functioning biorock coral restoration project, and no surf. The reef here has been actively rehabilitated since 2000 — snorkelling and diving are excellent. West Bali National Park is 20 minutes west; permits required (IDR 300,000 for a day trekking permit).
Lovina Beach
The largest town on Bali's north coast, known for dolphin-watching boat trips departing at 5:30 am (IDR 80,000–150,000 per person). The dolphins here are spinner dolphins and sightings are near-guaranteed July–September. The beach is grey volcanic sand — not a sunbathing destination, but extremely quiet.
Tip
For all locations east of Ubud and the north coast, a hired driver (IDR 500,000–700,000/day) is more practical than a scooter if you're covering multiple sites in one day. Distances that look short on maps involve winding mountain roads that take twice the expected time.
These 20 places share one characteristic: none of them require booking in advance, most charge under IDR 50,000, and most are genuinely rewarding even compared to Bali's well-known landmarks. The main barrier is leaving the south-coast triangle. Renting a scooter or hiring a driver for IDR 600,000/day opens up all of them within a 3–4 day window.
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