Bali 10-Day Itinerary: Relaxed Explorer

This route is designed for independent travellers who have done some research and want to go beyond the standard Canggu–Ubud–Uluwatu triangle. It suits couples, solo travellers, and groups of 2–4. It includes a short dive or snorkel in Amed — fully skippable if you are not a water person. Budget travellers can compress the mid-range estimate to $500–700 by choosing guesthouses and warungs exclusively. Luxury travellers can push toward $2,500+ with villa stays and private guided experiences.

Between zones: private driver. The east Bali section (Sidemen and Amed) is easiest with a dedicated vehicle — public transport here is almost non-existent and Grab does not operate reliably past Ubud. Budget Rp 3,000,000–4,500,000 total for all inter-area transfers across 10 days (roughly $190–280). Within Canggu and Ubud, a scooter is the best way to spend afternoons — Rp 80,000–120,000/day. Within Amed, everything is either walkable along the coast road or a 5-minute scooter ride.

Move every 2–3 nights rather than daily. Canggu: Berawa or Batu Bolong area for nightlife and beach proximity. Ubud: anywhere on Jalan Bisma or Monkey Forest Road for walkability, or out toward Penestanan/Sayan for a quieter jungle setting with rice paddy views. Sidemen: choose a family-run guesthouse or small villa on the ridge above the valley — these cost $25–60/night and have the best views in east Bali. Amed: a guesthouse or small dive resort directly on the black-sand beach (Jemeluk or Lipah area). Uluwatu: clifftop accommodation between Pecatu and Bingin for the best sunset access.

Day 1 arrival: Fly in, driver to Canggu (30–45 min). Check in. Dinner at a warung near your accommodation. Walk to Batu Bolong at sunset to watch experienced surfers. Bintang beer, sand between your toes. Early night.

Day 2 full Canggu day: Surf lesson or paddle at Batu Bolong or Echo Beach (08:00–10:00). Brunch at Crate Cafe or Shelter. Afternoon at your choice: explore Pererenan village on a scooter (quieter north end of Canggu), browse the local market at Pasar Canggu, or lie by the pool. Sunset at La Brisa or The Lawn beach club. Dinner at Mason or Warung Bu Mi.

Day 3 transfer: Check out Canggu 09:00. Driver day via Tanah Lot sea temple (30 min west, entrance Rp 60,000) or direct. Arrive Ubud early afternoon. Campuhan Ridge walk before sunset. Dinner at Locavore or Warung Biah Biah.

Day 4 Tegallalang sunrise + culture: 05:45 pickup. Tegallalang Rice Terraces at first light (06:15). Back for breakfast at Alchemy. Monkey Forest 10:00–11:30 (Rp 80,000). Lunch at Kafe. Afternoon: Tirta Empul holy spring ceremony at Tampaksiring (Rp 50,000, 30 min from Ubud).

Day 5 Nusa Penida day trip: Early start — 06:00 driver to Sanur harbour. 07:30 fast boat to Nusa Penida (Rp 200,000–250,000 each way). Full-day west circuit with hired local scooter driver or organised tour: Kelingking Beach viewpoint (the T-Rex cliff), Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach, Crystal Bay snorkelling. Return ferry 16:00–16:30, back in Ubud by 20:00. Exhausting but the Kelingking viewpoint is one of the most dramatic coastal landscapes in Southeast Asia.

Morning: Check out Ubud 09:00. Driver toward east Bali. Stop at Besakih Temple — the Mother Temple of Bali, high on the flanks of Mount Agung. It is Bali’s largest and holiest temple complex (Rp 60,000, sarong mandatory). Spend 45–60 minutes. The views of the volcano above and the valley below are extraordinary on clear mornings.

Afternoon: Arrive Sidemen around 14:00. Check in to your ridge guesthouse. Walk the village road through the rice paddies to the neighbouring hamlet of Iseh — this is the Bali of 50 years ago, almost completely unvisited by tourists. Evening: simple dinner at your guesthouse (most prepare Balinese meals) and watch the sun drop behind Agung from your terrace.

Overnight: Sidemen

Day 7 transfer: Sidemen to Amed is a 1.5h drive through some of the prettiest coastal curves in Bali, passing black-sand beaches and salt-farming flats. Check in at a Jemeluk or Lipah beachfront guesthouse. Afternoon snorkel off the beach at Jemeluk Bay — one of Bali’s best shore snorkels with healthy coral right off the sand (fins and mask hire from Rp 50,000). Evening: grilled fish dinner at a beachside warung.

Day 8 Tulamben: Early morning driver 20 minutes north to Tulamben. Dive or snorkel the USAT Liberty wreck — a World War II US cargo ship in 5–30 metres of water, one of the most accessible wreck dives in Asia (guided dive from Rp 450,000 including equipment, snorkel from Rp 150,000). The bow starts at 5 metres so snorkellers can see plenty. Back to Amed by noon. Afternoon: Jemeluk viewpoint walk (free, 30 minutes) or kayak hire on the bay. Sunset at a hillside warung above Amed village.

Day 9 transfer: Amed to Uluwatu is 3–3.5 hours, the longest drive of the trip. Leave by 09:00. Stop at Tirta Gangga water palace in Karangasem (Rp 20,000, 15-minute detour) — a royal garden complex with ornamental ponds, fountains and a stepping-stone walk. Arrive Uluwatu by 13:00. Padang Padang Beach afternoon. Sunset at Single Fin. Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu Temple 18:00 (Rp 100,000).

Day 10 beach morning + fly: Morning at Bingin or Balangan Beach. Late breakfast at Nalu Bowls or a cliff warung. Check out. Driver to airport. Allow 45–60 minutes from Uluwatu. Fly home.

• Accommodation (10 nights, sharing): $320–500
• Food and drink (warungs + 1–2 nicer dinners): $200–300
• Private drivers and all transfers: $200–280
• Activities (surf lesson, Kecak, Nusa Penida day trip, dive/snorkel Tulamben, Besakih, Tirta Empul): $100–150
• SIM card, scooter rental (3–4 days), incidentals: $50–80
• Total: approximately $870–1,310 per person sharing

• 3–4 lightweight outfits (hand-wash or send to laundry — Rp 20,000/kg service available everywhere)
• Sarong (for temples — buy in Bali or bring one)
• Swimwear (2–3 sets)
• Reef-safe sunscreen (mandatory for Nusa Penida and Amed snorkelling)
• Underwater camera or waterproof phone case (Liberty wreck is unmissable on camera)
• Comfortable trekking sandals for rice paddy walks
• Light long-sleeve layer for Kecak sunset cliffs
• Small dry bag for boat to Nusa Penida
• Sufficient cash in IDR — especially for east Bali (Sidemen and Amed have limited ATMs)

April through October is best. The dry season keeps the Agung views from Sidemen clear, the Liberty wreck visibility in Tulamben is typically 20–30 metres, and the Uluwatu sunsets are reliably spectacular. If you visit in the wet season (November to March), Sidemen and Amed are less affected by rain than the south — the east coast is often sunnier than Canggu and Ubud during the wetter months. The Nusa Penida crossing is rougher in January–February; consider skipping it or doing Lembongan instead.

Skip Nusa Penida, add Gili Islands: Instead of the Penida day trip from Ubud, continue east and take a fast boat from Amed directly to Gili Air (1.5 hours). Spend 2 nights there, then fast boat back to Bali and south to Uluwatu. This adds a night but creates a dramatic island-hopping leg.

Extra Ubud day: Replace the Nusa Penida day trip with a Ubud cooking class (half-day, ends with a feast) and a full afternoon at the Yoga Barn.

Rainy day in Amed: PADI Open Water dive course — Amed is one of Bali’s best and cheapest places to get certified (3–4 days including referral dives in Tulamben). Ask your guesthouse for a certified instructor recommendation.

• Skipping the east: Nine out of ten 10-day itineraries online skip Sidemen and Amed and just add more days in Canggu or Ubud. The east is the most authentic part of Bali — don’t miss it.
• Booking too many tours: Organised tours save planning time but limit spontaneity. For this route, only the Nusa Penida trip truly benefits from an organised tour. Everything else is better with your own driver or a hired scooter.
• Underestimating Amed ATMs: There are ATMs in Amed town but they frequently run out of cash on busy weekends. Withdraw enough in Ubud to cover 3 days in east Bali.
• Overpacking: A 30-litre daypack is sufficient for 10 days with a small laundry run in Ubud. Overpacking creates problems at guesthouses with no luggage storage and on the boat to Nusa Penida.