The Perfect 10-Day Bali Itinerary, With Real Drive Times

The short answer: a 10-day Bali route that works

Ten days is enough to see Bali's three faces: the cultural heart, the quiet rural east and the beach. The route that wastes the least time on the road is:

• Days 1 to 3: Ubud (3 nights)
• Days 4 and 5: Sidemen (2 nights), or Munduk in the north, or Amed for snorkelers
• Day 6: Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan (1 night, optional)
• Days 7 to 10: Uluwatu or Canggu (3 nights), then fly home

It runs in a loop from the airport into the hills, across to the east, out to the islands and back to a beach base 45 to 60 minutes from the terminal, so your last day is relaxed rather than a race. Four bases in ten days is the upper limit; if you prefer fewer moves, skip the island night and add it to Sidemen or the beach.

All drive times below are realistic daytime averages by private car. Bali looks small, but roads are narrow and winding, and the south's traffic can double any estimate. For more on pacing, see how many days you need in Bali.

Before you start

Hire a private driver for moving days. A full day typically costs around IDR 700,000 to 1,200,000 (US$40 to $65) and turns each transfer into a sightseeing day with stops along the way. App-based pickups are restricted in central Ubud and much of Uluwatu, so a driver also saves you hassle there. Pay the IDR 150,000 Bali tourist levy online at the official Love Bali site before you fly, or at the airport on arrival.

Days 1 to 3: Ubud

Airport to Ubud: around 60 to 90 minutes.

Head straight up to Ubud on arrival while you still have the energy for the drive. Use the first evening to walk the center and watch a Legong or Barong performance at the palace.

Day 2 is for the classics, starting early to beat the heat and the tour buses: the Campuhan Ridge walk at sunrise, the rice terraces at Tegallalang about 20 minutes north, and the water temple of Tirta Empul, another 20 minutes beyond. Finish with the Sacred Monkey Forest in the late afternoon.

Day 3 is your big day out. Either set the alarm for 2 a.m. for the Mount Batur sunrise trek, with shared tours from around IDR 500,000 (US$28) including pickup and breakfast, or take a slower day of waterfalls such as Tibumana and Tukad Cepung.

Days 4 and 5: Sidemen, Munduk or Amed

Ubud to Sidemen: around 1.5 hours.

Sidemen is the Bali many visitors hope to find in Ubud: a deep green valley of rice terraces under Mount Agung, with weaving workshops, quiet walks and almost no traffic. Use your full day here for a guided walk through the terraces and a short drive to Besakih, the mother temple, around 45 minutes to an hour away. If you have the energy for an early start, the east's big sights, Lempuyang and the water palace at Tirta Gangga, also make a long day trip from here.

Alternatives:

• Munduk (around 2 to 2.5 hours from Ubud): cool hills, coffee and clove plantations, twin crater lakes and waterfall hikes. Best if you love walking and want a break from the heat. It sits far from the Nusa boats, so skip the island night if you choose it and drive straight down to Canggu.
• Amed (around 2.5 to 3 hours from Ubud): black-sand beaches, fishing boats and some of Bali's easiest snorkeling and diving right off the shore. Best for water lovers.

Day 6: Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan (optional)

Sidemen to Sanur harbor: around 1.5 hours. Sanur to the islands by fast boat: around 30 to 45 minutes.

Leave Sidemen early and catch a late-morning boat from Sanur. One-way tickets booked online cost around IDR 170,000 to 215,000 (US$10 to $12), plus an IDR 25,000 island fee on Nusa Penida, which is paid by card.

A night on Nusa Penida lets you see Kelingking and Broken Beach in the soft late-afternoon light and again before the day-trippers arrive. Nusa Lembongan is gentler, with shorter distances, snorkeling and sunset bars. If the sea looks rough or boats are not your thing, give the night to Sidemen or the beach instead. Our honest take on the Nusa Penida day trip explains the trade-offs.

Days 7 to 10: Uluwatu or Canggu

Sanur to Uluwatu: around 1 hour. Sanur to Canggu: around 1 to 1.5 hours.

Take a morning boat back and finish on the coast. Uluwatu gives you limestone cliffs, turquoise water and cliff-bottom beaches such as Bingin, Padang Padang and Melasti, plus the Kecak dance at Uluwatu Temple at sunset. Canggu is livelier, with surf lessons, cafes and beach bars along Batu Bolong and Echo Beach.

Keep these days loose: a surf lesson, a beach club afternoon, a massage, a seafood dinner on the sand at Jimbaran. On day 10, Uluwatu is around 45 to 60 minutes from the airport and Canggu around 35 to 50 minutes, longer in the late-afternoon rush, so leave plenty of margin.

Adjusting the route

• Wet season (roughly November to March): keep Batur and the boat crossing flexible, and do your sightseeing in the mornings.
• With children: drop to three bases, using Sanur instead of Uluwatu for calmer water and an easier boat transfer.
• Surfers: in the dry season stay on the Bukit; in the wet season, look at the east coast around Sanur and Keramas.
• Short on energy: swap the island night for an extra night in Sidemen and enjoy doing nothing in the rice fields.

Want to shape this route around your own dates, pace and interests? Try our free itinerary builder.