Bali’s destinations are spread all over the island – it’s impossible to cover everything in a single week. So for a 7 Days Bali stay, it’s best to plan out your itinerary first.
We couldn’t visit many of the attractions as we stayed there for less than a week. We did visit the iconic Ulun Danu Beratan Temple and Mount Batur. Keep in mind you’ll be spending more time traveling to places than seeing them. We missed out on some amazing temples as they were way too far and before we knew it, we had to head back home.
So I’ve compiled up this 7 Days Itinerary for Bali which will help you cover the main attractions and manage all your time as well.
Bali 7 Days Itinerary – Landing in Bali
When you’re visiting Singapore, you’ll land at the Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport. Consider this day your first day in Bali. When we flew to Bali from Singapore, we landed late in the evening.
As I said before, places are typically far from one another. We stayed at the Ombak Putih Bungalows in the south of Bali. Unlike the popular spots to stay in, Ombak Putih was away from the hustle and bustle and gave us a closer exposure to the locals of Bali. However, the number of accommodations in Bali for tourists like us knows no bounds.
Anyway, before you proceed, it’s time you consider travel insurance when you visit Bali. While you’re renting out a vehicle, or even in case of emergencies (medical too), travel insurance helps cover for you. They’ll assist you with your travel through their app.
Arrive in the morning – it’s best to visit one of the destinations on the same day. The flight from Singapore and the long drive from the Denpasar Airport had exhausted us so we settled down in the resort, made ourselves comfortable, and called it a night.
Day 1: Tanah Lot Temple and Taman Ayun Temple
Tanah Lot Temple: Timing is everything when it comes to visiting Tanah Lot Temple. For photography enthusiasts, get there before 9 in the morning. Anytime later, you’ll be with a flock of other tourists. We visited the Tanah Lot late in the morning, which wasn’t very bad either – we got close to the temple!
The picture below is during the low tide where we can get the closest look at the temple. During the high tides, the temple remains isolated where you can only glance at it from a distance.
While it’s hard to say when the tides go low, what I’m sure of is that the Tanah is best known for its amazing sunset views from 6 to 7 pm. Thus, it’s left to you at which time should you choose to visit Tanah Lot Temple.
Taman Ayun Temple: This compound of Balinese Temple with a garden is your next destination. I chose it as it is only a 30-minute drive from Tanah Lot and obviously – it’s a temple definitely worth visiting! However, there is no public transport to this temple. You will need to either rent a scooter or hire a car (this applies to most places you visit)
Fortunately, we had arranged our transport beforehand with cars for our entire stay. Book your transport before you go. I recommend going for the rented cars with a driver – the scooter rentals can be fun in Bali, but when planning your itinerary firsthand, a hired car is better.
Scooter rentals require an International license and you to know how to ride through the challenging traffic conditions. Furthermore, you’ll need insurance, a compulsory helmet, and the list goes on.
Anyway, for foreigners, the entrance fee for Taman Ayun Temple only costs 20,000 Rupiah (10,000 Rupiah for a local visitor).
Items to pack: Bali has great weather perfect for tanning. But when it comes to the Tanah Lot Temple (and most temples in Bali), make sure to wear full-length legwear or at least clothing that covers your knees. Not to worry, most temples provide the traditional Sarong before you enter.
Day 2: Ulun Danu Beratan and Jatiluwih Rice Terraces
You can’t miss the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple on this 7 Days Bali itinerary! Period. To begin with, you’ll see its iconic structure depicted on the 50,000 Rupiah note in your pocket – yes, it’s the same temple. Some tourists miss this out as it’s in a comparatively remote area, but I highly recommend you to visit it. It’s popularly known as the floating temple.
I was disappointed to know it doesn’t really float.
On a serious note, at the cost of 10,000 Rupiah to enter, it’s not worth missing it out. Since it is in a hilly region, you’ll find the spot cooler than the rest of Bali, not to mention foggy. Speaking of the mist, the timings of the Ulun Danu Temple is from 7 am to 7 pm. It’s best to visit in the morning for amazing clicks.
You’ll be spending anywhere from 2 to 4 hours here. Later, the nearest spot to visit would be the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. It’s a 45-minute drive from Ulun Danu Temple. You can have lunch at the restaurants in Jatiluwih by the paddy fields. Check out this guide to Jatiluwih on Nomadicmatt.
Note: Go to bed early on Day 2 for the sunrise hike on Mount Batur. You’ll need it.
Day 3: Mount Batur Sunrise Trek and Canggu
This part was the highlight of our trip, and I daresay it will be of your 7 Bali Itinerary. Some say the Mount Batur trek would be great for the sunset, and others for the sunrise. It’s not their fault. Both the timings offer breathtaking views. But I prefer the sunrise hike up Mount Batur.
It takes 3-4 hours to mount this active volcano (yep; you heard me, volcano). So for the sunrise view, you’ll be starting your journey from 3 in the morning. Wake up early as you must leave your stay first. When we visited Mount Batur, we woke up at 12:30 as our villa was far.
And our hike began around 3: 30 am. Check out my Mt Batur Sunrise trek experience.
Essential items for the hike: Sports shoes, jackets to keep you warm, torches, backpacks, water bottles, first aid kit (optional), camera (optional), walking sticks (optional).
Here are some backpacks from Amazon:
Our sweet guide up Mount Batur was a young boy who climbs up Mount Batur every day, guiding tourists like us. He, however, didn’t have a jacket on and neither shoes. Funnily enough, I saw the other tourists walking along, also not wearing shoes. Some even wore flip-flops for the whole trek! Unless you have a habit of climbing rough terrains without shoes; I recommend you wear them. It’s dangerous!
Anyway, we finished the trek by 8 or 9 and headed straight back to our resort. We were so exhausted that most of us slept on our way back. Much later I got to know that we could have stayed close by to Mount Batur. Here is one such accommodation I found on HostelWorld:
Canggu: You can visit the places listed in this blog in any order you wish to. Since the Mount Batur trek can be very tiring, I put in the Canggu beach which you can visit by the evening after some rest to stretch your legs by the waves.
If not Canggu, feel free to visit any other beach in Bali. The services provided on most of the beaches are similar to one another – scuba diving, banana boat riding, you name it – all of them have it.
Day 4: Ubud Monkey Forest and Royal Palace
You might prefer to go to the Ubud Royal Palace first – it’s fine either way. Being an animal lover that I am, I’ll highlight the Ubud Monkey Forest, also known as the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.
Entrance ticket: 60,000 Rupiah for children and 80,000 Rupiah.
One common question about the monkey forest: Is Ubud Monkey Forest safe? Yes. As long as you look after your belongings, there’s nothing to worry about. Don’t try anything funny while in the forest. You can get fantastic pictures along with the monkeys. What’s more important than taking those pictures is keeping your camera safe.
When we visited the Ubud Monkey Forest in Bali, a monkey took away a tourist’s handy cam right before our eyes!
What should you wear and carry? There are no restrictions on the dress code in Ubud Monkey Forest. But it’s advisable to cover your knees. There aren’t many items to carry. In fact, the less you carry, the better. Wear some sports shoes and your camera (with care) and keep moving. You’ll be shopping here anyway.
Other details: Apart from the monkeys that might come up to and climb your shoulders (let them, just don’t harm them), the sanctuary itself is amazing for a stroll. There are wonderful plant breeds when you look closely – some of which I wasn’t even aware existed.
Royal Palace and Traditional Art Market
You won’t have any trouble getting to the Royal Palace; it’s a two-minute drive (1.2 kilometers) from the Ubud Monkey Forest. The streets here are usually busy, so it can take a little longer. You can only visit part of the Puri Saren Agung (The Royal Palace) as the royal family still lives in a part of the palace.
Nearby this historic landmark, you’ll find the traditional art market where you can go crazy with handcrafted souvenirs (handbags, paintings, baskets, sculptures). Since they are all handmade, they’re typically expensive.
The next must-see spots in Ubud are the Saraswati Temple and Pura Dalem Ubud temple. All of these temples are close by enough for you to walk, you don’t need transport. By the end of the day, you can enjoy the Kecak Dance in the Dalem Ubud Temple. It’s a Balinese dance.
Leaving this dance out is fine; you can visit it elsewhere on your 7 Days Bali Itinerary. The Kecak and Fire Dance is a drama that depicts the Hindu Ramayana. This is available in many parts of Bali. The other best spot to enjoy this live entertaining drama is Uluwatu.
Btw, Ubud also has the best accommodation facilities. Check them out on HostelWorld for the best prices!
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Day 5: Uluwatu Temple and Jimbaran Beach
The Uluwatu Temple is by the sea in the south of Bali. While it isn’t somewhere you can swim (not that I know of), it’s a paradise for photography enthusiasts. More than the temple, the location of the Uluwatu temple makes it special. Professionals would recommend visiting this temple late in the afternoon for the best captures.
As I said before, you can check out the Balinese dance/drama based on Ramayana in Uluwatu Temple as well. These performances are held in the evening.
Another great place to visit on the 7 Days Bali Itinerary nearby is the Patung Garuda Wisnu Kencana. This is also known as a cultural park. I was pretty fascinated by the structure of the enormous statues here.
Back to beaches in Bali, there are many beaches you can visit that are close to the Uluwatu Temple. But for the best facilities on a beach, then the Jimbaran beach would be perfect. The Jimbaran Beach is a 20 to 25 minutes drive from the Uluwatu Temple.
They also have great accommodation facilities in Jimbaran. Say you’re on a tight budget for your stay, here are some from HostelWorld:
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The other great alternative would be the Nusa Dua beach with its well-maintained white sands. However, this is a longer drive from the Uluwatu Temple (30-minute drive).
For accommodation in Nusa Dua, there are LOTS of places. So here’s a map from Booking.com that shows a number of accommodations available in Nusa Dua along with their prices and ratings.
Day 6: Besakih Temple and Tirta Ganga
Time to pack your bags and keep going! The Besakih Temple is around 1 hour 30 minutes drive from Nusa Dua (or Jimbaran for that matter). It is also called the Bali mother temple and is the largest temple located in the village of Besakih.
I only included these few places as you’ll need the whole day to visit the Besakih Temple. This isn’t an individual structure. The Besakih temple consists of 22 separate temples.
Tirta Ganga Water Palace is an hour’s drive away from Besakih. Apart from the stunning structure of this former royal palace, it’s famous for its history. Tirta Ganga literally means Water from the Ganges. In Sanskrit, Tirta (actually Tirtha), refers to the Holy places of Hinduism.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t visit this palace in time. But do not miss this out. Have a look at this splendid pic taken there:
Man, I wish I’d visited it. The entrance fee costs 40,000 Rupiah per person. Along with photography, this place is great for your dramatic photo poses, I can assure you that. Swimming also is available in this water palace (with additional charges).
Day 7: Shopping In Bali
You might have been to all the places mentioned in this blog and even done your part of shopping for souvenirs in the road stalls and tribal shops. In case you haven’t, it’s alright – everyone deserves an Ellen show ending where everyone goes home happy, so I thought it best to include shopping on your 7 Days Bali Itinerary.
Moreover, the products at the authentic tribal shops close to the temples you visited are undoubtedly more expensive. After all, they’re handcrafted and worth the money. With shopping malls, you can consider either stepping back into your comfort zone, look for a wider variety of prices, or simply buy some garments at great prices – did I mention clothing can cost surprisingly low in Indonesia?
Anyway, here are some great shopping malls in Bali for tourists:
- Seminyak Village
- Discovery Shopping Mall
- Lippo Mall Kuta
You need not visit more than one mall unless you really want to. Here is a list of the top 10 malls in Bali that will help you choose the right shopping center.
Is the 7 Day Bali Itinerary enough?
To plan it out well and everything goes by it, then the one week- Bali Itinerary for 7 days should be enough. When visiting Bali for the first time, then one week is perfect! But for those deep into traveling, go for a 10 Day Itinerary. Some visit Bali to take a step away from their busy lives and even stay upto two weeks.
The point is, Bali is one of the world’s most visited tourist cities. Whether you stay 7 days in Bali or more, there will always be something new to see in Bali.
Note: This 7 Days Bali Itinerary has been proofread by Grammarly. Say you’re into writing yourself, go check it out – Grammarly’s free, to begin with :)
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