Asik Travel
Hidden Waterfall Jungle Trek
6 hours, from Ubud
- Jungle walk to a quieter fall
- Half a day rather than a full bus tour
- Run by a vetted local partner
$31 per person
Book this trip
Bali
Tours in Bali
Bali needs no introduction and gets a great deal of bad advice. The island is small enough to cross in a few hours but the traffic makes that a lie, and the single most common mistake is booking a day tour that spends six hours in a minibus to see three things briefly. The tours worth paying for here are the ones that do one thing properly: a waterfall trek, a stretch of coast by boat, a specific temple at the right hour.
Trips you can book here
2 tripsRun by Asik Travel. Prices are theirs and were checked when this page was written; their site is the one that counts at checkout.
Asik Travel
Nusa Penida Ultimate Adventure 3D2N
3 days
- Kelingking and the west coast viewpoints
- Snorkelling stops
- Overnight, so the island is not a rush
$219 per person
Book this tripWhat Bali is actually good for
Waterfalls in the interior
The country around Ubud and further north holds dozens of falls, from roadside stops to ones that take a jungle walk to reach. A guided trek gets you to the quieter ones rather than the coach-park ones.
Nusa Penida
The island off the southeast coast with Kelingking's cliff, Angel's Billabong and manta snorkelling. A day trip is possible but rushed, and an overnight is considerably better.
The rice terraces
Tegallalang is the famous one and is busy by mid-morning. Jatiluwih is larger, quieter and a UNESCO site, and rewards going early.
Temples with a sense of occasion
Uluwatu on its cliff at sunset, Tanah Lot on its rock at low tide, Besakih on the slopes of Agung. Timing matters more than ticking all three off.
Diving and snorkelling in the northeast
Amed and Tulamben, where the USS Liberty wreck sits close enough to shore that snorkellers reach it. A very different Bali from the south.
When to go
April to October is the dry season and the reliable window. July and August are the busiest and the most expensive. The wet season from November to March brings afternoon downpours rather than all-day rain, and the island is greener and cheaper then.
Getting there
Ngurah Rai International at Denpasar is Indonesia's second busiest airport, with direct flights across Asia and Australia. Fast boats run to the Gilis, Lombok and Nusa Penida from Sanur and Padang Bai.
What it costs
Bali spans every budget. A backpacker manages on $25 to $40 a day, mid-range sits around $70 to $120, and the villa end is unlimited. Day tours run from about $31 for a half-day trek upward.
Worth knowing first
- Traffic is the constraint on everything. A journey that looks like 40 minutes on a map can take two hours, so plan one area a day rather than crossing the island.
- The tourist levy introduced for international visitors is payable on arrival or online. Keep the receipt.
- Many temples require a sarong and sash, usually available at the entrance, and some restrict entry during ceremonies.
- Scooter accidents are the most common way travellers get hurt here. If you have never ridden one, Bali's traffic is a poor place to learn.
Bali questions people actually ask
Which Bali day tours are actually worth booking?
The ones that do one thing properly. A jungle waterfall trek, a Nusa Penida boat day, a diving trip out of Amed. The tours to avoid are the multi-stop minibus itineraries that promise a volcano, a temple, a rice terrace and a coffee plantation in one day: most of that day is spent in traffic.
How many days do I need in Bali?
A week lets you base in two areas, typically Ubud plus a coast, without living in a car. Ten days to two weeks lets you add Nusa Penida or the northeast properly. Anything under five days should stick to one region.
When is the best time to visit Bali?
April to October for reliable dry weather, with April to June and September the sweet spots between the rain and the peak-season crowds. The wet season is not a washout: it usually rains hard in the afternoon and clears, and prices drop.
Is Nusa Penida worth a day trip from Bali?
It is worth going, but a day trip is a long one: a fast boat each way plus rough island roads between the viewpoints. If you can spare a night, staying over turns a rushed itinerary into a good two days, and the viewpoints are far quieter early and late.
Elsewhere in Indonesia
Photographs by TripAdvisor (Yogilocaldriver), TripAdvisor (Management), TripAdvisor.
We may earn a commission when you book through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It does not change what you pay, and it does not decide which trips appear here.