Are you planning a trip to Bali? Then you’ve come to the right place! The Indonesian island has a lot of activities and a diverse nature to offer and therefore attracts many tourists and backpackers every year.

Make the most of your trip to Bali with these great activities. From waterfalltours, beach clubs in Seminyak, temple exploring or Snorkeling trips there is a lot to experience on Bali.

Find out in this post what the best things are that you need to do when you travel to Bali.

Explore Seminyak

As Seminyak is not far from Bali International Airport, this place is perfect as a first stop for your trip around Bali. Especially for people who like to explore the nightlife, Seminyak is the perfect place. There are numerous beach bars and clubs here.
But even during the day there is a lot to do in Seminyak: you can go to the beach, go on a shopping tour or eat in the many restaurants.

Try Surfing

One of the best places to surf is Bali. The Indonesian island is particularly suitable for beginners who have yet to learn how to surf. Bali offers countless surf camps. Especially the places Kuta, Canggu and Medewi are very popular for surfers. Especially Kuta attracts many surf beginners, because here the waves are not too high and you have a soft and sandy surface.

Get blessed in a temple

Bali is also called the land of a thousand temples, because in Bali there are about 20 000 temples. For this reason alone, you should visit at least one of the many beautiful temples that Bali has to offer. Since most of the inhabitants of Bali profess Hinduism, most temples in Bali are Hindu temples.

In the temples in Bali, however, there are a few rules for visitors to observe: One of the most important rules is that the knees and shoulders must be covered when entering the temple.

Visit a Rice Terrace

Not only are there numerous temples in Bali, but also numerous rice terraces. In Indonesia, rice cultivation is a centuries-old tradition, so many regions of Bali are characterized by lush green rice terraces.

You should definitely visit one of these stepped rice terraces. One of the most famous rice terraces is the Jatiluwih Rice Terrace, which is not yet overcrowded with tourists. Here it is worth to book a tour and let one of the locals show you the rice field.

Visit Monkey Forest in Ubud

The famous Monkey Forest which is located right in Ubud is known as nature reserve and Hindu Temple Complex. You can explore the Monkey Forest on your own, without a tour guide. Since the monkeys are not locked in enclosures, they roam freely. Therefore it is necessary that you are mindful when you walking through the forest. Therefore, do not bring any food into the park. No packaged food either, the monkeys will still find it and may attack you. But there is also monkey forest staff keeping an eye on everything. Admission to the Monkey Forest costs IDR 80 000.

Visit Tibumana Waterfall

Bali has many spectacular waterfalls to offer, but one of the most beautiful and famous is the Tibumana Waterfall near Ubud. Here you can swim, hike or take numerous photos.
To get to the waterfall, you have to walk down a descent, which is easy to overcome. To visit the waterfall, you have to pay an entry fee of IDR 10 000 per person.
Although it does not attract so many tourists to this waterfall, it is recommended to visit the waterfall early in the morning before 11 am.

Travel to Gili Islands

East of Bali are the Gili Islands. This is an island group consisting of the three islands Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan. All three islands can be reached from Bali by ferry. Particularly worth seeing is the island of Gili Trawangan. Here you can lie on the beach, go swimming in the turquoise blue water, explore the island by bike or watch sea turtles while snorkeling. For the Gili Islands you should definitely take a few days, because there is a lot to experience here.

Try Balinese Food

For travelers, Bali has many activities and attractions to offer. But during your trip around Bali you should definitely try the Balinese cuisine. Particularly famous is the dish Nasi Goreng (fried rice). Also known is the dish Saté. These are skewers with meat. Generally in Bali a lot of rice and meat is eaten. Since Bali is influenced by Hinduism, Balinese dishes are mainly prepared with pork. Because pork plays a big role in Hinduism. Beef is used less in Balinese cuisine, however, because cows are considered sacred in Hinduism.
For tourists, there are also Cooking Classes, where you have the opportunity to be taught by the locals how to cook a traditional meal.

Watch a sunset over the sea

If you travel to Bali, you have to watch a sunset over the sea. Gili T (Gili Trawangan) is particularly suitable here, because there is the so-called Sunset Point. Here, in addition to bars, which are right on the beach, there is also a swing and a hammock right in the water. These are particularly good for beautiful photos at a breathtaking sunset.

Hike up to Mount Batur

The active volcano Mount Batur, which last erupted in 2000, is 1.5 hours drive from Ubud. Mount Batur is a very popular hiking spot for tourists. The hike up the volcano takes about 2 hours.
It is most recommended to do the hike in the very early hours of the morning. If you start your hike at three o’clock in the morning, you will arrive at the summit in time for sunrise. For the spectacular views of the countryside, the volcano and the rising sun, it is definitely worth getting up early.
However, you should definitely do the hike with a tour guide, as the ascent is not entirely safe.

Visit Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is a small island located southeast of Bali. Those who travel to Bali should definitely take a few days to travel from Bali by ferry to Nusa Penida. Because Nusa Penida offers breathtaking beaches, many activities and you also have the opportunity to see Manta rays while snorkeling.

For a detailed guide to Nusa Penida please read my blogpost The ultimate Guide to Nusa Penida.

Go snorkeling on Gili T

When you would like to go snorkeling during your time on Bali, Gili T (Gili Trawangan) is the perfect place for it. Not only can you admire countless species of fish but Gili T is also known for its many sea turtles. Especially the famous “Nest Statues Jason de Caires Taylor” should be explored when you go snorkeling on Gili T.