Ready-made plans
Ready-made plan

5 days in Bali for couples

Ubud 3 nights, Seminyak 1 night

I start you slow in green, quiet Ubud with rice terraces, temples and a cooking class, then move you to the beach in Seminyak for sunsets. It suits couples who want a bit of culture, good food and plenty of time together.

Rice terraces at TegallalangA Balinese cooking class in UbudSunset at Tanah LotBest in Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
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Day 1 Arrive and settle into Ubud

  1. 13:00Land at Ngurah Rai Airport, transfer to UbudGet a local SIM or eSIM and some rupiah at the airport, then head north to Ubud.Ngurah Rai Airport · about 1.5 hrs · 125,000 to 275,000 IDR per person (car shared by two)
  2. 15:00Check in to your Ubud hotelRest, have a swim and let the jungle quiet sink in.Central Ubud · about 1.5 hrs · FreeArrive by car
  3. 16:45Campuhan Ridge WalkEasy paved ridge path between two rivers. Go in the soft late light and bring water.Campuhan, Ubud · about 1.5 hrs · FreeGrab or Gojek, 10 min
  4. 19:00Dinner at Bebek Bengil (Dirty Duck Diner)Ask for a pavilion at the back facing the rice field. Good vegetarian options too, like gado gado and tofu dishes.Jalan Hanoman, Ubud · about 1.5 hrs · 200,000 to 300,000 IDR · Order: Crispy fried duck (bebek goreng)Grab, 10 min

Tip: Keep day one light. The drive is long, and Ubud is best explored fresh in the morning.

Day 2 Temples and rice terraces

  1. 08:00Tirta Empul Water TempleSarongs are provided. You can join the purification ritual in the spring pools if you wish, bring a change of clothes.Tampaksiring · about 1.5 hrs · 50,000 to 75,000 IDR
  2. 10:00Tegallalang Rice TerracesWalk down into the terraces for the best views. Small donations are asked at a few points.Tegallalang · about 1.5 hrs · 20,000 to 50,000 IDRDriver, 20 min
  3. 12:45Lunch at Sari OrganikReached by a 15 minute walk through the rice fields from Jalan Raya Ubud. Mostly vegetarian, very good for Indian travellers.Subak Sok Wayah rice fields, Ubud · about 1.5 hrs · 100,000 to 180,000 IDR · Order: Nasi campur organik (vegetarian rice plate)Driver to Jalan Kajeng, then walk 15 min
  4. 14:30Back to the hotel, pool or a Balinese massageA 60 minute Balinese massage in Ubud town is very good value.Central Ubud · about 2 hrs · 150,000 to 350,000 IDRWalk back to the road, then Grab, 10 min
  5. 16:45Sacred Monkey Forest SanctuaryKeep sunglasses, food and loose items in a closed bag. Do not touch or feed the monkeys.Monkey Forest Road, Ubud · about 1 hr · 80,000 to 100,000 IDRWalk or Grab, 5 min
  6. 19:30Dinner at Mozaic Restaurant GastronomiqueThe special night out of the trip. Book ahead and tell them about vegetarian or halal needs when you book; there is a vegetarian tasting menu.Jalan Raya Sanggingan, Ubud · about 2.5 hrs · 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 IDR · Order: The tasting menu of French technique with Balinese ingredientsGrab, 15 min

Tip: Hire one driver for the morning (around 600,000 to 800,000 IDR for 6 to 8 hours). It is cheaper and easier than separate rides.

Day 3 Cook, shop and the heart of Ubud

  1. 08:30Paon Bali Cooking ClassStarts with a local market visit, then you cook about eight Balinese dishes in a family home and eat them for lunch. Tell them in advance if you are vegetarian.Laplapan village, Ubud · about 5 hrs · 450,000 to 550,000 IDR
  2. 14:00Rest at the hotelYou will be full. Take the afternoon slowly.Central Ubud · about 2 hrs · FreeDrop-off by the cooking school
  3. 16:15Ubud Art MarketSarongs, baskets, silver and paintings. Start at about a third of the asking price and smile.Jalan Raya Ubud · about 1 hr · free to enterWalk or Grab, 5 min
  4. 17:15Ubud Palace and Pura Taman SaraswatiTwo minutes apart. The water temple's lotus pond is lovely in the evening.Jalan Raya Ubud · about 1 hr · FreeWalk, 2 min
  5. 19:00Dinner at Cafe LotusTables look across the lotus pond to the temple. Good vegetarian options.Jalan Raya Ubud, by Saraswati Temple · about 1.5 hrs · 150,000 to 250,000 IDR · Order: Nasi goreng or a Balinese curryWalk, 2 min

Tip: Book the cooking class a few days ahead, it fills up in July and August.

Day 4 To the beach, sunset at Tanah Lot

  1. 10:00Check out and transfer Ubud to SeminyakAsk your hotel for a car, or book Grab the night before for a 10:00 pickup.Ubud to Seminyak · about 1.5 hrs · 125,000 to 250,000 IDR per person (car shared by two)
  2. 11:30Check in at Seminyak (or drop your bags)Rooms may not be ready until 14:00. Leave your bags and go for lunch.Seminyak · about 30 min · FreeArrive by car
  3. 12:30Lunch at Warung Made SeminyakA Bali institution since the 1960s. Big menu of Indonesian food with good vegetarian options.Jalan Raya Seminyak · about 1 hr · 120,000 to 200,000 IDR · Order: Nasi campur or gado gadoGrab or walk, 10 min
  4. 14:00Pool and beach time at Seminyak BeachSwim only between the red and yellow flags, the waves here can be strong.Seminyak Beach · about 2 hrs · FreeWalk, 10 min
  5. 16:15Sunset at Tanah Lot TempleThe temple sits on a rock in the sea. At low tide you can walk across to the base. Find a spot on the cliff to the left for the classic view.Tabanan · about 2.5 hrs · 75,000 IDRGrab or driver, 50 min
  6. 19:45Dinner at La LucciolaBeachfront Italian on the sand by Petitenget Temple, open since the 1990s. Ask for an upstairs table. Plenty of vegetarian pasta.Petitenget Beach, Seminyak · about 2 hrs · 350,000 to 600,000 IDR · Order: Seafood linguine or a vegetarian pastaDriver back, 50 min

Tip: Leave Tanah Lot right after sunset or you will sit in the car park queue for 30 minutes.

Day 5 Slow morning and fly home

  1. 09:00Breakfast and a last swimNo rush this morning.Seminyak · about 1.5 hrs · Free
  2. 10:45Boutique shopping on Jalan Kayu AyaBali's best street for linen, swimwear, jewellery and home decor. Fixed prices in most shops.Jalan Kayu Aya, Seminyak · about 1.5 hrs · free to browseWalk or Grab, 5 min
  3. 12:30Lunch at Queen's TandoorPopular North Indian restaurant with a full vegetarian menu, a good taste of home before the flight.Jalan Raya Seminyak · about 1 hr · 150,000 to 250,000 IDR · Order: Dal makhani, paneer tikka and garlic naanGrab, 10 min
  4. 14:00Check out and collect bagsAsk the hotel to keep bags after a noon checkout.Seminyak · about 30 min · FreeGrab, 10 min
  5. 15:00Transfer to Ngurah Rai AirportAllow extra time, the bypass near Kuta often jams in the afternoon.Seminyak to airport · about 45 min · 75,000 to 150,000 IDR per person (car shared by two)Car from the hotel

Tip: Indonesia charges a 150,000 IDR tourist levy for Bali, usually paid online before you fly in. Keep the receipt on your phone.

Where to stay

Ubud, Central Ubud · nights 1 to 3Walk to cafes, the palace and the Monkey Forest, with rice fields minutes away.
  • Champlung Sari Hotel budget · about 900,000 to 1,400,000 IDR a night Old favourite right opposite the Monkey Forest, simple rooms and a quiet pool, walk to everything.
  • Alaya Resort Ubud mid · about 1,800,000 to 2,800,000 IDR a night Calm rooms looking onto rice fields, yet a short walk to the cafes and the palace.
  • Maya Ubud Resort and Spa luxury · about 4,500,000 to 7,000,000 IDR a night Big jungle resort with a river spa and a riverside pool, free shuttle into town.
Seminyak, Seminyak · nights 4Beach, good restaurants and boutiques close together, and 30 to 45 minutes from the airport.
  • ibis Styles Bali Petitenget budget · about 600,000 to 900,000 IDR a night Clean, cheerful and well run, a short ride to the beach and the restaurants.
  • Courtyard by Marriott Bali Seminyak Resort mid · about 1,600,000 to 2,500,000 IDR a night Large lagoon pool and reliable rooms, five minutes on foot to the beach.
  • The Oberoi Beach Resort, Bali luxury · about 5,000,000 to 8,000,000 IDR a night Classic beachfront garden resort, quiet and private, with sunset views from the lawn.

Hotel prices are typical. Make it yours to see today's prices for your dates.

What to eat

  • Bebek goreng (crispy duck) at Bebek Bengil, Ubud Ubud's signature dish, served next to the rice fields.
  • Nasi campur at Warung Made, Seminyak Rice with small portions of many dishes, the everyday Balinese meal. Vegetarian versions are easy.
  • Vegetarian organic rice plate at Sari Organik, Ubud Fresh food from their own farm with a rice field view.
  • Tasting menu at Mozaic, Ubud Bali's best known fine dining, perfect for one special night.
  • Grilled seafood on the sand at Jimbaran Bay beach cafes, Jimbaran Fish, prawns and squid grilled over coconut husks at sunset. An easy add if you have a spare evening.
  • Dal makhani and paneer at Queen's Tandoor, Seminyak Reliable North Indian food with a big vegetarian menu.

Ubud is quiet after 22:00, with dinners and maybe a dance show. Seminyak has a livelier strip of restaurants and beach clubs, but you can keep it calm and simply eat well. Bali is mostly Hindu, so halal is not the default. Indian and Middle Eastern places in Seminyak, Kuta and Nusa Dua are the easiest halal picks, and pork-free menus are easy to ask for.

Why it is planned this way

  • Tirta Empul gets crowded after 10, so it's first thing on day 2.
  • I put Ubud first so the long drive happens when you are fresh, and you finish relaxed on the beach.
  • I left the afternoons free after lunch, Bali is hot and humid and two people on holiday deserve a pool break.
  • Tanah Lot is on your Seminyak day because it is only 50 minutes from there, not two hours from Ubud.

Other plans for Bali

Opening times and prices change. Tomo checks them again for your dates when you make the plan yours.

Your dates, your hotel, your pace