Best of Indonesia: Bali, Nusa Penida & Gili Trawangan

This stay is at the perfect location in Ubud, close to many restaurants and cafes. It's 1kms from the main Ubud street, so it doesn't get too loud/ crowded. The hotel has cozy rooms with a shared pool, private patio and everything else you could need.

This is a mid-ranged hotel that has several benefits such as: - Free parking - 24-hour front desk - Airport transfers - Room service There's also an outdoor swimming pool, a garden and a terrace.

This 5-star hotel has an incredible view of the lush rice fields and is located close to one of Ubud's top attractions - Goa Gajah temple. The hotel offers an ATM, a concierge service, a 24-hour front desk, airport transfers, room service, and free WiFi. A Full English/Irish, American or Asian breakfast can be enjoyed at the property. This hotel is perfect for those looking for a boutique stay in the tropical centre of Bali, away from the hustle and bustle of Ubud town. Location from Ubud centre: 5 kms

This is the most popular temple in Ubud town. Make sure to visit this temple early morning as it can get quite crowded in the afternoon. They will provide an overshirt and sarong combo, so no need to worry about any dress code.

This is one of the trendiest markets in Ubud and it's right next to Pura Taman Saraswati Temple. Make sure to bargain to at least one-third of the price quoted by the vendors. Some of the most popular things to buy from here are: - Macrame dream catchers - Macrame tote bags - Sandalwood souvenirs - Incense sticks and stands - Flowy dresses Make sure to check everything is Made in Bali, as many times local markets can sell cheap stuff made in China.

This is a great spot to visit in the late afternoon when the sun has gone down a little. It's in a quieter part of town and the walk to this spot is very green and mesmerising. The stairs themselves make for a great photo-op but also make sure to continue walking further to reach the rice fields.

This is a short hike of 2 kms and it's best to do this either early morning or just before sunset as it can get very hot and uncomfortable to walk here in the middle of the day. The hike itself is very easy and can be done in flip-flops or sandals. There are no toilets in the area, so make sure to do your business before you embark on this hike!

This palace is great for visiting in the evening as they host a traditional Balinese performance every day at 7:30 PM. The ticket price is 100K IDR and can be bought at the palace entry. It can get very crowded in the sitting area, so make sure to reach at least 45 mins- 1 hour before the show begins to get a seat of your choice.

Start your 2nd day in Ubud with this incredible temple which is just a short 15 min drive from Ubud Town. Beware of vendors outside the temple who will try to hustle you into renting sarongs saying you need it to enter the temple - but sarongs are provided for FREE inside the temple gates. This temple is famous for its beautiful cave architecture and has the idol of Lord Ganesha inside. It's a pretty peaceful temple if visited early in the morning.

This spot is on the way to Tibumana Waterfall. It's a straight road with coconut trees on both sides and makes for a great photo-op.

This is a relatively quieter waterfall compared to the very popular Kanto Lampo waterfall, that's why I decided to put this in the guide. The walk to reach the waterfall is short and easy but you can consider wearing shoes with a good grip as it can get a little slippery in places. Make sure to carry a change of clothes and a towel if you're planning to swim here, because trust me you will be tempted to enter the pool where the water falls.

This restaurant is right next to Tibumana Falls and has a beautiful view of rice fields. The food is pretty good (though not the best Indonesian food I've had) but on the upside, it was very affordable.

This is a very peaceful temple where locals take a dip in the pond for purification purposes. You can also join them if interested, but make sure you visit at least 1 hour before the temple closes because towards closing time they stop allowing tourists to enter the pond. A green sarong will be provided to everyone willing to take the dip and it's required to wear a swimsuit underneath the sarong. Don't forget to bring your own towel and a change of clothes for the best experience. The temple's outskirts have a huge market where traditional handmade souvenirs are sold. It's a good alternative to the Ubud Art Market.

This is a traditional Balinese village where tourists are welcomed to see the livelihood of locals. It's an excellent window to Balinese Hindu culture. Villagers also sell and showcase their handicrafts here. About a 100m outside of Penglipuran village, you can traverse a beautiful 45-hectare bamboo forest which offers a lot of awesome photo spots.

This is the most fun activity for adrenaline junkies in Ubud. You can get either a solo ATV bike or a tandem ATV bike. The ATV track consists of rice fields, forest, a little stream and towards the end they let you drift and have some fun. I opted for the pick and drop off as well and the guide was very punctual. He also took amazing pictures and videos of us during the ATV ride. They will provide boots so there's no need to worry about your shoes getting dirty. You can carry a change of clothes and towel with you as sometimes, if there's a lot of wet mud, it can get quite messy. After the activity, there's a tasty meal of either Nasi Goreng or Mie Goreng.

An Instagram favorite, this popular day club is one of the best ways to spend a few hours relaxing in Bali. There are many activities here including the famous Bali swing. Other activities include: - Luwak coffee tasting - Ziplining among rice fields - Dress rental for photoshoot - Multiple photo points - Access to rice fields The showstopper, however, is their multi-tiered pool facing the lush Tegalalang rice fields where you can spend hours just chilling. Entry fee: 50,000 IDR per person Additional charges for food and drinks.

After a relaxing day, it's time to wake up at 3 am for an epic sunrise from Bali's most famous volcano Mount Batur. This tour includes breakfast, trek to Mount Batur, visit to a coffee plantation and natural hot springs. The whole activity will last 8- 10 hours so keep an entire day free for this. The trek is easily doable by beginners but make sure to wear proper trekking shoes as the entirety of the trek will be in darkness.

This idyllic hotel has a sunrise ocean view. Each room is a beach bungalow with a lovely patio where the hotel's concierge sets up breakfast every morning. The shared pool area also has the same breathtaking view and makes for a lovely spot to chill after a hectic day of traveling. The only issue we had with this accommodation was that the rooms had a slight musty smell.

This hotel is perfect for those who want a stay close to a beach as it's located a short 10 min walk away from Crystal Beach (the most popular beach in Nusa Penida). The rooms are in the form of individual A-frame cabins and the amenities provided are top-notch. You can get a floating breakfast tray in the pool if you book it in advance.

This 5-star hotel offers luxury villas with incredible views and a private pool for those looking for ultimate relaxation. They have both one and two bedroom villas so if you're traveling in a group or with family you will love their suite. There's also a spa at the hotel, among various other facilities. Their restaurant specializes in American, Chinese, and Indonesian cuisine.

This is my favorite spot in Nusa Penida and I low-key came to Indonesia for this. The Tembeling Beach and Forest has natural pools where the water is refreshed continuously so it's completely safe to swim. The pool is shallow so even if you're a non-swimmer, you can go in the water without any problems. The only caveat is that the drive to the entrance of the beach is very dangerous, it's steep and ricketty and there are people with bikes who will take you down to the beach for a price. Now, I did see many people drive down to the beach themselves so it's definitely doable but if you're not sure of your two-wheeler driving skills, then it's best to pay for a ride down. Note: Cars cannot go down to the beach.

If you've ever googled Indonesia or Bali, chances are you've seen the picture of a T-rex-shaped island from the top. It's called Kelingking viewpoint and it's very popular and tends to get very crowded. So make sure to visit early (before 9 am). You can also go down some narrow stairs to reach the beach but not many people do that because the climb down can be quite tough. If you do decide to do it, keep in mind that it will take roughly 45 mins to reach the beach and approximately 45 mins - 1 hour to climb up.

This is another viewpoint on Nusa Penida and makes for a beautiful photo spot. This viewpoint is not on many group trips so it doesn't get that crowded.

This is now just a viewpoint for taking pictures but earlier one could go in the water here. After one too many accidents, it has been closed to tourists now but still remains a beautiful spot nonetheless.

This is probably one of the most iconic sunset points on the island. They serve amazing food and drinks and it's just such an incredible place to spend an evening relaxing, watching the sun go down after a hectic day of travel.

After seeing the West Coast of the island, it's time to explore the East Coast gems. Rumah Pohon Tree House used to be an Airbnb earlier. It has nothing except a bed but the view is to die for. I guess, that's why people kept turning up to take pictures in front of the tree house. So the owner decided to close his Airbnb and make it a viewpoint open to the public instead. This spot also tends to get very crowded so it's best to visit early morning. I went here at 7 am and it was very peaceful and there were only a handful of people in the queue for pictures.

This viewpoint is right next to Rumah Pohon Tree House and is included in the same ticket.

Another iconic beach which makes people work before reaching it. Make sure you reach before 8:30 am as the stairs to reach this beach starts getting crowded by people setting up their cameras for pictures. This beach is easier to reach than Kelingking Beach as there are proper cemented stairs reaching down but it does get quite hard towards the end when you have to climb a few huge rocks. Make sure to wear shoes with a good grip if you you're planning to go down. Another thing to note is that the waves at this beach are very strong and it's heavily advised to not swim at this beach due to safety concerns.

Nusa Penida is famous for Manta Ray sightings and snorkeling is the best way to see them up close. However, the ocean can tend to be choppy wherever Manta Rays hang out, so you may end up with poor visibilty underwater.

This beautiful property is a part of one of the most popular bars on the island. Every room has a nice patio area and an outdoor washroom. The property also has a shared pool area which makes for a nice place to chill in the afternoon.

This spectacular hotel's USP is the beautiful pool area which overlooks the ocean. The property is located a 4-minute walk from Sunset Point, 1.4 miles from Gili Trawangan Harbor and 1.4 miles from Turtle Conservation Gili Trawangan. They have fire shows every weekend and live music every night with dinner. The breakfast is also very scrumptious.

This unique property is a modern treehouse. Blending chic design with natural setting, this air-conditioned villa comes with a private pool, a bathroom with a shower, as well as a mini-bar, a refrigerator, and a coffee/tea maker. There are two types of villas you can book- a one bedroom and a two-bedroom suite. Both are really incredible and make for an amazing stay.

There are several restaurants and beach clubs in this stretch of the island. Every restaurant has bean bags on the beach for people to sit and watch the sunset with a refreshing drink in hand. One of the top things to do here is a sunset photoshoot with horses!

Snorkeling around Gili islands is a must. The half day snorkeling tour will take you around 5 points where you will see underwater statues, a shipwreck, 3-5 turtles depending on your luck and lots of colourful corals. You will also stop at Gili Meno beach which has one of the clearest waters I've ever seen. You can get both private or group snorkeling tours. If you're a pro swimmer, the group tour is very economic but if you have trouble swimming in the ocean, a private snorkeling tour might be the best option for you as the guides also help you navigate the waters.

Close to the sunset point on Gili T, a couple of restaurants have outdoor movie screenings everyday. Make sure to reach here around 7 PM to reserve a seat as it gets very crowded.

Gili T is known for its nightlife and has some really good pubs. Tequila Sunrise is where the party starts every night around 10 PM. It's not your usual pub, its on the beach and there's no roof as such. The music is a mix of pop and house music and almost everyone passing through stops and dances here for a few minutes. You can also join pub crawls happening all over the island if you'd like to meet some people.

This hotel is in a quiet area of Canggu but still close to many restaurants and cafes. They have a public pool and the rooms are very cozy. The property also provides laundry service. While there's no breakfast buffet, the hotel does have a shared kichenette where you can cook simple meals if required.

If you wish to stay somewhere Instagram-worthy, this is your best bet. The decor of the property is stunning and it has all the amenities you'll need including a shared kitchen area. It’s in a relatively quiet part of Canggu which is a bonus, if that’s what you’re after.

The Cali Villas Canggu features accommodations with private pool, free WiFi and free private parking for guests who drive. There is a complimentary snack bar on-site. A car rental service and bicycle rental service is available at the villa. The villas are perfect for a group of friends or family travelling together.

This is a very popular beach in Bali for surfing. You can even enroll for a beginner's surfing lesson if you have the time. The sunset from this beach is really beautiful, so if you're not into surfing, sunset would be the best time to come here.

This temple is a must-visit in Bali. It's a 30-minute drive from Canggu area. This temple is most well known for its unique offshore setting and sunset backdrops. However, keep in mind you will see temple during low tide if you go for sunset. To see it with the majestic waves dancing and crashing, you've gotta visit during high tide.

This is a fun activity for people looking to do something different on their Indonesia trip. You can do a 1 day, 3 day or a 5 day pottery session here based on what you're interested in.

This is probably the most aesthetically pleasing spa in all of Bali. It's in the Seminyak area of Bali (approx 30 min drive from Canggu). Make sure to book your spa in advance as this spa is very popular and a walk-in may not get you immediate service.

End your trip to Indonesia with Bali's most popular club. They have multiple amazing pools where you can chill for as long as you want. The pool overlooks the ocean and has an amazing sunset view. Food here can be hit or miss, so make sure you're fueled up before you come here.