Bali, Indonesia 2 Day Itinerary

Two days in Bali means making a choice: beach culture in the south, or the rice terraces and temple circuit around Ubud in the centre. Trying to do both will cost you most of the time in transit. This itinerary picks the more interesting option, Ubud and the highlands, with one southern detour on the first morning that is genuinely worth waking up for.

Getting Around

Bali’s traffic is serious and getting worse. Do not plan your day around distance; plan it around direction. Grab and Gojek (Indonesian ride-hailing apps) are the honest-price options for point-to-point transport and show you the fare before you accept. Both apps are banned in parts of central Ubud and some areas of Canggu; walk two or three minutes out of the restricted zone to call a car. Blue Bird taxis use meters and are reliable for situations where apps do not work. Avoid unmetered taxis that approach you in tourist areas: they will quote ten times the fair price and negotiate slowly toward five times.

Do not rent a scooter unless you are genuinely experienced on one. The roads outside the tourist corridors are narrow, potholed, and share space with trucks, dogs, and other scooters. The accident rate among inexperienced tourist riders is high.

Private drivers with a fixed daily rate (typically $30 to $65 USD for a full day) are the most practical option if you have multiple stops planned. Your accommodation can arrange one at a fair rate; ask the evening before.

Where to Stay

Ubud is the correct base for this itinerary. The centre of Ubud town (around Jalan Hanuman and Monkey Forest Road) has everything within walking distance and good transport links for day trips. Mid-range guesthouses and small hotels run $40 to $100 per night; some of the family-run homestays (losmen) on the streets east of the main drag offer exceptional value with private rooms, garden breakfasts, and daily temple offerings in the courtyard for under $30.

Seminyak and Canggu are the right choices if you want beach and nightlife access; they are about an hour’s drive from Ubud in decent traffic, two in the morning rush.

Day 1: South Bali Morning, Ubud Afternoon

Leave early (before 07:00) for Tanah Lot, the sea temple on the south-west coast built on a rocky outcrop that fills with seawater at high tide. The temple itself is accessible only to Hindu worshippers, but the coastal views, the cliff-top path, and the moment when the sun clears the horizon behind the temple are genuinely striking. Arriving before 07:30 means you will have the best viewing spots before the tour buses arrive. Entry is around IDR 60,000 (roughly $4). From there, head north-east toward Ubud.

The Tegalalang Rice Terraces, 10 kilometres north of Ubud town, have become Instagram-famous and are now ringed by cafes and swing operators charging IDR 50,000 to IDR 150,000 for a photo in front of a view that was free last decade. Skip the swings. The terraces themselves are still beautiful and the engineering of the subak irrigation system, which is on UNESCO’s cultural heritage list, is genuinely interesting. Arrive by 09:00 to beat the hottest part of the day and the peak crowds.

Lunch in Ubud: walk away from the main tourist restaurants on Jalan Raya Ubud and find a warung on a side street. Warung Gauri on a lane off the central district area has a garden setting and local Balinese cooking at authentic prices. Nasi campur (mixed rice with small portions of various dishes) costs IDR 25,000 to IDR 40,000 at a local warung versus four times that at a restaurant visible from the main street.

Afternoon: the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is worth visiting despite its tourist-trap reputation. The three Hindu temples inside are active and the forest is genuinely old-growth. The macaques are habituated to humans and will steal food, glasses, and phones if you are careless; keep bags zipped and do not hold out food. Entry is IDR 50,000 (increased from older listings; confirm at the entrance).

The Ubud Art Market across from the Royal Palace is good in the early morning when local traders outnumber the tourist-facing stalls. By afternoon it is primarily aimed at visitors. The Royal Palace (Puri Saren Agung) courtyard is open during the day and sometimes hosts evening dance performances (check schedules at your accommodation; tickets run around IDR 100,000 to IDR 150,000 for the Kecak or Legong performances held at dusk).

Dinner: Locavore on Jalan Dewi Sita is one of the better modern Indonesian kitchens in Southeast Asia and uses Balinese ingredients with serious technique. It is worth the price (mains around $15 to $25 USD) and worth booking a week in advance during peak season. If you cannot get a table, Warung Mendez on Jalan Penestanan is a very good and far cheaper alternative with traditional cooking in a quiet setting away from the main tourist streets.

Day 2: Beratan Temple, Waterfalls, Departure

Ulun Danu Beratan Temple sits on the shore of Lake Beratan in the Bedugul highlands, 35 kilometres north of Ubud (about one hour’s drive). The multi-tiered meru shrines appear to float on the water when the lake level is high, which is the image most associated with Bali internationally. Arrive early morning (08:00 to 09:00) for mist on the water and fewer people. Entry is IDR 75,000. The highlands here are noticeably cooler than the coast; a light jacket is useful.

On the return south, stop at either Banyumala Twin Waterfalls or Nungnung Waterfall. Banyumala requires a 15-minute walk through jungle and is less known; the twin falls drop into a pool suitable for swimming. Nungnung is a 15-minute descent of steep steps and a longer climb back, with a single large fall. Both are in the IDR 20,000 to IDR 30,000 entry range.

Practical Notes

Currency: exchange money only at authorised money changers with a “Licensed” sign. Unofficial changers use counting tricks to short-change tourists, either presenting large fanned stacks of small-denomination bills or miscounting rapidly. Count your money yourself before leaving the window. The rate at licensed changers is reasonable; airport rates are predictably worse.

If a local approaches you on the street to say that a temple or attraction is “closed today,” it is almost certainly not closed. This is a common approach to redirect you to a shop or tour where the person earns a commission.

Drink only bottled or filtered water. Dengue fever is present on the island; mosquito repellent with DEET is worthwhile, especially in jungle areas and at dusk.