Dear fellow traveler, if you’re looking for yet another delightful “Top 10 Things to do in Bali list,” you have opened the wrong page. For starters, you will notice – if you have any talent for counting at all – that this list does not contain ten items. A list of ten would suggest a sense of completeness and order that simply does not exist in this wretched world. These recommendations are culled from my own harrowing experiences, though I have included a few locations I have not yet visited, solely because I have heard whispers of their greatness and feel a desperate, perhaps foolish, urge to see them for myself before something goes horribly wrong.
I must caution you: while the tone of this guide is somewhat grim, the logistical information contained within is – most distressingly – entirely accurate. I have meticulously recorded prices and logistical advice with a level of accuracy that is frankly exhausting. Every detail was correct at the time this document was published, though in a world as unstable as ours, accurate is a word that should always be whispered with a note of caution. You may use this information to plan your journey with terrifying efficiency, though why you would want to arrive at your destination any sooner is a mystery that I have no desire to solve.
So if you have opened this article in the hopes of finding a pleasant vacation, I must urge you to put it down immediately, perhaps burying it beneath a pile of damp laundry or tossing it into a nearby volcano. You are looking for a list of the best things to do in Bali, but you should expect to find a list of humid misadventures that will leave you covered in sand and regret. Hope, after all, is that thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we only have the courage to reach for it – though in this case, all that awaits is a sunburn and a stolen wallet.
Most travelers believe Bali is a paradise of emerald rice terraces and tranquil waves. They are wrong. It is a place where the monkeys are professional pickpockets, the spicy sambal is a physical assault on your digestive system, and the peaceful yoga retreats are merely clever disguises for waking up at an hour usually reserved for ghosts and milkmen.
If you insist on reading further, do not say I didn’t warn you about the inevitable sunburnt shoulders and the existential dread that comes from realizing a coconut has a better social life than you do.
If this is your first stop in Indonesia, read Why You Should Think Twice About Indonesia.
Best Things to See and Do in Bali (And Why They Might Disappoint You)
On any given island, there is a list of Best Things to See and Do, an optimistic and misleading phrase that suggests these activities will be entirely delightful and without peril. Such a list, however, is merely a catalog of places where one can witness something curious, or perhaps even perform a curious deed oneself. One should approach this list with caution and a healthy dose of suspicion, as no one can truly promise that what you see and do will be anything but an experience of dreadful consequence.
While I endeavor to furnish you with the costs of regular adult admission for the various locales of interest, you must understand that the proprietors of these places will almost certainly offer lesser prices for children, students, the elderly, Indonesian citizens, and other groups in order to make a simple transaction more complicated. You should also be aware of the Bali.com BaliCard, which offers discounts to a number of Bali experiences, very few of which are deemed interesting enough to be included in this esteemed guide.
- Temples
- Rice Terraces and Swings
- Waterfalls and Volcanoes
- Critters, Culture, and Coffee
- Beaches and Coastline
Buildings of High Altitude and Deep Water
Ancient stone monuments designed to make you feel spiritually enlightened and physically exhausted by stairs.
Frame the heavens at Pura Lempuyang
- What the guides say: The Gates of Heaven feature a symmetrical design. Standing between the white stone structures, the outline of Mount Agung is visible in the distance. It is a location of visual alignment, though the significant time required to obtain a photograph often serves as a practical measurement of human endurance.
- What they don’t tell you: Famous for the Gates of Heaven, this site offers a view so symmetrical it feels suspicious. Thousands wait for hours to stand between two stone monoliths, staring at Mount Agung and wondering if a photograph is worth the existential dread of a very long, very steep staircase.
- Go for: The Gates of Heaven photo that launched a thousand Instagram accounts.
- Cost: Approximately 70,000 IDR (plus 50,000 IDR shuttle fee and a donation for the photographer).
- Photography: The water in the photos is actually a mirror held under a phone lens; the reality is just a dusty parking lot, but the lie is beautiful.
- Best Time: Arrive at 5:30 AM or prepare to wait 3+ hours for a 30-second photo op.
- More Temples: There are actually seven temples on the mountain; most people only see the first one because their legs give out.
- Verdict: It is a professional-grade exercise in vanity that you will absolutely participate in because the lie is simply too pretty.
Wade toward Tanah Lot
- What the guides say: This offshore rock formation is an example of geological isolation. At low tide, the receding water reveals a stone path, allowing a temporary walk to the base of the sea temple. The site is regulated by tidal cycles; one is aware that the terrestrial access is entirely dependent on the lunar pull on the ocean.
- What they don’t tell you: This shrine sits upon a jagged rock, isolated by the tide like a hermit who truly dislikes houseguests. To reach it, one must splash through the surf, a damp endeavor that ensures your footwear will never be the same again, all while the ocean hisses threats against your ankles.
- Go for: The geological miracle of a temple that only wants to see you during business hours (low tide).
- Cost: Approximately 75,000 IDR.
- Best Time: Check a local tide chart before leaving; arriving at high tide means you’ll be staring at a very expensive rock from a distance.
- Dress Code: Expect wet feet – wear sandals you don’t mind sacrificing to the saltwater gods.
- Sea Snakes: Legend says poisonous sea snakes live at the base of the island to guard the temple against intruders and evil spirits.
- Verdict: This is the price Bali charges for a temple that literally ghosts you, but you didn’t come this far to be comfortable.
Submerge your sins at Tirta Empul
- What the guides say: Inside this aquatic temple, the air contains a high concentration of incense particles and moisture. The ritual involves entering cold mountain springs that exit through stone conduits. There is a rhythmic nature to the procedure – each fountain is designated for a specific type of cleansing, involving the physical scrubbing of the person within a moss-covered stone basin.
- What they don’t tell you: Here, the weary and the wicked line up to douse themselves in holy spring water. It is a refreshing ritual of purification, though submerging your sins does very little to address the soggy reality of standing in a stone pool while strangers watch you contemplate your moral failings.
- Go for: A spiritual deep clean in mountain spring water that is as refreshing as it is crowded.
- Cost: Approximately 75,000 IDR (includes sarong rental); 30,000 IDR for locker and wet sarong rental to participate in the ritual.
- Dress Code: If you participate in the ritual, bring a change of clothes; the wet sarong look is only chic for the first five minutes.
- Photography: Capture the water gushing from the stone spouts, but be respectful of those actually trying to have a religious experience.
- Indra: The spring is believed to have been created by the god Indra to heal his troops.
- Verdict: You will arrive with moral baggage and leave with a very heavy, very damp sarong, but you should still go.
Contemplate the mist at Pura Ulun Danu Beratan
- What the guides say: Located on the surface of Lake Beratan, this Temple of the Lake is frequently obscured by high-altitude condensation. The tiered shrines appear to exist between the water and the atmosphere, creating a quiet environment. It is a damp location where the regional tropical heat is replaced by mountain temperatures that encourage silent thought.
- What they don’t tell you: This floating temple rests on Lake Beratan, often shrouded in a fog so thick it feels like the clouds are trying to eavesdrop on your thoughts. It is a serene, lakeside scene, provided you enjoy the sensation of your hair slowly succumbing to the relentless dampness of the highlands.
- Go for: The floating illusion that makes for the most iconic postcard shot in the northern highlands.
- Cost: Approximately 75,000 IDR.
- Best Time: Go early in the morning before the fog completely swallows the temple, or it becomes a Guess the Landmark game.
- Dress Code: Bring a jacket; the mountains do not care that you are in the tropics.
- 50,000 IDR Shot: This temple is featured on the 50,000 Indonesian Rupiah note, so you can compare your photo to your cash.
- Verdict: Go for the photo, stay for the atmospheric dampness that ruins your hair; it’s a beautiful, foggy mess you need to see.
Balance on the fountains of Tirta Gangga
- What the guides say: This former royal water park is a network of stepping stones and decorative fountains. Moving through the pools requires physical coordination across the water, surrounded by large carp and stone statues. It is a structured garden of liquid geometry where each step is a calculated movement through local history.
- What they don’t tell you: This water palace features stepping stones arranged over a pond filled with gargantuan koi. Navigating them requires the grace of a ballerina and the balance of a tightrope walker, lest you end up as an unexpected swimming companion for a fish the size of a small domestic dog.
- Go for: A royal game of The Floor is Lava, but with giant orange fish and ornate stone carvings.
- Cost: Approximately 90,000 IDR.
- Fish Food: Buy the fish food at the entrance for 5,000 IDR; it turns the koi into a swirling, photogenic vortex of hunger.
- Photography: The stepping stones create a leading line perfect for portraits – just don’t fall in.
- History: This was the former weekend retreat for the King of Karangasem, built in the late 1940s.
- Verdict: Navigating the stones is a test of poise you are likely to fail, but the giant fish demand an audience anyway.
Ascend the steps of the Besakih Great Temple
- What the guides say: Known as the Mother Temple, this large complex is situated on the slopes of Mount Agung and comprises over 80 individual shrines. The climb is a physical exertion, leading through dark stone gateways. The scale is substantial; it is a large volcanic site of faith that has remained intact through various eruptions.
- What they don’t tell you: Known as the Mother Temple, this sprawling complex sits on the slopes of an active volcano. Climbing its endless stairs is a grueling physical feat that offers spiritual enlightenment, or at the very least, a profound understanding of the biological limitations of your own quadriceps.
- Go for: The scale of the Mother Temple that makes every other shrine look like a starter home.
- Cost: Approximately 150,000 IDR (includes sarong, shuttle, and guide). Optional offerings and tips for your guide can add up.
- Official Guide: Be prepared for aggressive local guides; your ticket includes one, so stick with the official staff to avoid extra fees.
- Best Time: During a festival (Odalan takes place every 210 days – Google for dates), the sight of thousands of people in white carrying offerings is unparalleled.
- Volcano: The temple miraculously survived the 1963 eruption of Mount Agung, with lava flows missing the structures by mere meters.
- Verdict: Your quadriceps will scream, but the spiritual magnitude will eventually silence them; just pay the physical tax and climb.
Vertigo-Inducing Agriculture and Suspended Terrors
Steep hillsides and dangling ropes, where the primary goal is to not fall into the mud.
Traverse the Tegalalang Rice Terraces
- What the guides say: The land here is shaped into green tiers. Walking along the narrow ridges of the paddies provides a direct look at Balinese irrigation techniques. The vegetation is highly pigmented, and the depth of the valley creates the sensation of being inside a large, agricultural theater.
- What they don’t tell you: A dizzying staircase of emerald green where one misstep leads to a very muddy introduction to the soil. These terraces are magnificent to behold, yet they serve as a grim reminder that humans will go to extraordinary heights just to ensure their dinner remains properly hydrated.
- Go for: Emerald tiers of rice that look like a giant’s staircase.
- Cost: Approximately 50,000 IDR (plus occasional donations at bridges).
- Dress Code: Wear shoes with grip; the stairs are often just carved mud that turns into a slip-and-slide after rain.
- Photography: Walk to the far side of the valley to escape the crowds and get cleaner shots of the layers.
- Irrigation: The irrigation system used here, called Subak, dates back to the 9th century.
- Verdict: A breathtaking landscape where the primary export is tourists covered in green mud, yet you’ll recommend it to everyone.
Survey the vastness of Jatiluwih
- What the guides say: Unlike the smaller valleys, these UNESCO-protected terraces offer a panoramic scale. The rice fields extend toward the horizon, bordered by volcanic peaks. To observe this area is to see the result of the Subak system; it is a landscape where human labor and the natural environment have merged into a large-scale project.
- What they don’t tell you: A UNESCO site that is vast – so large, in fact, that you will definitely get lost. These rolling hills of rice are a testament to ancient irrigation and the fact that, no matter how far you walk, there is always another hill waiting to test the structural integrity of your knees.
- Go for: The UNESCO-certified panoramic view that makes Tegalalang look like a backyard garden.
- Cost: Approximately 75,000 IDR.
- Best Time: Late afternoon when the heat breaks and the light turns the fields into liquid gold.
- E-bike: Rent an e-bike to cover the vast distances without your knees going on strike.
- The Name: “Jati” means real and “Luwih” means beautiful; the name is a rare instance of accurate marketing.
- Verdict: Go here to feel small and stay because your knees have gone on strike; it’s the most exhausting view you’ll ever love.
Plummet toward the canopy on a Bali Swing
- What the guides say: There is a brief moment of weightlessness as one moves over the edge of a steep drop. Attached by cables, you swing away from the ground toward the tops of palm trees. It is a controlled mechanical experience that requires a temporary reliance on gravity, providing a high-altitude view.
- What they don’t tell you: In this peculiar activity, one pays to be hurled over a precipice while tethered to a few lengths of rope. It is designed for the pursuit of a perfect photograph, assuming your face does not betray the absolute terror of dangling over a leafy abyss with nothing but gravity for company.
- Go for: That fleeting second of weightlessness before you remember you are held up by hope and a harness.
- Cost: Approximately 150,000 – 500,000 IDR (varies wildly by location).
- Photography: Many places offer dress rentals (long, flowing trains) to maximize the dramatic effect of your mid-air terror.
- Planning Tip: Go to one of the smaller, local swings off the main road to save money and avoid the two-hour queue for the famous one.
- Instagram: Most of these swings were built specifically for social media and have no historical or religious significance whatsoever.
- Verdict: You are paying for a profile picture and a very high-pitched internal scream, which is a mandatory Bali rite of passage.
Cascades and Volcanic Calamities
Gravity’s favorite playgrounds consist mostly of falling water and rising lava.
Scale the cinders of Mount Batur
- What the guides say: The early morning climb up this active volcano involves a trek through loose volcanic sand and rocks. Reaching the top as the sun rises reveals steam vents and solid lava. It is a factual reminder of the island’s tectonic activity, offering a view of the surrounding area from a significant elevation.
- What they don’t tell you: This involves waking up at an hour so early it is technically yesterday to hike up an active volcano in the dark. You are rewarded with a sunrise and a breakfast cooked in volcanic steam, which is a lovely way to dine while standing on a giant, slumbering furnace.
- Go for: A sunrise that makes the 3:00 AM wake-up call feel slightly less like a human rights violation.
- Cost: Approximately 300,000 – 600,000 IDR (must be done with a guide).
- Try: Hundreds of people have expressed an enthusiasm for the following tours. You may take this information as you will.
- Dress Code: Wear layers. It is freezing at the top and boiling once the sun comes up.
- Breakfast: You will likely be served eggs and bananas cooked by the steam rising directly from the volcanic vents.
- Packing Tip: Bring a headlamp; the trek up in the dark is a rocky obstacle course.
- Verdict: You’ll arrive irritated by the hour and leave convinced that the sun is a personal friend.
Descend into the dampness of Sekumpul
- What the guides say: The path down into this valley is a humid descent toward the sound of falling water. Sekumpul consists of twin waterfalls falling nearly 80 meters. At the base, the air is saturated with mist. It is a secluded location where the acoustic volume of the water is the dominant feature.
- What they don’t tell you: Reaching these falls requires a trek so steep and slippery it feels like a personal insult from the earth itself. Once at the bottom, the sheer power of the plummeting water ensures you are thoroughly misted, a polite term for being drenched to the bone in the middle of a jungle.
- Go for: The sheer scale of Bali’s most powerful waterfalls, hidden deep in the northern jungle.
- Cost: Approximately 20,000 IDR (viewpoint) to 300,000 IDR (trekking with a guide).
- Best Time: During the rainy season, the falls are thunderous, but the path is a death trap – choose your adventure wisely.
- Helpful Tip: There are multiple falls here; make sure your guide actually takes you to the base of the main twin falls.
- Photography: Bring a waterproof bag; the mist at the bottom will soak your gear in seconds.
- Verdict: A trek so steep it feels like a dare, but the reward is a thunderous soak that makes you feel alive.
Inhale the spray at Tegenungan Waterfall Area
- What the guides say: This is a highly accessible water feature, characterized by a large volume of water falling into a shallow area. The force creates a constant mist. It is a high-energy location where the sound of the water is constant, providing a loud introduction to the island’s water systems.
- What they don’t tell you: Located at the bottom of a vast flight of stairs, this cascade is a thunderous display of hydrological force. The air is thick with a fine mist that coats your skin and soul, leaving you with a damp souvenir of your journey back up the many, many steps to civilization.
- Go for: The roar of massive water volume and the convenience of being 20 minutes from Ubud.
- Cost: Approximately 20,000 IDR.
- Photography: Head to the upper viewpoints for a sense of scale, or the lower bridge for a soaked-to-the-bone action shot.
- Planning Tip: This is the most touristy waterfall on the island; expect beach clubs, music, and swings surrounding the nature.
- Monsoon: The water flow comes from the Petanu River and is significantly stronger during the monsoon.
- Verdict: It is nature masquerading as a theme park, but the power of the water is real.
Trek the jungle to Tibumana Waterfall
- What the guides say: A hidden gem located in the Bangli region, Tibumana is a stunning, single-stream waterfall surrounded by lush tropical ferns and mossy cliffs. The walk down is a scenic journey through a well-maintained jungle path, leading to a perfectly circular swimming hole. It is a serene alternative to the more crowded falls nearby, offering a peaceful communion with nature.
- What they don’t tell you: A hidden gem that appears on every influencer’s “Top 10 Hidden Gems” list, meaning you’ll likely be queuing behind three people wearing flowing silk dresses. The path down is well-maintained until a tropical downpour turns the stairs into a makeshift water slide. It’s a race against the tour buses to capture a photo that makes it look like you’re the last human on Earth.
- Go for: The perfect, symmetrical water column that looks like it was designed by a landscape architect, and a refreshing (read: bone-chilling) dip in the plunge pool.
- Cost: Approximately 20,000 IDR for entry.
- Twin Waterfall: Depending on the rainfall, Tibumana sometimes transforms from a single stream into a twin waterfall, though the second stream is basically the limited edition version of the attraction.
- Verdict: An impeccably photogenic slice of paradise that requires you to ignore the line of people waiting for your spot to enjoy the solitude.
Encounters with Unpredictable Creatures and Cultured Chaos
A collection of rhythmic chanting, territorial primates, and coffee beans that have seen the inside of a civet.
Surrender your dignity at the Ubud Monkey Forest
- What the guides say: This sanctuary is a place where humans are visitors to the long-tailed macaques. The monkeys inhabit the stone carvings and trees. Entering this area requires caution; it is a social environment where personal belongings are frequently subject to unauthorized removal by the primates.
- What they don’t tell you: This is less of a forest and more of a primate-run extortion racket. These monkeys are professional pickpockets who view your backpack as a buffet and your personal space as a suggestion, proving that evolution has done very little to curb their appetite for chaos.
- Go for: The stone-carved temples overgrown with jungle, and the chance to see nature’s most effective thieves in action.
- Cost: Approximately 130,000 IDR.
- Eye Contact: Do not make eye contact. To a monkey, a smile is a challenge, and eye contact is a declaration of war.
- Dress Code: Take everything – literally everything – off your person. Earrings, glasses, and loose zippers are fair game.
- Numbers: The forest is home to over 1,200 Balinese long-tailed macaques across five different groups.
- Verdict: Go to witness the primates; stay because they have successfully stolen your car keys.
Witness the chanting at a Kecak Dance
- What the guides say: Without musical instruments, a group of 50 men produces a rhythmic sound using their voices. The vocalizations accompany the story of the Ramayana. It is a performance of coordinated sound and fire, where the human voice is the primary auditory component.
- What they don’t tell you: Dozens of men rhythmically chant “cak” in a hypnotic circle, telling a story of demons and heroes while fire flickers in the twilight. It is a mesmerizing performance, though the rhythmic vibrations may leave your brain feeling as though it has been gently vibrated into a soft, cultural pulp.
- Go for: The fire dance at sunset, where the human voice replaces the orchestra.
- Cost: Approximately 150,000 IDR in addition to the cost of Uluwatu admission (approximately 50,000 IDR).
- Best Time: The Uluwatu Temple performance at sunset is the gold standard for atmosphere.
- Planning Tip: You cannot buy tickets for the dance until you’ve paid to enter the Uluwatu Temple grounds. If you want to guarantee a seat, arrive early and head straight to the ticket booth, or join a group tour that includes Kecak dance attendance.
- Comfort: You will be sitting on concrete bleachers for an hour; your lower back will appreciate a small cushion or a folded jacket.
- Fun Fact: Unlike other dances, Kecak has no musical accompaniment – it’s entirely performed by a choir of men.
- Verdict: It’s hypnotic, loud, and will leave your brain feeling like cultural pulp.
Sample the secretions of Luwak Coffee
- What the guides say: This involves the consumption of coffee produced from beans that have passed through the digestive tract of the Asian palm civet. The resulting beverage is complex in flavor. Consuming it at a plantation is a study in the unusual origins of certain luxury goods.
- What they don’t tell you: Perhaps the most unfortunate beverage in existence, this coffee is made from beans found in the stool of a civet, a cat-like critter. To drink it is to participate in a culinary dare, proving that humans will consume almost anything if you label it as rare and premium.
- Go for: The bragging rights of having consumed a beverage that involves a mammal’s digestive tract.
- Cost: Approximately 50,000 IDR per cup (tastings of other teas are often free).
- Planning Tip: Choose plantations that treat animals ethically; look for wild-sourced certifications to avoid supporting cage-farming. This seems nearly impossible to verify.
- Bitterness: The civet’s enzymes actually strip the bitterness from the beans, resulting in a smoother (if conceptually disturbing) cup.
- Photography: The plantations usually have beautiful jungle views that are better than the coffee itself.
- Verdict: It is a culinary dare that you will pay premium prices to lose.
Coastal Chaos and Aquatic Acrobatics
Where the land ends and the struggle against sand, surf, and overpriced cocktails begins.
Surf the chaos of Kuta Beach
- What the guides say: This is the historic heart of Bali’s tourism, famous for its long crescent of golden sand and consistent waves. It is an ideal spot for beginner surfers and those looking to experience the island’s vibrant energy. The area is packed with shopping, dining, and world-class sunsets that draw crowds from across the globe.
- What they don’t tell you: A frantic, high-decibel gauntlet of “Yes, boss!” surf lessons and relentless souvenir hawkers. It is a place where your personal space is a theoretical concept and the scent of sunscreen competes with exhaust fumes. You will be offered a surfboard, a massage, and a temporary tattoo within thirty seconds of hitting the sand.
- Go for: Catching your very first wave without hitting a coral reef, cheap Bintangs on a plastic stool, and the sheer, unadulterated spectacle of humanity.
- Cost: Free entry; Approximately 50,000 IDR for a beach beer; Approximately 150,000-250,000 IDR for a surf lesson (depending on how well you haggle).
- Best Time: 5:00 PM. Arrive early to claim a square inch of sand before the sky turns into a masterpiece and the selfies begin in earnest.
- Hippie Trail: In the 1960s, this was a desolate outpost on the”Hippie Trail where travelers slept on mats for pennies. Now, it’s the only place on Earth where a Burger King and an ancient temple share a fence.
- Verdict: A sweaty, loud, and gloriously messy initiation into Bali life that you’ll either love or flee from – but you haven’t truly been to the island until you’ve survived it.
Avoid the crowds at Legian Beach
- What the guides say: Located between Kuta and Seminyak, Legian features a wide area of sand. It is a site for walking and local sports. While populated, it offers a slightly slower pace than the surrounding districts, allowing the sound of the ocean to be more audible.
- What they don’t tell you: Avoiding the crowds is a task that is practically impossible, as this stretch of sand is a magnet for throngs of tourists and persistent vendors. Trying to find a quiet corner here is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, if the needle were also trying to sell you a friendship bracelet and a cold soda.
- Go for: A slightly wider stretch of sand where you can breathe between the surf schools and the beer vendors.
- Cost: Free.
- Surfing: This is the best place to learn to surf because the bottom is sandy and forgiving of your inevitable failures.
- Contracts: If someone offers you a friendship bracelet, it is rarely a gift; it is a contract.
- Best Time: Early morning for a walk before the commerce kicks into high gear.
- Verdict: It asks for your patience and rewards you with a sunset that almost makes the crowds tolerable.
Peer over the cliffs at Uluwatu
- What the guides say: At the edge of the Bukit Peninsula, the land terminates. The cliffs drop into the sea, which has traveled a great distance to reach the stone. It is a view of geological scale; observing surfers from this height emphasizes the significant size of the ocean.
- What they don’t tell you: Standing on the edge of these limestone precipices, one feels very small against the vast Indian Ocean. The waves crash against the rocks with a violence that is both poetic and a stern warning that the sea has very little patience for those who do not respect the laws of gravity.
- Go for: The raw, unbridled power of the Indian Ocean meeting a wall of limestone.
- Cost: Approximately 60,000 IDR.
- Safety: Stay behind the fences; the perfect angle isn’t worth a 70-meter gravity test.
- Coral: The cliffs are made of fossilized coral reef, uplifted from the seabed millions of years ago.
- Verdict: The Indian Ocean is loud, violent, and utterly indifferent to your existence, which is exactly why you need to see it.
Devour the ocean’s bounty on Jimbaran Beach
- What the guides say: At night, tables are placed on the sand and lit by candles. The air contains smoke from the grilling of fish and other seafood. Eating on the shore as the tide approaches is a sensory experience where the ocean provides both the background noise and the food supply.
- What they don’t tell you: Dining on the sand while the tide inches toward your toes is a popular pastime. You may enjoy fresh grilled fish, but you must share your meal with the smoke of a hundred grills and the constant suspicion that the ocean is merely waiting for you to drop a shrimp.
- Go for: The smell of burning coconut husks and a plate of snapper that was swimming three hours ago.
- Cost: Approximately 200,000 – 500,000 IDR for a seafood platter.
- Where to Go: Walk past the first row of restaurants to the fish market side (Kedonganan) for better prices and less hype (Map).
- Best Time: Arrive at 6:00 PM to watch the sun go down as you peel your first shrimp.
- Planning Tip: Expect to smell like smoke for the rest of the evening; it’s part of the charm.
- Verdict: Dining with your feet in the sand is lovely until the tide decides to join the table.
After trekking through jungles that possess more mosquitoes than trees and visiting temples where the stairs are designed specifically to break your spirit, you may find yourself sitting on a beach, watching a sunset that is dangerously distracting.
But do not be fooled by the orange glow or the rhythmic sound of the Indian Ocean. A sunset is merely the day’s way of admitting it is finished with you. By the time you finish this list and return to your suitcase, you will find it filled with nothing but grit, a souvenir sarong you will never wear again, and the haunting realization that no matter how far you travel, you still have to take yourself with you. It is a truly unfortunate state of affairs, and I highly recommend you stay home and stare at a beige wall instead. It is much safer, and the wall, at the very least, will not try to sell you a surf lesson.
Further Reading
If one is in search of a less dreadful and more pleasant perspective on Bali, a number of additional resources exist. These are, of course, presented with the understanding that such information is often a mere sugarcoating on a very bitter pill, and should be consumed with a healthy dose of suspicion.
- Bali Government Tourism Office (Disparda)
- Bali Tourism Board
- “36 Hours in Bali” from The New York Times
- “Bali Targets 6.6 Million International Visitors in 2026” from The Jakarta Globe
- “Bali Travel Guide for First-Timers From a Veteran Visitor” from Girl Eat World
