Bali Discovery 12 Days / 11 Nights

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll have the morning free to spend at your leisure. You can relax by the pool, take a stroll on the beach or enjoy the local scenery. Enjoy lunch at your leisure. This afternoon, your cultural Bali tour will take you on a private, guided tour of the royal Taman Ayun temple located in nearby Mengwi District. While strolling through the beautiful surrounding gardens with its vast fish ponds, you’ll marvel at temple’s unique, many-roofed architecture. Continue to the famous temple of Tanah Lot to enjoy a magical sunset. Set dramatically on a rocky outcropping in the sea, the temple can only be reached on foot during low tide. Return to your hotel and enjoy dinner at your leisure.

Overnight in Canggu

Meals included: Breakfast

Today after breakfast, you’ll embark on a journey of cultural discovery as you travel from Canggu through dramatic volcanic landscapes to the interior of Bali. Your scenic drive will start with an ascent up Mount Batukaru, Bali’s second-highest volcano at 2,271 meters. From here, continue on to visit the stunning green rice terraces of Jatiluwih, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known as the rice granary of Bali, Jatiluwih is home of one of the best examples of subak, a traditional irrigation system unique to Bali. A leisurely 1-hour walk through the rice paddies will offer panoramic views before we stop for lunch at a local restaurant. Continue the drive towards Bedugul, where we’ll visit the colorful local market stocked with tropical produce, spices and gorgeous orchids. Next we’ll stop at Ulun Danu temple, one of Bali’s most serene sites. Set on a small island amidst a calm lake, the temple appears to be floating. The remaining 1-hour drive to Munduk provides amazing views and photo opportunities of Tamblingan and Buyan, two crater lakes. Upon arrival in Munduk, check in to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Dinner will be served at your hotel.

Overnight in Munduk

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Surrounded by lush rainforests and beautiful waterfalls, Munduk enjoys relatively cool temperatures for Bali (in the 70s F), making it an ideal location for outdoor activities. Today after breakfast you’ll strike out on a 2-hour trek accompanied by your Backyard Travel guide and another local guide. Explore three waterfalls and the numerous plantations in the area, including coffee, cloves and regional spices. On our return, we’ll stop at a village to taste the local coffee. After returning to your hotel, the rest of the morning and lunch are free to enjoy at your leisure. In the afternoon, check out from your hotel and be whisked across beautiful countryside on a 2-hour drive to Pekutatan. Your scenic route will pass remote, rustic villages such as Pupuan. In Batu Bolong, you’ll drive through a massive Banyan tree that straddles the narrow road on its way to the western coast. Upon arrival in Pekutatan, an area famous for its black-sand beaches and popular among surfers, check in to your hotel and enjoy the rest of your day at your leisure. Dinner will be served at your hotel.

Overnight in Pekutatan

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today you’re free to enjoy the morning at your leisure, and lunch will be at your discretion. At 13:00, your driver and tour guide will pick you up at your hotel for the next leg of your Balinese culture tour. First, you’ll visit Rambut Siwi Temple, one of Bali’s least-known but beautiful sites. Continue to Perancak Turtle Conservation Centre, where you’ll learn how conservationists release baby turtles into the ocean. In Perancak estuary, you’ll see the colorful boats of local fishermen.

From here, we’ll drive to Menjangan, located in West Bali National Park. This is the only national park on the entire island. Check in to your hotel and enjoy the rest of your evening and dinner at your leisure.

Overnight in your hotel

 Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be picked up by a guide from West Bali Ecotourism to continue your tour of Bali culture. Together, you’ll take a local boat to Menjangan Island where you can enjoy snorkeling with your knowledgeable guide. Snorkeling equipment will be provided. No doubt this will be a highlight of your Bali tour, as this region offers some of the most fascinating underwater species and vistas in Bali. When you get hungry, enjoy the boxed lunch provided either on the boat or on Menjangan Island—your choice. When you return to your hotel, the remainder of your day will be free to enjoy at your leisure.

Overnight in Menjangan

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel, your Bali culture tour continues north as you travel by private car from Menjangan towards Lovina. Near the pristine beach of Pantai Kalisada, we’ll stop for a sumptuous lunch at the Kali Manik Eco Resort. Continue driving along the northern coast of Bali with a stop along the way at the atmospheric seaside town of Seririt. We’ll also visit the only Buddhist monastery in Bali, the Brahma Arama Vihara, which offers amazing views over the Balinese coastline. Afterward, we’ll go to the nearby Banjar Hot Springs for a relaxing dip in the natural mineral water before we arrive in Lovina.

Check in to your hotel, where dinner will be served.

Overnight in Lovina

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Check out after breakfast at your hotel. Your private driver will meet you to take you on a half-hour drive to Beji Temple in the hamlet of Sangsit. On the way you’ll pass through the capital of North Bali, Singaraja. Known locally as Pura Beji, this subak temple is devoted to the guardian spirit of irrigation and rice paddies. The temple is famous for its 15th-century North Bali architecture and beautiful carvings. From here, a 2-hour drive along a remote mountain road will take bring you to Kintamani, a stunning volcanic region that is home to Mount Batur, Bali’s most active volcano, which towers over the surrounding landscape. Drive to the crater rim and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant that looks down upon the crater lake. Take your time drinking in the impressive views. After lunch, another hour of driving will bring us to the famous Besakih Temple, commonly called the “Mother Temple” of Bali. Situated on the western slopes of Mount Agung, Bali’s highest volcano at 2,567 meters, the temple is the largest and perhaps most important on the island. Continue your scenic drive for a final 40 minutes into the countryside and arrive at the picturesque village of Sidemen in the late afternoon. After checking in to your hotel, the rest of the day will be free to spend at your leisure.

Overnight in Sidemen

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, your Bali culture tour will immerse you in rural Balinese life. After breakfast, check out from your hotel and travel to a nearby village. You’ll be introduced to the local Balinese and given a conical hat and a bamboo stick. These will come in handy on our 1-hour walk through rice paddies, learning about the local landscapes and lifestyles as we go. Next, it’s time to test your skills as a Balinese farmer. Try your hand at plowing with buffalo and planting rice. After your hard work, you’ll be rewarded with a refreshing coconut. Three short hands-on workshops follow, each 20 minutes long. You’ll have a cooking lesson, a palm-leaf and spiritual offering decoration class, and a lesson on making arak (local palm wine) and iron working. Enjoy an authentic Balinese lunch in the village. After lunch, we’ll drive 1 hour to the famous water palace of Tirta Gangga. The name of this sacred site translates to “water of the Ganges,” a fitting name for a water temple that houses many beautiful ponds, holy fountains and natural bathing pools surrounded by lush plants. The palace was built in the early 20th century by the last ruler of the Karangasem Kingdom. Continue your drive to Candidasa and check in to your hotel.

Overnight in Candidasa

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Today’s itinerary is packed to the gills with cultural exploration. After breakfast and check out, we’ll explore Tenganan Village, home to the Bali Aga people, Bali’s first inhabitants. The Bali Agai were here before the arrival of the Majapahit Dynasty, who came to this island from nearby Java. As you walk through the village, you’ll get an up-close view of the unique architecture, as well as the chance to observe locals weaving ikat-patterned textiles and traditional baskets. We’ll drive a further hour along the southeastern coast to Klungkung, the smallest regency of Bali. On the way, we’ll stop at Goa Lawa Temple, one of Bali’s most sacred temples. This temple is home to sacred bat caves and is said to have an underground tunnel that connects with Besakih Temple. In Klungkung, we’ll visit Kertagosa, the former Royal Courts of Justice. The highlight of this culturally rich complex is an intricately decorated ceiling that features the wayang painting style depicting a battle between good and evil. The final leg of our journey brings us to charming Ubud, where lunch will be served at a Balinese restaurant. Check in at your hotel in Ubud and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your leisure.

Overnight in Ubud

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Spend a relaxing day today exploring the town of Ubud and its idyllic surroundings. After breakfast, you’ll be treated to a driving tour along narrow scenic roads that offer beautiful views and glimpses at local Balinese rural life. Our first stop will be Gunung Kawi Temple. Surrounded by lush rice terraces, this unique 11th-century temple complex features ten candi (shrines) carved directly into the cliff face. These remarkable carvings stand 7 meters high and combine ancient Hindu and Buddhist attributes. We recommend wearing good walking shoes, as there are numerous stairs leading to the temple. Next we’ll continue to nearby Tampaksiring Village to explore Tirta Empul, one of Bali’s most renowned water temples. Famous for its sacred spring water, Tirta Empul is annually visited by all Balinese Hindus, who come to bathe in these holy waters dedicated to Vishnu as an act of ritual cleansing. We’ll enjoy lunch at a restaurant in Perkedui, overlooking some of Bali’s most picturesque rice fields. From the restaurant, embark on a 1-hour soft trek. Feel free to take a leisurely pace as you walk down the amazing rice terraces with your guide, learning about the subak irrigation system. These quiet, verdant paths lined by iconic rice fields and palm trees provide great photograph opportunities. Return to your hotel to take some time to refresh and relax.

Overnight in Ubud

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast at the hotel. Depending on your flight schedule, the day as leisure until you meet your guide and driver at hotel for your transfer to airport for your departure flight