Bali Must-See Places - Including Tips and Prices!

Hey guys,

For months I have been receiving messages, dm’s and requests to give out tips and tricks about Bali. Some of you are planning to travel to Indonesia and some of you are already there! Before I would like to give you some specifics of the places and prices, here are some tips that are valuable for planning your sightseeing:

Tip 1:

If you are planning to get transport around the area that your hotel is located, make sure to download the App Go-Jek. This App is everything! With this app you are literally able to go everywhere, and get everything. The app, similar to Grab, shows the exact price of the journey, which means you won’t get ripped off. Make sure to get the app right when you leave the airplane, that way you will have a ride provided for you to get to your hotel. In case you feel like ordering in, you can get all your groceries, medicine and to-go orders from the restaurant via the App. A real must for Bali!

Tip 2:

Since most of you will be looking for ways to visit several destinations in one day is taking a tour guide. I have added two contacts from my time in Bali here on the blog, so if you want to have a safe bet on a good tour, save their phone numbers!

Yuda Aryantika has been our tour guide for many of our trips and have been absolutely great! He will not only drive you to all the destinations for a very good price, he also provides valuable knowledge about the Balinese culture, the history and the destinations that you’ll be visiting. We had tour guides that asked for a ridiculous price and not even decided to get out of the car, but Yuda is different. You can tell that he is doing this out of passion and love for his country.

Here are his contact details: 

If you are looking for a tour guide to trek the GitGit waterfalls (read below), I have added another great tour guide specifically for this destination!

Tip 3:

Some of our groups got themselves a scooter for the time in Bali. Just be aware that the traffic in Bali is horrific and not comparable to Europe or the USA. My advice is to not do it. But if you are still thinking to go for a scooter, make sure that you feel secure in traffic. The average costs for the scooter rental is:

Daily rental: Rp. 50,000 – Rp. 75,000.
Weekly rental: Rp. 300,000 – 400,000
Monthly rental: Rp. 600,000 – Rp. 800,000.

If they ask for a higher price, to not hesitate to bargain your way through it! (Source: https://www.villa-bali.com/guide/scooter-rental-in-bali)

4 Areas You Must Visit In Bali 

Ubud

Sacred Monkey Forrest 

One of the most famous destinations to visit in Ubud is the Monkey Forrest. This is definitely a must-
see location in Bali. Don’t be afraid to let the Monkey’s jump on top of you, the guides within the park make sure that everything runs smoothly while you are exploring the forest. I would recommend visiting the park in the morning, as it isn’t as busy, and the temperatures are still bearable! The entrance fee for the forest is 50.000 Rp per person, which is approx. 3 Euros! One of many great opportunities to explore parts of the islands with a tight budget.

Goa Gajah Elephant Cave Temple

Once being in Ubud, go and visit the Goa Gajah Elephant Cave Temple. Its one of the most famous Temple’s around Bali, and surely worth a visit! With only 20.000 Rp p.p., you can wash away your sins at the holy springs, discover the ancient carvings and experience the beautiful scenery around the temple! Hey, a little waterfall is included as well!

Tukad Cepung Waterfall

Since I am already talking about waterfalls, let me tell you about the Tukad Cepung Waterfall, a hidden gem in the Ubud area. This waterfall is relatively unknown by tourists which makes it extra special. Be aware that getting down to the waterfall takes a bit of a hike. Bringing the proper shoes will save you a lot of stress and sweat! Since it isn’t as known for the tourist, the usual price is at 10.000 Rp p.p.

Wild River Rafting 

If you like a bit of action while vacationing on Bali, I would recommend you to try the Bali White Water Rafting in Ubud. Not going to lie, I am pretty afraid of wild waters and the thought of being on the boat gave me proper anxiety! After I got out of my comfort zone, this has definitely been a fun experience, especially considering the beautiful scenery. There are several different tours you can choose from, as for example the BaliRaftingTours, and with approx. 35 dollars, you are guaranteed to have three hours of fun.

Satria Coffee Plantation 

The famous cat poo coffee plantation Satria has definitely more to offer than just the most expensive coffee in the world – Satria’s plantation is a beautiful scenery on its own and the view on the jungle is a dream! Make sure to get there before the sunset, try out various different tea and coffee for free and enjoy a cup of the cat poo coffee. I tried it, and it was definitely not bad! The sunset view and samples were definitely my favorite part of the plantation. Visiting the plantation is free of charge!

Lovina (North of Bali)

Dolphin Watching 

The drive to Lovina entails already most of the sights that are a must-see. This makes the drive a lot more interesting!

Be sure to get a hotel for one or two nights depending on the amounts of sights you would like to see. One of the most famous things to do in Lovina is the Dolphin watching tour. There are several tour operators in the area which you can book the trip with. The price ranges depending if you would like to have a private boat tour or would like to pay per person. The prices per person are approx. 100.000 Rp.

We enjoyed the dolphin watching tour partly, as there were a crazy amount of boats hunting down the dolphins. (Read more here) Though, our guide notices the chaos and decided to go off route and we were able to enjoy a real dolphin watching tour, without harming the personal space of the animals! Waking up at 5 am was definitely worth it.

GitGit Waterfalls * Tourguide Information*

Another must-see are the Gitgit Waterfalls. Nym, one of the tour guides that our groups had seek, was amazing and can tell you all about the Waterfalls! He is also guiding the trekking tours around the waterfalls. So, if you are specifically looking for someone to guide you and tell you all about the waterfalls at Gitgit he is your man! His phone number is: (+62)82247219545

I would always advise to explore Bali with a local, as this is making your experience a lot more valuable and you learn a lot more about the culture.

Brahma Vihara-Arama – Banjar Buddhist temple

A total must-see, which is not that famously known is the Brahma Vihara-Arama – Banjar Buddhist temple. This temple was one of the most impressing temples I have seen on Bali and similar to the Pura Lempuyang Luhur temple, the entrance price is depending on what you are willing to donate. We were almost completely alone around the area and could enjoy the peaceful and quiet temple and its scenery. As it is far up in the mountains, you will have an astonishing view on the ocean. Don’t forget to take lots of water with you – its hot up there!

The Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

Picture taken by Irini

The Jatiluwih Rice Terraces in Tabanan were one of the few places we were unable to visit, since we were unlucky with the weather. Though, after seeing the pictures and hearing the stories of my friends, I knew it must be on the must-see list! The entry fee for the rice field trekking are approx. 40.000 Rp per person!

The lake Buyan and lake Tamblingan

As I already spoke about the gorgeous scenery on the way to Lovina, you will come across the lake Buyan and lake Tamblingan viewing point. Make a stop at the viewing platform, take a picture between the two lakes and enjoy the view! There is no entry price for visiting the viewing platform, and its definitely worth to see!

Ulun Danu Bratan Temple

I was first unsure if I should include the Ulun Danu Bratan Temple to the list of must-sees. If you have read my past blog post (here) you know that I wasn’t the biggest fan of the temple. But that had only one reason: it was too crowded, and it was pretty much overpriced. Nether less, I know that most travelers are looking forward to see the temple – and it is true, it is a beautiful temple. If it is on your must-see list, be aware that lots of people will ask to take a picture with you, it will be crowded, and the entry prices are at 50.000 Rp per person. Another tip, if you would like to visit the temple, do so in the morning! Not only will there be less crowds, but you won’t be surprised by the fog.

         East of Bali

Pura Lempuyang Luhur

The east of Bali is pact with historical and beautiful sides to visit!

The Pura Lempuyang Luhur, known as one of Bali’s most beautiful temples, is known for its beautiful view on the active volcano Mount Agung. The price to enter the temple is depending on your donation – you choose on how much you would like to spend! For people that are looking for a great Instagram picture – this is the spot. I would suggest visiting this temple in the afternoon before the sun sets. You get amazing lightning!

Tirta Gangga Royal Water Garden

The Tirta Gangga Royal Water Garden is a must-see if you’re looking for beautiful sceneries and a place to jump into the water! Find yourself jumping on the platforms next to enormous and gorgeous Koi fish, enjoy and refresh in one of the designated, but really cold pools and learn more about the history of the Karangasem Kingdom. The price for the Royal Water Garden is approx. 10.000 Rp per person, additionally 20.000 Rp per person to swim in the pool.

The Taman Ujung Water Palace

The Taman Ujung Water Palace is definitely a place that has to be visit! The Water Palace is not only astonishing by its size, but also well maintained and a gorgeous setting. It was fairly visited when we were there, which made it a relaxing and quiet sight seeing tour. We were able to feed the beautiful and massive fish all around the property and hike up to enjoy the view. The entrance to the park is approx. 10.000 Rp per person, and definitely worth it! Another suggestions: do not eat at the restaurant right next to the palace. The food made a couple of people in our group sick, the portions were in addition very small and pricy.

Pura Goa Lawah a temple

Lastly, Pura Goa Lawah a temple that is famous for its bat cave! Unfortunately, we were not able to enter the bat cave as the temple held a ceremony. This temple is one of the smaller sights and can be done in half an hour and on the way to the other sight-seeing locations.  The price for the temple is ranging at approx. 15.000 Rp.

 Uluwatu

Photo taken by Laura

Uluwatu is one of the few places I was unable to see. It is known for Bali’s beautiful beaches, laid back atmosphere and cliff resorts - & a must for all of you surf enthusiast!

Be aware that getting a Go-Jek driver there is tough – you will have to get back by Taxi, which can take hours and will be pricey. As Bali is known for its vegan-friendly café’s and restaurants, you will find your vegan heaven in Uluwatu. Whether you want to relax and tan at the beach, eat at a healthy café, surf all day or check out the Cliff resorts – Uluwatu is the right place for it.

And if you are already there, check out the Facebook famous Rock bar located in Uluwatu, or spend the day at the Edge Boutique Villa to enjoy the unique pool!