Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
Start in central Ubud around 8:30am, when the lanes are still relatively calm, with the Ubud Art Market. Allow about an hour to browse woven bags, batik, baskets, and small handicrafts; bargaining is expected, but keep it friendly and compare a few stalls before buying. From here, walk a few minutes along Jalan Raya Ubud to Saraswati Temple, where the lotus pond and carved entrance are best appreciated before the midday heat. Entry is usually around IDR 30,000–50,000, and shoulders and knees should be covered; access to the inner sanctum may be restricted during ceremonies.
Continue on foot to Ubud Palace, the former royal compound, for roughly an hour. The ornate gates and courtyards are the main draw, and the visit is easy to combine with a slow wander through the surrounding lanes. Have lunch at Clear Cafe, a short walk away, allowing about IDR 100,000–200,000 per person. It is a good pause for vegetarian dishes, Indonesian plates, juices, and a cooler, relaxed setting; service can be leisurely, so do not rush this part of the day.
After lunch, take a short taxi or Grab/Gojek ride—or walk for around 20 minutes if the heat is manageable—to Ubud Monkey Forest in Padangtegal. Set aside two hours for the shaded paths, mossy temple structures, and rainforest atmosphere. Tickets are commonly around IDR 80,000–100,000, with opening generally from about 9:00am to 5:00pm, though hours and fees can change. Keep bags, glasses, food, and loose accessories secured, and do not touch or feed the macaques. For dinner, return to central Ubud for Locavore’s modern Indonesian tasting menu, allowing around 2½ hours. This is a premium experience—budget roughly IDR 1,500,000–2,500,000 or more per person before drinks—and advance reservation is essential; confirm the current menu, seating time, and any dietary requirements directly before relying on it.
Leave Ubud around 7:00am with a private driver; the road to Tegallalang Rice Terraces usually takes 30–45 minutes, and arriving early makes a real difference before tour groups and the heat build. Allow about 1½ hours to follow the narrow paths through the stepped fields. Wear shoes with grip—the paths can be muddy—and carry small cash for the various local access fees, which commonly total around IDR 25,000–50,000. Continue by car to Tirta Empul Temple in Manukaya, roughly 25–35 minutes away. Set aside 1½ hours to see the courtyards and sacred spring pools; temple entry is generally around IDR 50,000, with sarongs available or required. Modest clothing is essential, and the purification ritual is optional rather than something visitors should assume they can join; queues and access arrangements can vary.
After Tirta Empul, drive approximately 35–45 minutes uphill to the Kintamani viewpoint for a 45-minute pause over Mount Batur and its caldera. Visibility is often clearest earlier in the day, so treat the panorama as weather-dependent rather than guaranteed. Viewpoint cafés may charge a small entrance or parking fee, and prices for food and drinks are higher than in local warungs. Return toward Tegalalang for Bali Pulina, allowing around 30–40 minutes on the winding roads. The one-hour visit introduces the coffee-making process and includes tastings; luwak coffee is usually an extra charge, so ask what is included before ordering. Keep the afternoon relaxed—traffic around the Tegallalang road can make short distances surprisingly slow.
Have your driver drop you at Bridges Bali in Campuhan, usually 25–35 minutes from Bali Pulina, depending on Ubud traffic. The riverside setting is particularly pleasant after dark, and dinner takes about 1½–2 hours; budget roughly IDR 250,000–500,000 per person before drinks. Reserve ahead, especially for a preferred table, and confirm the restaurant’s current opening hours directly since schedules can change. After dinner, a driver or ride-hailing car is the easiest way back to your Ubud accommodation; pickup can be awkward on the narrow Campuhan approach, so arrange the meeting point with the restaurant or driver in advance.
After arriving in Seminyak, start at Seminyak Village around late morning, allowing about 1½ hours to browse its boutiques, homeware shops, and local-design stores. This is a good place to pause after the drive from Tegallalang, with cafés inside and plenty of shade. Keep your bags light—shops here tend to be more polished and fixed-price than the market-style shopping elsewhere in Bali. From there, take a short ride south toward Seminyak Beach; depending on traffic and your exact drop-off, the walk may take 10–15 minutes.
Spend roughly 1½ hours walking along Seminyak Beach, choosing the quieter stretch near Petitenget rather than lingering around the busiest central access points. The sand is pleasant for strolling, though swimming conditions can be rough and currents are not always obvious. Continue north by car or on foot along Jalan Kayu Aya and Jalan Petitenget to La Lucciola for a beachfront lunch overlooking the sea and temple grounds. Budget approximately IDR 250,000–500,000 per person; booking ahead is sensible, especially for a shaded table. After lunch, walk across to Petitenget Temple for about 45 minutes. Dress respectfully with covered shoulders and knees; sarongs are generally available at the entrance, and visitors should remain outside restricted prayer areas.
For dinner, take a 10–15-minute ride inland to Merah Putih in Kerobokan, allowing extra time if traffic is building along Jalan Petitenget. Its dramatic vaulted interior makes it a worthwhile evening stop, while the refined Indonesian menu is best enjoyed slowly over about two hours. Expect approximately IDR 400,000–800,000 per person before drinks, and reserve in advance—this is one of the evening’s few places where turning up without a booking can be inconvenient. Consider returning by the same route rather than walking, as the roads are busy, poorly suited to pedestrians, and especially congested after dinner.
Have your driver leave Seminyak around 8:00am for Padang-Padang Beach in Pecatu. The bypass and Jalan Uluwatu can take anywhere from 1½ to 2½ hours, so build in traffic time; a pre-arranged car for the whole day is much easier than relying on a return ride from the cliffs. At Padang-Padang Beach, descend the short staircase through the rock opening and settle in for roughly two hours of swimming and shade beneath the limestone. The beach is small and fills quickly, with an entrance fee usually around IDR 15,000–20,000; bring cash, reef-safe sunscreen, and keep valuables with your driver.
Continue by car to Uluwatu Temple, allowing about 20–30 minutes depending on traffic and parking. Arrive early enough to manage the entrance queue and temple walk before spending around 1½ hours along the cliff paths; entry is generally about IDR 50,000, plus a separate Kecak ticket later. Sarongs are provided where required, but dress modestly and keep sunglasses, hats, and loose belongings secure from the monkeys. From here, drive roughly 10 minutes to Karang Boma Cliff for a quieter 45-minute look across the Indian Ocean. Stay well back from the edge—there are no reliable barriers—and use marked access paths rather than chasing the most dramatic photo.
Head to Single Fin Bali in Suluban for a late-afternoon drink and about an hour watching surfers below; the venue is popular, so a sunset table is not guaranteed and drinks are priced at a Seminyak-style premium. Return to Uluwatu Temple well before the Kecak start—typically around sunset—to queue, find seating, and avoid being caught in the entrance rush. The performance lasts about 1½ hours, but tickets and capacity are not guaranteed, so reserve ahead where possible or arrive at least 45–60 minutes early. Afterward, allow 30–45 minutes by car to Jimbaran Bay for beachfront grilled seafood, budgeting roughly IDR 250,000–600,000 per person; confirm the seafood weight and price before ordering, then arrange your pre-booked driver for the return, as ride-hailing pickups can be unreliable after the show.
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