Bali itineraries work best as a handful of well-chosen bases, not a long list of towns. Most routes below combine a coastal stop for surf, Ubud for rice terraces and the Mount Batur trek, and one or more islands offshore: Nusa Penida first, then the Gilis, Lombok and Komodo as the days allow. How much time you have decides how many of those you can string together without losing days to boats and transfers.
This guide sets out what's realistic at each length, then breaks the region down by area and by interest, so you can see what you'd actually be linking together before you follow a link down to the full day-by-day route.
For when to go and what it costs, see our best time to visit Bali and Bali trip cost guide. For the island as a whole, see the Bali travel guide and the Bali and Indonesia travel guide.
How long do you need?
| Length | What fits without rushing | Typical mix |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | One coastal town, Ubud and the Batur trek, or those two plus a shorter Nusa Penida stop | Canggu or Uluwatu, then Ubud |
| 10 days | The same route at a slower pace, or a flight-in Komodo boat trip instead of a fourth stop | South Bali, Ubud, Nusa Penida |
| 2 weeks | The full island (south coast, Ubud, Nusa Penida) plus the Gili Islands | South Bali, Ubud, Nusa Penida, Gili Trawangan |
| 3 weeks | The whole archipelago: Java's volcanoes, Bali, the Gilis and Komodo | Java, Bali, Gili Islands, Lombok, Komodo |
| 1 month | The same archipelago, unhurried, with room for the Rinjani trek or Flores overland | Java, Bali, Gili Islands, Lombok, Rinjani, Komodo |
Choose by length
Bali in 1 week
A week is enough for one coastal town plus Ubud, or, if you keep the pace brisk, those two plus a shorter Nusa Penida add-on.
South Bali: Canggu and Uluwatu
Two or three nights each in Canggu and Uluwatu is enough to actually progress at surfing, not just take one lesson.
Best for Surf, beach clubs and cafe culture
Ubud and central Bali
Ubud town, Tegalalang, Tirta Empul and a pre-dawn climb of Mount Batur, all from one base.
Best for Rice terraces, temples and the Batur sunrise trek
Nusa Penida, Lembongan and Ceningan
A 2 to 3 night add-on to either Bali route above, reached by a short fast boat from Sanur.
Best for Cliffs, viewpoints and a change of pace
See the 7-day Bali itinerary for the full day-by-day version and how to combine these.
Bali in 10 days
Ten days is really a slower version of the week above, with just enough spare time to fly to Komodo instead of adding a fourth Bali stop.
Ubud and central Bali, with Sidemen or Munduk
The 1-week route plus a night or two in Sidemen's rice valley or Munduk's waterfall country.
Best for A slower, quieter side of Bali
South Bali, Ubud and Nusa Penida, unhurried
The same three stops as the week-long route, with an extra day wherever you want one.
Best for The classic loop without rushing it
Komodo, flown in from Bali
A few days in Bali, then a flight to Labuan Bajo for a 3-day, 2-night boat trip through the national park.
Best for Wildlife-first travellers
See the 10-day Bali itinerary for both versions side by side.
Bali in 2 weeks
Two weeks is the easiest length for the full island (south coast, Ubud and Nusa Penida) plus a proper stay on the Gili Islands, without rushing any of it.
Ubud and central Bali, the full loop
Room for the Sidemen, Munduk or Amed extension alongside the Batur trek.
Best for Culture, nature and a quieter pace
Gili Islands and Lombok, with the 2-day Rinjani trek
South Bali, Ubud and Nusa Penida first, then a direct boat to Gili Trawangan and on to Lombok.
Best for The classic full-Bali-plus-islands trip
Nusa Penida, Lembongan and Ceningan, unhurried
Two or three nights instead of one, with time for a Manta Point snorkel and Lembongan's quieter beaches.
Best for A calmer finish after a busier south coast and Ubud leg
See the 2-week Bali itinerary for the night-by-night plan.
Bali in 3 weeks
Three weeks is enough to string the whole archipelago together at a real pace, rather than adding one island onto a Bali-only trip.
Java overland: Yogyakarta, Bromo and Ijen
Two pre-dawn volcano mornings and two temple complexes, finishing with a ferry crossing to Bali.
Best for The classic overland start before Bali
Gili Islands and Lombok, with the full Rinjani summit trek
The 3-day, 2-night trek to Rinjani's summit and crater lake, alongside or instead of Java.
Best for Fit, adventure-first travellers
Komodo and the Flores overland route
A boat trip through the national park, then a slow drive through Flores's highland villages to Kelimutu.
Best for Independent travellers wanting the road less taken
Ubud and central Bali
The base most 3-week routes build around, with room for every highland extension.
Best for Anchoring a longer trip in one place
See the 3-week Bali itinerary for three full routes at this length, including the one our 21-day Indonesia Complete trip runs.
Bali in 1 month
A month adds the days a 3-week trip has to leave out: the Rinjani trek alongside Java, more time in each place, or a slower Flores overland extension.
Java overland: Yogyakarta, Bromo and Ijen
A rest day built in around each pre-dawn volcano morning, rather than pushing straight on.
Best for The unhurried version of the classic overland start
Gili Islands and Lombok, with the Rinjani trek
Enough slack to swap the trek for extra island time if the mountain isn't open when you go.
Best for Fit travellers with the days to spare if plans change
Komodo and the Flores overland route
The full Ruteng to Ende overland run, including Bajawa's traditional villages and the Kelimutu crater lakes (check conditions first after the August 2026 earthquake).
Best for Travellers who want to see Flores properly, not just Komodo
Ubud and central Bali
Every highland extension (Sidemen, Munduk and Amed) at a pace that doesn't need a single flight.
Best for A slow, one-region alternative to the full archipelago
See the 1-month Bali itinerary for the full route, plus two alternatives with fewer flights.
Choose by region
- South Bali: Canggu, Uluwatu and Seminyak. The default first stop, for beginner surf lessons at Batu Bolong, reef breaks below Uluwatu's clifftop temple, and Seminyak's beach clubs between the two. See the Canggu guide and things to do in Canggu.
- Ubud and central Bali. Rice terraces, water temples, cooking classes and the Mount Batur sunrise trek, with Sidemen, Munduk and Amed as quieter extensions. See the Ubud and central Bali itinerary and the Mount Batur guide.
- Nusa Penida, Lembongan and Ceningan. Sheer cliffs at Kelingking and Broken Beach, and reef mantas year-round, a short fast boat from Sanur. The island charges an entry fee on arrival and, since 1 September 2026, a fee at each of its main viewpoints. See the Nusa Penida guide.
- The Gili Islands and Lombok. Three small car-free islands, plus Lombok's surf towns and Mount Rinjani, reached by boat or a short flight from Bali. See the Gili Islands guide and the Lombok guide.
- Komodo and Flores. Wild dragons, a liveaboard boat trip and, for anyone with a month, the Trans-Flores Highway overland to Kelimutu's crater lakes. A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Flores on 15 August 2026 and landslides cut that highway, so check conditions before you plan the overland leg. See the Komodo guide and the Flores itinerary.
- Java: the classic overland gateway. Borobudur and Prambanan's temple complexes, then two pre-dawn volcano mornings at Bromo and Ijen, before a ferry crossing to Bali. See the Java itinerary.
Choose by interest
Beaches and islands. Nusa Penida's cliffs, the car-free Gili Islands, and Kuta Lombok's quieter surf. See the Nusa Penida and Gili Islands guides.
Mountains and volcanoes. The Mount Batur sunrise trek from Ubud, Mount Rinjani's multi-day trek on Lombok, and, if you extend into Java, Bromo and Ijen's pre-dawn crater views. See the Mount Batur and Mount Rinjani guides.
Culture and temples. Ubud's water temples and Legong dance, plus Yogyakarta's Borobudur and Prambanan if your route runs through Java. Start with the Ubud and central Bali itinerary.
Wildlife and diving. Komodo dragons and Komodo National Park's manta and reef dives, plus Nusa Penida's own manta cleaning stations. See the Komodo guide.
Festivals. Nyepi, Bali's Day of Silence, shuts the whole island down for 24 hours once a year (Monday 8 March in 2027); Galungan and Kuningan bring penjor bamboo poles to every street (13 and 23 January, then 11 and 21 August in 2027). See the Nyepi guide and Galungan and Kuningan guide.
Nightlife. Canggu and Seminyak's beach clubs, and Gili Trawangan's beachfront bars. See things to do in Canggu and the Gili Islands guide.
Every route compared
| Route | Days | Best months | Daily budget | Pace | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Bali (Canggu and Uluwatu) | A stop within any length above | April to October | IDR 300,000 to 600,000 | Easy to moderate | Surf, beach clubs, cafe culture |
| Ubud and central Bali | 1 week to 1 month | April to October | IDR 250,000 to 450,000 | Easy to moderate | Rice terraces, temples, the Batur trek |
| Nusa Penida, Lembongan and Ceningan | 1 to 4 days, added to another route | April to October | IDR 300,000 to 500,000, plus the island entry fee and per-sight fees | Moderate; steep, rough roads | Cliffs, viewpoints, manta snorkelling |
| Gili Islands and Lombok, with Rinjani | 1 week to 1 month | April to November; Rinjani's own season runs shorter | IDR 300,000 to 500,000 on Lombok, less on the Gilis | Moderate to demanding with the trek | Car-free islands, surf, a volcano trek |
| Komodo and Flores | 1 week to 1 month | April to December for the boat trip, April to October overland | Roughly US$20 to $35 a day, plus the boat trip itself | Moderate | Wild dragons, diving, an overland route few tourists take |
| Java overland (Yogyakarta, Bromo and Ijen) | 1 week to 1 month | April to October | Generally cheaper per day than Bali | Moderate; two pre-dawn starts | Volcanoes, temples, the classic route in from the mainland |
Prefer to travel with a group?
However many days you have, our small-group trips for solo travellers aged 18 to 40 follow several of the routes above, with a Trip Host travelling with the group throughout and a licensed local agency and licensed local guides running the ground services. Compare every length on our Bali group trips page.
