Would you like to travel to Bali soon? If your answer is yes, read carefully these 10 incredible places to see in Bali . If, on the other hand, you do not have Bali in mind at the moment, it is very likely that you will change your mind at the end of this article.
Before discovering the wonders of this destination, it is necessary to situate ourselves. Bali is an island located in the Indian Ocean belonging to Indonesia, one of the most beautiful and complete countries in Southeast Asia . It differs from the rest of the country by having its own religion: Balinese Hinduism.
The religious beliefs of the Balinese play a fundamental role in their culture and daily life. You can see this reflected in the thousands of temples, offerings and ceremonies. Balinese culture is one of the great attractions of the island and something that travelers are often fascinated by.
Apart from the culture, another point in favor of Bali is its incredible nature. Throughout the island you can find a great variety of landscapes, among which waterfalls, rice fields, different types of beaches, cliffs and some volcanoes stand out.
WHAT TO SEE IN BALI
The vast majority of travelers who decide to travel to Indonesia include the island of Bali in their itinerary around the country. Discover below the 10 places to see in Bali that you should not miss on your trip .
1. Besakih Mother Temple
The Mother Temple of Besakih is the most important temple for the Balinese. It is located in the east of Bali, on the slopes of Mount Agung, the highest point on the island . It is a huge complex made up of several temples built on terraces located at different levels. It is surrounded by paddy fields, hills and small streams.
It is very interesting to visit this temple accompanied by a local guide, as it is the perfect place to discover the beliefs and traditions of the Balinese. One of the curiosities of the temple is that it miraculously survived the 1963 volcanic eruption .
2. Tegallalang Rice Fields
It is possible to see rice fields in many parts of Bali , such as Ubud, Sidemen or Canggu. In fact, it will be one of the most common sights that you will see during your journeys between different areas of the island. Sometimes you will even be lucky enough to be able to observe how the peasants sow each rice plant one by one.
Due to the beautiful and picturesque landscape created by the rice fields, some of them have become a mandatory stop for travelers arriving in Bali. The Tegallalang rice fields, located in Ubud, are one of the most impressive. We recommend you visit them first thing in the morning to be able to enjoy the place with more peace of mind. Another of the most visited rice fields are those of Jatiluwih. You should know that depending on the season, the rice fields will have one aspect or another.
3. Sekumpul Waterfall
One of the best backpacking plans in Bali is to visit one of the numerous waterfalls present throughout the island. They usually have an access cost but in most cases this is quite low. One of the most impressive and most visited waterfalls is Sekumpul, located in the north of Bali.
Sekumpul waterfall is actually made up of several waterfalls of different height. The highest have a drop of 80 meters. The walls of the cliff over which the water falls are covered by dense vegetation of an intense green color. This creates one of the most beautiful landscapes to see in Bali.
To get to this waterfall it is necessary to do a little trekking , which will lead you along dirt roads, quite a few steps and viewpoints with incredible views of the waterfall. You will even have to cross a small river. The effort will be worth it!
Other waterfalls that you can include in your Bali itinerary are Tibumana, Leke Leke, Nungnung or Tukad Cepung . They are all spectacular.
4. Lempuyang Temple
Another of the essential places to see in Bali is the Lempuyang Temple, located at the eastern end of the island. It is one of the most spectacular temples that you can visit if you are going to travel to Bali. It is also the tallest. It is located at 1,175 meters above sea level. The views from here are truly beautiful.
The best known corner of Lempuyang is the famous Gates of Heaven, through which you can see the imposing Mount Agung in the background. It is a very popular place among tourists , therefore, we recommend you go first thing in the morning. In this way, you can enjoy the true charm of this temple.
5. Nusa Islands
If you are going to travel to Indonesia, another place that you cannot miss are those known as the Nusa Islands (Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan). These islands belong to the province of Bali and are considerably less developed than other tourist areas on the island. It is possible to access them by taking a boat from Sanur Beach or from Padang Bai . The journey is approximately 40 minutes.
Here you will find some of the best beaches in Bali. In Nusa Penida you cannot miss the famous Kelingking Beach and the impressive Diamond Beach. Both beaches have strong currents, therefore we do not recommend swimming. Do not forget to take out international travel insurance for Bali in case you have any problems. Another of the great attractions of this island is being able to swim with giant mantas.
If you are looking for quieter beaches, you will find them in Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Ceningan. If it is true that Nusa Penida is somewhat wilder, on these two islands, linked by a bridge, you can enjoy a more peaceful and relaxing environment.
6. Ulun Danu Beratan Temple
You will find one of the most picturesque images of Bali in the town of Bedugul. Specifically, in the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple. This temple is built on a small island located at one end of Lake Beratan. It is very striking as it gives the sensation of floating. As you can imagine, this temple is dedicated to the god of water.
7. Thomas Beach, Uluwatu
Uluwatu is the southernmost region of Bali on the island. It is famous for its cliffs and for its beaches with blue waters and white sand. It is also the favorite place for surf lovers , as some of its beaches have the best waves in Bali. If you want to spend a day at the beach, in Uluwatu you will find many options. One of our favorite beaches in Uluwatu is Thomas Beach.
This beach is not as popular as others in the area (Bingin Beach or Padang Padang). However, it is one of the best options if you want to enjoy a morning or afternoon of sun, water and sand. Apart from being a fairly long beach, it has restaurants and it is possible to rent sun loungers with umbrellas. Something you should know before visiting this beach
is that to access it you will have to go down, and then climb, quite a few stairs .
8.Uluwatu Temple
Another of the places that cannot be missed on your visit to the south of Bali is the Uluwatu Temple. It is one of the best places to see in Bali, not only because of the temple itself, which is quite small, but also because of its incredible natural surroundings. It is located on a cliff 70 meters above the sea. During your visit you can enjoy an incredible landscape with the Indian Ocean as the protagonist.
It is recommended to visit the Uluwatu Temple in the afternoon, since at 6:00 p.m. there is a Kecak show, a traditional Balinese dance. It is very worth seeing. In addition, you may be lucky enough to witness one of the best sunsets of your life.
9. Tanah Lot Temple
The Tanah Lot Temple stands out for being built on a rock formation by the sea, creating a unique landscape. Because of this, it is only possible to access the stairs that lead to this sacred place at low tide. It was built in the fifteenth century and is another of the most important temples in Bali.
The best time to visit the Tanah Lot is at sunset, as long as you are not bothered by crowded places. If you prefer to enjoy the temple more quietly, we recommend going at another time of day.
The Tanah Lot is located quite close to Canggu, one of the main tourist centers in Bali. You can take advantage of your visit to the temple to get closer to this town and eat in one of its wonderful restaurants. If you are not going to see the sunset from the famous temple, you can do it on one of the Canggu beaches. We recommend Echo Beach.
10.Amed Beach
One of the most magical and mystical places in Bali is Amed. This fishing village located in the east of the island is a real treasure. Despite being a tourist destination, it has nothing to do with other areas of Bali such as Ubud, Canggu or Seminyak. Amed has a tranquility that you will catch as soon as you arrive.
Imagine taking a swim on the beach in the sunset light while enjoying the incredible views of Mount Agung. In Amed it is possible. Also, this part of the island is ideal if you like snorkeling and diving. One of the most interesting places to see underwater is the US Liberty shipwreck, located in Tulamben, very close to Amed.
In Amed you will not only have coast. The surroundings are full of rice fields and mountains. On the other hand, Amed is a very good base to visit places like the Tirta Gangga Temple or the Lempuyang Temple. From Amed you can also take a boat to the Gili Islands, a destination that we recommend if you also plan to visit Lombok.
If you want to include all these places in your itinerary and visit them with ease, it is recommended to spend a minimum of 10 days in Bali.
