The Ultimate 3 week bali itinerary
Oh Bali, where to even begin?
Bali is literally the promised land - and while it’s not on the typical banana pancake trail that most backpackers take through Southeast Asia, it was just a destination that I absolutely HAD to tic off while I was in Asia. I was running on limited time, as I really wanted to be home for the holidays, so I didn’t have the 1-2 months that most other travelers spend in Bali. As small as this little island seems on a map, there is SO MUCH to do, and public transportation is severely lacking. Given everything else I wanted to do in Southeast Asia during my three months there, I took it upon myself to create the ultimate 3 week Bali itinerary - perfect for me and everything that I desperately wanted to see during my short time there.
And might I just say… Mission accomplished baby.
This 3 week Bali itinerary has it all - gorgeous beaches, fun parties, secluded waterfalls, peaceful rice terraces, a whirlwind tour of Nusa Penida (in my brain I’ve lovingly dubbed her “instagram island”), and more!
*** disclaimer - I’ve had so many people tell me they think Bali was overrated! I think a lot of this has to do with the weather. I went in September and had maybe 2-3 rainy days, but definitely try to steer clear during rainy season. Lots of people also told me rainy season was fine, with a heavy shower once or twice a day, but so many things to do in Bali are outdoors, and all my friends who went in the months following me had the worst luck with weather. Try to go in shoulder or high season - because although they’re busier, you’ll be able to do and see everything you want to.
How to get around Bali
Before we get into the nitty gritty details, let’s talk about how to travel in Bali. There aren’t too many public transportation options, which both complicates things, but also streamlines them. While you can’t travel around for super cheap, there’s really only two ways to get from point A to point B.
You can either use a Grab Taxi or rent a scooter! I personally wasn’t comfortable driving a motorbike at the time (and the traffic in Bali is CRAZY), so I always opted for a Grab Taxi. If you have more than one person in your group or traveling with suitcases, it’s really reasonable to split a car, even if you’re traveling for two hours or more!
If you’re by yourself or traveling with a backpack, consider using a motorbike taxi! I had no issues with asking them to hold my 46 liter backpack up front with them to save myself a little bit of back pain - and they’re so much cheaper. It’s a great option for solo travelers!
Getting between islands is fairly simple as well! Most accommodations can coordinate transportation for you, which is super convenient and easy. I just asked my hostel for a ticket to Gili Trawangan, and they put me in a car, which took me to Padang Bai (the main port on the east coast of Bali) where I got on a ferry! I did the exact same thing going from Gili T to Nusa Penida, and Nusa Penida back to Padang Bai.
Ferries are actually pretty pricey - $20 ish USD for tickets, so if you’re on a strict backpacking budget - keep that in mind!
Although transportation and planning can seem a little bit intimidating, don’t worry about the logistics too much, because even if you’re staying in a $10/night hostel, the reception can always sort it out for you.
Okay! Back to the itinerary. Let’s dive right in, shall we?
The Ultimate 3 week Bali itinerary:
3 days in Uluwatu
Immediately after arriving at the airport, I headed straight down to Uluwatu. If you look at Bali on a map, theres a little blip on the bottom, and a lot of people skip it. DON’T! Uluwatu is absolutely stunning, and much more chilled than Canggu. Because of it’s location, it’s the perfect place to start your 3 week journey through Bali.
Here, the ocean is blue, the beaches are gorgeous, the waves are world class, and the vibes are immaculate. Because of it’s cliffs, the landscape is jaw-dropping - which also unfortunately means that the hikes down to and up from the beaches are KILLER. Don’t let it put you off! The beaches are so worth the hikes. There are also a good amount of beach clubs, and while the parties aren’t ~quite~ on Canggu’s level, you can still have a super fun night out.
3 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in this little slice of paradise before we tackle the rest of the island:) Click here to find epic places to stay on the cliffs of Uluwatu!
4 days in Canggu
Confession: I didn’t love Canggu - but I think it’s because I went to Uluwatu first! a huge misconception about Bali is that it has super tropical beaches with clear water and white sand…but this really isn’t the case. The beaches in Canggu are black sand beaches, and the water tends to look a bit like the Atlantic at times! Regardless, there’s so much happening in and around Canggu that you definitely can’t miss it on your trip to Bali.
Although the beaches aren’t as nice, the waves are much more beginner friendly than in Uluwatu, which makes it the perfect place to take surfing lessons - and the food and shopping options are out of this world! But the main draw to Canggu, in my opinion, are the parties! There’s something big going on every night of the week in Canggu, and while you might spend your days by the pool as there’s not much to do during the day, you will NEVER be at a loss for what to do when the sun sets.
There are private villas galore as well as super chic affordable hostels, so no matter your budget, Canggu should be on your bucket list.
Unfortunately for me, I don’t party too much and I SUCK at surfing, so 4 days was enough for me to do a little bit of both before bailing out and chasing waterfalls up north.
3 days in Munduk
This is where this 3 week Bali itinerary makes a turn that sets itself apart from the rest of the Bali travel guides out there. The north of Bali remains pretty much untouched by the mass-tourism of the south, and I LOVE it for that reason. The roads are really tricky and the sights are set usually an hour or more apart, which puts most people off. But I need you to trust me when I say the hassle is so worth it.
I mean… just LOOK at these waterfalls:
I decided to base myself in Munduk to see as many waterfalls as I possibly could - and not just any waterfalls. The waterfalls in the south of Bali could NEVER compete with the ones in the north - they are truly spectacular. We also sprinkled in a few Bali must-sees, such as the Handara Gate and the Water Temple, to break up all the waterfalls.
It does get a little chillier up here, so if you’ve rented a motorbike (I do not recommend) bring a sweatshirt! Or just hire a driver to brave the sketchy roads so that you don’t have to. There are loads of incredible, affordable, private tour options that in my opinion are much more feasible options than braving the roads with a shoddy motorbike and spotty service.
We were able to visit Hidden Waterfall and Sekumpul, throw ourselves off of ledges and slide down waterfalls at Aling Aling, swim beneath Banyumala, and marvel at the sheer size of GitGit. It was the time of my life, and as it turns out, I will ALWAYS recommend that you go chasing waterfalls😉
5 days in ubud
Ubud felt like magic to me. In what might be an unpopular opinion, I enjoyed Ubud far more than I did any of the beach towns I visited! There was so much to do, and something about the city and the nature surrounded had me in a freaking chokehold. There are incredible rice terrace villas and jungle hostels, and I could see myself living there SO fast.
5 days is perfect, because there’s even more waterfalls to swim under, volcanoes to hike, rice fields to explore, and pool clubs to check out. Something about the energy of the city made it my favorite stop on my entire 3 week Bali itinerary. I took yoga classes, ate smoothie bowls every day, and took sunset walks through the rice paddies.
Having Ubud smack in the middle of your Bali trip give you a second to breathe, chill out, and take a rest from the parties. I absolutely loved it, and I hope you do too:)
3 days in the Gili islands
The Gili islands are where you’re finally going to see the beaches that everyone thinks Bali has - and the Gili islands aren’t even technically part of Bali! I suggest you stay on Gili Trawangan if you like a little bit of a social scene, but if you’re here on a honeymoon or for a more relaxing vacation, Gili Meno and Gili Air are better options.
Although I stayed on Gili T, I took a snorkel tour that took me to all three islands, so you really can get the best of all worlds! Gili T was a whirlwind of days spent floating in crystal clear water, snorkeling with sea turtles, riding around the car-less island on bicycles, dancing the night away in reggae bars, and incredible sunsets.
Gili T was a short little stint in the grand scheme of my life, but I still think of the 3 days I spent there all the time. Trust me - you will LOVE the Gili Islands.
3 days on Nusa Penida
Most Bali itineraries have Nusa Penida listed as a day trip - but HEAR ME OUT. This island is much bigger than it appears, and to fully experience the incredible things it has to offer, you have to stay at least 2 nights. The group I was with hired a driver for one day and tried to knock out most of the iconic sights - Keling Keling, Diamond beach, the Thousand Islands viewpoint, Broken Beach, and Angel’s Billabong. It was a packed day, but one of my favorite days I had during my entire 3 weeks in Bali.
We spent the next day snorkeling with Manta rays and hiking down to one of the beaches, as Nusa Penida is very much like Uluwatu in the sense that the cliffs are gorgeous, and it’s a LONG way down to the beach.
There are a few beautiful pool clubs where you can watch the sunset, and enjoy your last days in Bali.
Fly out!
And as short as this itinerary seems, that’s three weeks! It is by no means enough to see even a sliver of what Bali and Indonesia have to offer, but it is a good start. Spend one more night in a city of your choice that’s not too far from the airport (no shocker here, I spent one more day in Ubud doing yoga and getting more than 1 massage LOL) so that you can easily reach the airport no matter what time your flight is!
I hope you enjoyed this 3 week Bali itinerary and got a few ideas for your own trip!
HAve you been to Bali? How long did you stay there? Where was your favorite spot? Let me know in the comments down below!
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