5 days in Bali – Itinerary | Self- Drive Road Trip Tips & Tricks

Looking for an itinerary for 5 days in Bali? We’ve covered places to visit, stay and prices for all the tourist attractions.

At Cochin Airport

Bali has been love at first sight for me — Be it the people, changing landscape, affordability, food or culture. I can always keep finding excuses to visit this stunning place.

As you might already know I am back from Bali and unlike our last trip, this time we rented a self-drive car in Bali for just 300000 IDR ( 1450 INR ) per day and went crazy exploring offbeat places in Bali. We were in Bali for 5 days. Over the five days, we did everything we could — chasing waterfalls, stumbling upon lesser known temples, hopping from one beach to other and devouring local food. The trip was quite short but we tried to cover a lot of places in just 4 days and the last day was reserved for a bit of pampering. Since my parents were with me, so we tried to cover all the popular temples possible on our trip. You can skip temples and change your itinerary if you want to.

Without further ado let me share our itinerary. You can also read all about my last trip HERE

 (Read:  Bali 10 Day Itinerary )

Quick Overview 

Places To Stay – Seminyak, North Kuta, South Kuta, Legian, Sanur, Ubud, Uluwatu, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Cangu ( You can stay at one or two places and cover most of the places in Bali )

Popular Temples – Tanah Lot Temple, Uluwatu Temple, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Pura Besakih Temple, Goa Gajah Temple

Popular Waterfalls – Git Git Waterfall, Tegenungan Waterfall, Nungnung Waterfall, Tukad Cepung Waterfall, Air Terjun Nungnung, Banyumala Waterfall, Sekumpul Waterfall

Check out more waterfall – HERE

Turtle Conservation CenterAt Kuta Beach ( Baby Turtles are released every day from June to August )

Hiking – Mount Batur is an active volcano and hiking trips are quite popular.

Watersports activities – Padang Bai Beach and Nusa Dua Beach

NightLife – Seminyak & Kuta

Near By islands for Day Trips – Gilli islands, Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan & Nusa Ceningan

Indian Resturant –  Queen’s Resturant at Seminyak & Ubud

DAY 1

We landed around 11 am local time and headed straight to our villa which we had booked through Airbnb after reading a lot of reviews about the place. ( Try it! We have a code which gives you discount on your first booking ) It was a cute little two bedroom villa at Bale Village at Kuta and was just 20 minutes from Seminyak/ Kuta Beach and one hour drive from Ubud and Uluwatu. Though we had planned to rent a self-drive car so the location of the villa worked for us. If you are looking to stay near beach or market area then you can also check some other villa on Airbnb or hotels/ resorts at Seminyak, Nusa Dua or Kuta. Our villa was in a residential area and away from all the hustle. Apart from the bathroom which was way too small rest everything about the villa was perfect. The pool was small and clean and most importantly the host was super helpful. He helped us to rent a self-drive car at a dirt cheap price at 200000 IDR without insurance and 300000 IDR with insurance. We opted for the latter. In fact, he also arranged a motorbike for us at a price of 50000 IDR ( 200-250 INR per day).

If you love driving, we highly recommend a rent a car/bike and explore Bali. Roads are awesome and chances of stumbling upon lesser known places would be high. If you do not fancy driving, you can book a taxi and cover a lot of places too.

After having a hearty lunch at Cafe Chakra near our villa, we headed to Tanah Lot temple in the evening on our very first day. We loved the unique offshore setting and the mesmerizing sunset. Pura Tanah lot is quite a popular hotspot for both tourists and locals.

Bali Itinerary 5 Days Tanah Lot Temple -

Tanah Lot Temple

Entrance Tickets Prices per adult- 

Tanah Lot Temple – 60.000 IDR

 

Day 2

On our second day in Bali, we drove all the way to the North. We ticked off few places like Pura Ulun Danu Buyan Temple, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan Temple, and attractions of Ubud like Pura Taman Saraswati Temple, Ubud Palace, Ubud Monkey Forest (Ps: we did not like it ) and Taman Ayun Temple.

And ended our day at Seminyak Beach and wolfing down Indian food at Queen’s restaurant. If you are craving for Indian food, Queen’s is one of the most popular restaurants in Bali.

Bali itinerary 5 days

 

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan Temple Bali

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan Temple

 

Kecak dance at Pura Taman Saraswati Temple

Kecak Dance at Pura Taman Saraswati Temple

The beautiful entrance of Ubud palace #Bali #thetalesofatraveler

A post shared by Swati ❤ Sam (@thetalesofatraveler) on

 

Entrance Tickets Prices per adult- 

Pura Taman Ayun – 20.000 IDR

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan Temple – 50.000 IDR

Pura Ulun Danu Buyan Temple – Free

Seminyak Beach – Free

Day 3 

On Day 3, we drove to Ubud again as we had missed out few places.

Places we visited were: Goa Gajah Temple, Tegenungan Waterfall, Kanto Lampo Waterfall, Goa Rang Reng waterfall,  Pura Tirta Empul Temple, Tegalang Rice Terrace & Kuta Beach

You can take a detour and visit Pura Baseikh temple too but unfortunately, we had no time.

Our first stop was Goa Gajah Temple followed by Tegenungan Waterfall. From Tegenungan waterfall, Kanto Lampo waterfall is just a 30 min drive. It is a beautiful waterfall and there are changing rooms at the site in case you want to take a dip.

Goa Gajah Temple Bali

Goa Gajah Temple

Tegenungan Waterfall Bali

Tegenungan Waterfall

 

We also chanced upon another waterfall in Bali named Goa Rang Reng. While on our way from Kanto Lampo waterfall to Pura Tirta Empul Temple we saw a huge board with a direction to a waterfall named Goa Rang Reng. We went there on a whim and were awestruck by the sheer beauty of the place. Home to an ancient holy cave and the starting point of Cangkir River at the confluence of Bangunlemah and Betiting Rivers is considered to be a sacred place for locals.

Though the trail to the waterfall is muddy and slippery in some places, yet it is a peaceful and a relaxing spot that is hardly visited by tourists.

Kanto Lampo waterfall Bali

Kanto Lampo waterfall

 

Kanto Lampo waterfall Bali

Kanto Lampo waterfall

A post shared by Swati ❤ Sam (@thetalesofatraveler) on

 

A post shared by BALI ● Explore Bali and Beyond (@balicili) on

 

 Goa Rang Reng waterfall Bali

Goa Rang Reng

 

Goa Rang Reng Waterfall

Goa Rang Reng Waterfall

 

Pura Tirta Empul Temple

Pura Tirta Empul Temple

Pura Tirta Empul Temple Bali Itinerary 5 Days

Pura Tirta Empul Temple

 

 

We also visited Pura Tirta Empul Temple that is famous for holy spring water and devotees come here for ritual purification. The mandatory dress code is traditional ‘kamen’ wrap around the lower body and is easily available at the entrance of the temple. On our way back from Ubud to Kuta, we visited the preened rice terrace.

We ended our day dining, shopping and lazing at Kuta Beach.

Entrance Tickets Prices per adult- 

Goa Gajah Temple – 30.000 IDR

Tegalang Waterfall – 10.000 IDR

Goa Rang Reng Waterfall – 15.000 IDR

Pura Tirta Empul Temple – 30.000 IDR

Kanto Lampo Waterfall – 10.000 IDR

 Kuta Beach – Free

Parking fee at most of the places varies from 3000 IDR, 5000 IDR &  10000 IDR

Day 4

If you’re temple out, then save this day for hopping from one beach to other or water sports activities.

We would advise exploring lesser-known beaches and pristine beaches of South Kuta and Uluwatu Area. Sulubun Beach, Dreamland Beach, Nyang Nyang Beach, Padang Padang beaches are out of touristy radar and boast of azure water laced with white sands. You need to climb down to most of the beaches in Uluwatu.

Other beaches which are easily accessible are Nusa Dua, Kuta, Sanur and Seminyak Beach.

Uluwatu Temple Bali - Bali Itinerary 5 Days

Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu Temple Bali

Uluwatu Temple

Bali Itinerary 5 Days - Sulubun Beach

Sulubun Beach

Bali Itinerary 5 Days

“Life is like the ocean.It can be calm or still, rough or rigid, but in the end it is always beautiful.” What do you prefer ocean or mountain ? #Bali @indtravel #uluwatutemple #thetalesofatraveler

A post shared by Swati ❤ Sam (@thetalesofatraveler) on


Entrance Tickets Prices per adult- 

Uluwatu Temple – 30.000 IDR
Suluban Beach – 15.000 IDR

Day 5

Keep your last day to get a spa done, shop, relax at a fancy resort or just chill with a sundowner.

Well, basically, do nothing 🙂

Spa at Maya Ubud Resort & Spa , Ubud, Bali

 

Some of the best spa in Bali- Thermes Marins Spa at AYANA Resort and Spa Bali , Karma Spa at Karma Kandara Resort, Five Element Spa at Ubud.

Tips & Tricks for hiring a Self-drive Car/ Bike in Bali:

You need an Indian driving license or International driving license.

Take pictures of the car or bike for damage and notify any issues before closing the deal.

Test-drive quickly to check the brakes and clutch.

Fuel is usually not included in the price. Petrol is priced around 6.500 IDR – 7.500 IDR per liter.

Refuel only at major fuel stations.

Important: Download the offline map because the network is quite patchy at a lot of places.

Driving Conditions – If you are used to driving on Indian roads, you won’t have any issues. But in case you are not used to driving on narrow lanes and motorbikes coming from all directions. Be a bit cautious while driving.

HAGGLING IS THE KEY TO SCORE GREAT DEALS IN BALI 😉

We booked our self-drive car from the below rental company at a price of 300.000 IDR for 24 hours with insurance coverage.  Try to haggle more if you can. 😉

Bima Sakti Rent Car
Phone: +62 361 7906 187, +62 81 933 017 722
Email: carbooking@balimobil.com

Site: www.balimobil.com

Hope this post helps you to plan a trip to Bali.

Do check our previous posts for more tips and tricks on planning.

Bali 5 Day Itinerary

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35 Comments

  • Reply
    Flo
    June 26, 2017 at 6:29 pm

    Wow you guys covered a lot of ground in only 5 days! Friends have advised me against driving a car in Bali because the roads can be extremely hectic and parking can be difficult – would you recommend a scooter over a car?

  • Reply
    Amber Pittman
    June 26, 2017 at 7:58 pm

    Your experience looks enchanting! All of these wonderful photos make me want to book a flight and a room immediately!

    Is there anything about this trip you would do differently if you had the opportunity? As someone who is interested in the Ubud Monkey Forest, can you go into detail about why you didn’t enjoy it? Was it not what you expected? I’d love to hear more on the issue.

  • Reply
    Jessica A
    June 27, 2017 at 12:07 am

    Wow, what a beautiful trip! Bali is definitely on my bucket list. It looks like a truly magical place.

  • Reply
    Megan
    June 27, 2017 at 2:32 am

    Excellent information! I love that you included maps, that is so helpful. And the places look simply gorgeous. I would love to visit one day.

  • Reply
    Chaitali Patel
    June 27, 2017 at 1:26 pm

    Fabulous post! When I go to Bali will definitely pull this out of the archives to plan my trip!

  • Reply
    Priyadarshini Rajendran
    June 28, 2017 at 12:09 am

    Your photographs are stunning! Bali looks so good to me right now.. and your map here is cool. Saving this post for my visit!

  • Reply
    Erika @LatinAtlas
    June 28, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    Great planning skills – you saw a lot! Love the photos and your outfits! Great post. 🙂

  • Reply
    John
    June 30, 2017 at 10:31 pm

    Great itinerary and your photos are spectacular! If ever I make it to Bali I will definitely be looking back on this list. You covered a lot of ground in 5 days!

  • Reply
    mayuri patel
    July 1, 2017 at 9:06 am

    all information here
    it will save time to plan my trip
    Fabulous Post and informative too

  • Reply
    Kate
    July 1, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    You got so much done! Awesome. I have a friend who also just came back from Bali. I really have to put a trip together. I dont know about driving there though.

  • Reply
    Rhiannon
    July 1, 2017 at 4:38 pm

    Where was the second photo of the article taken? The one with you and the model elephants. I only ask because they look EXACTLY like the real elephants I saw at Thrissur Pooram last year.
    As for the article itself, you’re really able to pack a lot into 5 days! I’m hoping for a trip to Indonesia next Jan/Feb and will likely hire a car or bike to really make the most of my stay. I’ll definitely be coming back to this article for inspiration!

  • Reply
    A Busy Bees Life - Sheri
    July 2, 2017 at 7:47 pm

    Spectacular and stunning pictures. My goodness, and that outfit just makes it all look so amazing I would love to visit Bali one day and you captures the beauty in a wonderful way!

  • Reply
    Saint Facetious
    July 4, 2017 at 3:22 pm

    Those pics definitely made me put Bali on my list. Glad you had some good travels!

  • Reply
    Madhukar Naidu
    July 4, 2017 at 4:56 pm

    Sam and swati, reading your article is soothing, and Indepth information of Bali for the pple who are looking to travel and can plan their journey
    Kudos to you guys for superb travel guide. Definitely when I plan to go to Bali, this is my guide.

    • Reply
      The Tales of a Traveler
      July 16, 2017 at 1:56 pm

      Thank you so much for such kind words… our motto is to help people to blaze their own itinerary and glad you find the post helpful 🙂

  • Reply
    Paintmytrip
    July 5, 2017 at 7:10 am

    Great Post with Itineraries. It will be very useful

  • Reply
    Yogi Saraswat
    July 5, 2017 at 8:59 am

    Lovely pictures of a very beautiful place !!

  • Reply
    rupam { xhobdo }
    July 5, 2017 at 1:52 pm

    Amazing pics. Loved to read your beautiful post.
    Thanks for the all info’s.
    Greetings.

  • Reply
    Tales of Travelling Sisters
    July 5, 2017 at 6:24 pm

    These are truly few of the unseen and offbeat places of Bali! Beautiful captures of ancient architecture and the stunning landscapes!

    • Reply
      The Tales of a Traveler
      July 16, 2017 at 1:53 pm

      Thank you so much dear… It was fun driving and stumbling upon lesser known places in Bali 🙂

  • Reply
    Shifa Godil
    July 17, 2017 at 11:46 am

    Superb ! Amazing pics to plan a trip to Bali

    Shifa Godil

  • Reply
    Zainab
    July 26, 2017 at 3:08 am

    Great article – I’m in Bali right now and it was a fun read! I really enjoyed the Balinese dances like the Kecak in your picture and the Legong as well in Ubud palace. Driving is definitely a great way to get around with a bike! The villages in the North are awesome too! Thanks for this!

  • Reply
    yukti
    July 27, 2017 at 5:38 am

    Very nice post on Bali with list of all temples and natural places. I love those ancient temples specially that Purta Tirta temple. Self driving is always a fun because we can stopover and take pictures wherever we want. Goa Rang Rang waterfall and Sulbunn beach are stunning. All pictures are amazing.

  • Reply
    Jennifer J. Trego
    August 2, 2017 at 12:23 pm

    Hi There,
    Excellent planning for 5 days tour.
    And thanks for sharing these amazing pics.

  • Reply
    Varuna Jithesh
    August 7, 2017 at 6:21 am

    Nice Place..

  • Reply
    Jessy Andrew
    August 19, 2017 at 10:20 am

    Loved reading the story of Bali on your lovely blog! These photographs made me to fall in love with Bali .

  • Reply
    Agness of aTukTuk
    September 13, 2017 at 11:03 am

    Wow! This is a very detailed, exceptional and helpful post and itinerary. Bali is astonishing and your post is very motivating. Are 5 days enough to enjoy its beauty?

  • Reply
    John Wills
    October 2, 2017 at 1:11 pm

    What an amazing post! Simply superb. Stunning pictures. Thanks for sharing such a great information.

  • Reply
    Shama
    December 15, 2017 at 8:03 am

    really nice, You covered bali just five days. it’s amazing

  • Reply
    Aditi Kapoor
    January 11, 2018 at 9:29 am

    Awesome informative post. Bookmarking it right away!

  • Reply
    manabadiaptsresults
    February 8, 2018 at 9:31 am

    Really amazing. Locations are very beautiful. Orange color dress is superb it’s suits you. Amazing photography. Interesting Thank you for sharing

  • Reply
    Destination Trips
    April 19, 2018 at 10:10 am

    First of all, amazing pictures! You managed to visit lot of places, which is a feat as I am a stay-cationer. Needless to say.

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