20 Cool Things to do in Bali Beyond Kuta

Last Updated on March 11, 2024

After spending three months living in Bali as a digital nomad, I’ve complied a list of things to do in Bali beyond Kuta.

Bali may have its fair share of tourists seeking sun, sand and sea in the southern party triad of Kuta, Legian and Seminyak, but that’s just a small part of the island. In reality, there is SO much more to Bali than beaches and bars.

Beyond the tourist hubs, the Bali we all dream of — where sarong-clad ladies saunter with swaying hips towards ancient temples under hanging banyan trees, bearing elegant offerings — still exists. So does the Bali where farmers in palm-leaf topees labor in green rice fields alongside calmly snorting water buffalo and hurrying lines of little ducks.

Best of all, you don’t have to go far to find the ‘real Bali’ — just head out of your resort and check out this list of things to do in Bali. You’ll soon find yourself awestruck by views of smoking volcanoes, thrilled by the glamor of clashing gongs, and dazzled by the lush rice fields that seem to run for miles.  

Best Things to Do in Bali

1. Hike the Rice Terraces of Jatiluwih

Located in the Tabanan region of Central Bali, the Jatiluwih is a picturesque, hilly area covered with sprawling rice terraces. UNESCO awarded it World Heritage status, for the unique Subak irrigation system developed in Bali in the 9th century. But because of its location, it isn’t a popular spot with tourists, so you can easily enjoy the whole place to yourself.

Unlike Tegalagang, there aren’t paved walking trails here, and you’ll be walking on private owned farmlands if you do decide to hike around the terraces. If you’re keen to explore the nature of Bali, be sure to add Jatiluwish to your Bali itinerary.

2. Visit the Lakeside Ulun Danu Bratan Temple

Many people would agree that this lakeside temple complex in northern Bali is the absolute most beautiful temple on the island. Built in 1633, the Ulun Danu Bratan temple is dedicated to the lake and river goddess, Dewi Danu.

At 1,200m above sea level, has a beautiful setting right on the shore of Lake Bratan, also known as the Lake of Holy Mountain, backdropped by looming mountains. During our visit, there were plenty of ceremonies taking place at the temple as well as legong dance put up for tourists at the main entrance.

3. Catch Views of Mount Batur at Kintamani

Bali is an island with plenty of mountains running across it — one of them is Mount Batur, an active volcano that recently erupted in 2000. The mountain has a large caldera which contains a caldera lake.

It’s easy to do a day trip and drive up to the mountain town of Kintamani, where the air is cool and temperature is pleasant, for a glimpse of Mount Batur up close. The intrepid ones can also go on an overnight trek that will bring you even closer to the action.

4. Watch the Kecak Dance at Uluwatu Temple 

Uluwatu Temple sits right on the edge of a coastal cliff in the Bukit peninsula and it’s one of the most stunning and holy spots in Bali. The temple itself is mostly out of bounds to tourists, but it offers some spectacular views of the rugged cliffs and coastline beneath.

The walking trail here follows along the cliff’s edge and you can easily spend hours strolling and drinking in the views along the way. Every evening, a traditional kecak dance is put up here for tourists, backdropped by the dramatic sunset. Tickets of the Ulutwatu kecak dance are 100,000 Rupiah (US$8), not including entrance fee to the temple. For culture vultures, this is absolutely one of the best things to do in Bali.

5. Surf at the Padang Padang Bay

Some call Padang Padang the best beach in Bali (though I wouldn’t agree) and surfers from all around the world come to Bali just to get a taste of its swells. You’ll probably find it familiar if you’ve watched the movie ‘Eat Pray Love’ — it appeared in the scene when Julia Roberts met Javier Bardem.

Rent a board for US$5/hour or hire a surfing instructor for $15/hour. Here’s all you need to know about surfing in Bali.

6. Find Secret Beaches in Nusa Dua

In my personal opinion, the southernmost tip of Bali has the best beaches on the island. Nusa Dua is found at the very bottom of the Bukit Peninsula, and the beaches here are mostly covered in pearly white sand and the waters are spearmint blue, clean and calm — while most beaches on the island are black-sand beaches with huge waves.

As the area doesn’t have fertile soil suitable for agriculture, it was left untouched for years. Today, it’s home to the best family hotels in Bali, each with a private patch of beach. I highly recommend this area for those traveling Bali with kids, as it’s far from the madness of Kuta and it’s calm and quiet.

7. Eat Seafood at Jimbaran Beach

Located just a 10-minute drive from the airport, Jimbaran beach was once a tiny fishing village with a daily market. Today its fish market is still buzzing with life, but it’s the three stretches of seafood restaurants on the beach that really draw the crowds. While popular with tourists, Jimbaran is still not as crowded and busy as Kuta or Seminyak.

Feast on freshly-caught-from-the-sea fish under the candle light, with sand between your feet and the sea breeze in your hair. Be prepared for quite a pricey meal — grab a beer if you’re on a budget.

8. Chill in the Cool Hipster Cafes in Canggu

Of all the enclaves in Bali, Canggu is probably our favorite area on the island. The surfer’s town has got a cool and laid-back flair, that’s hip but still down to earth and unpretentious. It’s a great hub for digital nomads living in Bali.

While beaches here are pretty much like Kuta Beach, it’s the awesome cafes and grungy hangouts here that keep drawing us back. Some of our favourite spots are Warung Dandelion (atmospheric candlelit place with bunnies hopping around), Moana fish eatery, and Old Man’s, one of the most popular drinking holes in town.

9. Catch Sunset at the Seaside Tanah Lot Temple

One of the most photographed temples in Bali is the seaside Tanah Lot temple, located above Canggu on the west coast. Translated to mean “Land in the Sea”, Tanah Lot sits on a large offshore rock which has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide. At the base of the rocky island, venomous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. Everyday throngs of crowd gather here to see the temple at sunset, when it’s at its best.

10. See the Ogoh Ogoh Statues in Mengwi

For those traveling Bali with kids (like us), this is particularly interesting! Ogoh-ogoh are statues built for Nyepi, Balinese New Year, and they usually take the form of demonic mythological beings. They can be huge, scary and intimidating. On Nyepi eve, they are paraded around town on bamboo pads and then burned, to represent the purification of the environment from evil spirits. If you’re not visiting during Nyepi, the best place to see these Ogoh-ogoh figures is the Ogoh-ogoh Museum in Mengwi, next to Museum Yadnya.

11. Wander through the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud

Mingle with cheeky little macaques (also known as Balinese long-tailed monkey) at this nature reserve and temple complex. It’s heavily forested and hilly, and makes for a great place to escape from the traffic. There are also three Hindu temples here, all apparently built around 1350. The Sacred Monkey Forest is viewed by locals as an important spiritual, economic, and conservation center for the area. A lot of tourists are scared to walk here as some monkeys can be aggressive, but just stay calm and you’ll be fine.

12. Hike the Campuhan Ridge in Ubud

It comes as a surprise to many (including us!), that there are actually lots of greenery and nature still left to explore in Ubud. The rice fields walk is easily accessible from Jalan Kajeng right next to the Ubud Palace, and it brings you into the heart of the rice fields although you’ll still be jostling for space with scooters on the paved trail. The Campuhan Ridge Walk starts from the magnificent Pura Gunung Lebah, and it’s more of a jungle walk along the narrow spine between the eastern and western branches of Ubud’s Wos Rivers.

13. Get Lost in the Ubud Art Market

The Ubud Traditional Art Market, locally referred to as ‘Pasar Seni Ubud’, is one of the best spots in Bali to buy some local artwork, sarong or souvenirs. The labyrinth of stalls is found in the heart of Ubud, right opposite the Ubud Palace, and the pedestrianised area is actually great for those looking to stroll around without jostling with traffic.

Here you’ll find all types of batik cloth, handwoven bags, hats, wooden carvings, kites and other hand-crafted goods that come from the nearby artisan villages. The Ubud market also serves as a setting for the Hollywood movie ‘Eat Pray Love’.

14. See the Barong Dance at the Ubud Palace

The 16th century Ubud Palace, officially Puri Saren Agung, is the official residence of the royal family of Ubud.Today it’s opened to the public for visits and it plays host to the traditional Legong and Barong dance every evening. The dance performance at Ubud Palace is one of the best in Bali, so if you’re keen in catching one, this is the place to go.

The Legong dance involves ladies dressed in sparkling golden outfits and moving elegantly to the gamelan music, while the barong dance is an entertaining lion dance that can be very interesting especially for the young ones.

15. Soak in the Tirta Empul Holy Springs

Balinese come from near and far to soak in the Indiana Jones–like pools at Tirta Empul for ritual purification. Each spring is said to have a particular power e.g. karma, and anyone can take a dip as long as you’re covered up (bring a sarong if you want to soak in the water). Founded in 962 A.D., the ancient water palace is dedicated to Vishnu, another Hindu god name for the supreme consciousness Narayana.

16. Climb 300 Steps to the Ancient Gunung Kawi Temple

Near Tirta Empul is a unique 11th-century rock-cut temple and funerary complex tucked amidst rice terraces and a flowing river. This is one of Bali’s oldest and largest ancient monuments. It’s made up of 10 rock-cut candi (shrines) that are carved into some 7-metre-high cliff faces. These funeral monuments are thought to be dedicated to King Anak Wungsu of the Udayana dynasty and his favourite queens.

17. Walk Around the Tegalagang Rice Terraces

In contrast to Jatiluwih rice terraces mentioned above, the ones in Tegalagang are smaller and much less impressive, but are more accessible for those staying in Ubud and not interested in traveling too far out. Tegalagang is only a 30-minute drive from Ubud and there are well-trodden trails and even paved routes that weave in and out of the rice terraces. The Tegalagang rice terraces are carved into a narrow valley, so it’s very compact and easy to explore within a few hours. Be warned though, it can get very crowded with tourists so get there early.

18. Drive the Northern Bali Loop to Lovina Beach

In the two months we spent in Bali, we drove all over the island on several routes — and our favorite was definitely the loop around Northern Bali. It’s a scenic drive, with the road flanked by extensive rice terraces. It takes an entire day to do the circuit up to Lovina Beach, stopping along the way to check out the Gitgit Waterfalls. We also recommend taking a little side trip to Air Panas Banjar, three natural hot springs that have different mineral content. (Admission is 5000 Rupiah). 

19. Go Wreck Diving in Tulamben

The best dive site in Bali is the USAT Liberty wreck off the shore of Tulamben in the northeast Bali. The USAT Liberty was a United States Army cargo ship torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942 and beached on Bali. In 1963 the tremors associated with the eruption of Mount Agung caused the vessel to slip off the beach. Alberto did a dive there during his PADI Advanced Open Water course with Bali Scuba and said it’s one of the best dives he’s ever done!

20. Take a Day Trip to the Gili Islands

For those with time to spare, the Gili islands are a blissful beach getaway with little to no responsibility. Sadly, they’ve long been discovered by backpackers and are now overrun with tourists but you can still have certain corners of the islands to yourself if you look hard enough. They are a three-hour boat ride from Sanur or 90-minute trip from Tulamben, although duration can depend on sea conditions and the company you use.

Each island caters to a different kind of traveler: Trawangan is the biggest of them all and caters more to party backpackers, Air is the quietest and least developed, while Meno is mid-way between the two. We chose to stay on Meno but made short trips to the other two. There are no cars allowed on the islands, so get used to cycling or walking.

Further Reading on Bali

Are you planning a trip to Bali? Check out other articles I’ve written on Bali:

• My Guide to Living in Bali as a Digital Nomad
• Where to Stay in Bali
• Bali with Kids: How to Plan a Bali Family Trip
• Best Family Hotels in Bali
• Celebrating Nyepi, the Balinese New Year

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to companies I use and trust. I get a small commission when you click on my links, at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU.

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What have I missed? Anything else you’ve tried in Bali that I forgot to include in the list?

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