Three weeks, one route along the most beautiful corners of Bali and the islands around it. Claudia and I made this trip a few years ago: from Canggu to Ubud, across to Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, on to Gili Trawangan, and back to Bali to finish in Uluwatu. What stayed with us were not only the beaches and temples, but above all the people we met along the way.

The route in short

• Flight: Amsterdam – Denpasar
• Canggu (2 nights): beach clubs and recovering from the journey
• Ubud (3 nights): rice terraces, crafts and the Monkey Forest
• Nusa Penida: spectacular cliffs and bays
• Nusa Lembongan: relaxed island life
• Gili Trawangan: car-free island with horse carts and bikes
• Uluwatu: cliffs, a temple and a sunset finish

Canggu: landing softly

We only passed through Denpasar: not a city to stay in, so Claudia and I took a Grab taxi on to Canggu. We stayed there for two nights at Surf Lodge Canggu: a double room for about $29 a night. Canggu is a huge tourist magnet, and you notice right away: it’s busy and, compared with the rest of Indonesia, expensive too.

Catching our breath at Finns Beach Club. It’s hip and happening. Reserve your daybeds in advance, because without a reservation you won’t get a spot. We ate great sushi there and hung out at the pool bar with a Bintang in hand to cool off.

The next day. In the morning we visited Pura Tanah Lot. For lunch we looked for a local warung: if there are lots of locals, it can only be tasty and fresh. Afterward we strolled past the Love Anchor Canggu bazaar, the place where Claudia can shop to her heart’s content.

La Brisa. During the day we went to the beach club next to Finns, La Brisa. That was more Claudia’s style: bohemian with a hippie vibe and wooden cabanas right on the beach. A perfect start to our trip around Bali.

Lunch and dinner: Warung Sika

We came back to Warung Sika for both lunch and dinner. It’s a nasi campur buffet where you build your own plate. I’m normally not much of a tempeh fan, but here it’s great.

Breakfast tips in Canggu

• Barboa Bali: spacious, airy coffee bar on Jalan Canggu Padang Linjong, good for a big breakfast.
• Milk & Madu: a well-known breakfast spot in Canggu; arrive early, because the tables go fast.
• Copenhagen: a Scandinavian breakfast where you tick off your own dishes and everything arrives on one board. Especially later in the morning there can be a line.
• Gigi Susu: my favorite spot for a pain au chocolat. Order a strong cup of coffee with it and, with a bit of bad luck, join the back of the line.

Claudia normally skips breakfast at home, but with so many fun little places that didn’t hold up here. She swung those calories off again later.

Dining and nightlife in Canggu

For the Instagram hotspots: go for dinner at Penny Lane or BELLA. Penny Lane is a boho-chic restaurant in an open-air setting; BELLA is a Mediterranean restaurant in Berawa that turns into a lounge with a DJ in the evening.

Latin American: for Latin American cuisine, head to Santanera.

Cocktails: have a cocktail at Manhattan Cocktail Bar & Kitchen.

The speakeasies: at The Mailroom you walk into an old post room with multiple mailboxes. You have to look for the key to open the secret door. And don’t miss The Shady Pig either: the owner clearly watched Peaky Blinders beforehand and took his inspiration from it.

Finishing the night: you can top off the evening at Old Man’s. And once you’ve arrived at Sand Bar, there is really no way back. On until the early hours and crawling home.

Book surf lessons

Definitely book a few surf lessons. Beginners are best off starting in Canggu, where the sea is a bit calmer. At our accommodation there, we could book them directly at the front desk.

Ubud: culture, rice fields and monkeys

Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali. It’s a great base for walks along rice terraces, visits to temples and villages where wood carving and other crafts are still widely practiced. The macaques in the Monkey Forest know exactly what they want; hold on tight to your belongings.

We stayed three nights at Ubud Lestari Bungalows, in a Deluxe double room overlooking the pool and the rice fields. It’s right next to the Monkey Forest, and we noticed: every day the monkeys came out of the forest to visit our pool. As a precaution, the owner had put a big stick next to the pool to keep them at a distance if they came around the corner too unexpectedly.

From Ubud we also took an excursion to the water temple Tirta Empul. Here is Claudia in the water.

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In Ubud we also took a cooking class, to try to recreate the food we liked so much in Canggu back home. It didn’t quite work out 😉

Book excursions with Ray

Book excursions with Ray. You can reach him through Instagram: raymade_26. Highly recommended: he takes you to all the beautiful spots around Bali. We booked several private excursions and also asked him as a driver to take us to another place.

Eating and drinking in Ubud

Local and relaxed: Rococo Warung or Warung Pulau Kelapa, a truly local warung.

With a view: Three Monkeys.

Splurge once: bring some extra spending money for Syrco BASÈ. Star chef Syrco Bakker cooks the Michelin stars out of the sky. Take a seat at the Chef’s Table. Don’t forget to reserve, preferably well in advance, because otherwise you really have no chance.

Nusa Penida: the rugged side of the islands

From Bali you take a fast boat to the Nusa islands; from Sanur the crossing takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Nusa Penida is the largest island and is known for Kelingking Beach with its dinosaur-shaped cliff. Want to see it without the crowds? Go early: the first day-trippers usually arrive around 9 to 10 a.m. On the island you rent a scooter or arrange a driver.

Where to stay: Villa Vilah

On Nusa Penida we stayed at Villa Vilah: clean, small-scale and with a lovely pool. You sleep in beautiful huts. We paid about $87 a night.

Exploring the island

Rent a scooter and explore the island. Are you as handy as I am, and do you have a wife who can really give it some gas? Then hop on behind her. Or rent a car with a driver and let yourself be driven to all the beautiful viewpoints.

Sights

Kelingking Beach: on Instagram you often see photos of a deserted beach. But come at the wrong time and you’ll really be stuck in traffic. It’s very busy.

Diamond Beach: by far the most beautiful beach.

A day of doing nothing

A day of doing nothing? Chill at the beach club The Chill Penida. From the infinity pool you have a beautiful view over the sea and the long stretch of beach.

Also check out the beach club Mambo Nusa Penida: a sleek club with comfy daybeds and a pool bar. And above all, don’t forget to put on sunscreen, unless you want to pick up the nickname “The Red Lobster” the next day like I did.

Nusa Lembongan: relaxed island life

Lembongan is smaller and quieter than Penida and you can get around quickly on foot or by scooter. Between Lembongan and Penida a little boat of a few minutes runs near the Yellow Bridge. Life here revolves around the sea, mangroves and fishing.

Where to stay: Radiance Sunset Villas Lembongan

On Nusa Lembongan we stayed at Radiance Sunset Villas Lembongan, for about $58 a night.

From Nusa Penida to Nusa Lembongan

From Nusa Penida to Nusa Lembongan we took a small speedboat. Fast and safe.

Activities on Nusa Lembongan

Go kayaking through the mangroves, or snorkel with huge manta rays. At least, that’s what they say: for me they were all just as good out at sea, and I didn’t spot a single one just off the coast. You can book a tour through Get Your Guide.

Eating and drinking on Nusa Lembongan

Cocktails: beach club Ohana’s on Jungut Batu Beach. Cocktails with great tunes in the background.

Food: at Sandy Bay Beach Club the nasi campur is highly recommended. Or head to Bali High Tide on Mushroom Beach.

Gili Trawangan: no motors, just horse carts

From Nusa Lembongan we took the fast boat to Gili Trawangan. The crossing takes roughly two hours to two hours and fifteen minutes, depending on the company, and there are several scheduled departures a day. Motor vehicles aren’t allowed on Gili T: you walk, bike or take a cidomo, the horse cart. The island has beautifully clear water and you can bike all the way around it in a day.

The crossing: read the reviews carefully

From Nusa Lembongan to Gili Trawangan we again went by boat. This time we didn’t look closely at the company’s reviews. What a rickety crossing, and the wild sea didn’t help.

Check the weather forecast beforehand and don’t go out on the sea in rough weather. In recent years people have been rescued from the sea several times, or, with a bit of luck, just managed to swim to the shore.

Plan flexibly

So always make sure you can stay an extra day on an island if needed. Plan flexibly so you can switch things around in your schedule. That’s why we book accommodations shortly beforehand. We usually don’t travel in high season, so this works fine.

Where to stay: The Beach House Resort

On Gili Trawangan we stayed at The Beach House Resort, for between $80 and $90 a night. It’s close to the pier, in the middle of the center and near nice restaurants. The resort has a pool bar and looks out over the beach.

Book your stay close to the pier. That way you don’t have to burden the horses with your heavy suitcases. Because, to be honest: they stand there in full sun and sometimes look really thin. When tourists with oversized suitcases then all squeeze into one cart together, it breaks our hearts. There have long been discussions about the horses’ welfare, so look closely at their condition when you get in, or choose to bike or walk.

Doing nothing on Gili T

Gili Trawangan is mostly about doing nothing. We rented bikes, but after an hour we were drenched in sweat: 104 degrees and sun is no weather for pedaling. So a quick cool-down in the sea. Bring a snorkel and mask, because turtles swim just off the coast.

Eating on Gili Trawangan

The Night Market is within walking distance and really worth planning an evening around: fresh fish and lobster from the BBQ.

Prefer a table? Then go to restaurant Jali Kitchen for the best beef rendang.

Uluwatu: the finale

By boat we went back to mainland Bali for the last stop: Uluwatu, on top of the cliffs at the southern tip of the peninsula. A beautiful place to finish three weeks.

Where to stay: Sal Central and PinkCoco

In Uluwatu we stayed in two places, both small-scale. At Sal Central all the rooms are arranged around the lovely pool, and you get a little private seating area outside your door. Breakfast is served in the shared open kitchen, prepared by the friendly staff.

PinkCoco is a bit closer to the coast and has two swimming pools and lovely rooms. There is an honesty bar: grab your own beers from the fridge and write them down. Miss Benji, one of the staff, came by every day with local treats for the guests lounging by the pool, plus a jug of water to stay hydrated 😉 What places to end this trip!

A tattoo as a souvenir

In Uluwatu we both got another tattoo. We don’t remember the name of the shop, but there are several good tattoo artists from this area.

Beach clubs and restaurants in Uluwatu

Beach clubs: Ulu Cliffhouse, Mana Restaurant & Bar or Tropical Temptation.

Restaurants: Ohana Bali, and pizza at La Baracca.

Cocktails: have a cocktail at Single Fin.

The people behind the photos

Craftspeople, women preparing offerings, a boy repairing his bike: they make Bali what it is.

On the roads in Bali during holidays and ceremonies you’ll see tall, decorated bamboo poles lining the street. This video shows what that looks like.

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Everyday Bali

What stayed with us most was the ordinary life around us. A few images.

Practical tips

• Best time to travel: the dry season, roughly April to October, is better for beaches, viewpoints and boat trips.
• Fast boats: compare the companies online and expect delays in rough seas. Check the current schedule right before you go.
• Ubud to Nusa Penida: there’s no direct road; you travel via Sanur and take the boat from there.
• Kelingking Beach: go early, wear sturdy shoes and walk down slowly.
• Gili Trawangan: no motor vehicles; don’t bring too much luggage.
• Cash: bring cash for small islands and warungs.

Have questions about this route? Let us know in the comments below.