Travel advice for Indonesia
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Indonesia
Book your individual trip, stress-free with local travel experts
written by Rough Guides Editors
updated 12.02.2019
Beyond the mystical sounds of gamelan and the intricate craft of batik, Bali boasts a world of subcultures often overlooked by visitors. The art makes bold statements, nightlife sometimes involves a new tattoo, and music is anything but serene.
On an island where locals are often denied entry from bars and clubs, an experience off the typical tourist trail is both vital and enlightening. Kick-start your journey into Indonesia's underground with this alternative list of things to do on the Island of Gods.
6 days / from830 USD
Bali's Beaches and Temples
Experience Bali's brilliant beaches and temples with this stunning trip. Marvel at ancient temples like Tanah Lot and Pura Besakih, soak in stunning sunsets, stroll bare-footed along the best beaches in Bali and haggle at local markets – experience all of this, and much more, with this unique trip!
view tour ⤍10 days / from1600 USD
Rest and Relaxation in Bali and Lombok
This unique trip will take you to some of Bali and Lombok's most traditional places. Look forward to driving through tropical landscapes and spending time in villages nestled in scenic spots of traditional luxury with infinity pools and stunning vistas over the ocean.
view tour ⤍10 days / from2100 USD
Royal Bali - Culture & Beaches
Enjoy a luxurious stay in Bali, with hand-picked 5 Star Hotels. This trip includes privately guided tours as well as leisure time, ideal for families with kids. Highlights include sea temple Tanah Lot, Jatiluwih rice terraces and Uluwatu temple with its famous Kecak dance.
view tour ⤍14 days / from4025 USD
The Best of Bali
This trip will take you from the modern-day Bali to the traditional one. Bali has many adventures to offer, tour the countryside with a Vespa or glide through the hidden canyons. You will also be able to enjoy visits to enchanting villages, where you can take in the local way of life.
view tour ⤍10 days / from1783 USD
Java and Lombok - culture and beaches
Start your trip in Yogyakarta (also called Jogja) with its rich cultural past such as the Borobudur temple. From there continue to hike Mount Bromo and explore more of East Java in Malang and Surabaya. End your trip on the dreamy beaches of Kuta/Lombok, dubbed 'the next Bali'.
view tour ⤍12 days / from1250 USD
Singapore & Bali - A Unique Exploration
Combine Southeast Asia's smallest country Singapore with its largest country: Indonesia. Spend a few days exploring the metropolis before flying to the magical island of Bali. Temples, volcanoes and ceremonies are part of your itinerary, as are the gorgeous beaches of Nusa Lembongan.
view tour ⤍14 days / from2600 USD
Culture, volcanoes and dragons - Bali, Flores & Komodo
Combine several islands on one trip - start in Bali's cultural capital Ubud before heading to the rice fields in Sidemen. A short flight to Flores allows you to explore volcanoes and local villages before hopping on a cruise around Komodo and other islands close to Labuan Bajo. Dragons included!
view tour ⤍10 days / from1320 USD
Love trip to Bali
Celebrate your love union on this magical island. Included are couples massages at relaxing spas, a blessing ceremony by a Balinese priest, an authentic cooking class and of course - a beautiful white sandy beach on Nusa Lembongan to relax towards the end of your trip.
view tour ⤍7 days / from1750 USD
Bali Yoga Retreat
Discover a new you with this rejuvenating Bali-based yoga retreat. Enjoy personalised yoga and meditation classes, together with revitalising Ayurvedic treatments, all in idyllic surroundings. The cuisine is a treat for all the senses; you will also have the chance to explore the temples of Bali.
view tour ⤍14 days / from1691 USD
Unknown Java and Bali - an overland adventure
A fast-paced itinerary packing plenty of highlights: discover the temples of Prambanan and Borobudur and sunrises at Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen before heading to Bali: a beautiful underwater world and the landscapes of Ubud and Sidemen await.
view tour ⤍7 days / from1300 USD
Java Discovery
Experience the magic of Java, the third-largest of the Indonesian Islands, with this stunning trip! Discover stunning ancient temple complexes, ride a bicycle through idyllic rural villages, climb to Mount Ijen's crater at sunrise and laze around on palm-fringed tropical beaches!
view tour ⤍10 days / from2768 USD
Nature in Borneo and Relaxation in Riau
Experience the best of both worlds with this unique trip to Indonesia. Embark on a cruise up the Rungan River, where you will discover incredible wildlife and traditional villages, before continuing on to the Telunas Resort, a deserted island paradise that will be your home for a few days.
view tour ⤍14 days / from3800 USD
Indonesia Island Hop
From your base on Bali's renowned beaches you'll island hop your way round glorious Hindu temples and heritage sites. See komodo dragons, partake in a traditional Balinese ceremony, meet with a Hindu High Priest and visit local villages: this trip to Indonesia ticks all the tropical getaway boxes.
view tour ⤍13 days / from1550 USD
Exploring Bali's Culture & Gili's beaches
Dive deep into Balinese culture from Ubud and Sidemen. Visits include rice field walks, the Gates of Heaven, water temples like Tirta Empul and Tirta Gangga as well as a traditional cooking class. Your trip ends with the beaches of Gili Air and Jimbaran.
view tour ⤍What do pet snakes, drunk tarot readers, homeless artists, punk hairdressers, organic grocers, and the police have in common? They’ve all appeared at Black Market Bali.
This unpredictable art event pops up where and whenever it pleases, welcoming whoever wants to set up. With no schedule or restrictions, it tends to unfold like some chaotic hybrid between a circus and a garage sale. Buy, sell, browse, perform or party to a backdrop of live music, quirky vendors and rice fields.
Jl. Basangkasa No. 88, Seminyak
When a venue in Bali says it’s having a pool party, you can usually bet on gaggles of the scantily clad and sunburnt swaying to last year’s top forty. But not at Pretty Poison. Here the pool stays drained for skateboarders to party in day and night.
Live music, skate competitions, dance parties, open-air movie screenings, art shows and tattoo nights all go down surrounded by Canggu’s tranquil rice paddies. Rambunctious skaters respectfully wait for their turn to shred the pool, while onlookers mingle, dance and get inked.
Most importantly, Pretty Poison one of the few venues remaining on the island that attracts a roughly equal mix of Indonesians and foreigners.
Short Cut Road, Jl. Subak, Canggu
Run by a young Balinese woman and and her American partner, Ghostbird + Swoon doubles as an art gallery and curatorial space for experimental fashion. Their manifesto? “‘We seek beauty. Not the thoughtless, fleeting kind. But the ugly kind that takes time, mistakes, intelligence, obsessive reflection and mad skills to cultivate.“ The space features works by contemporary artists, often Indonesian women, with exhibitions examining themes such as female identity in regional society, and the artistic potential of junk. Engage with the thought-provoking work here and you’re sure to gain a nuanced understanding of this vast, complex country. Jl. Danau Tamblingan No. 75, Sanur
It’s no secret that Kuta, Bali's commercial centre, is a little trashy – especially after dark. Developers and binge-drinking foreigners have transformed the area into a mishmash of uninspired nightclubs, sleazy bars and tourist traps. But in the midst of all the debauchery, one venue is worth your time: Twice Bar, founded by members of popular Balinese punk band Superman is Dead. The frenetic sound of Indonesian punk rock keeps most foreigners away, but if you’re looking to begin an off-beat Balinese night out, this is the place to be. Heavy music is an important part of Indonesian culture – Napalm Death is the President’s favourite band, after all. Enjoy cheap arak (the palm sap equivalent of moonshine), adrenaline-fueled shows, an in-bar tattoo parlour and friendly Anarcho-Indonesian company. Jl. Popies II, Kuta
Hidden down nameless a Seminyak backstreet, the original Revolver Espresso isn't easy to find but is worth the hunt – they serve the best coffee on the island. Inside, you might think you’ve wandered into a trendy East London warehouse, with high ceilings and chipped white paint on rough brick walls.
But there's enough comfy seating and vintage bric-a-brac to keep this industrial space feeling cosy. The shop has become famous for its premium beans, carefully sourced from around the world, roasted in-house, and brewed to perfection.
With fun tunes always spinning on vinyl, and delicious food to boot –try the poached eggs on mashed avocado, homemade relish and sourdough toast – it’s an ideal place to escape the island heat or wait-out the rain.
Jl. Kayu Aya, Gang 51, Seminyak
Lifestyle brand Deus Ex Machina makes bespoke café racer-inspired motorcycles, artisanal surfboards, skateboards, clothing and more. Since the opening of their flagship, The Temple of Enthusiasm, the once sleepy village of Canggu has transformed into into the island's most happening area.
Whether you're in it for the Temple's hip concept store, art gallery, bar, restaurant, half-pipe, farmers markets, movie nights, high-speed dress-up drag races, live music, longboard competitions or Taco Tattuesdays (free tattoo with the purchase of your taco) – this bona fide Bali institution is an absolute must.
Jalan Batu Mejan No. 8, Canggu
A steep, black-sand beach with waves perfect for longboarding brings beginners and tattooed, retro-looking surfers to Batu Bolong.
Factor in a bustling Hindu temple, Balinese family gatherings, Indonesian street food, unbeatable sunsets and Old Man's – a tiki bar-style beer garden that gets wild on Wednesday nights – and you’ll discover the atmosphere of this beach is tough to beat.
Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong, Canggu
Whether you’re wrapping up after a hard day of surfing, exploring or doing a whole lot of nothing, there’s no better place to unwind than at at one of Bali’s many roadside late-night goreng tents.
Pass on the cutlery (though it’s not usually on offer) and use your hands to tuck into fried chicken or tempeh (a soy product sort of like tofu), served with a side of mouth-watering sambal (spicy chili sauce), white rice and a single lettuce leaf.
Their ramshackle, bare-bones atmosphere is the perfect complement to the intense flavours served up, and locals are always happy to chat. This really is Balinese nightlife at its finest.
Explore more of the Bali coastline with The Rough Guide to Bali & Lombok. Compare flights, book hostels and hotels for your trip, and don’t forget to purchase travel insurance before you go.
Top image: Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati Temple in Ubud, Bali © Pelikh Alexey/Shutterstock
written by Rough Guides Editors
updated 12.02.2019
Use Rough Guides' trusted partners for great rates
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Indonesia