6 Kickass Places to Visit in Bali for First-Timers

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Bali might be a small island but every time I visit, I’m wowed by the fact that there are so many beautiful places to visit in Bali. And the best part is that every one of them is completely unique. When it comes to the best places to visit in Bali for first-timers, you’ll be spoiled for choice. From walking through rice terraces in Ubud to motorbiking around the island of Nusa Lembongan to surfing in Uluwatu, you’ll love exploring all of the different areas of Bali.

During the past 10 years, I’ve had the chance to visit Bali so many times. While I haven’t quite managed to see every inch of the island, I have had the opportunity to spend huge chunks of time in these six different areas of Bali.

So, to give you a little glimpse of what this island has to offer, here is my list of the best places to visit in Bali for first-timers (and seasoned veterans alike!).

If you’re Bali-bound you might also be interested in:

6 Kickass Places to Visit in Bali - Travel Lush

Where to Stay in Bali

I wrote a full guide on the best areas to stay in Bali. But if this is your first trip to the island and you’re short on time, you might want to look into staying in Southern Bali. The Kuta/Seminyak area, Sanur, Canggu, or even Uluwatu and Nusa Dua on the Bukit Peninsula are all easy jumping off places to reach most places on this list on a day trip.

The 6 Best Places to Visit in Bali for First-Timers

1. Canggu

Canguu is one of the main places to visit in Bali; it’s also an amazing place to base yourself if you’re so inclined. I love Canggu for it’s vast rice paddies, beautiful beaches, magical sunsets, hip cafes, amazing brunch culture, incredible boutique hotels… you get the idea!

Things to do in Canggu

  • Finn’s Beach Club: A must if you’re looking for that quintessential Canggu beach club experience.
  • Old Man’s: The ‘it’ beach bar for sundowners and a night out on the town.
  • Surfing: Canggu is a prime spot to take a lesson.
  • Tanah Lot Temple: Be sure to make the 30-minute drive to see this incredible temple.

2. Uluwatu

Make your way to the Bukit Peninsula and you’ll find youself in Uluwatu, one of the best places to visit in Bali. You can choose to base yourself here or just come here for the day. There are plenty of fun things to do in Uluwatu. 

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Oh, Uluwatu.

things to do in uluwatu

  • Suluban Beach (pictured above): It’s not a swimming beach but who cares when it looks like this? This place is a hot spot for expert surfers but you can also relax and enjoy the view from one of the cliffside restaurants. Also make sure to actually go down the stairs to the little cove and check out the caves. 
  • Go beach hopping: Uluwatu boasts some of the best beaches in Bali, including Padang Padang Beach, Dreamland Beach, Balangan Beach, and Bingin Beach, to name a few.
  • Uluwatu Temple (pictured below): This 11th-century temple is perched on a limestone cliff 70 meters above the ocean. The scenery is remarkable. Plus, there are lots and lots of monkeys. Though be careful because they can be aggressive and will steal your stuff! It’s well worth booking a tour of Uluwatu Temple if you want to get a better appreciation of the history and cultural significance of this Balinese attraction.
uluwatu-temple-bali
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3. Sanur

Sanur is located on a lovely stretch of beach in Southern Bali and it’s an incredibly popular destination for families and couples.

Yes, it’s nicknamed “snore,” but despite the moniker, there is plenty to do there, no matter what your age or interests. Sanur might not be as party-centric as Kuta, but if you ask me, that’s part of the appeal. And fear not; there is an abundance of laid-back beach bars and great restaurants. There are also some great diving and snorkeling spots offshore, old temples scattered around and, as always, lots of shopping.

Things to do in sanur

  • Sunset at the Beach: Make sure to head down to the beach during sunset when tourists and local families flood the beach. It’s a prime time to do some people-watching and indulge in fun Indonesian street snacks like freshly grilled corn with sambal and gorengan (fried snacks).
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  • Go on a day trip: Sanur is the main jumping off point for tours to both Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida.
  • See the sunrise: Because Sanur is located on Bali’s east coast, the sunrises here are well worth waking up for.
  • Sindhu Night Market: Enjoy local food and live music at Sanur’s lively night market.

4. Nusa Lembongan & Nusa Ceningan

Although Nusa Lembongan is becoming an increasingly popular destination among backpackers and divers, it’s still an incredibly mellow place. To get here, just buy a ferry ticket to take you from the Sanur harbor to Nusa Lembongan or join one of the many day trips from the mainland.

Though it’s only a 30-minutes ferry ride away from the hyper-tourism and mega-resorts of the mainland, Nusa Lembongan is a rustic little island where it’s possible to go snorkeling right offshore, find hidden surf spots and take in unreal ocean and volcano views. This place is magical.

Nusa Lembongan is linked to Nusa Ceningan via a narrow bridge. So it’s possible to explore both islands in the same day. They might be tiny islands but, seriously, they are both stunning and there’s plenty to see and do.

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Dream Beach!

things to do in Nusa Lembongan

  • Rent a Scooter: If you’re an experienced rider, I highly suggest renting a scooter to see all of the sights. I wrote a full guide to motorbiking around Nusa Lembongan here.
  • Dream Beach (pictured above): Dream Beach is dreamy and well worth visiting. It does get crowded but it’s a must!
  • Devil’s Tears: You’ll find this cliffside spot right next to Dream Beach. This is the spot for sunset.
  • Panorama Point: A must-see viewpoint in Nusa Lembongan. You can even stop off at Horison Hills restaurant to drink or dine with a view.

Read more:

5. Nusa Penida

Located a mere 10-minute boat ride from Nusa Lembongan is Nusa Penida. Despite its close proximity, it honestly feels like it’s a world away from Nusa Lembongan and the rest of Bali. Nusa Penida is probably my favorite of all the places to visit in Bali and is a must-visit for anyone who’s in search of the “real” Bali.

Seaweed harvesting on Nusa Penida.

To get here you can either get ferry tickets from Sanur or Lembongan or join a tour and spend the day on Nusa Penida. If you plan on motorbiking around the island be aware the not all of the roads are great. I wrote a more detailed post about motorbiking around Nusa Penida and another guide about things to do on Nusa Penida. 

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Things to Do in Nusa Penida

  • Crystal Bay: For offshore snorkeling.
  • Temeling Waterfall: For cooling off in natural pools.
  • Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong: For otherwordly landscapes and endless photo ops.
  • Atuh Beach: For a remote and rugged beach.
  • Kelingking Beach: For Insta-famous photo ops.

Read more:

6. Ubud

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I’ve now visited Ubud three times and it has managed to worm its way into my heart. There’s no doubt why this is one of the best places to visit in bali for first timers. As a vegetarian I’m especially fond of the fact that Ubud is a haven for vegans and vegetarians. And if you’re into yoga, temples, art and pretty landscapes, Ubud is going to be right up your alley.

To get to Ubud from other parts of Bali, you can arrange a private transfer or hop on a bus to visit for the day. You can arrange either through 12Go.com.

things to Do in Ubud:

  • Tegalalang Rice Terraces (pictured above): This place is a must. I highly recommend getting there early in the morning, at sunrise, to avoid the heat and the crowds and to get the best light for photographs.
  • Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary: For all things monkeys and temples!
  • Ubud Art Market: For picking up cool local items like art, clothing and jewelry.
  • Ubud Palace: A must while in the heart of Ubud.

Justine Lopez is a California native who always seems to take the unconventional route in life. She also suffers from a serious case of wanderlust. In 2013, she set out on a yearlong round-the-world journey and never looked back. Since then she's lived the expat life in Jakarta, Phnom Penh, Beijing, and Ho Chi Minh City. She's now living and working as a freelance writer in Dubai, where she's always working on her blog Dubai Dreaming. As she meanders her way around the world she's always seeking out great vegetarian food, pretty beaches, and amazing new travel destinations.

45 Comments

    1. Bali is not the cheapest destination in Southeast Asia but it’s fully possible to travel there on any budget. I was on a budget of $40 a day and doubt I even spent that. You can find great hotels for $20 or dorm beds for much less. Last time I was there with three other people and we paid $50 to hire a driver to take us around the island for 8 hours. Just to give you an idea 🙂 You should go someday. It’s a photographer’s dream.

  2. I’ve been to Bali twice and always enjoyed staying in Ubud, mostly because I’m not at all a beach person! I did really enjoy having a seafood dinner at dusk in Jimbaran Bay, though.

  3. Thanks for this awesome post! We’re going to Bali in a few weeks for the first time, so I’ll definitely use some of your recommendations. I’ve never heard any good things about Kuta until this post, haha, but we may have to go now if only for the delicious food!

    1. How exciting! I hope you guys have a great time. Although I’m sure you will 🙂 Because I’m living in Jakarta, and I’m a little deprived of good international food, I go kind of food crazy when I’m in Kuta! Kuta isn’t my scene at all, but as long as you know what to expect and just enjoy it for what it is you’ll have a good time. Happy travels!

      1. Hi Justine,
        i am looking to travel to Indonesia for business and a little of tourism. i am a little nervous as i am travelling alone. looking at Bali/Jakarta. what do you advise?

  4. So, Ubud is finally convincing you a bit now, eh? 🙂 On our last visit to Bali, I really wanted to check out Nusa Lembongan, but hubby won that argument and we ended up in Gili Air (which of course, fine too). But your post, makes me want to go back and check out all the other places you mentioned too, especially Nusa Dua. It looks GORGEOUS! Question though: did any of the places you visited have a good beach for swimming? This is the one thing I always have problems with for Bali. Sometimes I just want beautiful water, I can swim in!!!

    1. I’ll admit that Ubud is growing on me a bit! I love Nusa Lembongan but I have to say I would probably choose to go to the Gilis too. There is something really magical about those islands. That being said, I totally recommend going to Lembongan and Penida – both are stunning and totally different than the Gilis.

      Finding good swimming beaches is really important to me too. Honestly, when it comes to Bali I haven’t found any great swimming beaches. I’m sure there are a few around the island. There really is a lot I haven’t seen. I didn’t swim at Nusa Dua because the tide was out. But when the tide comes in it looks like it might be a great beach. Sometimes it boggles my mind how hard it is to find great swimming beaches in SE Asia.

    1. Yay, you’re finally there. I completely agree about the Gilis. I loved it there so much I stayed two whole weeks. I pretty much had to tear myself away from Gili T in order to explore stuff on Bali. I’m glad you’re having a good time 🙂

  7. I’ve heard great things about Bali especially how it’s incredibly vegan friendly which is always a plus for me. In fact those vegan parfaits and the street food snacks look delicious.

    1. Being a vegetarian and vegan is pretty easy on Bali, especially Ubud. Ubud is full of vegan restaurants which is awesome. The restaurant where those parfaits are from is a super popular vegan restaurant. Their juices are particularly good!

  11. Aaah Bali. The coffee plantation near Ubud is where my addiction to coconut coffee started! I loved Amed too, so quiet when I was there and some great snorkeling to be done 🙂

  16. Hey Justine,

    Your writing shows how Bali has etched a special place in your heart. My husband and I are on our maiden trip to Bali and in less than 24 hours, it’s impressed us greatly.
    Right now we are in Ubud (love this place for food and the culture) and will be heading towards Kuta andNusa Dua.

    We have a day to spare in between and kind of torn between Gili, Penida or Lembongan.

    If Gili is the place, we can reduce a day from Kuta and visit there.

    Otherwise would want to choose between penida or Lembongan. We don’t have any plans to dive or snorkel, but just get our feet wet and feast our eyes and souls.

    What’s your recommendation? Thank you for your suggestion and love your article.

    1. Thanks Archie. I’m so excited for you!! Bali is a fantastic place. Hmm, it takes longer to get to the Gilis than either of the Lembongans. So if you only have a day I probably wouldn’t do the Gilis? You can easily spend a day on either Lembongan if you’re going from Sanur. But if you’re just looking for a day trip to a beach it would be less time consuming to just head to one of the beautiful beaches on Nusa Dua. Sulitan is gorgeous. And there are beaches nearby that are good for swimming but I can’t remember the names!!

  17. Hey! I am going to Bali in December and I am so excited! I was wondering how long it takes to get around nusa lembadong and nusa ceningan because I want to see everything but feel i do not have a lot of time!! Also any advice on how to get from nusa lembadong or nusa ceningan to nusa penida because i am staying there before

    1. Exciting!! I’m going back to Bali this week and I’m SO excited 🙂 Getting around Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan is super easy since both islands are small. You can get around Lembongan in a couple hours on a scooter, I think. Nusa Penida is a short boat ride away. I’m guessing 10-20 minutes, depending on where you depart from. I’ve never actually traveled by boat between the two but I imagine it’s easy to find a boat. Penida is much larger. I only had one full day to explore. And while I saw a lot, it wasn’t enough time. Enjoy 🙂

    1. Haha, a lot of people have the same impression of Kuta. The beach does get really, really dirty during trash season… it’s awful. Ah, I’ve never been to Ahmed. I’d love to visit one of these days!

  20. My family is considering taking a trip to Bali in December, around Christmas. This will be our first time to Bali and wondered what sites we had to make sure to take in and the best places to visit/stay? We will be staying for about a 10 days and want to make sure we take in as much as we can.

    1. I’ve written a lot about travel on Bali, so feel free to do a search on my site. But since you’re traveling with a family I’d say Seminyak or Nusa Dua would both be good places to base yourself. Seminyak is a lot more crazy and chaotic and there’s tons to do (shopping, beaches, restaurants). But if you’re looking for a more relaxing time Nusa Dua is more resort oriented and tranquil. It just depends on what you’re looking for. I would highly recommend visiting Uluwatu (and it’s famous temple and Suluban Beach), Tanah Lot is another famous temple, Tegalalang Rice Terraces in Ubud are stunning and perhaps a visit to a volcano (I’ve never done that but I’ve always wanted too!). Hope this helps!

  22. Hi! Sorry I guess this is an older post but I’m headed to Bali in two weeks with a group of six friends. How would you recommend getting around? Do you need a car to travel around Ubud or can you walk? Did you have a tour when visiting the temples and rice fields and coffee harvest or is it better to hire a car and venture for yourself?

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