Bali in 7 days: Uluwatu, Ubud and Nusa Penida
Bali · Indonesia · 7 days
Best time to visit Bali
April to June and September to OctoberThe dry season is April to October, 27–31 °C with low humidity; June to August is the peak and the most crowded. November to March is the wet season, with short heavy afternoon rain rather than all-day downpours, and lower hotel prices. Nyepi, the day of silence, falls on 9 March 2027: the airport closes and nobody leaves their hotel for 24 hours, so avoid flying that day.
Travelling from the Gulf: The Gulf summer break lands in Bali’s dry season and its busiest weeks, when Ubud and Canggu hotels are at their most expensive; the winter break is wet but much cheaper. Eid al-Fitr is a national holiday in Indonesia and domestic visitors fill Bali for that week. Bali itself is Hindu, so Ramadan changes little; halal food is widely available, and many warungs are Javanese-run.
Flights, stay and entry for Bali
Flight and entry details below are for travellers starting from Saudi Arabia.
Flights
No nonstop. Saudia flies Jeddah–Singapore–Bali three times a week, about 14 hours in total; from Riyadh, one stop via Doha, Dubai or Kuala Lumpur, about 13.5 to 15 hours. Bali is 5 hours ahead of Saudi Arabia.
Search JED → DPS flightsAll flight routesWhere to stay
Nights 1–2 in Jimbaran or Seminyak, nights 3–5 in Ubud, night 6 in Sanur for the Nusa Penida boats and the airport (6 nights; day 7 is the flight home).
Find a stay in BaliStay connected
A travel eSIM gives you mobile data when you land, so maps and ride apps work without waiting for a SIM card or Wi-Fi.
eSIM and travel extrasEntry rules
Saudi, Indian and Egyptian passports get a 30-day Visa on Arrival, IDR 500,000 (about SAR 105), with extensions at an immigration office; buy it as an e-VOA on the official evisa.imigrasi.go.id site before flying to skip the queue. A rise to IDR 750,000 was proposed in August 2026 but was not in force at the time of writing. Filipino passports enter visa-free for 30 days. Pakistani passports are not eligible for VOA and must apply for an e-visa (C1) on the same site in advance. Everyone also fills in the free All Indonesia arrival card within 72 hours before landing and pays the Bali tourist levy of IDR 150,000 on lovebali.baliprov.go.id.
Indonesia visitor visa (e-VOA): eligible countries and fee Entry notes in the Bali guideWhat 7 days in Bali cost
| Style | Per person per day (SAR) | Per person per day (USD) | Whole trip (SAR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 100–180 | 27–48 | 700–1,260 |
| Mid-range | 300–550 | 80–147 | 2,100–3,850 |
| Luxury | 900–2,000 | 240–533 | 6,300–14,000 |
Per person per day: hotel (shared double), meals, a shared private driver on the touring days, temple and park tickets. The Nusa Penida day (boat about IDR 250,000–350,000 return, island car and fees about IDR 700,000 shared) and the VOA and levy (IDR 650,000 once) are the main extras. About IDR 4,800 to the riyal in October 2026. Flights are not included. Rough estimate at October 2026 prices; USD 1 = SAR 3.75.
Day 1: Arrival and Jimbaran
- Morning
Ngurah Rai Airport
Show the e-VOA, the arrival card QR and the Love Bali levy receipt at immigration. Buy a Telkomsel tourist SIM in the hall (about IDR 150,000 for 25 GB). Walk past the taxi touts to the Grab and Gojek pickup lounge outside arrivals; Jimbaran is 15 minutes, Seminyak 30–45, with fares of about IDR 100,000–250,000.
- Afternoon
Jimbaran Bay beach
A long, calm bay next to the airport, free and good for a first swim after the flight. The fishing village at the north end has a morning fish market if you are up early tomorrow; the hotels along the sand rent loungers.
- Evening
Jimbaran seafood grills
Tables on the sand at sunset, fish and prawns grilled over coconut husks and sold by weight; about IDR 150,000–250,000 per person for a plain order, far more for lobster. Arrive by 5:30 pm for a front-row table. Ask for the marinade without alcohol if that matters to you; most grills are used to the question.
Day 2: Uluwatu and the kecak dance
- Morning
Nusa Dua beach
The calmest water in the south, inside the resort enclave 20 minutes from Jimbaran; the public beach by the Water Blow rock is free and the sea is flat enough for children. A slow morning here is the plan, because the afternoon and evening are long.
- Afternoon
Uluwatu Temple
A sea temple on a 70 m cliff at the island’s southern tip, 30 minutes from Nusa Dua. Entry about IDR 50,000 with a sarong and sash included; hold onto glasses and phones, as the monkeys here steal and trade them back for food. Arrive around 3 pm to walk the cliff path before the dance crowds.
- Evening
Kecak fire dance at sunset
The chanting Ramayana dance in the cliff-top amphitheatre at 6 pm, with the sun going down behind the performers; IDR 150,000 per adult, and the 6 pm show sells out, so buy on arrival at the temple. A second show runs at 7 pm. Dinner afterwards in the warungs of Pecatu or back in Jimbaran.
Day 3: Tanah Lot and up to Ubud
- Morning
Tanah Lot
The temple on a rock in the sea, a well-known Bali landmark, about 1 hour 15 minutes north of Jimbaran with a driver. Open 7 am to 7 pm, IDR 75,000; at low tide you can walk across to the base. Mornings have a fraction of the sunset crowd. Today a private driver (about IDR 600,000–1,000,000 for the car, 10–12 hours) is worth it.
- Afternoon
Ubud Monkey Forest
A temple forest at the south end of Ubud with about a thousand long-tailed macaques and three moss-covered temples. Open 9 am to 6 pm, last entry 5 pm; IDR 130,000 adults, IDR 100,000 children since April 2026. No food in bags, no eye contact with the monkeys, and let the staff handle any that climb on you.
- Evening
Ubud Palace and market
The royal palace courtyard on the main crossroads is free by day and hosts a legong dance most evenings at 7:30 pm (about IDR 100,000); the art market opposite is for sarongs and baskets, with hard bargaining expected. Jalan Raya Ubud has halal-certified Padang and Javanese restaurants among the cafés.
Day 4: Ubud: water temple and rice terraces
- Morning
Tirta Empul
The holy-spring temple at Tampaksiring, 30 minutes north-east of Ubud, where Balinese Hindus bathe under a row of spouts. Open 8 am to 6 pm, IDR 75,000 with sarong; the purification bath needs a separate bathing sarong and a locker, rented on site. Go at opening, before the tour buses.
- Afternoon
Tegallalang rice terraces
The steep terraces 20 minutes north of Ubud, greenest from about a month after planting. Entry IDR 25,000–50,000 depending on the gate; the swings and photo platforms charge extra. The walk down into the valley and back up takes about an hour and is hot by noon, so eat lunch first.
- Evening
Tegenungan waterfall and Ubud
On the way back south-east of Ubud, a wide waterfall with a pool at the bottom and a steep staircase; IDR 30,000, best in the late afternoon light. Then an early dinner in Ubud; the town is quiet by 10 pm.
Day 5: North: Lake Beratan and Jatiluwih
- Morning
Ulun Danu Beratan
The lake temple at 1,200 m in the Bedugul highlands, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Ubud; the pagoda on the water is the one on the IDR 50,000 note. Open 7 am to 7 pm, IDR 100,000. It is 10 degrees cooler up here and clouds roll in after lunch, so this is a morning stop. The Bedugul market sells strawberries and passion fruit.
- Afternoon
Jatiluwih rice terraces
The UNESCO-listed terraces on the slopes of Mount Batukaru, 45 minutes from the lake, far larger and emptier than Tegallalang. Open 6 am to 7 pm, IDR 100,000. Marked walking loops of 1.5 to 5 km start at the car park; the restaurants on the ridge look over the whole valley.
- Evening
Back to Ubud
About 1 hour 30 minutes back to Ubud via Tabanan. If the group is keen on a sunrise, this is the night to sleep early: Mount Batur treks pick up from Ubud at about 2 am, cost IDR 500,000–800,000 per person in a shared group, and a local guide is compulsory.
Day 6: Nusa Penida by fast boat
- Morning
Fast boat from Sanur
Check out of Ubud early and go to Sanur, where you sleep tonight. Boats leave from the Sanur harbour from about 7 am and take 30–45 minutes; booked online a seat is IDR 120,000–175,000 each way, more at the counter. Grab and Gojek cannot pick up at the port, only drop off. On arrival pay the island levy of IDR 25,000 and meet your pre-booked car and driver (about IDR 700,000 for the day).
- Afternoon
Kelingking, Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong
The T-rex-shaped Kelingking cliff is the island’s famous view; the path down to the beach is steep and the sea below is dangerous, so most people stop at the viewpoint. Broken Beach and the Angel’s Billabong rock pool are 20 minutes further. Since August 2026 each site charges IDR 25,000 per adult, cashless, on top of the island fee. Roads are rough and the circuit takes most of the day.
- Evening
Crystal Bay and the boat back
A sheltered bay with calm water for a swim before the last boats, which leave Nusa Penida between about 4 and 5:30 pm. Back in Sanur, the beachfront path has quiet restaurants, and the Pasar Sindhu night market a few streets in is the local place for satay and nasi campur.
Day 7: Sanur and the flight home
- Morning
Sanur beach path
Sanur faces east, so sunrise over Nusa Penida is the one to get up for; the 5 km paved path along the beach is for walking or a rented bicycle, and the reef keeps the water flat. Breakfast in one of the cafés on the path.
- Afternoon
Seminyak or a last spa
If the flight is at night, spend the afternoon in Seminyak’s boutiques (30 minutes by Grab) or book a two-hour Balinese massage, which costs IDR 150,000–300,000 in Sanur. Most hotels keep luggage and offer a shower after checkout if you ask.
- Evening
To the airport
Sanur to the airport is 30–45 minutes by Grab, longer at the evening rush; the Bali Mandara toll road (about IDR 14,000, paid by the passenger) saves time. Allow three hours for an international departure. Spend your last rupiah before security, as the rate to change them back is poor.
Getting around Bali
For the touring days (3, 4 and 5) hire a private driver through your hotel: about IDR 600,000–1,000,000 for the car for 10–12 hours, fuel included, entry tickets and lunch extra. For short hops Grab and Gojek work in the south, Ubud and Sanur, but cannot pick up at the Sanur port or some beaches, and airport fares are higher. Scooter rental needs an international driving permit, a helmet and your home licence; police checks are frequent and fines are IDR 250,000–500,000 per missing item, so most visitors leave the driving to a driver. Pay in rupiah; ATMs give up to about IDR 3,000,000 per withdrawal and cards add a 3% fee in many shops.
Bali questions
How much does the Bali visa cost from Saudi Arabia?
Saudi, Indian and Egyptian passports pay IDR 500,000 (about SAR 105) for a 30-day Visa on Arrival, best bought as an e-VOA on evisa.imigrasi.go.id before flying. Add the Bali tourist levy of IDR 150,000 per person, paid online on lovebali.baliprov.go.id. Filipino passports are visa-free; Pakistani passports need an e-visa in advance. A VOA increase was proposed in August 2026, so check the official site for the current fee.
Is halal food easy to find in Bali?
Yes, but it is not the default: Bali is mostly Hindu and pork is common. Padang and Javanese warungs are reliably halal, and certified restaurants cluster in Kuta, Denpasar, Ubud and Sanur. At Jimbaran ask whether the marinade contains alcohol. Look for the Indonesian halal logo (BPJPH or the older MUI mark).
Which is the best area to stay in Bali for a first visit?
Split the week rather than picking one. Jimbaran or Seminyak for the beaches and Uluwatu, Ubud for the temples, rice terraces and the north, Sanur for the Nusa Penida boats and a calm last night near the airport. Canggu suits surfers and long stays more than a first week.
What should I wear at Balinese temples?
A sarong tied at the waist and a sash, provided or rented at every temple gate, with shoulders covered. Under the 2025 visitor rules you stay out of the inner courtyards unless praying, do not climb on shrines or sacred trees, and women who are menstruating are asked not to enter. Be as quiet as you would be in a mosque.