This is a tough one, as there are so many things to do in Bali it’s hard to name just a few, let alone put them in order. Actually, at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter what you do in Bali, you’ll have an awesome time. It’s just a magical place, where it’s impossible not to be happy. I wrote about why I love Bali here.
13. Dinner at Jimbaran
The setting is perfect for a romantic dinner. There’s candle light, firework, live music and you can hear the sound of the waves as the tables are right on the beach. But don’t be discouraged to go there alone. The staff will make sure you feel special with their kind words, beautiful smiles and they welcome you by putting a flower in your hair. Oh did I mention the seafood was amazing?
12. Massage
My very first full body massage. It’s easy to get hooked. Very relaxing. Bonus that it’s really cheap to get a massage in Bali, so make sure you do so while you are on the island.
11.Parasailing
This was a terrifying experience, but was so worth it! The scenery from above was really beautiful!
10. Kecak dance
Tourists can watch the kecak dance for IDR 100.000 (2026 update: it is now about IDR 150,000, plus the temple entrance fee) in the famous Uluwatu Temple. The location for this dance is amazing as it’s located at the edge of a beautiful cliff facing the ocean. The dance commences at the time of sun setting so as you are watching the dance you will see the sunset in the background. You will notice how the rhythm of the dance changes as it turns from daylight into night. It was amazing to hear the chanting ‘cak ca cak’ from all those men. The dancers interact with the audience sometimes and everyone was very professional. Amazing show, that you must see once in Bali! A great way to learn a bit about the Balinese culture.
Bring hat and water because it can be very hot! Choose the seat facing the ocean and you will have an unforgettable moment!
9. Do a food tour
There are lots of food tours in Bali you could try. This is a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture and try new food. Balinese cuisine is very tasty, so you won’t regret it!
8. Surfing
Just go to Kuta Beach and someone will walk up to you offering their services. Now go into the game of bargaining and once you negotiated your wished deal you are ready to go. I stood up the board for the first time which was just an incredible experience. We only surfed for 2 hours and even had a break but it felt like an eternity. It’s fun, but very exhausting to get hit by waves every minute and I think I drank enough salty water for a lifetime. 😀
7. Horse riding at the beach
I keep kicking myself for leaving my GoPro batteries in my hotel that day, so I couldn’t take any pictures of the sun set. Either way I’ll never forget that beautiful surrounding we had during our horse ride on the beach. We even saw a bat cave.
6. Scuba diving
I remember being very nervous about this one, but in the end really enjoyed the experience. It wasn’t a particularly comfortable feeling being underwater and not being able to control my movements, but that’s what my guide was for. He was awesome and seeing the beautiful underwater world made me forget about how this all could have gone wrong. I highly recommend scuba diving in Indonesia, it is an experience you won’t forget!
I mean who wouldn’t want such an awesome profile picture for facebook as this one? 😛 I loved the monkey forest. It was my first encounter with these cheeky animals. I couldn’t stop smiling while watching them play with each other. Also I witnessed as one of them jumped on an unsuspected lady’s back from behind. Aren’t they cute? xD
4. Bedugul
It was very magical to see the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan water temple. It’s probably the most unique temples for me on the island and an absolute must see. If you arrive early you can witness the traditional food offering, when locals are dressed in traditional Balinese clothes and play music as well.
3. Rafting
What a blast from start to finish. We paddled down 12 km of the river and we all enjoyed the experience being tossed along the course in a raft while trying to splash as much water as we could on anyone that came within distance. The route of course was magnificent with gorgeous waterfalls and lush jungle. Be aware that the river has its own mind, so you’ll hit many big rocks and walls along the way. It all heightens the experience. At the end we had our well deserved lunch, which was very delicious.
2. Cycling in rice paddies
I’m cycling mad, so if there’s a chance to explore a place on two wheels I’ll grab it. It was a unique experience as we cycled through small Balinese villages, where we could really see how these people live, how they keep their animals, prepare food. At one point we encountered a group of school aged children washing bamboos in the river naked.
1. Jatiluwih
I felt like in a chapter of “Eat, pray, love.” If you love nature and culture you can’t leave Bali without a visit to these beautiful rice fields. You can hike through them and see the locals do their job, maybe even help a bit. It’s less commercial than the Tegalalang rice terraces and way bigger. You can see Mount Batukaru and Mount Agung in the background.
Hey, this looks so amazing! I will be in Bali in a few weeks and you got me so much more excited, haha. Will definitely try some of these things :-)
One thing I wanted to mention is that you shouldn't ride on elephants. You never know how the animals are treated and there are so many documentaries on tv or in the internet showing how badly the owners treat most of the elephants. It's cruel and I would never support something like that. I just wanted to raise a bit of awareness, maybe you think about that the next time you want to do something like this :-)
And I'm not sure it it is good for the dolphins either - I don't think they live in the ocean? I'm just not a fan of keeping animals that are supposed to live in the nature, in cages, so tourists can touch them/ride on them etc.
Otherwise it's a really inspiring post and the tips sound really good!
Gonna go out on a limb and say maybe you don't know very much about animals?
While it can seem really exciting and exotic to get to "ride and hug elephants"...they belong in the wild. They're intelligent, sentient, emotionally developed living things that deserve to be free from torture. Unfortunately, supporting the sorts of organizations that are in the business of profiting off tourist dollars....not exactly the greatest. They're tortured (it's called training, it's torture), separated from their mothers too early, forced to live in deplorable conditions....Ignorance isn't bliss, do your research before you go to this kind of thing. And, you know, maybe don't promote it to countless people on the internet like it's just no big deal.... And don't even get me started on the dolphins...would YOU want to live in that disgusting fishbowl your entire life?
Sorry if that's harsh or hurts your feelings, but I can promise you it's nothing compared to what those animals have to live through.
Thanks for your comment! You are right, I didn't really do much research about these activities before going on them. I'm actually considering going voluntering to Africa or Costa Rica, where we would help animals. This way I could get up close to them and help at the same time.
Just to mention, we've been told, that they let the dolphins out to the ocean every night to swim around, but they come back by the morning by themselves everytime, because they get food there.
Have fun in Bali! You will love it! :)
To be honest I didn’t really do much research about these animal activities before going on them. I’m actually considering going voluntering to Africa or Costa Rica, where we would help animals. This way I could get up close to them and help at the same time.
Just to mention, we’ve been told, that they let the dolphins out to the ocean every night to swim around, but they come back by the morning by themselves everytime, because they get food there.