Bali attractions

Nusa Dua’s answer to Ubud’s art museums, Museum Pasifika, which opened in 2006, is dedicated to the art of Asia Pacific. Balinese artists and expatriates working on the island are well-represented, but galleries showcase art and sculptures from Papua, Vanuatu, Polynesia, historical Indo-China, and beyond.

A royal water temple, built for the kings of Mengwi, Taman Ayun Temple (also known as Pura Taman Ayun and Mengwi Temple) forms part of Bali’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. With some 50 buildings, including many tiered shrines, a moat, river, park, gardens, and streams, Taman Ayun is one of Indonesia’s most beautiful Hindu temples.

In Bali’s cultural capital, Ubud, the Neka Art Museum is one of the town’s big three art galleries. Founded by Suteja Neka, its airy pavilions are home to a treasure trove of Balinese and Indonesian art, as well as a collection of wavy daggers known as “keris.” The Balinese Painting Hall is a good place to explore the work of local artists.

Just north of Ubud in Bali’s northeast highlands lie the village known as Kintamani and the region of the same name. The star attractions here are Mt. Batur, an active volcano above a lake with hot springs, coffee farms, and spice plantations; rice field landscapes; and villages populated by the Bali Aga indigenous people.

Known for its distinctive painting style, the village of Batuan, outside Ubud, remains an artists’ community. Unsurprisingly, Batuan Temple is a classic piece of Balinese architecture, with split gates, stone guardians, thatched shrines, and detailed carvings. It’s one of three village temples dedicated to the gods of the Hindu trinity.

Home of Ubud’s royal family since the late-19th century, Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Palace or Puri Saren Agung) sits in the heart of downtown Ubud near the traditional art market. Explore the pavilions and gardens. There are also traditional Balinese dance performances in the courtyard each evening, a must for any visitor to Indonesia.

Generally known by its initials, GWK, the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park centers on a 394-foot-tall (120-meter-tall) statue of the Hindu god Vishnu riding the mythical bird Garuda. The 148-acre (60-hectare) site plays host to concerts, festivals, and rallies, as well as shops, restaurants, and regular dance performances.

Long an under-the-radar destination for surfers, Bali’s Canggu beach district boasts some of the island’s most vibrant nightlife. Set on the west coast north of Seminyak and south of Tanah Lot, it draws party lovers, surfers, and yoginis with a vibrant blend of wave-pounded beaches, serene rice fields, and top-notch bars and restaurants.

Located north of Kuta Beach and Legian Beach, Seminyak Beach is a sweeping strip of sand that’s drawn those in-the-know to Bali for decades. More upscale than Kuta or Legian, Seminyak is home to some of the island’s most iconic beach clubs and restaurants, as well as fun surf breaks. Behind the shore, Seminyak proper is a shopping and dining mecca.

A traditional Balinese village, Blahbatuh is known for three things: the medieval hero Kebo Iwa, the Chinese temple Vihara Amurva Bhumi Blahbatuh, and the Sidha Karya Gong Foundry, which makes traditional gamelan instruments. Kebo Iwa is immortalized as a huge statue on the main Gianyar road and a baby in Pura Puseh Desa Blahbatuh temple.

Probably the best known of the craft villages around Ubud, Mas Village is famous for its wood carvers, and it’s possible to pop into the workshops of mask-makers and sculptors around town. There are also a number of more formal galleries, such as Tony Raka, which has expanded beyond carvings into modern art and tribal pieces.

The classically Balinese combo of rice fields and river gorges is what makes Ubud’s landscapes so beloved, and the Campuhan Ridge Walk, the best-known walk in Ubud, is the perfect way to appreciate them. Starting at Pura Gunung Lebah, choose between a 2-hour circular route around Campuhan and Sanggingan or a longer hike to Keliki and Taro.

Set on the shores of Lake Beratan, the highland town of Bedugul is an essential stop for visitors who are en route to North Bali. Attractions include strawberry farms and markets, the Bali Botanic Garden, Bali Treetop Adventure Park, the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan temple, and an eerie abandoned hotel known as the “Ghost Palace.”

Less well known than its sibling, Tirta Gangga Water Palace, Ujung Water Palace (Taman Ujung or Taman Sukasada) was built by the same Karangasem king, Gusti Bagus Jelantik. It’s been widely renovated since its near destruction in Mt. Agung’s eruption and presents a charming landscape of ponds, bridges, pagodas, pavilions, and statues.

Waterbom Bali provides water-themed activities for the whole family, with slides, saltwater pools, adrenaline-pumping rides, and kiddie pools—plus dining, shopping, and shaded gazebos. The park is set in a tropical garden and provides habitat for endangered species, with more than 50 percent of its area maintained as natural green space.

Bali’s answer to Cirque du Soleil, the Devdan Show is an extravaganza of music, acrobatics, dance, sound, and light that takes you on a journey through some of Indonesia’s most colorful islands. Crafted around the tale of two children traveling across the archipelago, it features everything from Papuan dance to corde lisse (aerial rope).

With a history dating back more than 1,000 years, the Mother Temple of Besakih (Pura Besakih), set astride the slopes of Mount Agung, is Bali’s single most important temple. Twenty-three shrines make up the complex: 17th-century Pura Penataran Agung, dedicated to Shiva, is the most significant.

Dedicated to the Hindu goddess of learning, wisdom, music, and art, Ubud’s Saraswati Temple is a beautiful spot for worshippers and visitors alike. Water gardens and lotus ponds flow up to the elegant structure, which is enriched with ornate carvings. The temple makes an atmospheric setting for Balinese dance performances.

When volcanic activity permits—an evacuation zone has been in place since 2017—the sacred volcano Agung offers one of Bali’s most challenging and exciting hikes. Towering 9,444 feet (2,878 meters) above northeast Bali, it’s typically climbed in one long and tiring day, either from Pura Pasar Agung or from the Mother Temple of Besakih.

The Telaga Waja River is one of Bali’s two top white-water rafting destinations (the second is the Ayung River). The rafting route covers around 8 miles (13 kilometers), mainly of Class II–III rapids, with the option of shooting a 6-foot (2-meter) man-made dam at the end. The scenery is rural, but less dramatic than the Ayung River gorge.

Despite being renamed Semarapura, Klungkung, once the capital of a powerful Balinese kingdom, is still generally known by its historic name. A bustling little district capital, it’s home to a number of relics of the Klungkung kingdom as well as a market that’s a popular place to shop for weaving, particularlyikat andsongket.

In a popular park in the heart of Denpasar, the Bajra Sandhi Monument stands 148 feet (45 meters) tall, an impressive tribute to the struggles of Balinese people throughout history. The ground floor houses a 3D-trick-art museum, the second floor is home to dioramas, and the top floor offers sweeping views across the city.

Serene, spiritual, and off the beaten path, Pura Luhur Batukaru was the state temple for the kings of Tabanan. Batukaru Temple nestles high above sea level in the jungled foothills of west Bali. A series of tiered shrines, including a striking 7-roofed shrine, help create a mystic air, as does the general absence of tourists.

Known mainly as the port where ferries and some fast boats depart for Lombok, the little town of Padangbai (also written Padang Bai) is now a destination in its own right. Attractions center on diving and snorkeling, but the Balinese town also makes a good base for reaching both Tulamben and Penida/Lembongan.

Backed by the volcanic slabs of Mount Batur and Mount Abang, Lake Batur (Danau Batur) is a striking crater lake considered sacred by the Balinese. Besides sunrise trekking, Mount Batur offers hot springs, canoe trips, and tours of Trunyan village, where the local Bali Aga people expose their dead to rot in the open air.

The people of Penglipuran, Bali’s best-known traditional village, belong to the Bali Aga minority and follow ancient religious practices, some unique to their village. Sparkling clean and unspoiled, neat stone, brick, and bamboo architecture stands alongside acres of pristine bamboo forest under an hour from Ubud.

Ubud’s Blanco Renaissance Museum celebrates the colorful life and baroque-erotic work of Philippine-born Spanish artist Antonio Blanco. Blanco arrived in Bali in 1952 and married a famous Balinese dancer. Set on a hill amid elaborate gardens and an aviary, the museum’s architecture, a hybrid of Spanish and Indonesian influences, is a highlight.

A popular stop between Singaraja and Denpasar, Gigit Waterfall is considered to be one of the most beautiful on the island. Easy to reach from the road, the falls have a drop of 131 feet (40-meter) into a picturesque pool where visitors can swim. There are actually three falls in the area—the other falls being smaller twin waterfalls. All are signposted from the road and reached by a short hike.

Indonesia is home to more than 1,600 species of exotic birds, and many find their home at the Bali Bird Park. Ubud's top wildlife attraction hosts eight separate exhibits showcasing 250+ bird species from Papua, Sumatra, Bali, Java, Borneo, and beyond. Don't miss the bird-feeding sessions and free flight shows.

Spilling down from dizzying heights of up to 260 feet (80 meters), Sekumpul Waterfall, a series of seven narrow cascades, is hidden away amid lush tropical foliage. Dirt paths lead to elevated viewpoints overlooking the falls and to rock pools at the foot, where visitors can cool off with a refreshing swim.