10 Days in Bali: How to Craft a Trip That Feels Adventurous But Not Rushed

If you ask me, 10 days in Bali is a great option for a first trip! It gives you enough time to see the highlights, slow down and relax, and feel like the long travel day(s) to the other side of the world is actually worth it.

And if you’re like me and working a full-time job, you can plan a trip like this around two weekends to really maximize your time while limiting the PTO you need to take — just six days!

This 10 day Bali itinerary really gives you a taste of it all: culture, adventure, and relaxation… what else could you want out of a vacation? 😉

You’ll spend:

I’m all about having balance in my trips, and I’ve done my best to curate this 10 day Bali itinerary to help you have a well-rounded, meaningful, and exciting trip that you’ll be talking about for years to come!

This post will highlight what is possible with 10 days and the types of activities you can do, but make sure to check out the linked guides for each region for even more details as you get into the weeds of your trip planning!

📖 Planning your first Bali trip? Don’t miss my Ultimate Bali Guide for First-Timers — it covers everything you need to know before you go.

How Many Days Do You Need in Bali?

While planning my own trip to Bali, I really struggled with just how much time I should spend on the island. I think the “right” answer will be different for every traveler, but 10 days is a great amount of time for people who enjoy a slightly faster pace of travel while also incorporating some relaxation into a trip.

If you’re not sure which trip length is right for you, I’ll be a creating a guide soon breaking down the differences between a 7-, 10-, and 14-day trip!

10 days will give you time to see the biggest highlights Bali has to offer — like the cultural heart of Ubud, incredible waterfalls, and the iconic KelingKing beach in Nusa Penida — while also giving you the time to explore quieter areas like Nusa Lembongan, Uluwatu, and the Gili islands.

If you can’t quite swing 10 days for this trip, you may want to consider my Bali Highlights: one week itinerary, which will give you time to see all the highlights.

Alternatively, if you’re able to spend a bit more time on the island, two weeks in Bali will allow you to see even more and get off the beaten path a bit by adding in another region.

In the meantime, I’ve put together a guide to the different regions of Bali to help you figure out which spots to add on to your trip!

The 10 Day Bali Itinerary

Use this itinerary as a guide for how many days to spend in each region of Bali, but feel free to move things around if you need to be flexible!

That being said, as I curated this specific itinerary, I tried to think through the natural peaks and valleys that you may experience in your energy during your trip, and I’ve tailored each day’s activities with those in mind, for example:

• Slower, beach days at the start of your trip as you recover from your long flight and jet lag
• Exciting, activity-packed days mid-trip
• A few calm days about half way through to help you recover
• And an adventurous last few days so you can really feel like you made the most of your time

Spend 2 Days Beating the Jet Lag in Uluwatu

Uluwatu — known for its beaches and chill, surfer vibe — is the perfect place to start your 10 day Bali itinerary.

You’ll get to check out the traditional fire dance at Uluwatu temple, see some incredible sunsets, and relax on the beach as you get used to the massive time change.

Traffic in Bali can be pretty bad, so Uluwatu makes a great first stop from the Denpasar International airport (code: DPS) as it isn’t too far. It will take you about 40 minutes – 1.5 hours to transfer from the airport; my friend and I booked our transfer through Klook and had a smooth and seamless transport from the airport to our hotel!

Uluwatu can be a bit remote in areas, so you’ll definitely want to pay attention to where your accommodation is located in relation to the main areas like the Uluwatu Temple and Bingin Beach. We stayed at the Tempekan Nyang Nyang, and thought it was a great mid-budget option that wasn’t too far from the action.

🧳If you’re interested in more options and details about where to stay in Uluwatu, I’ve written a full post about it — read it before booking your accommodation!

Day 1: Temples & Local Food

If you’re anything like me, the only goal for Day 1 of a trip to the other side of the world is to stay awake long enough to get rid of jet lag. And luckily, in Uluwatu, it’s pretty easy to do just that!

You’ll want to arrange your transport from the airport to the hotel in advance and then check into your hotel.

After a long flight and the immediate assault of high humidity you’ll feel in Bali, take the time to unpack and refresh, and then head out to lunch at a local warung or cafe.

When my friend and I went, we were so hungry by the time we got the hotel that we just walked over to the closest warung (Loca Warung) and it turned out to be pretty delicious with large serving sizes!

If you’re staying in another area of Uluwatu, check out the Google Reviews for food options near you — we found Google to be more reliable than Yelp for this trip!

Depending on the time, you can either head back to the hotel pool for a quick soak or go straight to your evening attraction: the traditional Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu Temple!

Note: while you can definitely buy these tickets on arrival to the temple, the lines can be very long; I’d recommend grabbing your ticket online in advance so you can explore the temple and cliffs while waiting for the performance to start!

The temple has two performances of the dance every evening, and I suggest booking the earlier option (6pm) for two reasons:

1. You’ll be able to watch the sun set behind the dancers; it looks absolutely magical!
2. The dance will end right around 7pm; perfect timing to grab some dinner and call it an early night so you can get a good night sleep before your full day tomorrow!

That being said, if you do happen to book the later time, you can still explore the temple and enjoy beautiful views as the sun is setting before enjoying the full performance after the sun has set; it’s not a bad option either!

Day 2: Beach Hopping and Relaxation

Day two in Uluwatu is all about enjoying the beaches! I have a full beach hopping guide on the site if you want some more options, but we’ll get into the high-level details here!

Note: Grab and Gojek ride shares are a great way to get around for your beach hopping day in Uluwatu — they are an affordable option with plenty of drivers!

Start your morning off at one of the many cafes in Uluwatu. My friend and I went to Suka Espresso and loved it!

Once you’ve had some breakfast and coffee, head over to Thomas Beach — it’s pretty close to Suka, if that’s where you’ve started your day.

When you get to the parking area, look for a sign in the trees that will lead you to the beach; you’ll have to walk down about two flights of stairs to get to the sand. From there, you can choose to grab a beach chair for 50K IDR (~$3 USD), or you can just find a spot to lay your towel down further along the beach.

The water here was great for swimming, and I loved looking back towards the shoreline while in the water; the colorful umbrellas and lush trees along the cliffs were beautiful!

A word of caution: the tide comes in really high, if you’re away from your beach chair, leave all your belongings on the chair rather than in the sand so you don’t lose them!

Your next stop of the day is Padang Padang beach. This is a really popular area, so be prepared to spend some time looking for a place to put your belongings. The entrance fee is 30K IDR (~$2 USD) as it’s a bit more of a built up beach than the others.

While I thought this beach was beautiful, I loved the other two beaches we went to even more…if you’re on the fence about this one, or don’t feel like hopping around so much in one day, I’d say you could skip Padang Padang and opt for more time at the other two!

The last beach stop of the day was a perfect late afternoon and sunset spot!

Head over to Bingin Beach – this is a long stretch of beach with lots of tide pools and some restaurants right on the shore.

My friend walked pretty far down the beach and found a little alcove… it was the perfect spot to read a book or take a nap since it was fully shaded!

If you come at low tide, you can also explore all of the tide pools! We didn’t spend too much time looking at the tide pools, but it’s always fun to see if you can find any critters hiding out in them. We did see an awesome looking crab while we were walking the beach!

As the day ends, make your way over to Lucky Fish Lounge. Grab a table on the shore and pick out some fresh fish to be grilled. It’s the perfect place to enjoy dinner and watch the sun set over the ocean; a truly magical way to end the day!

If you’ve got a bit more energy, Uluwatu is a great place to take a surfing lesson! I was too nervous to try surfing in Bali, but since visiting Bali, I have taken a few lessons around the world and wish I had tried it while I was there!

Want a more detailed itinerary for 2 days in Uluwatu? Check out my Uluwatu itinerary post for beaches, temples, and hotel tips.

Spend 3 Days Exploring the Nusa Islands

Most tourists in Bali only prioritize a day trip to Nusa Penida and then check the Nusa islands off their Bali bucket list.

However, these islands were some of my favorites from my entire trip, and I think it’s a shame that more people don’t spend a few days exploring them.

It’s really easy to get to the islands from Bali — just a 30 minute ferry ride — and there are a surprising amount of things to do while you’re on the island.

I’ve included three full days in the Nusa islands for this 10 day Bali itinerary, but, depending on your interests and how you schedule your tours, you may be able to squeeze it all into two days and spend an extra day in a different region.

That being said, these islands are adventure-filled and have fewer crowds — at least if you’re basing yourself in Nusa Lembongan like I recommend — and I think they are an excellent addition to a Bali itinerary!

There are so many things to do in the Nusa islands — here are 14 activities in Nusa Lembongan for while you’re there!

Day 3: Road Trip Around Nusa Lembongan

I recommend taking one of the morning boats from Bali to Nusa Lembongan. Coming from Uluwatu, plan for 1-1.5 hours for the transfer and to arrive to the port with plenty of time before your ferry boards… they are so busy!

I recommend the earlier morning boats because it will allow you to maximize your time in Nusa Lembongan. We took the 8:30am boat, and while it meant an early wake-up call, it was well worth being able to have a full day on the island!

Once you get to Nusa Lembongan, check into your hotel. Note that if you are arriving the morning like I suggest, you may just be storing your luggage until your room is available, but that is totally okay because you have plans!

Read Next: Guide for Where to Stay in Nusa Lembongan

You’ll spend this first day taking a road trip around Nusa Lembongan and the attached Nusa Ceningan.

My friend and I used a scooter to get around Nusa Lembongan as it’s a much quieter island, so it’s a bit easier to drive the scooters. However, if you don’t have experience with scooters, it’s better to join a tour to take you to these locations.

I have the full details for this road trip in day 1 of my Nusa Lembongan itinerary post, but as you can see in the screenshot above, the road trip will take you along the south west part of Nusa Lembongan and through a large portion of Nusa Ceningan.

You’ll visit hidden beaches, turquoise lagoons, cliffs overlooking seaweed farms and the ocean, and even a blow hole!

While you’re on Nusa Ceningan, make sure to stop at The Dungki Bendega Resto for lunch. It’s a very remote warung that has incredible food and the Lychee Refresher drink lives rent free in my mind. 🤤

One thing to note: to get from Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan, you have to either cross the Yellow Bridge by scooter or by foot, or you need to arrive by boat. This means that if you take a private driver, you’ll only be able to see the sites on Nusa Lembongan island.

However, I found this guided tour that includes several stops on both islands; while it’s not the exact route I did, it still has great reviews and will give you a taste of both islands!

Day 4: Dive or Snorkel With Manta Rays

Your second day in the Nusas is one you’re unlikely to forget as you’ll be headed to Manta Bay in Nusa Penida!

You’ll take about an hour boat ride from Nusa Lembongan and get to see the massive, rugged cliffs of Nusa Penida island as you make your way to Manta Bay!

If you are a scuba diver or interested in getting your scuba certification, I absolutely recommend diving at this location!

We went with Siren Diving Lembongan and had a superb experience — we had our own dive guide with us and loved being able to get a bit away from the crowds. You’ll still see other divers and boats, but I imagine it’s a much more crowded experience as a snorkeler.

That being said, if I wasn’t scuba certified, I would still put up with the massive crowds (and trust me, that’s saying a lot coming from me) in order to see the absolutely majestic manta rays!

Whether you’re a diver or a snorkeler, you’ll have at least one more stop for your trip. In our case it was at the popular Crystal Bay! While there were many people here as well, there was also a lot more space to spread out so it didn’t feel quite as crowded as Manta Bay.

And the name truly fits! The water visibility here was incredible — some of the best I’ve seen! Plus the fish are all so colorful; I felt like I was swimming inside of an aquarium!

I found two highly-rated tour options for snorkeling in Nusa Penida:

• The first tour is only focused on snorkeling, lasts 3-5 hours, and will take you to 3 snorkeling spots
• The second tour includes 3 snorkel spots, but lasts 8 hours and also includes some of the top locations in West Nusa Penida

If you’re open to a longer day, I think the second tour is a better option as it will allow you to either condense the time you need to spend in the Nusa islands, or, gives you the option to explore the less-traveled eastern side of Nusa Penida on your day trip tomorrow!

If you’re interested in more scuba locations around Bali, I’ll be sharing about all of my experiences soon!

Day 5: Nusa Penida Highlights

I’m going to start off by saying, my experience in Nusa Penida wasn’t great. My friend and I tried to DIY the trip — getting our own ferry tickets and renting a scooter — and didn’t have much of a plan going into the day trip.

Annnddddd… no surprise… it didn’t turn out very good.

The roads on Nusa Penida have many potholes; the island is crowded and has lots of traffic. You really want to have a plan here.

As someone who loves to DIY a day trip, I don’t say this lightly:

I highly suggest booking a guided tour or private driver for your day in Nusa Penida. It’s the best way to ensure you’re able to see everything you want and to have a smooth experience.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get into the details.

Nusa Penida is a large island and most tours will only go to one side of the island. So you can pick either East or West side depending on what you want to see.

The West side is the more visited side with popular spots being:

• KelingKing (T-rex) beach
• Angel’s Billabong
• Pasih Uug Beach (also known as Broken Beach)

The East side of the Island is less traveled, but just as, if not more beautiful. Popular spots here include:

• Diamond Beach
• Thousand Islands Viewpoint
• The Nusa Penida Tree House
• Teletubbies Hill

If I was to re-do my trip and opted for a snorkel-only tour the previous day, I would choose to book a private driver for the day who could take me to both sides of the island.

Otherwise, if you chose to do the snorkel and half-island tour the previous day, head over to the quieter, eastern side of Penida.

If you do choose to DIY this trip, purchase tickets for ferry at the Yellow Bridge on Nusa Lembongan. Tickets cost 50K IDR (~$3 USD) in cash and the ferry is a 10-15 minute ride. Make sure to wear shoes that can get wet as you’ll be walking through about knee-deep water to board the ferry.

There are also several vendors renting scooters right when you get off the ferry, so you should be able to find one to rent pretty easily, though you may want to shop around a bit to find the best pricing!

Read the detailed 3-day Nusa islands itinerary here!

Spend 2 Days Enjoying Quiet Island Life on Gili Air

The next stop on your 10 day Bali itinerary is Gili Air! This is a lovely island off the coast of Lombok, about two to three hours by ferry from Nusa Lembongan.

Gili Air — and the other two Gili islands — are so special because they are motorless islands. Meaning you can only get around the island by walking, biking, or riding in a horse carriage.

I think Gili Air is a great base as it’s got a more chill vibe but still has plenty of restaurants and things to do on the island. However, if you prefer a more secluded or off-the-beaten-path option, Gili Meno may be a better option for you. Or if you’re someone who craves a bit more nightlife, look into Gili Trawangen (Gili T).

Need a place to stay on Gili Air? We really liked our triple room at the Gili Air Bungalows!

Day 6: Bike Around the Island & Catch a Sunset

I suggest taking one of the morning ferries from Nusa Lembongan to Gili Air. This will have you arriving mid-day for hotel check-in.

Pick up a bike at your hotel — most hotels will have them on hand — and spend the rest of your day biking around the island.

With the way our trip worked out, we had some last minute schedule changes and didn’t have a chance to do the biking, but from my research prior to the trip, you can bike the entire island in about half an hour.

Alternatively, you can also walk the entire island in about an hour and a half.

While many blogs suggest biking around the island, I did have trouble finding a specific route; if I were to go back to Gili Air, I think I would prioritize cycling around the perimeter of the island and bring my snorkel and fins so I could get in the water and see all the fish.

Try to time your ride so that you’ll be on the north west side of the island around sunset. On a clear day, you’ll be able to see the sun set in the distance behind Mount Agung in Bali!

If you decide that Gili T or Gili Meno are better options for you, you can bike those islands as well! Google Maps will be your best friend for finding cool spots to stop.

Not sure which Gili island is right for you? I’ll be breaking down the differences between Gili T, Gili Air, and Gili Meno in an upcoming post!

Day 7: Snorkeling or Scuba Diving

Day 7 of your trip is another underwater day! Again, if you’re scuba certified, diving is a great option for Gili Air. Otherwise, the snorkeling around the island is also wonderful!

The Gili islands are known as being good areas to see sea turtles — we actually saw more of them while snorkeling around the island than we did on our 3 dives.

In fact, while I love scuba diving, I actually think snorkeling is the easier way to see the sea turtles; I would personally book an early morning or sunset snorkeling tour if I were to be back in the Gili Islands since I love watching the turtles so much! 🐢

Plus, if you’re doing a snorkel tour, you’ll be taken to see the cool underwater statues on Gili Meno — these were installed to promote marine life growth and help the ecosystem by acting as artificial reefs!

Note: If you’re staying on Gili Meno, you can also just swim out to these statues as they are close to shore.

Spend 3 Days Experiencing Culture and Adventure in Ubud

After a few days enjoying the slower pace of the islands, you’re going to transfer back over to the main island for your last stop on this 10 day Bali itinerary: Ubud.

Ubud is located in the central part of the island and is the cultural heart of Bali. Here, you’ll get to explore temples and art markets, walk through lush rice fields, and enjoy the adventurous side of the jungle!

One thing to note is that the transfer to Ubud will involve about 2 hours on a ferry and another 1-2 hours by van from the port to Ubud, so prepare for a longer travel day.

Also, our ferry ride was pretty smooth, but the route is notorious for causing sea sickness, so if you tend to suffer from motion sickness, I would bring something to help prevent it!

I’m putting together a full Ubud itinerary post with even more details. Check it out soon!

Day 8: Town Highlights, Ridge Walk & Cafe Hopping

As with the other travel days, I suggest booking your transfer in the morning so you still have time to explore in the afternoon once you arrive.

Since you won’t have a full day to explore, Day 8 is all about getting to know Ubud and staying in town.

You can rent a scooter from your accommodation if you’d like, but my friend and I found that it was easier to use Grab for ride shares while we were in the main areas of Ubud.

I suggest that you start off with a visit to the Art Market.

While this is definitely more catered towards tourists, it was interesting to walk through and makes a great souvenir stop if you are planning to bring something home with you!

After the Art Market, make your way to the Sacred Monkey Forest. This monkey forest sanctuary located right in the middle of Ubud and has tons of the long-tailed macaque monkeys around.

I didn’t end up making this stop since I got up close and personal with a monkey earlier on my trip, but many of the other tourists I met loved their experience at the Monkey Forest.

At this point you’ll probably want to cool down and have a snack… head over to the nearby Blend Gelateria Ubud for some cream! It’s one of the best rated spots in Ubud and I loved their Pistachio flavor.

As sunset approaches, make your way to the Campuhan Ridge Walk.

This is a short walk through the center of Ubud and overlooks some of the rice fields. Between the views, the sunset, and the insects chirping, it is a super relaxing last activity for your day!

Once you finish your walk, have dinner at one of the many options in Ubud. As this is a major hub on the island, there is no shortage of good options, but one restaurant I really enjoyed was Atman Nourish Kafe.

Day 9: Waterfall Day Trip

Day 9 of this itinerary is a full day of waterfalls! My friend and I created and followed this exact routing on our trip to Bali and had a blast spending a day chasing waterfalls.

Since this will be a full day of exploration, make sure that you have a large enough breakfast to keep you going throughout the day.

My friend and I loved Kafe so much, that we actually ate breakfast there all three days we were in Ubud and a dinner! Their orange & almond cake is one of the best cakes I’ve ever tasted! 🤤

Once you finish your breakfast, you’ll hit the road and visit six different waterfalls.

I’ve ordered the route in a way that both minimizes travel time AND breaks up the types of waterfalls you’ll be seeing: some stops are great view points and photo opportunities, others are perfect for swimming and relaxing, while others are thrilling for cliff jumping (if you dare).

• Tegenungan Waterfall
• Kanto Lampo Waterfall
• Goa Rang Reng Waterfall
• Tamansari Waterfall & Natural Pool
• Suwat Waterfall
• Bayad Waterfall

Make sure to pack a bathing suit, towel, sunscreen, water shoes, snacks, and a change of clothes for this adventure-filled day!

In terms of transportation, you have two options:

1. Rent a scooter and drive yourself
2. Hire a private driver

While I loved doing this road trip on a scooter with my friend, you will be spending a few hours on the road. So if you aren’t super comfortable driving a scooter or are worried you’ll get tired from the long drives in the sun, you’ll want to opt to hire a driver.

If you do opt to rent a scooter for this trip, take a quick look at my previous blog post with all the information you’ll need to be aware of when renting a scooter in Bali.

Hiring a private driver is great because they can handle all the navigation and they may have some suggestions on other waterfall options they’d recommend as locals, PLUS it means you can rest between stops in the air conditioning rather than baking in the sun.

If you are traveling in a group, a private driver can even be more cost effective!

If you want to copy the exact road trip we did, check out my Ubud waterfalls post!

Day 10: Rice Terraces & Water Temple

For your last full day in Bali, you’ll be taking another day trip — this time to see the rice terraces and one of the island’s many temples!

If you choose to rent a scooter and drive yourself, you won’t have too long of a journey, but you will have some pretty heavy traffic as you’re driving out of Ubud.

Once you are outside the city limits, head over to the Tegalalang Rice Terraces.

When my friend and I went, we arrived around 9am, and while there were a few other tourists around, it was relatively calm and a great time to walk around. Plus, with the high heat and humidity in Bali, I just overall found it was better to explore earlier in the morning!

Once you’ve finished walking around the rice paddies, you’ll head over to nearby Tirta Empul. This temple is known for is purification ceremonies and cleansing rituals.

Since this was a last minute decision for my friend and I, we didn’t end up participating in the cleansing ritual, but it was very interesting to walk around the temple grounds and watch others going through the ceremony.

I loved seeing the beautiful architecture for all the buildings on the grounds and seeing the intricate stone statues coming out of the fountains!

If you choose not to rent a scooter and drive yourself, there are many different tours that will take you along a similar route! This semi-customizable tour in particular is highly rated and allows you to choose the 3-5 stops (including the rice terraces and temple) that most interest you!

Depending on your energy level after walking around the temple, you could head back to your hotel and relax by the pool — that was my favorite late afternoon activity in Bali — or you can continue exploring for your last day!

Here are a few other ideas for popular stops you may be interested in making:

• Tirta Gangga Water Temple – for beautiful grounds and fountains
• Mount Batur Sunrise Trek – if you prefer an earlier start for an incredible sunrise view
• Ulun Danu Temple – for a peaceful temple experience and boat ride on the adjacent lake

Want to discover even more of Ubud? Check out my upcoming post for a full list of things to do.

What to Do If You Have More Than 10 days in Bali

If you have more than 10 days in Bali, you have a few options: you can stay longer in the regions we’ve already discussed, travel a bit slower, and get yourself off the beaten path OR you can take the time to explore an additional one or two regions of the island.

I have a two week Bali itinerary on the site as well that shares exactly how my friend and I spent our two weeks, but wanted to leave you with some ideas so you can customize your own itinerary based on your interests!

Got more time? See my two week Bali Itinerary post to slow down and explore beyond Bali.

Have a Bucket List Experience in Komodo National Park

Spending a few days in Komodo National Park was one of the most bucket list experiences I’ve ever had!

My friend and I spent four days sailing from the Komodo islands to Gili Air and it was magical.

We saw Komodo dragons: the largest lizards in the world which are the closest thing we have to real life dragons.

They only live on two islands in the world, Komodo and Rinca Islands, and this has been on my bucket list since I learned about them in middle school (is my nerdy, fantasy-reader side showing? 🫣).

After we saw and learned more about the Komodo dragons, we sailed to pink beaches, snorkeled in remote spots where we were the only boat, hiked waterfalls, and experienced several stunning sunrises and sunsets!

If you can tack 3-4 more days onto your trip, this would be my number one suggestion! Even if you can’t spend the time doing a four day boat tour to the Gili islands, there are several shorter trips that will take you around the National Park for all of the highlights!

If you’re interested in learning more about my experience with Wanua Adventures’ 4D/3N tour, I’ll be writing an entire review post soon to share my thoughts!

Explore Other Regions of Bali

Traveling around my 9-5 job means that I usually have to cut some really awesome experiences from my itineraries, and I try to prioritize well-rounded trips filled with adventure — like this 10 day Bali itinerary — while also considering travel time so I can maximize what I can see.

That being said, I did have to cut several regions of Bali from my own itinerary, so I wanted to share about them here in case they speak more to your travel style!

Northern Bali (Munduk, Lovina, Permetuan, Amed)

Northern Bali is known for being more off-the-beaten-path than other regions of Bali. In fact, many people I met while traveling said this region still feels the way the rest of Bali did 10-15 years ago when it wasn’t as popular of a tourist destination.

If you’re interested in spending more time with locals, visiting coffee plantations and rice terraces, hiking to waterfalls, and soaking in hot springs, Munduk and the surrounding areas could be a great stop for you!

Alternatively, if you want to do more diving on your trip, heading to Pemuteran, Amed, or even Lovina for a quieter experience with incredible dive sites!

I was able to spend a couple days diving in and around Amed, and loved the more local feel and the easy shore diving.

Plus, there is a famous wreck not too far from Amed that is a beginner-friendly dive spot… it took my by surprise when it ended up being one of my favorite dive locations of the trip!

Relax At a Resort in Nusa Dua

If you’re wanting to experience a few days of peaceful luxury, make sure to include Nusa Dua in your itinerary.

You’ll find many high-end resorts and golden-sand beaches… it really is the spot to splurge and experience complete calm!

Visit Canggu and Seminyak for Surfing, Wellness, and High-End Boutiques

I opted to skip Canggu and Seminyak on my trip due to the heavy crowds and traffic; however, Ubud was also extremely crowded and I still enjoyed my time there, so I think the crowds are definitely manageable if you’re interested in the types of activities these regions have to offer.

In Canggu, you’ll have lots of options for surfing, yoga classes, and an overall boho and wellness vibe. It’s an extremely popular area with expats and digital nomads!

If you enjoy shopping, you’ll want to head about thirty minutes down the road to Seminyak. It’s known for its boutique hotels and trendy cafes!

Final Thoughts on Planning a 10 Day Bali Itinerary

Ten days in Bali offers you a great amount of time to experience the highlights of Bali while also allowing you to venture to some of the less visited areas on the island.

It really offers a well-rounded first trip to the island where you can enjoy thrilling adventures, the beautiful Balinese culture, and peaceful relaxation!

First trip to Bali? Check out my Bali first timer’s guide for all the info you’ll need to plan your trip!