The Perfect 7 Day Bali Itinerary: Uluwatu, Ubud & a Nusa Penida Day Trip

If you only have one week to visit Bali and are wondering how to fit everything in, this is the itinerary for you!

While some people might say there isn’t any point in visiting for less than two weeks, the reality is that many of us have limited PTO, and sometimes, if you want to go, you need to make the short trip count!

This 7 day Bali itinerary includes relaxing beach days, visiting temples and cultural fire dances, exploring the iconic rice terraces and Nusa Penida island, and enjoying a full day of waterfalls!

I’ve thoughtfully crafted this itinerary in a way that will allow you to see many of Bali’s highlights while minimizing travel time so you can have an incredible adventure without feeling rushed!

If this will be your first time visiting Bali, you’ll also want to check out my Bali first timers’ guide before your trip so you can be fully prepared with everything you need!

Is 7 Days in Bali Enough?

Look, I’m not going to lie to you, I was really glad to use most of my PTO and take a longer, two and a half week trip to Bali and Indonesia, but if the option was either a 7 day trip or not not going to Bali at all… I would have done 7 days in Bali in a heartbeat!

That being said…if you can spare a few more days, read my 10-day itinerary for a bit more adventure and a bit more relaxation 😉

After doing this trip, I absolutely fell in love with Bali and Indonesia, but I realized something about the way I did the trip: it was completely inefficient!

So I’ve learned from my mistakes on the ground — mainly that I moved around too much and didn’t plan my route very effectively — and I’ve crafted this 7 day Bali itinerary in a way that makes sense for a short amount of time.

You’ll only be based in two locations: Uluwatu and Ubud. This means you don’t have to worry about as many transfers or unpacking and repacking as frequently, but you’ll also be in very central locations that make day trips easy.

In short, this one week Bali itinerary is going to give you the most bang for your buck and hit as many of the highlights as possible without feeling overwhelming!

The 7 Day Bali Itinerary

I’ve built out the first few days of this trip to be more relaxing as you’ll likely experience some jetlag, especially if you’re coming from the US.

You’ll start in Uluwatu with beach days, the traditional Kecak dance performance, and a day trip to the iconic Nusa Penida — yes, the one with the beach you’ve seen in everyone’s photos.

Then you’ll head to the central area of Bali to explore more culture, see the lush rice fields, and take an incredible day trip through several waterfalls!

Let’s dive into the details!

Days 1-2: Relax and Recover in Uluwatu

One thing I loved about my own trip to Bali was starting out in Uluwatu; it’s a fairly relaxed area of Bali that has a large digital nomad population and a chilled, surfer vibe.

Basically, it’s the ideal place to get rid of jet lag!

My friend and I stayed at the Tempekan Nyang Nyang; it was a cute, smaller property with rooms surrounding the pool and was just a quick Grab ride to all of the activities I’m recommending!

I’ve also put together a guide for where to stay in Uluwatu. So if the Tempekan Nyang Nyang doesn’t work for you, read the full guide next!

Day 1: Arrive, Relax, and Enjoy Sunset at Uluwatu Temple

On day 1, you’ll arrive into I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), and head straight to your accommodation in Uluwatu.

My friend and I used Klook’s airport transfer and had a seamless experience! We were picked up within a few minutes of clearing customs, had a friendly driver with a well-maintained car, and made it to our hotel fairly quickly considering the Bali traffic.

The traffic is something you’ll definitely want to plan for as it can take up to an hour and a half to get from DPS airport to Uluwatu.

Once you’ve checked into your room — and probably showered so you can refresh from the long flight — check out your first local warung! You can use Google Maps to find one that is close to your accommodation and well-rated, or if you’re staying at the Tempekan Nyang Nyang, like we did, there was a cute warung just a short walk up the road called Loca Warung.

After lunch, relax by the pool for a bit and then head over to the Uluwatu Temple to watch the Kecak fire performance; this is a traditional Balinese dance that involves chanting, beautiful movements, and of course, fire!

I’have a full review of our Kecak fire dance experience so you can see why it’s the perfect first night experience in Bali!

The temple usually has two performances per day. I suggest picking the earlier time so you can watch the sun set during your performance.

My friend and I booked our tickets at the temple right before the performance, which is definitely an option, but if you want to avoid the long line, I would recommend buying your tickets online in advance.

Day 2: Beach Hopping & a Sunset Dinner

Day two is the perfect way to get rid of jet lag in my completely unbiased opinion. 🤭

For breakfast, head to one of the many cafes in Uluwatu. We went to Suka Espresso and liked it so much we went back for lunch. If you aren’t a creature of habit like me, there are so many different cafes in Uluwatu to choose from due to the large Australian digital nomad and tourist populations!

Enjoy your fill, because you have a full day of beach hopping ahead of you.

Excited for a full day of beaches in Uluwatu? Here’s my beach hopping guide to help you plan.

My friend and I made three stops: Thomas Beach for swimming, Padang Padang beach to see what all the hype was about, and then Bingin Beach to relax, see the tide pools, and have the most incredible sunset dinner.

If you don’t want to go to 3 different beaches in one day, I think you could skip Padang Padang beach. While it was lovely, it was also extremely crowded by mid-day, and I think it would be more relaxing and enjoyable to either stay at Thomas beach or head over to Bingin Beach early.

Make sure to stay at Bingin beach for dinner and head over to Lucky Fish Lounge. They’ll grill up fresh caught fish as you watch the sunset… it’s the perfect way to end the night!

Day 3: Day Trip to Nusa Penida

On day 3 you’re headed on an adventure to one of the most iconic places in Bali… if you’ve spent any time yet researching for your Bali trip, you’ve definitely seen photos of Nusa Penida!

Learn from my mistake! It’s worth taking a tour or personal driver in Nusa Penida rather than trying to DIY the day trip!

You’ll start the morning by taking a fast boat over to Nusa Penida.

Once you’ll arrive, you’ll spend half the day snorkeling. Pretty much any tour with snorkeling is going to include Manta Point and Crystal Bay. I did both of these stops while scuba diving and let me tell you… they are AMAZING!

Manta point is a cleaning station, which means the manta rays come to the area year round and you have a high likelihood of swimming with these magnificent giants. I can’t tell you how magical of an experience it is to have a manta ray swim right over your head… it’s something you’ll have to experience for yourself on this day trip!

After that once-in-a-lifetime experience, you’ll head over to Crystal Bay. And the name doesn’t lie… this was some of the clearest water I have ever been in! And the marine life was so diverse; I felt like I was swimming inside an aquarium! 🐠

The second half of your day will be spent exploring the key sites on Nusa Penida. Most tours will hit the most iconic views on the island, including Klingking Beach (T-Rex beach) which you see all over the internet.

I wish I could give you a good review of what you’ll see on land, but unfortunately, this was a massive learning experience from my own trip. We tried to DIY the land exploration, got to a very crowded Klingking beach, where I decided it would be a good idea to hike down to the actual beach instead of just enjoying the view.

After hours of climbing down to the beach and back up, my friend and I were stuck in awful traffic and would have missed our ferry back to the hotel if we tried to see anything else.

All of this to say, I really regret not booking my day trip to Nusa Penida with a tour group. I would have been able to see and do so much more, cool down in the air-conditioned car between stops, and not have been worried that I would be stuck on the island all night due to missing the ferry.

Since the tour will take most of the day, grab some dinner in Bali and then relax by the pool at your hotel. Tomorrow, you have a long transfer over to Ubud to kick off the second half of your trip!

Days 4-6: Culture and Adventure in Ubud

The second half of your 7 day Bali itinerary is filled with culture and adventure! You’ll see art markets, visit a temple, walk through the rice fields, and spend an entire day cooling off by waterfalls!

Before you book your accommodations for Ubud, make sure to check back on the site: I’m working on a full where to stay guide!

Day 4: Transfer to Ubud and Explore Town

After grabbing breakfast and packing up on day 4, you’ll want to get a transfer to your accommodation in Ubud. Talk to your accommodation because they can likely call the transfer for you!

If you wait until after breakfast, you should be able to avoid the heaviest of traffic (7am-9am), but be mindful that the transfer can still take about an hour and a half. Luckily, the road from Uluwatu to Ubud is said to be very picturesque (I didn’t do this exact route myself, so you’ll have to report back after your trip 😉).

Once you arrive in Uluwatu and drop off your luggage, take your time exploring the town.

The Ubud Art Market is quite large and can be a nice area to walk around or to grab a souvenir for home.

Another popular spot is the Monkey Forest Sanctuary… I personally didn’t visit this one after my experience with the monkeys earlier on my trip, but I know that many people love this spot.

Finally, I would suggest walking the Campuhan Ridge Walk right before sunset. It is a beautiful trail overlooking some of the rice paddies and is extra special around sunset.

For dinner, you have many options in Ubud, but we enjoyed Atman Nourish Kafe which was located right near our hotel… perfect for when we got caught in a heavy evening rainstorm!

Depending on where you’re staying in Ubud, you may be able to walk to some of these places, but for anywhere that isn’t walkable, I suggest using Grab ride share. We used Grab several times inside Ubud, and it was a quick and affordable option to get around without having to navigate the heavily-trafficked streets ourselves.

Day 5: Rice Terraces and Temples

On day 5 of this 7 day itinerary, you’re going to be taking another day trip.

For breakfast, I LOVED Kafe… so much so that we ended up going 3 different times during our 4 days in Ubud. I still dream of their orange & almond cake. 🤤

Once you’re ready to tackle the day, you have a decision to make: If you’re comfortable and have previous driving experience on a scooter, this is a great day to rent one. Otherwise, joining a group tour is the best way to still be able to experience both the rice terraces and the water temple PLUS this tour also includes two waterfalls and had great reviews!

I suggest getting to the Tegallalang Rice Terrace at the start of your day to beat the heat. When my friend and I arrived, it was around 9am; we spent about an hour walking, and were both drenched in sweat after just an hour due to the heat and humidity… so definitely the earlier you can arrive, the better!

After the rice terrace, head to Tirta Empul, the water temple. We decided to just walk around and admire the architecture and spirituality of the temple, but you can also choose to partake in the cleansing ceremony if you choose.

Make sure cover your shoulders at the temple; sarongs are provided to cover your knees.

Depending on your energy level, you can either head back to Ubud to relax and avoid the afternoon heat OR you can head to Goa Gajah, the elephant cave.

I didn’t get to visit it, but the half cave, half temple looks super cool and is only 20 minutes outside of Ubud; it would make a great stop if you want to continue exploring!

Day 6: Take a Road Trip to 6 Different Waterfalls

Day 6 is another full day trip… and this one in particular was one of my favorites!

We went to six different waterfalls:

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

Check out the full Ubud waterfalls road trip details — it was the perfect adventure filled day!

These waterfalls were such a great balance: some were picturesque, some were great for swimming; basically, it was a wonderfully adventurous day that kept us cool in the Bali heat!

Again, you’ll have an option between renting a scooter and doing this yourself (read my post on things to know before renting a scooter in Bali) or you can hire a private driver.

If you hire a private driver, you should be able to fully customize your itinerary so you can plan to have the exact same waterfall stops as we did!

Day 7: Departure

Your itinerary for your last day in Bali depends on when your flight home is.

Expect the drive to the airport to take 1.5-2 hours from Ubud and plan accordingly.

If you don’t have much time to spare, grab some breakfast at Kafe, maybe do some last minute souvenir shopping, and then head to the airport.

If you do have a later flight, and can bring your luggage with you, it could be worth a trip Canggu or Seminyak. I personally didn’t visit these areas, so I can’t speak on them very much, but many tourists do enjoy them!

Both are coastal areas of Bali. From what I’ve read, Canggu tends to cater to a younger crowd and is a bit more laid back, while Seminyak is a bit more upscale and has nicer beaches.

Seminyak is about 30 minutes from DPS airport while Canggu is about an hour away, so I definitely suggest bringing your luggage and storing it with either a private driver or at a local business while you explore!

What to Do if You Have More Time

There are plenty of things to do in and around Bali if you have more time to spend. I’ve included a couple of ideas for your trip below 👇

And if you want to see exactly how these areas can fit into a longer trip, check out my 10-day or 2-week Bali itineraries! I’m publishing them next!

Add the Gili Islands for a Peaceful Island Vibe

The Gili islands are about 2 hours from Bali by ferry and offer a more relaxed vibe.

They are super cool islands in that they don’t allow motorized transportation, so you can only get around by walking, biking, or taking a horse taxi.

I personally stayed on both Gili Air and Gili Meno and loved both!

If you want to feel super secluded, relaxed, or romantic, Gili Meno would make a great stop for a couple of days on your trip. If you prefer to have a chill atmosphere that still has some things do and many restaurants, Gili Air would be a good choice! I didn’t stop in Gili Trawangen (Gili T), but it’s known to be the most vibrant of the three islands with great nightlife.

I’ll be diving deeper into the differences between the 3 islands in an upcoming post if you’re trying to decide which one would make a nice addition to your 7 day Bali itinerary.

Explore North Bali for Off-the-Beaten-Path Adventures

We had some last minute flight cancellations and trip replanning which meant I couldn’t visit Northern Bali on my own trip, but it is one of the regions in Bali that I was most excited about during my planning.

There are a few different areas you can stay in Northern Bali depending on your interests: Munduk, Lovina, Pemuteran.

Lovina and Pemuteran are well-known for their snorkeling and diving opportunities, while Munduk is known for its waterfalls, lush jungles, and Balinese culture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts About 7 Days in Bali

Seeing Bali’s highlights is definitely doable with just one week! Whether you’re coming for a spiritual awakening or the adventure of your lifetime, you can do so much with just 7 days in Bali.

That being said, if can swing a slightly longer trip, and would like to delve deeper into everything Bali has to offer, 10-days or 2 weeks could be a better option, especially considering the long flight-time when coming from the US.

Want to see what’s possible in other trip lengths? Check out my upcoming Bali Itinerary Guide for 7, 10, or 14 days.