Came right at opening before the tour buses — had the top viewpoint almost to myself. The Tegenungan swing photos are a tourist trap but the terraces themselves are genuinely stunning. Entrance donation is around 25,000 IDR (~$1.60), and the paths get muddy and slippery after rain — wear real shoes, not sandals.

Hold your bag with both hands — a macaque unzipped my backpack in about four seconds flat. Still, the mossy temple ruins under the canopy are worth it. Entry is 80,000 IDR (~$5) for adults. Paths are well-maintained and swept daily, but don't carry food openly.

The original Ibu Oka warung near Ubud Palace — crispy pork skin, tender spiced meat, and a scoop of blood sausage on the side. Get there before 1pm or they sell out. A plate runs about 50,000 IDR (~$3.20). Busy turnover means the food's always fresh, but seating is basic plastic-chair, no-frills.

Free to walk through in the afternoon, and if you can come back for an evening Legong dance performance in the courtyard it's worth the small ticket price (~100,000 IDR / $6.50). Courtyard and grounds are kept clean, plenty of shaded seating for the show.

About 330,000 IDR (~$21) a night for a room right on the edge of the rice fields, breakfast included — banana pancakes and real Balinese coffee every morning, made by the family who run the place. Room was simple but genuinely spotless, hot water worked every time, and the wifi was strong enough for video calls. Only real downside: roosters start up around 5:30am, bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper.

Brought a sarong from the hotel and joined the purification bathing queue — genuinely moving to see how many Balinese families were there for real religious practice, not just photos. Entry ~50,000 IDR (~$3.20), sarong rental included; the pools themselves are cleaned regularly but get crowded midday, go early.

Smaller than expected but the demon-face carved entrance is striking, and the bathing pools and rice paddy views around it make it worth the short stop. Entry ~50,000 IDR (~$3.20), grounds well-maintained, maybe 30-45 minutes is enough.

The golden-hour light on the grassy ridge is unreal — did the full out-and-back in about 90 minutes at an easy pace, stopping for coconut water from a stall halfway. Completely free, no ticket. Paved for the first stretch but turns to dirt and gets genuinely slippery after rain.

A little family-run warung a few streets back from Ubud's main road — rice with a bit of everything: shredded chicken, tempeh, sambal matah, boiled egg. Under $3 and better than most of the touristy cafes. Simple open-air setup, but it looked and felt clean, and the food was clearly cooked fresh that morning.

Tough two-hour climb in the dark with a headlamp, but watching the sun come up over the caldera with Lake Batur below made every step worth it. Bring a jacket — it's genuinely cold at the summit. Guided tours run about 350,000-450,000 IDR (~$23-30) including a light breakfast; toilets at the rest point are basic squat-style, bring your own tissue.

Quiet and mostly empty by the time the trekking groups leave — a peaceful stop for tea after the climb, with the volcano still looming behind the temple courtyards. Small entrance donation, well-kept grounds, worth the 20-minute detour.

Lunch at a terrace restaurant overlooking the whole caldera — the view is the main event, but the corn fritters and Balinese coffee were a nice bonus after the early trek. Most restaurants here run a buffet around 150,000-200,000 IDR (~$10-13) that effectively doubles as the price of the view — food is average, go for the panorama.

About 1,150,000 IDR (~$75) a night — we moved base from Ubud to Sanur for the back half of the trip specifically because it's a 10-minute walk to the harbor where the Nusa Penida boats leave, which saved us a brutal pre-dawn drive the next morning. Rooms were clean and modern, breakfast solid, and the courtyard pool was a nice place to recover after the Kintamani drive. Only downside: Sanur itself is quieter and less walkable at night than Seminyak or Canggu, so plan on Grab for dinner.

Came in the morning specifically to skip the sunset crowds — you lose the famous silhouette shot but get the sea temple almost to yourself and can actually hear the waves. Entry ~60,000 IDR (~$4). The souvenir strip leading up to it is a bit littered and pushy with vendors, but the temple grounds themselves are clean.

Small cove beach down a narrow stone staircase through the cliff — gets crowded by midday but the turquoise water and surfers riding the break make it worth squeezing in. Entry ~15,000 IDR (~$1). Sand and water are clean, but it can get littered by late afternoon during peak season — go early.

Sat for the Kecak fire dance right as the sun dropped into the ocean behind the cliffside temple — genuinely one of the best hours of the whole trip. Watch your sunglasses around the monkeys on the clifftop path. Temple entry ~50,000 IDR, dance tickets a separate ~150,000 IDR (~$10) bought at the gate — sarong required, provided free at entry.

Picked our own fish and prawns from the ice display, grilled over coconut husks and served on the sand with feet in the water. Touristy but the seafood was genuinely fresh and the sunset view free. Priced by weight, expect around 200,000-300,000 IDR (~$13-20) per kg depending on the catch — ask the price before they grill it.

Wide black-sand beach with a proper boardwalk of beach clubs behind it — good for an easy morning walk before the beach clubs' pools open up. Free to walk the beach itself; the popular clubs charge a minimum spend of 200,000-300,000 IDR (~$13-20) for a lounger. Sand gets some washed-up litter after high tide, cleaned each morning.

The free tasting flight covers ginger tea, cocoa, and a dozen coffee varieties including kopi luwak — skip buying the luwak coffee itself (pricey at ~50,000 IDR a cup and the ethics are murky) but the tasting alone is worth the stop. Grounds are small but tidy, easy 30-minute visit.

Way more laid-back than Seminyak — black volcanic sand, surfers everywhere, and beanbag cafes right on the sand for a fresh coconut between swims. Free beach access, board rental runs about 50,000 IDR/hour. Sand is clean in the morning but the current can pull in some debris by afternoon.

Grabbed a beanbag at a warung right on the sand and watched surfers silhouetted against the sunset with a fresh young coconut in hand — simple and easily one of my favorite evenings of the trip. Coconut and drinks run 20,000-40,000 IDR, no cover charge for the beanbags if you order something.

Early ferry from Sanur was worth it — had the T-Rex-shaped cliff viewpoint almost empty for photos before the day-trip crowds arrived. The steep descent to the actual beach is no joke, brought good shoes. Free entry, small parking fee only. No real toilets or rubbish bins at the top, so pack out what you bring.

A natural infinity pool carved into the cliffside — check the tide times before you go, at high tide the waves wash straight over the rocks. Swam in the calm pool at low tide and it was magic. Free entry, but no lifeguards and no real facilities nearby, so go with a group and watch your footing on the wet rock.

A giant natural archway lets the ocean pour into a perfectly round bay — no swimming access but the rim walk around the top gives incredible angles. Paired well as a quick stop right after Angel's Billabong. Free entry, just a small parking donation, and there are a couple of basic warungs nearby for water and snacks.