Best Bali Itinerary For 2 Weeks: Ubud, Canggu, Uluwatu + Nusas!

Two weeks, three towns and one island getaway from your island getaway. Welcome to my Bali itinerary for 2 weeks!
Many of the best things to do in Southeast Asia are in Bali, but don’t try to tick off too many. The island of Bali in Indonesia is packed with things to see and to do so it’s best to pick a handful and do them justice.

BALI ESSENTIALSBali SIM card (30 days, 6GB)Copy of Lonely Planet BaliCheck visas requirements: iVisaPre-book your airport to hotel transferBali scooter hireAccommodation: Browse hotels on Booking.com // hostels on HostelworldTours: GetYourGuide
Travel insurance: World Nomads

Related read: The ultimate Southeast Asia backpacking route

About this Bali itinerary

I visited Lombok and the Gili Islands during my 2016 trip but after a tragic earthquake, they were out of action during my 2 week Bali trip of 2019. This itinerary includes the Nusa Islands as well as mainland Bali, however if you’re keen to visit Lombok & the Gilis, swap them in.If you’re on the fence, I can vouch for Nusa Penida as a fantastic choice. I loved the local feel to the island, as well as exploring it by scooter.
With 2 weeks in Bali, you can spend three days on Nusa Penida and still see Bali’s highlights like Ubud, Canggu, Uluwatu and Mount Batur. You could even squeeze in a quick trip to Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Ceningan islands, too.
Itinerary overview:

Days 1-3: Ubud
Days 5-6: Canggu
Days 6-7: Uluwatu
Days 8-12: Nusa Penida
Days 12-14: Nusa Lembongan/Ceningan

Check out my other 2 week Asia itineraries to Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Korea.

Getting around Bali

In my opinion, Bali is one of the harder locations in Southeast Asia and it’s worse if you’re travelling solo. Unlike places like Thailand and Vietnam where there are tourist-friendly buses and even trains, there’s little public transport in Bali.Some options for getting around Bali include…Scooter hire – if you’re comfortable driving, it will save you lots of money in Bali. Rentals cost as little as 70,000 IDR per day and fuel costs next to nothing. Rent a scooter from your accommodation, any travel agency or reputable vendor, GetYourGuide. Be sure to wear a helmet!Uber / Grab / GoJek – these mobile apps are discouraged by the government. You can still use them but you’ll have to be sly and jump in without attracting attention, as the drivers can get in trouble. It’s worth it because they’re crazy cheap! There are cars and scooter taxis available.Taxi tours – if there’s a couple of you, it’s good value to hire a car and driver. You can ask them to take you wherever you want to go. Booka half-day touror full-day tour.
Kura-Kura bus – when it comes to getting between locations, the best bet for backpackers is this shuttle bus service connecting Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Sanur, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua and Ubud. Tickets cost 20,000 – 50,000 IDR and can be bought at ticket booths or from the driver. They even have Wi-Fi!

2 weeks in Bali

If you have 14 days in Bali to spare, I have the perfect Bali itinerary for you. This is the exact trip I took last month so it’s trialled and tested. It goes like this…

Days 1-3: Ubud

indonesia, best bali itinerary for 2 weeks: ubud, canggu, uluwatu + nusas!

Ubud is one of the most popular places to base in Bali and for good reason. Not only is it a chilled spot to begin any Bali 2 week itinerary, its location means you can reach most places on the island as a day trip.
Swap days 1, 2 and 3 around as you wish and don’t forget to indulge in some seriously great brunches. See this helpful guide for where to stay in Ubud.

Day 1 – see Ubud’s highlights

The most popular things to do in Ubud are Tirta Empul Water Temple, the Tegallalang Rice Terraces and the Monkey Forest, though I’m not really a fan of the last. For everything to do, see and eat, check out the following blogs:

Day 2 – climb Mount Batur or explore Ubud further

Getting up at 2am to hike an active volcano – am I crazy? Probably but it’s an amazing experience and, at least by doing it at the beginning of your 2 weeks in Bali, you can relax later.
After a very early pickup and a drive north, you’ll arrive at the base of the volcano for 4am and start your ascent. I was scared it would be really tough but I actually didn’t find it too hard.

Read next: A complete guide to hiking Mount Batur for sunrise

You can expect to pay around $50 for a tour including breakfast and returning around 11am. This was well worth it for the services of the guides alone – I’d have had no clue which paths to take in the dark.
Of course, you don’t have to visit for sunrise but it’s more of a bucket list experience if you do. Plus, I wouldn’t have liked to trek in the heat of the day.

Day 3 – take a day trip to Lempuyang and Tirta Gangga

Lempuyang Temple

One of my favourite (and most tiring!) days of this 2 week Bali itinerary was spent hiring a scooter and travelling to these two temples in the east of Bali.
Lempuyang Temple is home to the famous Gates of Heaven which look out onto Mount Agung on a clear day. My best advice is to get there as early as possible (we arrived before 9am) as a large queue forms for photos.
There are a couple of other temples in the forest which you can trek to. One includes 1,720 stairs but you don’t have to go that far!

Days 5-6: Canggu

Leaving pretty Ubud behind, there’s a town perfect for surfers and brunch fanatics that I recommend you visit during two weeks in Bali.

Day 4 – travel to Canggu

We had a leisurely brunch in Ubud before catching a ride to Canggu but you could use the morning to explore or even climb Mount Batur. A taxi between Ubud and Canggu will cost around 250,000 IDR ($17).
We arrived in Canggu, hired a scooter and headed straight to Tanah Lot to see a stunning sunset.

Tanah Lot at sunset

Day 5 – explore Canggu

Aside from some beautiful beaches and great surfing, there’s not a whole load to do in Canggu. But that’s okay because the Balinese food and coffee scene is second to none; even better than Ubud!
If you’re hoping to complete this whole Bali itinerary in 2 weeks, see this day as essential for food, fuel and regaining your energy 😉

Brunch at Tropikale

Street art in Canggu

When you’re not dining on smoothie bowls or learning how to surf, you can add shopping, markets and eating to your itinerary for Bali.

Where to stay in Canggu

For backpackers, you can’t do better than Farm Hostel set out in the rice fields. For a hotel, I would recommend Bima Sakti which is perfectly located and has a swimming pool.

Days 6-7: Uluwatu

The southern tip of Bali is a beautiful region of sandy white beaches, rugged cliffs and stunning sunset points.
Uluwatu is a must for 2 weeks in Bali because it’s great for relaxing and adventurous activities like surfing and diving.

Day 6 – travel to Uluwatu in time for sunset

Uluwatu Temple is a must for your Bali itinerary

The town is pretty spread out but if you hire a scooter, it doesn’t take long to get anywhere. Visiting Uluwatu Temple is one of the best things to do in South Bali and a must for sunset on your first night. The views out over the ocean are incredible!

Day 7 – explore Uluwatu

Uluwatu beaches

If you’re feeling active, try your luck at surfing. We weren’t and spent the day relaxing at the pool and sampling the smoothie bowls at Drifter Cafe. Sometimes that’s necessary, isn’t it!

Read next: A 2-day itinerary for Uluwatu, Bali

Some of the best beaches in Uluwatu include Karma Beach, Green Bowl Beach and Padang Padang Beach.
Finish your day at a sunset bar, either Single Fin which is a cheap and cheerful option or Rock Bar which is a bit more upmarket and has been voted one of the world’s best bars for its stunning clifftop location.

Days 8-12: Nusa Penida

Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida

Next for your two weeks in Bali… No prizes for guessing it’s a side trip to Nusa Penida!

Read next: A 3 day Nusa Penida itinerary

This sleepy, lesser-developed island feels 10 years behind Bali and I loved the chance to explore the local villages in the mountains. The coastal scenery is absolutely stunning! Swap the following days around as suits you.

Getting to Nusa Penida

Ferries depart from Sanur in Bali, taking 30 minutes by speedboat and costing as little as $10. Use 12Go to book your ferry from Sanur to Nusa Penida. You’ll need to take a taxi to Sanur which can be organised by your accommodation. Alternatively, they can arrange the whole hotel to Nusa Penida package including taxi and ferry.
When you arrive at Nusa Penida ferry port, taxis will be waiting. Make sure to haggle as they originally tried to charge us outrageous prices for a short drive!

Getting around Nusa Penida

Confident scooter drivers can hire a scooter although beware the roads are often unpaved and very rocky, especially heading down to Broken Beach.
If you’re not confident, hire a scooter and driver or book a taxi tour of the island for up to 4 passengers.

Day 8 – arrive on Nusa Penida

Crystal Bay

After getting to Sanur ferry terminal, checking in for your boat, cruising over to Nusa Penida and taking a taxi to your accommodation, most of the day will be taken up.
We settled in and headed for coffee at Espresso Penida while planning the rest of our Bali itinerary.

Day 9 – see Nusa Penida’s highlights

Broken Beach

The most popular things to do on Nusa Penida are Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong (which are right beside each other) and Kelingking Beach, which is said to resemble a T-Rex from above.
They’re in the south of the island and easy to reach during the same day, despite the bumpy dirt road to and from Broken Beach.

Day 10 – relax on a beach (Atuh or Crystal Bay)

The cliff formations at Atuh Beach

No Bali itinerary for 2 weeks would be complete without some serious beach chills. I’d highly recommend Atuh Beach which is one of my favourite beaches I’ve ever been to.
It’s far on the east of the island with a hilly ride there, plus a bit of a trek down to the sand. Crystal Bay is the easier option with some nice snorkelling but it’s not nearly as scenic or dramatic.

Day 11 – find Nusa Penida’s lesser-known spots (or snorkel)

Watching marine life at Manta Bay

One of the best moments of my time in Nusa Penida was having Manta Point all to ourselves as we watched elegant manta rays ride the waves.Afterwards, we headed to Peguyangan Waterfall which wasn’t nearly as busy as some of Nusa Penida’s key sights.Then, we relaxed at Crystal Bay. Alternatively, you could take a boat trip snorkelling or diving on this day. As well as manta rays, there are turtles, hundreds of species of fish, and amazing coral to be seen.
Where to stay in Nusa Penida: I’d highly recommend You & We Bungalows. These cute pods have their own bathrooms and the staff bring you delicious coffee and pancakes to your balcony area each morning. Check availability here.

Day 12 – Lembongan Island or back to Bali

You have two options to end your 2 weeks in Bali. If your flight is late on day 14, you could squeeze in 2 nights on Nusa Lembongan, giving you an afternoon and a full day exploring or relaxing.

Read next: A guide to visiting Lembongan

How to get to Nusa Lembongan

It’s easy to take a ferry between Penida and Lembongan: use 12Go to book or ask your accommodation to book for you.

Where to stay in Nusa Lembongan

I had a great time at Nyuh Gadding, one of the plushest hostels I’ve stayed at. They have a swimming pool and healthy (and unhealthy breakfasts) and some of the only decent Wi-Fi on the island!

Related read: where to go off the beaten track in Bali!

How much will this Bali 2 week itinerary cost?

To answer the question you might be wondering about, I spent US $650 during this exact Bali itinerary. The island can be extremely affordable and, if you don’t believe me, check out what you can get for $10 in Bali!To break down my spending…Accommodation: $200. We stayed in mid-range accommodation options during our 2 weeks in Bali that usually averaged $12 per person per night in a shared room including breakfast (though we had a couple of cheaper nights in an Airbnb and a hostel).There are some amazing hotels in Bali and if you can factor more, you can stay in luxury for a fraction of the price you could at home. Alternatively, cheap and cheerful hostels are about $8 a night.Eating: $200-300. We had a handful of cheap, local meals and for the rest of the time ate in restaurants. You could eat WAY cheaper, though it’s worth noting we didn’t drink much alcohol so you could factor in a bit more for this.
An average meal for two with soft drinks cost around 250,000 IDR ($17). If you eat at local places, main dishes will be less than $3

Brunch at Zest, Ubud

Activities: My total includes $50 for Mount Batur and $40 for the Nusa Penida return boat ticket. Other than this, we hired a scooter and did all other excursions without a tour: something that saved us a lot of money.Taxi tours often cost $50 a day, definitely a big cost to factor compared to our $5 daily scooter and $2 tank of gas!Getting around: As there’s no public transport in Bali, you’ll need to budget for private taxis during your Bali itinerary. We paid 250,000 IDR between Ubud and Canggu and 400,000 IDR between Canggu and Uluwatu. If you’re travelling solo, check out Kura-Kura bus.
You can try for a cheaper ride on Grab/Uber but often the drivers are unreliable or unable to pick you up from popular areas due to government bans.