If you’re planning on doing some exploring in Bali, you’ll quickly realize that everything is not right next to each other. Although the island is relatively small, you will have to plan how you are getting around. A lot of people end up opting for motorbike or scooter rentals, which is probably the easiest AND cheapest. Whether this sounds right up your alley or not, you should note that driving a bike in Bali is complete madness. For starters, if you’re American- you’ll be in the other side of the road. This really isn’t that difficult, to be honest. But add in an insane amount of locals and inexperienced tourists riding up on your side, speed bumps all over the place, and absolute crazy roads, and it’s a bit hectic. This isn’t to say everywhere in Bali will be like this, but just something to be prepared for.

We made sure to have a motorbike in Canggu, which was helpful in exploring different areas and getting from point A to point B when it was just too far to walk. However, when we got into Ubud, we quickly realized a bike wasn’t necessary at all. There is an incredible amount of exploring to do just in town and everything is doable on foot. But if you’re itching to get out of Ubud for the day for some exploring, it’s definitely easy to do as well! You’ll see loads of tour vendors around town offering different packages and itineraries. They usually cost about the same, but like most things in Bali, they could be negotiable. You can go this route or even just book a driver for the day and do your own itinerary. This is what we did. Rather than do a tour catering to strictly rice fields, or temples, or coffee, we hired a car and did it all!

We stayed at the Ubud Terrace Hotel and ended up organizing a driver through them. And even this was negotiable! Our driver arrived promptly the next morning after we ate breakfast and we were on our way!

If you don’t have time to look over the post, here is a list of covered suggestions:

Tegallalang Rice Terrace
Coffee Plantation
Mt. Batur
Pura Tirta Empul
Pura Gunung Kawi

TegallalanG Rice Terrace

First on our itinerary was Tegallalang Rice Terrace. You know the stunning photos on instagram of pretty girls swinging over a mind blowing rice field? Their hair is perfectly curled and flowing behind them while they float above a vibrant sea of green? Of course you do. Okay, I have to admit, as I sat here rolling my eyes and mocking them, I was also recalling how I secretly wanted to take one of those photos. But instead of being ready for my glamour shot, I was sweating profusely, and my jumpsuit was so hot that I had pulled up the wide legs and actually tied them in a knot at my low waist. So I essentially looked like I was wearing a giant black diaper. Basically, it would’ve been too sexy for the internet. But anyway, the rice fields are incredible. The vibrancy of the grass alone is so striking you won’t even be able to look away. I was so captivated and kept thinking, “how in the world is this SO green?” And then the landscaped layers get you and your mind is completely blown. It’s just really a sight to see! You can wander around, grab a seat at one of the nearby restaurants (with a view, of course), or go take your glamour shots on the swing.

Coffee Plantation

Ever heard of civet coffee? You know, the most expensive coffee in the world that comes from civet poop? If you didn’t know it came from Indonesia, now you do. Called Luwak coffee in Bali, it’s absolutely delicious and a must try for sure. For those of you unfamiliar, civet coffee refers to coffee beans that have been eaten and digested by a civet, then harvested by people (not civets), cleaned, roasted, and brewed. There’s loads more to it obviously and the coffee bean IS stripped of a shell before being roasted and brewed, but it still sounds hysterical. And yes, I’m unsure how someone discovered this too. But the idea is, the civet picks out only the best beans and then, digestion further alters the bean, improving the composition. Apparently. Either way, exploring a coffee plantation and learning about the process is pretty cool. Definitely a plus when you can do a coffee tasting afterwards. We absolutely loved it and made sure to bring some home! There are loads of plantations to choose from, so depending on which direction from Ubud you head, you’ll most likely be able to check one out.

Mt. Batur

Located pretty north on the island is the active volcano, Mt. Batur. A lot of people choose to hike up and take in the surrounding views, but we did the opposite. We drove up a nearby mountain and looked at it instead. Where we ended up going was actually a viewpoint in the Kintamani area- so it’s not as lame as I made it sound (haha), but essentially, that’s what we did. It was actually an awesome experience though. The view is incredible- there’s a lake at the base of the volcano and you can see for miles. There are a couple restaurants nearby and some vendors too, so you can stop for a pick me up while you enjoy the view. We bought some snake fruit from a local, snagged a spot on a bench and just chilled for a bit. It was really cool being so high up and able to look out and see the volcano. So whether you want to spend some time, or simply see it and be on your way, I definitely recommend it if you’re in the area. Next time we’re in Bali, we’ll be hiking up Mt. Batur during sunrise and I cannot wait!

Pura Tirta Empul

After the viewpoint, we started our way back to Ubud. But that didn’t mean we were done with our tour! The next stop on our list was Pura Tirta Empul. It’s a beautiful Hindu Balinese temple known to others as the temple with the Holy Water. People come to the temple for the bathing area to purify themselves. It’s an incredible experience as a whole. You can walk around the grounds admiring all the traditional Balinese architecture that these temples are known for, or even partake in the purification ritual! If you’re lucky, your driver may even walk the grounds with you, telling you all about Indonesian history and culture.

Pura Gunung Kawi

My favorite part of our day! This was our last stop and hands down the best way to bring our day of productive touring to an end. Another temple, Pura Gunung Kawi is a totally different vibe than Pura Tirta Empul. People aren’t flocking here to stand in line and purify themselves- instead, the place was actually quite empty. Our driver dropped us at the front gate, telling us he was going to skip out on this one.. and we quickly realized why after walking up the front steps. The entrance to the temple grounds overlooks rice fields set below in a valley. And the temple complex is located at the bottom, reached by steep, very long, meandering stairs down and through the fields. It’s really not a bad walk and honestly, it’s totally worth it. The complex had a total of maybe 8 people in it. It’s very small, but magnificent. Known for its shrines carved into the rock cliffs, the setting is absolutely breathtaking. Theres so much foliage everywhere, making it feel like a secluded, secret garden. A little creek flows between the two shrines and it really is just magical. It’s a perfect place for meditation and reflection.

There’s definitely loads to see outside Ubud, but I wouldn't have changed a thing about what we decided to do. If you think organizing a driver sounds like it’s for you, definitely make up an itinerary- even if it’s a loose one. A lot of drivers tend to take tourists to certain places where they get kick backs, and although this isn’t always a bad thing, sometimes there’s just other places that may be better. For instance, we didn’t sort out a lunch place and relied on our driver for that. We told him we wanted to go somewhere local, and that it could even be a roadside food stand. He told us that he knew just the place and then took us to a super touristy spot that seemed to be involved with organized tour groups. It was absolutely fine, but just not what we had expected. So do your homework and if you find something that looks awesome, go for it!