5 days in Bali: day-by-day itinerary
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 3 of 19 free; 16 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 5 days, 9:30 to 17:51 each day
- Start and finish
- Campuhan Ridge Walk → Lempuyang Temple (Gates of Heaven)
- On foot
- ≈ 44 min in total
- Transport
- 9 rides, ≈ 5 h 53 min
- Lunch
- around 12:01
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- April to October. In the rainy season start earlier and keep a spare day.
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Bali09:30–15:38 · 5 places · 6 h 10 min
Campuhan Ridge Walk
· 1 h 15 min · Free
- 13 min on foot
Saraswati Temple
· 30 min · Free; dance ≈ IDR 100,000
- 3 min on foot
Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung)
· 30 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 3 min on foot
Ubud Art Market
· 1 h · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Ubud Monkey Forest
· 1 h 15 min · IDR 130,000
Day 2 · Bali09:30–17:51 · 5 places · 8 h 20 min
Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)
· 1 h · ≈ IDR 50,000
- 45 min · transport or taxi
Tegallalang Rice Terraces
· 1 h 30 min · ≈ IDR 15,000–50,000
- Lunch · 1 h
- 11 min on foot
Luwak coffee plantations
· 45 min · Free; luwak ≈ IDR 50,000–100,000
- 26 min · transport or taxi
Gunung Kawi
· 1 h 15 min · ≈ IDR 50,000
- 14 min on foot
Tirta Empul Temple
· 1 h 15 min · ≈ IDR 50,000–75,000
Day 3 · Bali09:30–17:15 · 3 places · 7 h 50 min
Tanah Lot Temple
· 1 h 30 min · IDR 75,000
- 54 min · transport or taxi
Taman Ayun Temple
· 1 h · ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000
- Lunch · 1 h
- 81 min · transport or taxi
Jatiluwih Rice Terraces
· 2 h · ≈ IDR 50,000–75,000
Day 4 · Bali09:30–17:30 · 3 places · 8 h
Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park
· 2 h 30 min · ≈ IDR 125,000–150,000
- Lunch · 1 h
- 37 min · transport or taxi
Padang Padang Beach
· 2 h · ≈ IDR 15,000
- 23 min · transport or taxi
Uluwatu Temple
· 1 h 30 min · ≈ IDR 50,000–60,000
Day 5 · Bali09:30–16:23 · 3 places · 6 h 50 min
Taman Ujung Water Palace
· 1 h 15 min · ≈ IDR 50,000
- 37 min · transport or taxi
Tirta Gangga Water Palace
· 1 h · ≈ IDR 50,000
- Lunch · 1 h
- 31 min · transport or taxi
Lempuyang Temple (Gates of Heaven)
· 2 h 30 min · ≈ IDR 100,000 + shuttle
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
3 of 19 are free; 16 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 2 | Saraswati Temple | 45 | 30 min | free; dance ≈ IDR 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Ubud Monkey Forest | 36 | 1 h 15 min | IDR 130,000 |
| 6 | Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) | 35 | 1 h | ≈ IDR 50,000 |
| 7 | Tegallalang Rice Terraces | 27 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ IDR 15,000–50,000 |
| 8 | Luwak coffee plantations | 34 | 45 min | Free; luwak ≈ IDR 50,000–100,000 |
| 9 | Gunung Kawi | 25 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ IDR 50,000 |
| 10 | Tirta Empul Temple | 24 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ IDR 50,000–75,000 |
| 11 | Tanah Lot Temple | 26 | 1 h 30 min | IDR 75,000 |
| 12 | Taman Ayun Temple | 26 | 1 h | ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000 |
| 13 | Jatiluwih Rice Terraces | 21 | 2 h | ≈ IDR 50,000–75,000 |
| 14 | Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park | 32 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ IDR 125,000–150,000 |
| 15 | Padang Padang Beach | 21 | 2 h | ≈ IDR 15,000 |
| 16 | Uluwatu Temple | 23 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ IDR 50,000–60,000 |
| 17 | Taman Ujung Water Palace | 23 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ IDR 50,000 |
| 18 | Tirta Gangga Water Palace | 24 | 1 h | ≈ IDR 50,000 |
| 19 | Lempuyang Temple (Gates of Heaven) | 20 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ IDR 100,000 + shuttle |
| Other 3 places | 3 h | Free | ||
| Total | 25 h 30 min | 3 of 19 free |
Tips for each stop
Day 1
- 1
Campuhan Ridge Walk. Ridge path through tall grass above the jungle. Free; 1–1.5 hours there and back — best early morning.
- 2
Saraswati Temple. Saraswati Temple with its lotus pond in central Ubud. The pond courtyard is free; half an hour is enough.
- 3
Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung). Puri Saren royal palace with gates carved by Lempad. Free by day; evening dance ≈ IDR 100,000.
- 4
Ubud Art Market. Central market opposite the palace: sarongs, rattan bags, carvings. Start haggling at half the price.
- 5
Ubud Monkey Forest. Sacred forest with temples and about 1,260 macaques. IDR 130,000; put away food, glasses and anything dangling.
Day 2
- 6
Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave). Elephant Cave with a demon-mouth entrance and an 11th-century bathing pool. ≈ IDR 50,000 incl. sarong; steep steps.
- 7
Tegallalang Rice Terraces. Bali's most famous rice terraces. Entry ≈ IDR 15,000–50,000 plus trail donations; swings cost extra.
- 8
Luwak coffee plantations. Coffee plantation with a free tea-and-coffee tasting; a cup of luwak ≈ IDR 50,000–100,000.
- 9
Gunung Kawi. Ten 11th-century shrines carved into the cliff by a river. ≈ IDR 50,000; about 300 steps down and back.
- 10
Tirta Empul Temple. Holy spring temple where you can join the purification bath. IDR 50,000–75,000; bring a sarong for the water.
Day 3
- 11
Tanah Lot Temple. Temple on a rock in the surf. IDR 75,000; reach the base at low tide, best just before sunset.
- 12
Taman Ayun Temple. Royal garden temple from 1634 with a moat and pagodas. ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000; an hour is enough.
- 13
Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. Bali's largest terraces, a UNESCO site. ≈ IDR 50,000–75,000; trails from 30 minutes to 3 hours.
Day 4
- 14
Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park. Park with the 120.9 m Vishnu-on-Garuda statue and dance shows. ≈ IDR 125,000–150,000, cheaper online.
- 15
Padang Padang Beach. Small white-sand cove below cliffs, 120 steps down. ≈ IDR 15,000; guard your things from monkeys.
- 16
Uluwatu Temple. Clifftop temple 70 m above the ocean. ≈ IDR 50,000–60,000; the sunset Kecak is a separate ≈ IDR 150,000 ticket.
Day 5
- 17
Taman Ujung Water Palace. The Karangasem raja's water palace: ponds, a white pavilion, hilltop views. ≈ IDR 50,000.
- 18
Tirta Gangga Water Palace. Royal water garden with stepping stones over koi and a spring-fed pool. ≈ IDR 50,000.
- 19
Lempuyang Temple (Gates of Heaven). The 'Gates of Heaven' framing Mount Agung. ≈ IDR 100,000 + shuttle ≈ 50,000; photo queues can be 2–4 hours.
Who this route is for
- A week in Bali with a beach day
- Both temples and ocean
- Hiring a driver day by day
- Nusa Penida — see the one-week itinerary
- Small children — see Bali with kids
April to October. In the rainy season start earlier and keep a spare day.
How to spend 5 days in Bali
Five days means five different areas. Spend the first three nights in Ubud — it's the closest base for the terraces, the west and the east. Spend the last two in the south, so you can start day four on the Bukit and finish day five near the airport.
The east is the longest day: Lempuyang is about two hours from Ubud. For a Gates of Heaven photo without a huge queue, drag Lempuyang to the top and leave before dawn; the planner puts it after the water palaces, when queues are usually longer.
Remove any place with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another nearby — the times recalculate.
Day 3: Jatiluwih, Taman Ayun and Tanah Lot
The west means UNESCO rice fields and two royal temples. Jatiluwih has trails from half an hour to three hours; the short one is enough with two temples still to come. Taman Ayun is a 1634 garden temple with a moat and pagodas, on the way to the coast.
Tanah Lot stands on a rock in the surf: at low tide you can walk to its base, but visitors can't go up into the temple. It's most beautiful just before sunset, so if you want the sunset, drag Tanah Lot to the end of the day.
Day 5: the east and the Gates of Heaven
Taman Ujung is the last Karangasem raja's water palace with a white pavilion in its pond; Tirta Gangga is a garden of stepping stones over koi with a spring-fed pool; Lempuyang is the split gate framing Mount Agung. A shuttle runs up to Lempuyang from the lower car park, and photo queues can last 2–4 hours by day.
If you don't want to queue, simply look at the gate from the side — the view of Agung is just as good.
More to see
The highlands with Ulun Danu Bratan and Handara Gate, a Mount Batur sunrise and a day on Nusa Penida are in the one-week itinerary. For time by the water, try Nusa Dua or snorkelling in Amed.
How to do it right
- Three nights in Ubud, two in the south.
- For the Gates of Heaven without a queue, leave before dawn.
- For sunset at Tanah Lot or Uluwatu, arrive an hour early — car parks fill up.
- In temples wear a sarong and sash with shoulders covered; sarongs are lent at almost every entrance, usually included in the ticket.
- Pay in Indonesian rupiah (IDR). Cards work in hotels and bigger restaurants, but temple tickets, parking, donations and warungs are cash. Grab and Gojek are the easiest way to call a car.
Questions
Is 5 days in Bali enough?
Yes for the main sights on Bali itself. Nusa Penida and the highlands need two more days.
What should a 5-day Bali itinerary include?
Ubud, the Tegallalang and Jatiluwih terraces, Tirta Empul, Taman Ayun, Tanah Lot and Uluwatu, plus the east with Lempuyang and the water palaces.
Where should I stay for 5 days in Bali?
Three nights in Ubud and two in the south — Uluwatu, Jimbaran or Nusa Dua.
Can I do it independently?
Yes, with a day driver or Grab and Gojek; ride a scooter only with a motorbike licence.
How far is Lempuyang from Ubud?
About two hours each way.
How do I reach the base of Tanah Lot?
Check the tide table: the rock is accessible when the water goes out.
How much do the entry tickets cost?
Roughly IDR 1.2–1.5 million per person over five days, excluding the driver, shows and food.
How do I pay in Bali?
Pay in Indonesian rupiah (IDR). Cards work in hotels and bigger restaurants, but temple tickets, parking, donations and warungs are cash. Grab and Gojek are the easiest way to call a car.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- UNESCO: Cultural Landscape of Bali Province, the Subak System (no. 1194)
