The pier at Menjangan Island.Credit: iStock
Now that Bali is on track to have its busiest tourism year on record might be a hard Bintang to swallow for anyone who appreciates the Island of the Gods for its pristine jungle, remote white sandy beaches and cultural heritage.
Those visitors, 7.75 million people, as of July 2024, clearly have their favourites with a mighty 70 per cent flocking to the southern hot spots of Canggu, Seminyak, Uluwatu and Nusa Dua, according to the country’s tourism board Wonderful Indonesia.
While the challenges of traffic, infrastructure and development on this slice of coastline continue, the good news is that the rest of the island is left for the rest of us. That is, the 30 per cent keen to surf a quiet wave, stay in a mountaintop yoga retreat, climb a remote volcano, or stroll along a beach at sunset, not another soul in sight.
Factoring in more travel time when you hit the ground puts Bali’s more unique destinations within reach. Being more adventurous with your travel plans helps too. Booking flights and accommodation in the more affordable lower and shoulder seasons, well, that’s just smart.
Credit: Traveller
In the three years I’ve been based in Bali, I’ve explored all corners of the island’s 5590 square kilometres and visited the highlights of its many regencies (administrative regions, smaller and more identifiable than the provinces), from the mountaintop cooler climes and climbs of Munduk and Bedugul in north Bali to the beachside bliss of Amed and Lovina on the north coast. Kintamani, home to the popular Mount Batur hike, and Sidemen, touted as an Ubud alternative, are on the tourist radar, but they’re still only blips.
Temple monastery near Lovina in North Bali.Credit: iStock
West Bali, on the other hand, with its sustainable and nature-based tourism focus, is still overlooked, underappreciated and keen for more visitors.
And if the more familiar waves at Batu Bolong Beach keep calling or the kecak fire dance at Uluwatu Temple remains on the bucket list, consider adding another week or two to your holiday.
Here’s our guide to experiencing Bali beyond the crowds.
Amed, Karangasem Regency
Rice terraces, Karangasem-Selat.Credit: iStock
Why here This string of fishing villages along the north-east coast near Amed Beach, holds a South-East Asia beachside vibe of yesteryear. The main road has cafes, warungs and dive shops hidden in the tropical greenery and affordable accommodation overlooking the black sandy beaches.
See + do Amed’s protected marine area has helped firm-up its reputation for excellent scuba diving, snorkelling and free-diving. The coastline’s sunken ships, including Japanese Wreck on the black-pebbled beach of Banyuning Bay, and The Liberty wreck at Tulamben, are easily spied with a snorkel and mask. Hire wooden catamaran reef boats to explore dive sites further offshore.
Aquamarine Beach Villas.
Don’t miss Break up the drive with lunch at beautiful Bali Asli, in Gelumpang village, 30 minutes from Amed. It’s an enchanting restaurant serving Indonesian cuisine in a pavilion with views over the rice fields to distant mountains.
Essentials Villa Adi, with rooms and family-sized pool villas, is just one offering of smaller guest accommodation close to main road shops and amenities. Head south along the coast for more resort-style options including Aquamarine Beach Villas which has its own beachfront and trattoria serving excellent Italian. Visit in the dry season (April and October) for calmer waters and clear visibility. Amed is a 98-kilometre, three-hour drive from Bali airport.
Sidemen, Karangasem Regency
Artisan shop Kolektif & Co, Sidemen, Bali.
Why here On Bali’s east coast, Sidemen is an inland village in the foothills of sacred Mount Agung, an active volcano and the island’s highest peak. It retains a traditional regional feel, with rice terraces, a market town centre and just enough accommodation and attractions for a slow-travel experience.
See + do Enjoy a cooking class at Green Kitchen, go white-water rafting along the Telaga Waja River or visit Gembleng Waterfall, where you can climb to a lookout. Sidemen Silver runs silversmithing classes and Pelangi Traditional Weaving boutique has a workshop where local artisans use wooden handlooms to weave traditional Balinese fabric. Pura Agung Besakih, the most spiritually significant site for Balinese Hindus, is nearby.
Mount Agung in the sunrise, Sidemen, Bali.Credit: Geio Tischler / Unsplash
Don’t miss For a small fee, take the blissful three-kilometre trek through terraced rice paddies, past working farmers and tethered cows. It pit-stops at a spectacular viewpoint over the green-tiered valley to Mount Agung. Entry is via the little bamboo hut at Pucak Luah Santi.
Essentials Adults-only Samanvaya resort in the main village has a contemporary restaurant and excellent spa open to day visitors. Just out of town, Subak Tabola Villa has a Balinese wellness focus and 14 hillside villas. Green Kitchen has affordable wooden bungalows. Sidemen is a 56-kilometre, two-hour drive from Bali airport.
Medewi, Jembrana Regency
Lost Lindenberg in Medewi on Bali’s far-west coast has eight luxury treehouse suites that are up to 12 metres high.Credit: Robert Rieger
Why here This beachside village in West Bali has the laid-back groove of a ’70s surf hangout with beach shacks, board rental, surf stays and grass-roofed guesthouses. It is home to wild windswept black beaches, a tropical hinterland that echoes with the call to prayer and the big hitter – Bali’s longest left-hand wave.
See + do Medewi’s left-hander is on a rocky point break with a challenging swim-through channel at low-tide. Lesser mortals can surf on a right-hand break south of the main break. Book a surf lesson, join a yoga class and take a road trip to waterfalls including Juwuk Manis with its twin five-metre drop and swimming hole. Nearby is Bunut Bolong, a sacred tree with a root system you can literally drive through.
Don’t miss Former professional surfer and Medewi local Pak Muklis Anwar owns Medewi Secret Surf Camp where you can get the low-down on lessons, tides and local breaks. His mum and aunties run Magic Hand Massage on the beach overlooking the Medewi break (to the right of the car park).
Essentials Bombora Medewi is a fun hotel with a swimming pool right on the beach. Resort accommodation includes family favourite Balinese-style Puri Dajuma and, for a splurge, Lost Lindenberg. Medewi is an 87-kilometre, three-hour drive from Bali airport, and a 61-kilometre, 90-minute drive from Gilimanuk ferry to Java.
Munduk, Buleleng Regency
Air Terjun Melanting Waterfall has almost 500 steps.Credit: Getty Images
Why here Munduk village is a highland destination in north Bali with milder temperatures, intense greenery and misty mountain views. With fewer crowds, and forested mountains it’s a go-to for serene getaways with nature as a focus.
See + do The waterfalls around Munduk are exceptional, their long-drops and infinity edges splashing into pretty swimming holes and idyllic tropical settings. Put Banyumala Twin Falls and Melanting Waterfall into a GPS for a self-drive tour. With a couple of days to spare, embark on the Munduk Waterfall Trek, starting close to the village at Munduk Falls and trekking to Labuhan Kebo, secluded Red Coral Waterfall and Golden Valley Waterfall.
Don’t miss Roadside Ulekan restaurant, part of Munduk Cabins, is styled like a Swiss alpine lodge with deck views to match. Dine on authentic Indonesian dishes such as pepes ikan (banana leaf wrapped barramundi) and bebek goreng (crispy duck with Balinese spices).
Essentials Desa Eko has rustic tents and a cosy studio with mountain views. Sanak Retreat Bali, in the Munduk Valley, has one and two-bedroom bungalows and three-bedroom villas. Munduk Cabins has luxe mountain cabins, a fire pit and an infinity hot tub with a view. Munduk is an 84-kilometre, 2.5-hour drive from Bali airport.
Lovina, Buleleng Regency
Let it flow … A thermal bath in natural hot-spring resort, Air Panas Banjar. Credit: Getty Images
Why here Lovina Beach, on the north coast, is a black sandy stretch of coastline between the Bedugul mountains and the Bali Sea. It is an easy-going destination favoured for beach walks, sunsets, gentle waveless swims and water-based activities. The main village of Kalibukbuk meets all your holiday needs, with bars, lounges, restaurants and supermarkets.
See + do Too many tour boats overcrowding the dolphin habitat means Lovina’s dolphin tourism is no longer sustainable. Instead, hire a jukung reef boat for snorkelling expeditions along the offshore reef and sunrise and sunset tours. Side-trip inland to picture-postcard waterfalls, including thunderous Gitgit, Aling-Aling and, a little further away, Singsing. Soak up the local atmosphere at Banjar Hot Springs which has three pools heated to 32-degrees before stopping by Brahmavihara-Arama, a meditative Balinese style Buddhist temple.
Don’t miss Aling-Aling Waterfall in the Samangan Valley is a magnet for thrill-seekers with five,10 and 15-metre cliff jumps and an epic natural waterfall slide.
Essentials Puri Bagus is a charming resort in the traditional Balinese style with beachfront bungalows, a spa and excellent local experiences. The Lovina Bali has a more contemporary touch with similar lux offerings. Visit between April and September for calmer waters and clear visibility. Lovina is a 94-kilometre, 3.5-hour drive from Bali airport
Menjangan, Buleleng and Jembrana regencies
A diving and snorkelling hotspot… Menjangan.Credit: Getty Images
Why here Menjangan region, in Bali’s wild far north-west corner, combines tropical coastline with an arid landscape and hotter, drier weather. It is home to West Bali National Park (Bali’s only national park, covering five per cent of the island) and a marine park that includes the coral reef playground around Menjangan Island. Eco-travel and nature-based activities are the highlight.
See + do The fishing village of Pemuteran, with its examples of Dutch colonial architecture, is the hub for booking diving and snorkelling tours around Menjangan Island and hiring kayaks and SUPs. Rangers at West Bali National Park host trekking, cycling and horse-riding tours, and eco-experiences including tree-planting mangrove tours. Spot the endangered Bali starling at the park’s bird sanctuary.
Finger corals and blue-green Chromis, Menjangan Island.Credit: iStock
Don’t miss Hire a kayak and take the one-hour paddle to Gili Putih Sumberikama, a tiny deserted sand island (apart from a small hut and a wooden sign post) off the coast of Pemuteran with incredible views of Java’s distant volcanoes.
Essentials Plataran Menjangan resort is in the national park and has excellent villas. Mimpi Menjangan Resort has Balinese-style rooms and villas and hot-spring pools. Mangroove Bay Boutique hostel gets a tick for budget accommodation. Pemuteran is a 137-kilometre, 4.5-hour drive from the airport, and a 32-kilometre, 45-minute drive from the Gilimanuk ferry to Java.
Kintamani, Bangli Regency
Lake Batur, with views of Mount Batur, Kintamani.Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Why here Kintamani is slowly gaining a name for itself as an alternative tourist destination offering a cooler climate, mountain air and volcanic scenery. It is perched on the western edge of the enormous Mount Batur caldera, an active volcano in a landscape declared a UNESCO Global Geopark.
See + do A sunrise trek up Mount Batur is Bali’s most popular hiking activity. Guided tours begin at 4am for a sun-up arrival with stunning views of Lombok island’s Mount Rinjani peeking above the clouds. Scenic Lake Batur is a crater lake on the edge of the village. Kayak around it, view it from the infinity pool at Toya Devasya local hot springs or pop by the floating Pura Segara temple. Cafes, restaurants and warungs on Kintamani’s ridge-edge main street have dreamy views of Mount Batur.
Don’t miss For a Batur experience without the crowds, Bali Sunrise Trekking and Tours runs overnight camping trips departing in the afternoon in time for sunset at the top. Tents, bedding and equipment supplied.
Essentials Tira Vilagna is an exquisite boutique resort sitting on the edge of a beautiful alpine forest. For a glamping experience Black Lava Camp does an amazing breakfast in the lava fields. Kintamani village is a 76-kilometre, 2.5-hour drive from the airport.
Candidasa, Karangasem Regency
Water Palace of Tirta Gangga in East Bali.Credit: Getty Images
Why here This laid-back seafront village is wedged between the Mount Agung hinterland and the Lombok Strait on Bali’s under-subscribed east coast. It combines affordable bungalows and villas, cheerful warungs and cheap massage shops with side-trip proximity to some of Bali’s best beaches, dive spots and historic temples.
See + do Clap eyes on the island’s most enigmatic historical architecture, including Tirta Gangga Water Palace, Taman Ujung Water Palace, cliffside Goa Lawah temple and Kerta Gosa Pavilion. Blue Lagoon, in Padangbai is one of Bali’s best dive sites known for clear water and opportunities to plant coral. Hiking tours up sacred Mount Agung, Bali’s highest mountain, are popular too (although the mountain is currently closed for ceremonies).
Don’t miss Virgin Beach, or Pantai Pasir Putih (white sand beach), is an unpretentious sandy paradise with wooden fishing boats landed on the sand, and a string of warung shacks serving nasi goreng and grilled fish.
Essentials Puri Bagus Candidasa is an all-villa Balinese resort on the waterfront in the village. Just up the coast, luxury Alila Manggis has beautiful rooms and suites in thatched Balinese pavilions. Candidasa is a 65-kilometre, two-hour drive from Bali airport.
Jatiluwih and Batukaru, Tabanan Regency
Jatiluwih’s ancient terraced topography is thought to date from the 11th century.Credit: Getty Images
Why here In Bali’s central hills, north-west of Ubud, Jatiluwih rice fields and subak irrigation system are UNESCO-recognised Cultural Heritage. The ancient terraced topography is thought to date from the 11th century. The agricultural land, including red rice, coffee and cassava plantations extends across broad stretches of sloping terrain on the lower mountain reaches of Mount Batukaru, Bali’s second-highest mountain.
See + do Pitstop at Batu Karu Kopi and Karusotju distillery when touring around the incredible scenery (either self-drive or with a driver) or access pathways around the rice fields from Jatiluwih village (for a small fee). You’ll see storyboards with maps detailing relaxed short (30 minutes) and long (four-hour) walks or rent an electric bike from Giri E-bike Tours. Side-trip to the enchanting Yeh Hoo Waterfall and, further afield, well-loved 11th-century Pura Luhur Batukaru Hindu temple.
Don’t miss Mount Batukaru, covered in wetlands and rainforest, is a relatively unsung attraction. Bali Jungle Trekking runs challenging hikes to the summit or take shorter tours from Karusotju distillery.
Essentials Batukaru Coffee Estate and Retreat has rustic rooms, villas, glamping sites and yoga. Sarinbuana Eco Lodge has wonderful wooden bungalows with garden and rainforest views. Visit from February to April when the rice is growing and the terraces are at their peak of loveliness. Jatiluwih is a 58-kilometre, 2.5-hour drive from Bali airport.
Bedugul, Tabanan Regency
The Floating Temple… Ulun Danu Temple sits on the edge of Lake Beratan.Credit: iStock
Why here Bedugul, in north Bali, refers to a region with a quiet little cluster of highland towns nestled in a serene valley between Lake Beratan and Lake Buyan, two crater lakes. It has its own regional charm with cool-climate agriculture – including strawberry and mango plantations, farm houses and idyllic waterside scenery.
See + do Ulun Danu Temple, known as the Floating Temple, sits on the edge of Lake Beratan. Its five temples and central Buddhist stupa, known as Pura Puncak Magu, appear to float on the lake, with distant misty mountains helping to conjure magical reflections. Another photo-worthy sight is Handara Gate, an example of traditional Balinese candi bentar architecture. Bedugul’s Mount Tapak has one of the island’s most accessible climbs or chill at Bali Botanic Gardens, the biggest in Indonesia.
Don’t miss Bali Canyoning Adventure’s canyoning expeditions, near Gitgit waterfalls on the Yeh Lampah River, are an adventurous way to get into nature.
Essentials Village above the Clouds has villas and a cafe overlooking superb rice paddy scenery. Nadi Nature Retreat is an eco-resort with lux tents perched among the rice paddy terraces. Bedugul is a 63-kilometre, 2.5-hour drive from Bali airport.
Bali’s big-hitters: How to avoid crowds
Canggu
Choose accommodation as close to the beachfront as possible so you can navigate your way around the busy shopping and eating strips via the beach, rather than the bitumen.
Uluwatu
Opt for experiences and accommodation at Uluwatu’s more inaccessible beaches. Bingin Beach is a good example. Access is via a long steep path down a cliff face (getting back is even harder).
Sanur
Sanur’s best feature is its waterfront promenade navigable on-foot and by bicycle. Stick to accommodation, bars and restaurants along the path so to avoid going anywhere in a car.
Ubud
This is Bali’s spiritual home – join a meditation, yoga, cooking or writing retreat for a week or longer to find your inner (crowd-free) peace.
Seminyak
Buzzy Seminyak is all about the people, the music, the shopping, the revelry. Accept this, enjoy, then recuperate elsewhere.