Bali 2-Week Trip 2026: Essential Tips for an Unforgettable Island Adventure

From March 5th to March 21st,

I went on an incredible 15-night, 16-day independent trip to Bali.

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Starting in Ubud, then heading to Gili and Sanur,

doing a Nusa Penida island tour, visiting Nusa Dua,

and exploring Canggu, Kuta, and Seminyak—I managed to visit

almost everywhere on my bucket list.

And yet, I still feel like I barely scratched the surface...

I guess because Bali is actually quite massive—

about three times the size of Jeju Island (South Korea's famous holiday island)—

even a two-week itinerary felt a bit too short.

That's probably why I left wanting more.

In this post, I’ve put together my firsthand experience

including recommended travel itineraries,

budget-friendly stays, and must-visit food spots

all in one easy-to-read guide!

Follow this itinerary, and you’re guaranteed

the perfect, fail-proof Bali getaway!

Incheon to Bali Denpasar - Garuda Indonesia GA871

When planning my Bali trip,

the most important thing was definitely the flights.

I chose a direct flight with Garuda Indonesia this time.

Since the price was around ~$371, I booked it

instead of a layover flight with Singapore Airlines.

It was my first time flying Garuda Indonesia,

and flying a national carrier is definitely worth it!

The legroom was spacious, the meals were great,

and they even served iced Americanos!

Woohoo!

For entry requirements,

I filled out the electronic customs declaration and health pass in advance.

When deciding between an e-Visa and Visa on Arrival (VOA),

we decided to go with the Visa on Arrival (VOA).

Applying for the e-VOA online

often runs into system errors and requires uploading passport photos,

which seemed like an unnecessary hassle. Since it was low season,

we figured we'd just buy it at the airport.

There was absolutely no line!

We paid 500,000 IDR per person and walked right through.

They accept cards, so I paid using the IDR

I had pre-exchanged on my multi-currency travel card.

The reason I'm glad we did it this way

is that the baggage took absolutely forever to come out anyway 😅

They even changed the baggage carousel midway!

To get to our first stop,

Ubud, we booked an airport transfer

in advance.

> Book Your Bali Airport Pickup Service Here <

I paid just a few dollars more for a larger vehicle.

If you're traveling with a 28-inch suitcase and a 24-inch suitcase,

I highly recommend upgrading to a larger car for a comfortable ride!

Ubud Accommodation: Ubud Lila Concept

Our first stay was at a brand-new spot called Ubud Lila Concept.

Since there weren't many reviews online yet,

we checked in with a mix of excitement and doubt.

This trip was actually for our anniversary and birthday celebration.

When I let the hotel know in advance,

they surprised us with free breakfast and beautifully decorated our room!

It's a fantastic budget-friendly hotel in the low ~$64 range,

featuring a lovely pool shared among only four guest rooms—

perfect for a relaxing swim!

> Book Ubud Lila Concept Here <

Mount Batur Sunrise Jeep Tour

I spent so much time debating whether to do the sunrise tour.

To be honest, I was more curious about the sunset tour,

but everyone said stargazing before dawn has a magical vibe,

so we went with the sunrise option!

But then, it poured rain, thundered, and lightened like crazy...

LOL 😂

So we didn't catch the perfect sunrise, but

the atmosphere of the jeep tour was absolutely unreal!

I immediately understood why this is considered one of Bali's absolute must-do tours.

It might have been even more beautiful if the weather had been completely clear,

but this moody atmosphere wasn't bad at all.

Ah, but not being able to see the stars was a tiny bit disappointing.

The sunrise itself is gorgeous, but they say watching the endless line of jeep tour cars

is a whole other level of fun,

and I totally got what they meant.

I booked a tour package that included a Korean-speaking guide,

the Mount Batur sunrise jeep tour, Black Lava,

and a visit to a Kintamani cafe.

> Book Mount Batur Sunrise Jeep Tour + Korean Guide Here <

I grabbed a bite at a great local spot near my accommodation,

and the owner actually offered me some kimchi!

Hahaha

A Korean eating kimchi made by an Indonesian—

yep, that’s me.

Since it wasn't far from my accommodation to downtown Ubud,

I walked over to explore,

but the heat got to me, so I stopped for a refreshing smoothie bowl.

I browsed the Ubud Art Market

and bought some Ellips hair vitamins.

This place has the absolute lowest prices..!

I compared prices across all the local supermarkets and markets,

and this spot was definitely the cheapest.

And of course, you can't visit downtown Ubud

without dropping by this place, haha.

I did a quick visit to Ubud Palace,

Then I took a wrong turn on the way to the Monkey Forest

and ended up walking for hours...

In the end, those cheeky monkeys snatched our Luwak coffee,

so we only made it to the entrance before heading back home.

"Are you Korean?"

It felt like literally every Korean tourist gathered here...

Yes, this is the famous Ubud pork ribs hot spot.

Bali Ubud Alas Harum + Super Extreme Swing & Cretya

The main goal of my Ubud trip:

Cretya, of course! Haha.

I arrived right when it opened,

and I had booked my tickets online in advance.

That way, it's a bit cheaper ^_^

Going right at opening time meant no crowds, which was a huge plus,

but there was a catch...

I'll share more details on that later.

I couldn't miss out on the Bali Swing either.

I also booked this online beforehand

to snag a discount.

Just a quick tip for you guys:

You need to purchase the Alas Harum admission ticket and the Bali Swing ticket separately.

They must be booked individually!

The swing ticket does not include general admission!

> Book Bali Alas Harum Here <

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Since we did an early morning open run at Cretya Ubud,

we had so much free time! We headed back to our resort for breakfast,

then went back out to downtown Ubud to shop for some handmade jam,

and grabbed a delicious lunch at 'This is Bali'.

And of course, we had to get some Tukies Coconut Ice Cream!

Then we had dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Tegalalang rice terraces,

but...

I mean, talk about a plot twist! 😂

😭😂😂

We went to a spot with a beautiful sunset view,

but throughout our entire trip to Bali,

I don't think we got to see a proper sunset even once.

So disappointing!

Padangbai - Gili Trawangan w. Wahana Boat

We checked out early in the morning

and made our way from Padangbai to Gili Trawangan.

I ended up booking with Wahana Boat.

I booked directly with a Wahana staff member via WhatsApp,

which included private hotel pick-up and drop-off service

for two people.

Ubud - Padangbai / Padangbai - Sanur

The seats felt exactly like those spacious premium express buses.

After about an hour, we finally arrived at Gili!

Our First Stay in Gili: Kuno Villas

Our first resort in Gili was Kuno Villas.

The best part is they offer

free bicycle rentals!

You can use the shared communal pool,

but we chose a private villa

so we could have our very own private pool.

Even though it's a completely private pool villa,

it was only around ~$128 per night,

making it an incredible value!

If you request it in advance,

you can even enjoy a complimentary floating breakfast!

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> Book Kuno Villas Here <

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Gili is quite small, so riding around the whole island

is incredibly easy.

Having a bike is perfect for exploring all the little alleys :)

Rented a bike to ride around and even grabbed some gelato

We also had a meal at a famous Gili satay spot.

The satay was absolutely delicious!

Just a 3-minute walk from Kuno Villas,

you're right at the beach.

Since you can even go snorkeling with sea turtles there,

on our first day, we just plonked down by the shore

and watched the sunset.

The next morning, the weather was quite gloomy,

so we had no choice but to head out a bit late.

It rained a lot T_T

Still, when it stopped for a bit, we went to a great local restaurant for food

and grabbed some coffee.

I thought *this* was the famous carrot cake spot,

but it wasn't lol.

On our way to go sunset hunting on our bikes,

we ran into a herd of cows and snapped some photos,

and devoured a mushroom pizza haha.

Gili Sea Turtle Snorkeling Private Tour

We booked our turtle snorkeling tour in advance from back home.

Since it kept raining and the weather was awful the day before,

I was pretty anxious, but the weather turned out absolutely gorgeous...

So gorgeous that I ended up with a sunburn on my back

hahahaha.

Since I'm not a strong swimmer, I was worried

that none of the videos would turn out well,

but they actually came out pretty great, right? Haha.

We also saw baby sea turtles on Gili Meno!

They were literally smaller than a fist,

but they already had quite the attitude—squabbling over fish,

fighting like crazy

lol.

Our Second Gili Stay: Kubuwatu Boutique

Our second accommodation on Gili island!

This is an incredibly budget-friendly place.

You can stay here for around ~$64 per night, breakfast included!

The pool was deep and clean,

and the room was so neat and tidy

that we stayed here with absolutely zero discomfort.

Plus, breakfast is included! :)

There's a famous restaurant called Jali Kitchen right next door,

so we went straight there after checking in.

I really wanted to try the butter chicken, but it was sold out, so I couldn't T_T

We rented bikes, grabbed some coffee and cake,

and spent a lot of time cat-watching haha.

While Bali has lots of dogs,

Gili is absolutely full of cats.

Then we went sunset hunting again,

and failed once more... haha.

Since it was our very last day on the Gili Islands,

we headed straight to Turtle Point the moment we woke up.

Sipping on refreshing watermelon juice, swimming, and just chilling...

Grabbing a quick cup of coffee,

and heading back to our resort to swim and play some more.

Then, we went to this incredible pizza spot.

Seriously, this was the pizza of my life.

Everything was so amazingly delicious that

my travel buddy even left their very first Google review ever!

Haha, talk about a major endorsement.

She insisted that everyone in the world needs to know about this place...

And finally, we were blessed with the most perfect sunset...!

Sanur Stay: Kelaya Guesthouse

Next, we moved from Gili Trawangan to Padangbai, and then on to Sanur.

We used Wahana Gili Trans again to get back to mainland Bali!

Our Sanur accommodation, booked for around ~$32 a night!

We went with a super budget-friendly option.

Since it's a brand-new property built in 2024, it was incredibly clean,

and there was a shared pool and kitchen on the first floor

that we could use freely and comfortably.

> Book Sanur Budget-Friendly Accommodation <

With Icon Bali located right near our Sanur guesthouse,

we headed over to grab a bite to eat—

Then we came back home, relaxed for a bit,

and ordered some pork belly through Grab...

But it was totally flavorless. Major fail... 🥲

Nusa Penida One-Day Tour

The main reason we booked this budget-friendly spot in Sanur!

Was none other than the Nusa Penida One-Day Tour.

I chose a guided package that included

snorkeling at Manta Point, Crystal Bay, and Gamat Bay,

along with a tour of West Nusa Penida.

Lunch was also included in the tour,

and turns out, Indonesian food totally suits my palate...

After lunch, we went on an Instagram hotspot tour

with our guide.

Here is a quick pro-tip:

You can absolutely bring a change of clothes.

They have changing rooms and restrooms available everywhere,

and they even provide towels.

I only brought a cover-up because I was worried they wouldn't have facilities, which was a bit of a bummer.

I'll share the rest of the tips later,

but oh, the guide we had was so amazing

that we actually requested the same guide

for our Southern Uluwatu tour on our very last day!

If anyone is curious about the details, just leave a comment

and I'll let you know...!

> Book Nusa Penida One-Day Tour <

After the tour, we asked our Korean-speaking guide

to drop us off at a restaurant we had scouted beforehand lol.

Sadly, the sunset was a no-show again today...

The next morning, I had to visit a pharmacy early

so I went to Icon Bali, and

they were singing the national anthem like this.

I thought they were singing it live,

but they weren't lolllll.

No wonder the staff member looked so startled

when I asked them for directions.. haha.

Nusa Dua Accommodation: Conrad Bali

Since this was a birthday trip with my travel buddy,

we moved to a luxury resort just in time for the big day!

None other than Conrad Bali!

As soon as we arrived, we grabbed lunch

at their Japanese restaurant.

We were upgraded to a pool view room!

Since we mentioned the birthday and special anniversary in advance,

they prepared welcome fruits and a lovely cake for us.

We had an amazing time splashing around in the pool.

Rocking a classy brown swimsuit

that perfectly matched the vibe of Conrad Bali.

This is actually my second favorite swimsuit

out of all the ones I brought to Bali lol.

In the evening, we enjoyed dinner at the restaurant

while watching a traditional Kecak dance.

For breakfast, you can go with the buffet style,

but you can also order specific dishes from the menu.

You can literally eat until you burst! ^^!

The sunrise view from the private beach

is absolutely breathtaking.

A true sunrise hotspot...

Conrad Bali didn't have many Korean guests,

which made this Nusa Dua stay feel even more exotic and like an authentic getaway.

I’m so glad we chose this place!

> Book Conrad Bali Here <

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Just a 3-minute walk from Conrad Bali,

we tried two absolutely delicious local restaurants.

It's hard to choose a winner because

both were incredibly tasty..!

For my travel buddy's birthday,

I pre-booked a table at a Bali cave restaurant.

It was pricey, but totally worth every penny!

Checking out the La Brisa Sunday Market,

grabbing some Gaya Gelato,

and finally checking into Potato Head!

Seminyak Stay: Potato Head

Since I mentioned it was an anniversary and birthday trip,

they surprised us with two cakes!

Haha! 😄

While the Potato Head Beach Club was incredible,

their breakfast was also next-level. Available from 7 AM to 11 AM,

you can take your time and order as much as you want

from the menu—it was absolutely amazing.

I booked the Potato Head Hotel specifically to catch the legendary sunset,

but look at the weather, lol. 😅

Still, we got to enjoy the daybed with no minimum spend,

and the food, drinks, and vibes were so good

that it completely made up for it.

> Book Potato Head Hotel Here <

We stopped by Warung Nia, a super popular spot among Korean travelers,

grabbed some coffee, and did some window shopping

around Seminyak Square and Seminyak Village.

Canggu Stay: Airbnb

Then, we headed to the Airbnb I was looking forward to the most!

Doesn't it scream pure Bali vibes?

It's a loft-style duplex,

and a completely private pool villa!!!

If I remember correctly, it was around ~$160 a night.

We told them they didn't have to do any special decorations, but... 🥹

Haha, so thoughtful!

We made sure to get plenty of swim time in,

and it was just as magical at night...

We went to watch the sunset near Kuta,

and the atmosphere here was pure romance...

Woke up early the next morning for a morning dip,

and then headed out for brunch!

It's a famous brunch spot in Canggu,

and it was absolutely packed with expats and tourists.

Then we headed back home for a quick swim,

and then grabbed some Bakso! Let's go!

And of course, more coffee!

haha

Since our time in Bali was running out,

we were on a mission to explore as much as possible.

We even made it all the way to Tanah Lot for the sunset.

It poured all night long and kept raining cats and dogs into the morning...

But as soon as it finally let up, we headed out for brunch!

This place is a huge hotspot for expats and tourists alike,

but I had no idea the portions would be this massive.

I wish they had stopped us when we ordered three dishes...

Seminyak Accommodation: Uma Karan

Our final stay was at Uma Karan, located in Seminyak.

I actually booked this place specifically for this gorgeous pool,

but it rained so hard that we couldn't swim at all.

Honestly, I felt so gloomy that day... -_-

The next day was our last, and we had booked a South Uluwatu tour.

I kept whining that we wouldn't be able to do anything if it kept raining like this,

classic dramatic me haha.

As if it read my mind, the next morning was absolutely beautiful and clear!

Of course, it started raining again in the evening,

but who cares by then, right? haha

We got up, immediately hit a nearby brunch spot, and devoured our food.

Checking out of Uma Karan.

I'm still so sad we never got to use that pool.

At around ~$32 a night, it's an incredibly budget-friendly spot,

which is why a lot of travelers use it for a half-day stay before their flights.

> Book Uma Karan Here <

Bali Private Taxi Tour

On our final day, we booked a private taxi tour

and requested the same Korean-speaking guide

who had accompanied us on our Nusa Penida day trip.

It was so nice to see him again!

We stopped by a vintage shop I was curious about,

and then headed to Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park!

While I was taking pictures, this gentleman from India

suddenly walked right into the frame and posed, so I just snapped a photo of him ^^

Do you like how it turned out?

We also caught one of the cultural performances scheduled on the hour.

Then we headed over to Single Fin for some food.

After visiting Suluban Beach and Padang Padang Beach,

we debated whether or not to visit Uluwatu Temple...

but decided instead to go to a secret sunset spot

that I had found beforehand—totally free of other Korean tourists—

to catch our final Bali sunset before getting a massage.

Even our guide, who has been doing this for 10 years,

said it was his first time visiting

and asked me how on earth I found it haha.

While we were there,

we saw plenty of Western tourists,

but absolutely not a single other Korean!

> Book Your Bali Private Taxi Tour Here <

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And that wraps up our incredible, action-packed,

yet seemingly fleeting 15-night, 16-day Bali itinerary.

I’ll be adding links here as I write up detailed reviews for each spot,

so I’d better get typing quickly! 😉

For anyone currently planning their own Bali adventure,

I really hope this guide helps you map out the perfect trip!

If you have any questions about my

2-week Bali itinerary,

feel free to leave a comment below! I’ll do my absolute best to share my tips and answer your questions.

Happy travels, and see you in the next post! ✨