Bali 3-Day Itinerary: Ubud Temples, Terraces and Uluwatu

What is the best 3-day itinerary for Bali?

Spend two nights in Ubud and one near the airport. Day 1: the art market, the Monkey Forest and an evening dance at Ubud Palace. Day 2: Tegallalang’s rice terraces, the Tirta Empul water temple and Goa Gajah. Day 3: drive south for Uluwatu Temple and the Kecak dance at sunset, then sleep in Jimbaran.

Three days is enough for one clear slice of Bali: the temples, dance and rice terraces around Ubud, plus one sunset on the southern cliffs. It is not enough for Nusa Penida, a Batur sunrise and the east coast as well; those belong in the Bali 7-day itinerary, which uses two different bases and longer day trips.

The plan assumes a central Ubud base for nights 1 and 2 (see where to stay in Bali) and a final night in Jimbaran, which the tourism ministry puts 15 minutes from the airport. A car and driver for Days 2 and 3 saves time; Ubud’s centre works on foot.

Opening hours come from official pages where they exist. Many temples publish no hours or prices online, so we say so rather than guess. Check the season first with the best time to visit Bali: the island shuts completely for Nyepi on 8 March 2027.

What does the 3-day plan look like at a glance?

Each day has one anchor and a fixed evening. Day 1 stays on foot in Ubud, Day 2 uses a driver for the terraces and temples north and east of town, and Day 3 is a transfer day ending with sunset at Uluwatu. Book only the driver ahead; buy everything else on the day.

The table is the short version. Times assume a dry-season day; in the rainy season, which the FCDO puts at October to March, keep the afternoons flexible and use the swaps further down.

Nothing on Day 1 needs advance booking. The Monkey Forest has an online booking link on its official site, and the Ubud Palace dance costs about Rp100,000, according to the tourism ministry.

How should you spend Day 1 in Ubud?

Keep it on foot. Browse the Ubud Art Market, visit the Monkey Forest after lunch, which is open from 09:00 to 18:00 with last entry at 17:00, then see a traditional dance at Ubud Palace in the evening. It is an easy day that leaves room for a delayed flight.

The Monkey Forest charges IDR 130,000 for adults and IDR 100,000 for children. Its guidelines ban food and drink inside, ask you not to bring plastic (lockers are in the lobby) and tell visitors not to touch, feed or stare at the monkeys, and there is a first-aid clinic on site. The tourism ministry says the forest also holds Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, a temple to Shiva.

Rabies is present in Bali, and the FCDO says to seek medical help immediately after any bite or scratch. The forest sells an IDR 50,000 monkey-selfie voucher; we would skip it. WARN’s guide to ethical wildlife tourism in Indonesia explains why close contact with wild animals causes problems (WARN is the not-for-profit our founder set up; we give it 10% of our profits).

The Ubud Art Market sells souvenirs, handicrafts, jewellery and clothing, and prices are often negotiable. In the evening, Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung), now a museum and a hub for Balinese arts, stages traditional performances for about Rp100,000, the ministry says. For more ideas nearby, see things to do in Bali.

Which temples and terraces fit Day 2?

Start early at the Tegallalang rice terraces, a 20-minute drive north of Ubud, then bathe or watch at the Tirta Empul spring temple and finish at Goa Gajah, the Elephant Cave. Goa Gajah requires a sarong and sash, which can be rented, and bathers at Tirta Empul wear traditional dress or a yellow sash.

The tourism ministry’s Tegallalang page says the terraces follow Bali’s traditional subak irrigation, that a visit takes 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, and that you should bring water, sunscreen and cash for photo spots such as the LOVE BALI swing. Go early, before the heat builds.

At Tirta Empul, on Jalan Tampaksiring in Manukaya, Balinese believe the sacred spring water heals and cleanses. The ministry says bathers should avoid soap or shampoo and that visitors who do not bathe can walk the gardens. Goa Gajah has archaeological carvings, a bathing pool with fountain statues and a valley section, and a sarong and sash are compulsory there.

The governor’s Circular Letter 7 of 2025 bars visitors from the inner and middle courtyards of temples unless they are worshipping in Balinese dress, bans climbing sacred trees or structures and says menstruating women may not enter sacred areas. Return to Ubud for a late lunch and a rest, then walk the Campuhan Ridge: 2 km, 15–20 minutes to the top, with no food stalls on the way, so carry water.

How do you spend Day 3 on the south coast?

Check out of Ubud after breakfast, drive south and check in at Jimbaran, then reach Uluwatu Temple in the late afternoon for the clifftop views and the Kecak dance, which starts around sunset. Eat grilled seafood on Jimbaran’s beach afterwards and keep your flight for the next morning.

Uluwatu Temple stands on a cliff on Bali’s south-west coast; the tourism ministry calls it the island’s second most important temple and a state temple for the sea spirits, built largely of coral blocks. The Kecak dance, performed by a circle of chanting men telling the Ramayana story, takes place in the evening in front of the temple entrance, timed with sunset. The ministry gives no fixed time, so ask your driver to confirm on the day.

Guard your belongings. The ministry warns that Uluwatu’s monkeys take glasses, cameras and hair clips, so pack them away before you walk the cliff path. The same temple dress rules apply as on Day 2, so bring your sarong and sash.

Jimbaran is a 4 km bay protected by an unbroken coral reef, with beachfront restaurants grilling the morning’s catch at sunset, according to the ministry. If you would rather see Tanah Lot, swap the evening: Bali’s provincial site says you can walk out to the sea temple at low tide, and the ministry puts it about 25 minutes from Canggu.

What should you book or sort out before the trip?

Pay the Rp150,000 Bali tourist levy online, arrange a car and driver for Days 2 and 3, and pack a sarong and sash for temples. Nothing else needs advance tickets, but check the visa rules for your nationality: the FCDO says British visitors can buy a 30-day visa on arrival for Rp500,000.

The Love Bali FAQ sets the levy at Rp150,000 per person, paid once per trip and cashless, through the official system before arrival or at counters on arrival. The FCDO says the visa on arrival costs Rp500,000, payable by cash or card, and needs proof of onward travel and a passport valid for six months, and that the free All Indonesia arrival card must be completed within 72 hours of arrival.

For the driver, give the full route in advance and ask what the day rate includes: hours, fuel, parking and any entry fees. Bali’s governor asks visitors to use licensed transport and licensed guides; a driver who transports you is not necessarily a licensed guide. Our guide to hiring a private tour guide in Indonesia explains the licences.

Tours are the alternative if you would rather not plan the driving. The listings below are searches, not operators we have tested: check the named operator, pickup area, which admissions are included and the cancellation terms. Our GetYourGuide vs Viator vs Klook comparison explains the platforms.

What should you swap if it rains or a ceremony closes a site?

Swap outdoor stops for covered ones and keep the order flexible. If rain sets in, move the Campuhan Ridge walk and Tegallalang to the next dry morning and spend the afternoon at a museum, spa or cooking class. Ask your driver about ceremonies the evening before, and avoid Nyepi entirely.

The FCDO says Bali’s rainy season usually runs from October to March and can bring severe localised flooding, traffic congestion and power outages. The Denpasar averages show January as the wettest month, with 345 mm over 27 rain days, so in the wet season plan one outdoor stop per morning and keep afternoons indoors. Our Bali in the rain guide has indoor ideas.

Temples are places of worship first. The governor’s circular asks visitors to respect sacred sites, especially during ceremonies, so access may be limited at short notice. On Nyepi, Monday 8 March 2027 in Indonesia’s holiday decree, nobody may go out, so do not schedule any day of this plan for it.

Heat is the other swap trigger. April has the highest average daytime maximum in Denpasar, 34.4°C in the WMO data, so in hot months start at 08:00, rest at midday and save the Campuhan walk for the hour before sunset, which the ministry recommends for its sky colours.

How do you get around on this 3-day plan?

Walk in Ubud on Day 1, hire a car and driver for Days 2 and 3, and use an app ride or registered taxi for short hops. Trans Metro Dewata’s Corridor 4 bus runs between Denpasar’s Ubung terminal and Ubud’s Monkey Forest car park for Rp4,400, but no corridor serves the Day 2 temples or Uluwatu.

ANTARA lists six Trans Metro Dewata corridors (August 2026), and IDN Times reported Corridor 4 running from about 05:00 to 18:20 (April 2026). It is a cheap way to reach Ubud by day, but not for this plan’s temple day or the evening at Uluwatu.

The FCDO recommends registered taxi firms such as Bluebird, Silverbird and Express, reports a large increase in moped accidents in Bali and says a UK licence alone is not valid for driving there. Unless you are an experienced rider with the right licence and insurance, a driver is the safer choice. Our getting around Bali guide compares the options.

Allow generous time for the Day 3 drive south. The tourism ministry puts Uluwatu about an hour from the airport and warns that traffic in the south can get very congested, so leave Ubud by early afternoon at the latest.

Can you change the plan for a Batur sunrise or a beach day?

Yes. Swap Day 2 for a Mount Batur sunrise trek if you are fit and the alert level is normal, or swap Day 3 for a beach day in Sanur or Nusa Dua if you are travelling with young children. Keep Nusa Penida for a longer trip: it needs a full day and a calm sea.

The Mount Batur sunrise trek climbs a 1,717-metre volcano, starting around 04:00 with a normal ascent of one to two hours, according to detikBali. Check the alert level on MAGMA Indonesia the day before. It replaces Day 2, not Day 1, because you need a full night’s sleep before an early-hours pickup.

Families may prefer a beach to the Uluwatu cliffs. The tourism ministry says Sanur’s lagoons are protected by offshore reefs and Nusa Dua’s water is clear and shallow; see Bali with kids for pacing.

Nusa Penida is a 30 to 45-minute fast boat from Sanur, per the tourism ministry, but the island needs a whole day of its own plus a buffer for rough seas, so it is built into the 7-day itinerary instead.

Is three days enough for Bali?

Three days is enough for a satisfying first taste centred on Ubud, with one sunset on the southern cliffs, but not for the whole island. If you can add days, add them in this order: a Batur sunrise, a Nusa Penida day from Sanur, then the west and east coast temple drives.

The plan works because it uses one base for two nights, keeps each day to a single area and books almost nothing in advance. What it leaves out, deliberately, is anything that needs a pre-dawn start, a boat or a two-hour drive each way, such as Besakih, which the ministry puts about two hours from Ubud.

If you are deciding between three days and a week, read the 7-day itinerary, which repeats none of this plan’s Day 2 or Day 3 stops and spends the extra time on Batur, Jatiluwih, Besakih and Nusa Penida. Both start from Ubud.