If you’re looking for an easy place to take a holiday in Indonesia, Bali is always a good idea. This is something that I always tell friends of mine who ask my recommendations for where to go in Indonesia. Especially when they want a destination that is convenient to travel to (there are plenty of beautiful places in Indonesia, but unfortunately a lot of them require a lot of time and effort to reach and explore).

The above sentence is valid for me too. Bali is one of those places that I visit every year. I like it, because there’s always something new to discover. I am going to start a series of articles about itinerary inspirations in Bali.

Today I want to share several day trip itineraries ideas for exploring the North East of Bali. Don’t get me wrong South of Bali is amazing and full of things to do, but other areas of Bali also offer plenty of potential too. Here are a few of my favorite itineraries.

Option 1: Culture and Sightseeing

Pura Lempuyang, Charlie Chocolate Factory and Tirta Gangga
Optional: Taman Ujung (if time permits)

Lempuyang Temple (Pura Lempuyang) is one of the most picturesque temples in Bali. Visiting Lempuyang temple can involve a short visit to the base of the temple or a medium/ long trek to the top of the temple, which needs minimum an hour to 4 hours.

I’ve never been to the top of the temple, but I did do the medium trek. It was fun and something different. The base of Lempuyang Temple is undoubtedly the most beautiful part of the temple, but the view from halfway up was also splendid. You’ll meet a lot people who are praying/worshiping on your trek up the temple.

Charlie’s Chocolate Factory is like an adult playground. The area is fun to explore. I actually met Charlie on my third visit to the place and he was a nice guy. Some of the highlights include the giant swing, exploring the quirky buildings, meeting Agus the goose, drinking a warm hot chocolate and swimming by the beach.

Tirta Gangga is my favourite water palace in Bali. The ambience is very peaceful. You can walk on stepping-stones over a pond full of koi fish. There is a nice restaurant with a view overlooking the palace where you can have a meal. Plus there are the pools where you an swim, so remember to bring your swimming stuff.

Option 2: Snorkeling/Diving day

Amed, Tulamben
Optional: Padang Bai area (if time permits)

Amed is a traditional fishing village. As it takes a while to drive to from the South, the area is very peaceful. There are plenty of things that you can do in Amed. The highlight of Amed is the diving, which I’ll get to in a bit. You can also walk along the black sandy beach and explore the fishing village.

Just off the coast of Amed you’ll find plenty of coral reefs, Japanese shipwrecks, and some interesting underwater installment you can explore. All of this makes the area a great region for diving, snorkeling and free diving (there are places that cater to all three options).

My favourite dive site in Bali is the wreck dive in Tulamben. It is a very popular dive site (it feels strange how there are so many divers exploring the USS Liberty wreck). The wreck is just 10 meters from the beach.

When you go diving expect to see plenty of schools of fish, the giant barracuda and if you dive more than 25 meters beautiful nudibranch. Some people say you can meet quite a few of hammerhead sharks if you dive really early in the morning.

Option 3: Nature and Waterfalls

Banyumala waterfall and Buyan and Tamblingan Lake

Have you ever been to a waterfall in Bali? If you haven’t, I would recommend visiting Banyumala twin waterfalls in Buleleng. The waterfall is a short walk from the parking lot.

Banyumala is a picturesque waterfall with a beautiful and well-maintained garden and a small shrine. There’s a pool at the base of the waterfall where you can swim. You can change into your swimming stuff at the site if you have a towel, but it’s more convenient if you’re already wearing your swimming clothes.

I’d recommend combining a visit to Banyumala Waterfall with the twin lakes, Buyan and Tamblingan. There are quite a few of panorama viewpoints around the lakes that offer beautiful views. You can also stop by some of the small markets, shops, cafes and restaurants that surround the lakes.

Option 4: Adventure Hiking

Climb Gunung Agung

Gunung Agung or Mount Agung is the highest point in Bali. Climbing Mount Agung is probably the toughest climb I have ever done in Indonesia. It wasn’t because the distance, but the steepness and the ravine on the both side (left and right) along your climb.

If you want to climb Mount Agung make sure to take a guide. While the route is mostly obvious, it is potentially dangerous (it is easy to get lost). It’s also a long climb.

When I climbed I started the hike around 10 pm. I reached the summit for sunrise and got back to the basecamp around 1-2 pm the next day. The view from the top was amazing! You can see as far as the ocean in (almost) every direction and Lake Batur and the volcano are both beneath you.

Arranging Your Trip

Have you heard about Traveloka? Traveloka is a company that provides airline and hotel ticketing online services with the focus of domestic travel in Indonesia. Since they are focused on Indonesia they offer good deals on hotel bookings (which is why it’s popular with Indonesians).

With Traveloka you can book a flight and hotel in one go. They offer special rates if you book the bundle. Traveloka also has various options for payment settlement. Either you can choose to make the payment as an installment, bank transfer, at the ATM or by credit card.

Final Thoughts

So those are my 4 suggestions for the next time you visit Bali. I hope you like them. I still have several places I want to visit on my next escape to Bali. Hope you enjoy the article and find the tips useful. Let me know if you have other suggestions of day itineraries in Bali (outside the South part).

Have you ever visited Bali? Have you got a favorite itinerary? Share your thoughts with other travellers in the comments below.