# What does an 18-day Bali itinerary look like, stop by stop, and in what order should you loop the island?

> Our real 18-day Bali route: Seminyak 3, Munduk 3, Ubud 5, Kintamani 2, Sidemen 3, Padangbai 2. Why the loop runs this way, dry-season timing and getting around.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/bali-itinerary-our-18-day-route-seminyak-munduk-ubud-sidemen
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from a 526-day trip across 20 countries)
- Published: 2026-05-26

We spent **18 days in Bali**, from **19 May to 6 June 2023**, in six bases: **Seminyak (3 days), Munduk (3), Ubud (5), Kintamani (2), Sidemen (3) and Padangbai (2)**, with a one-day hop across to **Banyuwangi on Java**. The order is a loop: the south coast first, then up into the northern highlands, back down to Ubud in the middle of the island, up again to the Batur volcano, and out to the quiet east. Below is every stop with its days, why the route runs in that order, what late May and early June are like, how to get between the bases, and what we would change. If you have ten days, our [10-day Bali itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/guides/10-day-bali-itinerary) is the shorter version.

## The route, stop by stop

• **Seminyak, 3 days (19-22 May):** the southwest coast, close to the airport, with a long west-facing beach for sunsets, Petitenget Temple at its northern end and Tanah Lot sea temple a short way up the coast. This block also held our one-day hop across to **Banyuwangi on Java** (21-22 May), the town on the far side of the Bali Strait that is the usual base for the Ijen volcano.

• **Munduk, 3 days (22-25 May):** a ridge village at around 800 m in the northern highlands, among clove and coffee plantations. It is the base for the Munduk, Melanting and twin Banyumala waterfalls and the forest-ringed crater lakes of **Tamblingan and Buyan**, with Ulun Danu Beratan temple on Lake Beratan a little further on.

• **Ubud, 5 days (25-30 May):** the cultural centre: the royal palace and its nightly Barong dance, the Tegallalang rice terraces, Tirta Empul, Goa Gajah, the Campuhan Ridge Walk and the [Sacred Monkey Forest](https://clevertourists.com/resources/ubud-monkey-forest-tips-tickets-safety-guide). Our [Ubud guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/ubud) covers the town, and [how many days in Ubud](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-ubud) explains why most people need 3 to 4.

• **Kintamani, 2 days (30 May-1 June):** the rim of the Batur caldera at over 1,500 m, with the active cone of Mount Batur (1,717 m) and Lake Batur below. The pre-dawn sunrise trek is the reason to stay up here rather than day-trip; see our [Kintamani guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/kintamani).

• **Sidemen, 3 days (1-4 June):** a rice-terrace valley below Mount Agung, with songket and endek weaving workshops and walking paths between the paddies. Our [Sidemen guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/sidemen) has the detail.

• **Padangbai, 2 days (4-6 June):** a small harbour village on the east coast. It is the port for the public car ferry to Lembar on Lombok and for fast boats to the Gili Islands, and it has a few small beaches within walking distance, including Blue Lagoon and Bias Tugel.

## Why the loop runs in this order

Bali's airport is in the south, so the coast is the natural first and last stop. We arrived from Vietnam and started in **Seminyak**, close to the airport, then went **north to Munduk**, the longest drive of the loop, typically quoted at 2 to 3 hours from the south depending on traffic and stops.

From Munduk the route drops back to **Ubud**, which sits in the middle of the island and makes every later leg short: Kintamani is roughly 35 km, about an hour or a little more by road. **Kintamani before Sidemen** means the volcano views and the colder nights come in one block, and then the road runs downhill to the east. **Padangbai last** works if you are continuing by boat to Lombok or the Gilis; if you are flying out instead, the drive back to the airport is usually quoted at about 1.5 to 2.5 hours, so allow a generous buffer.

The one move we would not repeat for most readers is fitting Java into the Seminyak block. Banyuwangi lies across the Bali Strait from Bali's western tip, the opposite end of the island from Padangbai, and the standard crossing is the Gilimanuk-Ketapang ferry. If Ijen is a priority, give it its own two days at the start or end rather than squeezing it into a beach stay.

## Late May and early June: the start of the dry season

Bali's dry season is usually described as running from about **April or May to September or October**, with the wettest months from roughly November to March. Indonesia's weather agency, BMKG, defines the onset by rainfall falling below 50 mm per ten-day period, and its regional forecasts have typically had the southern lowlands around Denpasar turning dry in April and the uplands of north Gianyar, Bangli and parts of Karangasem (the Ubud, Kintamani and Sidemen side of the island) in May. Onset varies from year to year, so expect the odd shower in the highlands even in early June.

That makes late May and early June a good window for this route: the terraces are still green from the wet season, and it comes before the July and August peak, when accommodation is under the most pressure. In the highlands, mornings are usually the clearest part of the day, so plan the walks and viewpoints early. Kintamani is cold before dawn at altitude (around 15°C), so pack a fleece for the Batur trek.

## Getting around: private driver, scooter or ride-hailing

The route data shows where we stayed, not how we moved, so here are the standard options, neutrally:

• **Private driver:** the usual way to do a multi-base loop. A car with driver for 8 to 10 hours is typically quoted at around **IDR 600,000 to 800,000** for the car, not per person; confirm what is included (fuel, parking, extra hours) and see our [Bali tipping guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/tipping-in-indonesia-bali-etiquette-warungs-drivers-guide) for the customary tip. Turning a transfer day into a sightseeing day with one or two stops on the way is the main advantage.

• **Scooter:** common, but legally you need your home licence plus an International Driving Permit with the **motorcycle category** stamped, and many travel insurance policies exclude riding without one. The roads up to Munduk and Kintamani are steep, winding and slippery after rain. Read our [Bali scooter rules guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/bali-scooter-rental-rules-police-checkpoints-license-guide) first.

• **Grab and Gojek:** widely available in the south and around Ubud, but Bali tightened its rules for online taxis in 2025, and travel guides report local transport-only zones in parts of Ubud and elsewhere where app drivers may not pick up. Coverage is much thinner in Munduk, Sidemen and Padangbai, so arrange onward transport with your guesthouse before you arrive.

## What we would change

The order held up. The days were slightly uneven: **Ubud at 5 days** is generous unless you want rest days or a cooking class, and 4 is enough for most people. **Munduk at 3 days** is right if you want two waterfall and lake mornings; with less time, our [10-day Bali itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/guides/10-day-bali-itinerary) gives it two nights, and drops it entirely below ten days.

**Sidemen** is the stop we would never cut: three days there is what lets Mount Agung clear at least one morning. If you are short of time, skip Kintamani as a stay and do the Batur sunrise trek as an early start from Ubud instead, and use Padangbai only if you are heading on to Lombok or the Gilis. Our [how many days in Bali](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-bali) page gives suggested splits for 7, 10 and 14 days.

Before flying, sort the paperwork: the **e-VOA** (30 days, extendable once), the free **All Indonesia arrival card** within 3 days of landing, and the separate **IDR 150,000 Bali tourist levy**. Our [Bali e-VOA guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/indonesia-e-voa-online-bali-evisa-how-to-apply-guide) explains how the three fit together.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is 18 days in Bali too long?

Not if you move bases. Our 18 days covered Seminyak, Munduk, Ubud, Kintamani, Sidemen and Padangbai at a slow pace. Staying in one place for 18 days would be too long for most people.

### What order should I visit Bali in?

A loop works best: start on the south coast near the airport, go north to the highlands around Munduk, come back to Ubud in the centre, then up to Kintamani and out east to Sidemen and Padangbai.

### Is late May a good time to visit Bali?

Yes. It is the start of the dry season, the rice terraces are still green, and it comes before the July and August peak. Showers are still possible in the highlands.

### How do you get around Bali without a scooter?

Hire a private driver for transfer days, typically around IDR 600,000 to 800,000 per car for 8 to 10 hours, and use Grab or Gojek in the south and Ubud where pick-ups are allowed.

### Where do ferries to Lombok leave from in Bali?

Padangbai on the east coast. It is the port for the public ferry to Lembar on Lombok and for fast boats to the Gili Islands.

## Official sources

- [Indonesia e-Visa (e-VOA): official immigration portal](https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/)
- [All Indonesia arrival card (official)](https://allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id/)
- [Love Bali: official Bali tourist levy payment](https://lovebali.baliprov.go.id/)