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The Bali Guideline

Bali itinerary · 3 days

3 Days in Bali: Ubud, Then the Uluwatu Cliffs

Two nights inland, one on the coast, and no day with more than three hours in a car.

By The Bali Guideline Editorial TeamUpdated 12 November 2026

At a glance

3 days, 2 bases

Three days in Bali works best with two bases: two nights in Ubud for the temples and rice terraces, then one night in Uluwatu for the cliffs, a beach and the Kecak at sunset. The plan keeps each day to one part of the island, because Bali’s traffic, not its distances, sets the pace.

Bali looks small on a map, but the drive from the airport to Ubud takes 75–120 minutes and Ubud to Uluwatu takes two to three hours. Trying to see Ubud, Nusa Penida, Tanah Lot and Uluwatu in three days means spending most of your trip in traffic. This route skips the islands and the west coast to do two areas properly.

Day one is central Ubud on foot. On day two, a driver takes you north to the Tegallalang rice terraces at 7 AM, the water temple at Tirta Empul and the rock-cut shrines of Gunung Kawi, all within 40 minutes of town. Day three is the one long drive, south to Uluwatu, timed so you swim at Padang Padang in the afternoon and reach Uluwatu Temple for the 6 PM Kecak.

The plan assumes you land by early afternoon on day one and fly out on the morning of day four; the airport is 40–90 minutes from Uluwatu. If you land late, do the day-two loop the next morning and walk central Ubud that afternoon, which the plan leaves free.

First trip to Bali? Start with our first-timer tips. Planning a honeymoon? See the Bali honeymoon guide.

Length
3 days, 3 nights
Bases
2 (2 + 1 nights)
Pace
Steady
Longest drive
Day 3, about 2–3 hours
Best for
A long weekend or a stopover
Airport to first base
75–120 min

Day by day

The plan

Times are a guide: shift a stop if the tide, the weather or a temple ceremony asks for it. Each drive time comes from the visitor guide linked under it.

Day 1: Central Ubud on foot

Land, check in and spend the afternoon walking between the forest, a lotus-pond temple and the royal palace, all within about 20 minutes of each other on foot.

Sleep in UbudNight 1 of 2

  1. 3 PM

    Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

    Go straight here after check-in: the sanctuary is open 9 AM–6 PM, with last entry at 5 PM, and adult tickets cost IDR 130,000 (checked Nov 2026). Allow about an hour for the forest paths, the ravine bridge and the temples. Leave food at your hotel, since it is banned inside, and zip sunglasses into your bag; the long-tailed macaques grab both.

    Visitor guide : Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

  2. 4:30 PM

    Saraswati Temple

    Walk 15–20 minutes up to the center of town for the lotus pond and carved gateway of Pura Taman Saraswati, a temple to the goddess of learning. It sits about 150 m west of the palace, so it needs no extra transport, and 15–30 minutes is enough for a visit.

    Visitor guide : Saraswati Temple

  3. 7:30 PM

    Ubud Palace

    The palace courtyards are free to walk through by day, and a Balinese dance with a live gamelan orchestra is staged in the outer court every night at about 7:30 PM. The program changes nightly, so check the board when you pass in the afternoon; tickets are sold at the gate.

    Visitor guide : Ubud Palace

Drive times

Bali airport to central Ubud
75–120 min
From our Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary guide
Sacred Monkey Forest to Ubud Palace
15–20 min on foot
From our Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary guide
Sleep
Base yourself in Ubud. Ubud area guidePlaces to stay in Ubud
Eat
Central Ubud has warungs and cafes within a short walk of the palace, so dinner needs no car. Where to eat in Ubud

Day 2: Water temple, royal tombs and rice terraces

Hire a driver for the morning and loop north of Ubud. Start at 7 AM: the terraces and temples fill with tour groups from mid-morning.

Sleep in UbudNight 2 of 2

  1. 7 AM

    Tegallalang Rice Terrace

    The most visited rice terraces near Ubud, cut into a valley north of town. Arrive by 7 AM, when you share the paths with farmers rather than tour groups. There is no single ticket; farmers’ booths on the paths ask a small fee to cross their land. Walk down into the valley rather than staying at the roadside viewpoints.

    Visitor guide : Tegallalang Rice Terrace

  2. 8:20 AM

    Tirta Empul

    Balinese Hindus come to this spring-fed temple to bathe under its rows of spouts in a purification ritual, and visitors may join if they follow the set order of the spouts and wear a rented bathing sarong. You arrive soon after the 8 AM opening, before the tour buses. Bring a change of clothes if you go in the water.

    Visitor guide : Tirta Empul

  3. 9:30 AM

    Gunung Kawi

    Five minutes down the road, ten 11th-century memorial shrines are carved into the cliffs of a river gorge. The catch is about 300 steps each way, so wear proper shoes and carry water. Allow an hour to an hour and a half.

    Visitor guide : Gunung Kawi

Drive times

Central Ubud to Tegallalang
20–30 min
From our Tegallalang Rice Terrace guide
Tegallalang to Tirta Empul
15–20 min
From our Tegallalang Rice Terrace guide
Tirta Empul to Gunung Kawi
About 5 min
From our Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring guide
Gunung Kawi to central Ubud
30–40 min
From our Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring guide
Sleep
Base yourself in Ubud. Ubud area guidePlaces to stay in Ubud
Eat
Lunch back in Ubud and dinner in town; the afternoon is free for a rest or a walk. Where to eat in Ubud

Swap: For a walk instead of a temple, skip Tirta Empul and walk the Campuhan Ridge from about 4:30 PM, as the air cools. It is free, open at all hours and starts about 1.5 km west of the palace.

Day 3: South to Padang Padang and the Kecak

Check out after breakfast and drive south to Uluwatu, on the limestone peninsula at the island’s southern tip. Swim in the afternoon, then watch the Kecak on the cliff at sunset.

Sleep in UluwatuNight 1 of 1

  1. 1 PM

    Padang Padang Beach

    A small cove reached down a staircase through a gap in the rocks. The bay is sheltered and usually calm enough to swim at low to mid tide; stay out on big-swell days, when the shore break turns rough. The beach charges a small cash entry fee.

    Visitor guide : Padang Padang Beach

  2. 4 PM

    Uluwatu Temple

    Walk the clifftop paths first; the temple stands about 70 m above the sea. The Kecak, a fire and chant performance of the Ramayana, runs daily at 6 PM, and the gate opens at 4 PM. Adult tickets cost IDR 150,000 on top of temple entry (checked Nov 2026), and seats are first come, first served.

    Visitor guide : Uluwatu Temple

Drive times

Ubud to Padang Padang Beach
2–3 hours
From our Padang Padang Beach guide
Padang Padang Beach to Uluwatu Temple
10–15 min
From our Padang Padang Beach guide
Uluwatu to Bali airport (day 4)
40–90 min
From our Padang Padang Beach guide
Sleep
Base yourself in Uluwatu. Uluwatu area guidePlaces to stay in Uluwatu
Eat
Uluwatu’s cafes and warungs cluster along the cliff roads near the beaches; book dinner for after the show, about 7:30 PM. Where to eat in Uluwatu

Swap: If you would rather not move hotels, keep a third night in Ubud and save Uluwatu for a longer trip. Ubud also stages the Kecak in temple courtyards on set nights each week.

When to go

Rain, month by month

This route works all year. In the wet months, plan the beach and boat days with a spare day nearby, and do the temples and terraces in the morning, before the afternoon downpours. Read our Bali rainy season guide.

Dry season: April to OctoberBetween seasonsWet season: November to March

Average rain per month in millimeters on the south coast, 2021–2025, from the model data behind our Bali weather guide. Tap a month for details.

Tickets & Tours

Rather not organize it yourself?

Every day above works on your own with a hired driver. For the stops where a ticket or a guide helps, these Klook listings cover them. Pick-up areas, inclusions and prices vary, so read the listing before you book.

Affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure

Know Before You Go

3-day trip tips that save time and trouble

  1. 01Hire one car and driver for day three, so your bags stay in the car at the beach and the temple.
  2. 02Pay Bali’s IDR 150,000 tourist levy online through the official Love Bali site before you fly (checked Nov 2026).
  3. 03Pack a sarong, a sash and a top that covers your shoulders for the four temples on this route. Most lend a sarong, but not all.
  4. 04Keep cash in small bills for parking, terrace booths and beach entry; cards are not taken everywhere.
  5. 05Uluwatu’s monkeys snatch glasses, hats and phones. Keep these in a zipped bag inside the temple grounds.
  6. 06Book a morning flight on day four rather than a late flight on day three; the Kecak ends about 7 PM and the road to the airport is busy at that hour.

FAQ

Bali itinerary questions, answered

How long is the drive from Bali airport to Ubud?

About 75–120 minutes by car, depending on the time of day; the slowest stretches are around the airport and through Denpasar’s ring roads in the late afternoon. Book a car with your hotel or use a ride-hailing app from the airport’s pickup zone.

How far is Ubud from Uluwatu?

Plan on two to three hours by car, as the two sit at opposite ends of the south of the island and the route runs through Denpasar and the airport bottleneck. That is why this plan moves base once, on day three, instead of driving back and forth.

What time is the Kecak at Uluwatu Temple?

Daily at 6 PM, lasting about an hour, with the gate opening at 4 PM (checked Nov 2026). Adult tickets cost IDR 150,000 and children aged 2–9 pay IDR 75,000; the temple entry fee and parking are separate. Arrive by about 5 PM for a seat.

What should I pay for before a short trip to Bali?

Bali’s tourist levy: IDR 150,000 for each foreign visitor, charged once per trip (checked Nov 2026). On a three-day visit there is little slack on arrival, so pay it on the Love Bali website before you fly and save the QR code to your phone in case it is checked.

What are the Monkey Forest opening hours?

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud opens daily from 9 AM to 6 PM, with last entry at 5 PM (checked Nov 2026). Adult tickets cost IDR 130,000 and children’s IDR 100,000. Food and plastic bags are not allowed inside, as the monkeys go for both; use the lockers in the lobby.

More plans

More or fewer days?

5days

5 Days in Bali: Ubud, Tanah Lot and the Uluwatu Beaches

A first trip of under a week, split between hills and sea

  1. Ubud · 3 nights
  2. Uluwatu · 2 nights

14 stops · See the plan

7days

7 Days in Bali: Volcano, Island Cliffs and Uluwatu

A first week with a bit of adventure

  1. Ubud · 3 nights
  2. Sanur · 2 nights
  3. Uluwatu · 2 nights

20 stops · See the plan

10days

10 Days in Bali: A Loop Through the Center, East and South

A first long trip, or a return visit that goes beyond the south

  1. Ubud · 4 nights
  2. Amed · 2 nights
  3. Sanur · 2 nights
  4. Uluwatu · 2 nights

27 stops · See the plan

How we researched this

Sources and fact checks

Opening hours, ticket prices, show times and safety rules on this page were checked against official sites, government pages and recent reporting on 12 November 2026. Drive and boat times come from our own visitor guides, each linked under the leg it covers. See our editorial policy.

We re-check these plans at least every three months and whenever we hear about a change. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Show all 9 sources ↓
  1. monkeyforestubud.com/visit
  2. uluwatutemple.id/uluwatu-kecak-dance
  3. lovebali.baliprov.go.id
  4. thebaliguideline.com/destination/ubud/sacred-monkey-forest
  5. thebaliguideline.com/destination/ubud/tirta-empul
  6. thebaliguideline.com/destination/ubud/gunung-kawi
  7. thebaliguideline.com/destination/ubud/tegallalang-rice-terrace
  8. thebaliguideline.com/destination/uluwatu/padang-padang-beach
  9. thebaliguideline.com/destination/uluwatu/uluwatu-temple