31 Cool Things To Do in Bali (Beyond the Usual Attractions)

If you want to explore Bali beyond the usual tourist attractions, we got you. You won't find the Bali swing here, but you'll discover adventures with a lot of heart and get to know the real Bali.

If you want to find out more about the different areas in Bali, and where to base yourself, check out our Bali Map here.

South Bali (Canggu)

Areas included: Canggu / Uluwatu / Nusa Dua / Sanur / Nusa Penida

South Bali is home to beach clubs, beautiful coastlines and hipster cafes. If you're looking for beach time, then South Bali is perfect for you. Even if you're not staying in South Bali, we'd recommend spending a night in Nusa Penida for a really cool experience.

1. Paragliding!

Love an adrenaline rush, or just love EPIC views? Then take in the birds eye views of Bali while you paraglide across the coastline, take in great panoramas of bold surfer waves and beautiful beach villas.

Top Tip: The best time to go is June to Aug when wind conditions are better. But weather is unpredictable and sometimes you may need to wait for good wind conditions (you can wait on a secret beach nearby!).

2. Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida island is one of the most beautiful places in Bali, but also one of the most controversial. Here you can see epic views like the T-Rex Kelingking Beach and snorkel with Manta rays. However, recent travellers have also complained about overcrowding and unsafe swimming practices.⁠ We think it’s still worth going, but only if you don't mind the crowds, or if you travel slow.

See our Cheat Sheet on Visiting Nusa Penida for more tips.

3. Rescue Bali's Dogs

Bali Dogs are an ancient dog breed known to have roamed the island for centuries. However they're also misunderstood and undervalued, facing threats from abandonment, and the local dog meat trade. If you're an animal lover, you can help contribute to local rescue and rehabilitation efforts by supporting the work of a local rescue centre.

4. Pottery

In a place known for its craftsmanship, try your hand at creating something beautiful! At this cosy local studio, you'll find more than just a pottery class. Learn wheel throwing, shape clay into unique pieces, and connect with fellow creatives in a tranquil setting. If you live abroad, they'll also be able to ship your finished pieces to you!

5. Sound Healing

Bali is practically synonymous with healing energy, so why not dive deeper? This sound healing session is designed to cleanse your being from the inside out. Imagine being bathed in soothing vibrations, releasing stress, and aligning your energy within the peaceful sanctuary of a Balinese studio. It's the perfect way to enhance the sense of peace you'll find all over the island.

6. Save Sea Turtles

Bali's coastline is a nesting habitat for sea turtles. From May to October, female turtles (including the endangered hawksbill turtle) return to the same location where they hatched decades ago to lay their eggs. However, sea turtles face many threats, including from feral animals, human predation, and beach development.

The sea turtle conservation community in Bali actively engages in egg rescue, beach cleaning, providing hatching facilities, and caring for injured turtles. If you're visiting Bali between May and October, you can help in these efforts to save the sea turtles!

7. Make Chocolate

Primo Chocolate Lab was founded by a master chocolatier and produce some of the best chocolate around. We also love it that they work closely with farmers' collectives to ensure that farmers are paid a fair price for their cocoa beans. Here you'll learn about every part of the chocolate production process, and you'll also get an insight into Bali's farm-to-table food culture. Fun fact: it was featured in Netflix's Chef's Table!

8. Uluwatu surfing

If you're looking to learn to surf, forget the crowded beaches of Canggu. Instead, head to Uluwatu with world class waves, hidden beaches and some of the best surfing in the world (suitable for all levels!). While you're in Uluwatu, you can also stay back for sunset at one of the epic cliff-edged bars, or watch a traditional (touristy but fun!) kecak fire dance.

Central Bali (Ubud)

Areas included: Ubud / Jatiluwih

If we have to pick one place to base ourselves at in Bali, we'd always pick Ubud as it's the perfect mix of adventure and nature, and it's also close to Mount Batur, sleepy Sidemen or the adventurous North Bali for day trips!

9. Rice Paddy Cycling

This isn't your usual cycling trip. This a really meaningful journey that connects visitors with the Balinese people, takes you through picturesque countryside roads and provides a unique opportunity to visit a sustainable village project. What truly makes this experience really special is your guide's commitment to community development. The company's founder, Nyoman, is deeply passionate about promoting sustainable tourism and investing tourism dollars to benefit his community.

10. Balinese Martial Arts

This really fun and unexpected experience is perfect for families with kids who want to understand Balinese culture and village life, through a modern twist. Here you'll head to a local village and get to try Mepatingan, a uniquely Balinese martial art which takes place in the rice paddy mud. You'll also get to enjoy a mud sauna, a coffee scrub and a yummy local lunch.

11. Spiritual Healing

The Balinese have a strong spiritual tradition, where they believe in the healing power of nature and self. Jero Mangku is one of the most respected healers in Bali, and descended from a Balinese king. If you're feeling stuck, seek spiritual clarity, or a deeper understanding of your life's path, we'd recommend a visit to Jero Mangku for some unique insights. It'll leave you feeling more balanced, and connected with Balinese culture.

12. Farm-to-Table Dinner

Experience the simplicity and magic of Balinese village life with a farm-to-table dinner and a stroll through the rice paddies to see enchanting fireflies. The highlight of this experience for us was the yummy homecooked meal, and just the simple magic of being in the village with sounds only from nature, and light only from fireflies.

13. Fireflies Safari with Conservationist

To us, fireflies are the embodiment of magic. Walking into a field full of fireflies feels like we've entered an enchanted forest.

But the truth is, fireflies are disappearing - they're under threat from habitat loss, light pollution and pesticides. This decline poses a serious problem for ecosystem as fireflies are important pollinators and play a vital role in the food chain. This fireflies safari with a local conservationist helps you understand the role of fireflies in our ecosystem, and takes you on a firefly safari to support the efforts of firefly conservation in Bali.

14. Cooking in a Farm

The Balinese are super passionate about their food, and each village has its own unique way of preparing traditional dishes. For example, Babi Guling (roast pork) is a popular dish found throughout Bali, but each village cooks it differently. Some use a special blend of spices, while others cook the pork over a different type of wood. When you do a cooking class in Bali, you're not just learning to cook. You're seeing how recipes have evolved over time to reflect the traditions of the local community.

15. 'Melukat' Purification Ceremony

One of our favourite local things to do in Bali is the traditional Melukat (purification) ceremony. This is something that local Balinese people do as often as once a month to cleanse their energy. We really loved our experience as it left us feeling re-energised, and really connected to ourselves and Balinese culture.

16. Make Jamu

Food as medicine is no longer a foreign concept to modern science. This is something that the Balinese with their close connection with nature, and intimate understanding of plants have known and practised for generations. Here, you'll learn all about ancient wellness remedies like Balinese Jamu and tumeric body scrubs, as well as how to ground yourself through meditation.

17. Art of Batik

At this Batik workshop, you'll learn from local artisans in Ubud the traditional art of Batik. Best part? This takes you to Keliki village, one of the last remaining artisan villages in Ubud, and one with its own unique painting style. This is super fun for all ages, including young kids, as the local artisans will help you create gorgeous pieces!

18. Canang Sari

Walking through the streets of Bali, it's impossible to miss the tiny basket of fresh flowers outside every house and shop. These tiny baskets full of flowers are gifts to Balinese gods, and integral to Balinese daily life. Here you'll learn all about the traditions of this Balinese offering (Canang Sari), how to make it, and you can even choose to wear the ornate traditional outfits worn by the locals.

19. Protect Bali Starling

The Bali Starling, the emblem bird of Bali, has been hunted to near extinction. It is now the second rarest bird in the world. Here, you'll get to support a community-driven conservation efforts to protect the Bali Starling. You'll visit a local village to learn about their ground-up conservation efforts, and witness the birds in their habitat.

North Bali (Mount Batur)

Areas included: Munduk, Sekumpul, Kintamani, Mount Batur

North Bali is known for adventure. Here, you'll find Bali's most popular volcano Mount Batur, as well as remote ancient jungles with towering trees, untouched waterfalls, one of the most sacred temples in Bali, and a gorgeous lake.

20. Mount Batur

Mount Batur in Kintamani is by far the most hiked route in Bali, but in our view still worth going. It's a UNESCO site and a short, beginner-friendly hike with a stunning sunrise view (if it isn't cloudy!). If you're not into hiking, you can also take a jeep up Mount Batur, or do off-road biking in the lava fields!

Top Tips:

• If you're hiking, go with a guide that take the less-touristed route. The less-touristed routes will have a tenth of the usual crowds. 🤩 Our favourite is this one that takes you around Lake Batur as well!
• If you're going with young kids or prefer to go when the crowds have left, you should go at sunset instead of sunrise.

21. Munduk

One of our fave spots in Bali, Munduk still feels pretty remote and undiscovered. Here you'll find one of the most sacred temples in Bali, gorgeous Lake Tamblingan, ancient jungles with towering trees and untouched waterfalls. North Bali is also a lot cooler (22-24 degrees) because it’s higher up, so it's the perfect climate for outdoors adventures! One of our fave things to do in Munduk is hiking the ancient forests, canoeing on the mystical Lake Tamblingan and even camping.

22. Lake Tamblingan

Camping by Lake Tamblingan is one of the most magical experiences in Bali. You'll explore one of the most lush tropical jungle with centuries' old trees, swim in remote waterfalls, enjoy delicious homemade Balinese traditional food and watch the Southern Milky Way with acoustic guitar and good company. It's adventure, authenticity and just a lot of heart all rolled into one.

23. Bali's Ancient Temples

For any spiritual seeker, visiting Bali's ancient temples with one of Bali's most respected healers is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Here you'll visit remote temples that are renowned for their immense healing and mystical energy. Without a personal connection to the "Mangku" or the temple's priest, regular visitors or tourists may find it challenging to gain access. This transformative journey will leave you uplifted, inspired, and profoundly connected to the divine.

24. Waterfall Canyoning

Waterfall canyoning is one of our fave things to do in Bali. Even if you're not an adrenaline junkie, you'd love this if you love being out in nature. It is like a water playground at the waterfall. You slip, you slide, and you fully immerse in nature without needing to do a long hike to get to a waterfall! Try it!

25. Epic Waterfalls

Bali is known for its epic waterfalls, and the best waterfalls are in North Bali. Here you can hike to Sekumpul waterfalls, the tallest and most epic waterfall in Bali. The sheer power of the waterfalls here is immense, and the short hike to the falls is also really fun!

However, the entrance fee to Sekumpul was recently raised so if you're looking for a less commercial alternative, we'd recommend the more remote Banyu Wana waterfalls in Munduk. We love this adventure as Munduk feels a little more remote, and you also get to trek through ancient forests as well!

26. Ethical Coffee Farm

For those in the know, Bali produces some of the best coffee in the world. If you're a coffee enthusiast or a foodie, a visit to Bali's coffee farms is a must. One of our favourite farms in Bali is Bali Beans. They not only produce exceptional coffee, their focus on environmentally-friendly and ethical farming practices. Here, you'll be taken through every step of the coffee journey, from hand-harvesting coffee cherries to modern brewing techniques.

Top Tip: Most of Bali's coffee farms advertising Luwak (civet cat) coffee have unsustainable practices of keeping wild luwak in cages. Do avoid these unethical farms. Bali Beans are one of the very rare sustainable Luwak coffee farms in Bali. This means that they will only harvest droppings that have been naturally left by Luwaks and will not raise Luwaks for the purpose of producing coffee.

East Bali (Amed)

Areas included: Sidemen, Amed, Tulamben, Mount Agung

East Bali is slowly becoming known but for now it's still seriously chill. Come here for sleepy village vibes and the true essence of Bali. Go to Sidemen for ricefields and artisan villages, and Tulamben for a sleepy fishing village with shipwrecks.

27. Make Jewellery

In Sidemen, a sleepy oasis just a hop and skip from Ubud, you can learn the art of jewellery making from a family of silversmiths. We love this experience for how authentic and heartfelt it is, as well as the gorgeous idyllic setting the workshop is held in. Here, you'll not only be supporting a small family business, you'll be crafting gorgeous jewellery too!

28. Sidemen

If you're looking for a more authentic way to see the rice paddy fields (i.e. without the crowds or the Bali swing), head to Sidemen. It's basically like Ubud before it was popularised by Eat, Pray, Love. There's not much at all to do in Sidemen, but for us that's part of its charm.

29. Mount Agung

At 3031 meters, Mount. Agung is the tallest peak in Bali, as well as the most active and sacred volcano in Bali. The Balinese believe that Mt. Agung is the exact replica of Mt. Meru, which in Hindu religion is the center of the universe. If you're an intermediate hiker and want to see somewhere that most travellers haven't seen, we'd highly recommend climbing Mt Agung. It requires 8-10 hours' climb time, so you may need to train up.

30. Shipwreck Snorkelling

Once a sleepy fishing village, Amed is now a hip spot in Bali that lots of our friends head to. It’s definitely not undiscovered - with pristine beaches, hipster cafes and yoga retreats, but it is still much quieter and has a more interesting local scene than Canggu or Uluwatu. Here you can snorkel to uncover a Japanese, as well as coral playgrounds that are home to colourful fishes!

31. Coral Reef Restoration

If you're a certified diver and have a week to spare, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to help with marine conservation. Here, you'll get to contribute to coral restoration through building artificial reefs. This reef restoration project, which is in partnership with local fishermen, creates jobs and alternative incomes, reducing reliance on overfishing. It is a perfect example of how tourism, local communities, and the environment can come together in a mutually beneficial way.