12 Places in Bali the Tour Buses Never Reach

You've seen the photos. The same temple, the same terrace, the same gate with a queue of people waiting to stand in front of it. If that's what Bali is, you'd be right to wonder why anyone bothers.

It isn't. The Bali worth flying for is down roads a coach can't turn on, at hours a coach won't leave the hotel, and in places that don't sell tickets to fifty people at a time. We've spent 15 years finding them. Here are twelve.

A quick note on how we've written this. For each place you'll get what it is, why the buses don't come, when to go, and how long you'll be on your feet. That last one matters. Nobody should have to guess whether a "short walk" means five minutes or fifty.

The east

1. Sidemen valley

A farming valley under Mount Agung, about an hour east of Ubud. Rice terraces stepping down to a river, a few small guesthouses, and villages where people are weaving, farming or getting ready for a ceremony rather than waiting for you.

Why the buses skip it: the road in is narrow and slow, there's no car park big enough for a coach, and there's nothing to sell. Nothing to sell means no reason to bring a busload.

When to go: any time, but the late afternoon light on the terraces is the reason people stay a few nights. We base the 10-day trip here for exactly that.

On your feet: as little or as much as you like. A gentle 20-minute loop through the paddies on flat bunds, or a chair on a verandah with a coffee. Both count.

2. Tirta Gangga, early

A water palace built by the last royal family of Karangasem. Stone fountains, carp ponds, and a line of stepping stones across the water that you'll want to try.

Why the buses skip it: they don't, entirely. They arrive from mid-morning. By 7:30am the gates are open, the light is soft and you'll share it with a gardener and a couple of locals.

When to go: opening time. Not a minute later.

On your feet: roughly 1.2km on mostly flat stone paths with benches along the way. The stepping stones are optional and there's a path around them.

3. Taman Ujung

The other water palace, 20 minutes south of Tirta Gangga, on the coast. Long pools, a raised pavilion with views to the sea, and elegant bridges across the water. It's larger and quieter than its famous neighbour.

Why the buses skip it: it's a long detour from the standard east-coast loop and the tour schedules don't have room for two palaces.

When to go: morning, before the heat builds. Pair it with Tirta Gangga and you're done by 10:30am.

On your feet: the full loop is roughly a kilometre. There are steps up to the pavilion. The view from the bottom is nearly as good, so skip them if you'd rather.

4. Tenganan

One of the Bali Aga villages, whose people were here before the Hindu kingdoms arrived and kept their own customs. A single walled street, communal pavilions, and the only place on the island that weaves double-ikat cloth. Some pieces take years.

Why the buses skip it: they do come, briefly, and leave again. The village asks for a small donation rather than selling tickets, and there's no shop strip. Most tours give it 20 minutes. We give it a morning with a guide who can explain what you're looking at.

When to go: mornings. If a ceremony is on, ask before you walk in. We'll do the asking.

On your feet: the main street is roughly 500m of gentle slope. Take it slowly, there's plenty to stop for.

The mountains and the north

5. Jatiluwih, at the far end

The famous rice terraces, a UNESCO-listed piece of the island's centuries-old irrigation system. The view from the car park is what everyone photographs. It is not the best bit.

Why the buses skip the good part: coaches stop where the coaches can stop. Walk the trail away from the car park for 15 minutes and the crowd is gone. Keep going and you'll have a valley of green to yourself, with farmers working in it.

When to go: the terraces change through the year. Flooded and mirror-like after planting, bright green a couple of months later, gold before harvest. There's no wrong month, just different pictures.

On your feet: the trails are flat farm tracks. Turn around whenever you like. We usually do 30 to 40 minutes, with the car meeting you at the other end.

6. Munduk and the twin lakes

A cool mountain village at roughly 800 metres, with clove trees drying on the road and mist rolling in most afternoons. Below it sit the twin crater lakes, Buyan and Tamblingan. Tamblingan has a small temple on its shore and dugout canoes that a local fisherman will paddle you across in.

Why the buses skip it: they stop at the big lake temple at Bedugul for photographs, then head back. Munduk is another 40 minutes on and there's no coach parking.

When to go: dry season, May to September, for the clearest mornings. Bring a light jumper. You'll be glad of it.

On your feet: the lakeshore at Tamblingan is a flat 10-minute stroll from the road. Munduk itself is hilly, but you'll be driven, not marched.

7. Banjar hot springs at opening time

Three tiers of stone pools fed by a warm mineral spring, in a garden near Lovina on the north coast. Carved dragon-head spouts pour water onto your shoulders. It's the best thing for a stiff back on the island.

Why the buses skip it: they arrive after lunch, when the pools are busy. At opening time you'll share them with a handful of locals and a lot of steam.

When to go: 8am, the moment the gate opens. Bring your swimmers under your clothes.

On your feet: a few minutes down a garden path with steps and a handrail. Then a long time sitting in warm water.

8. Brahmavihara-Arama

Bali's largest Buddhist monastery, on a hillside above Banjar. Quiet terraced gardens, a meditation hall, and a small replica of Borobudur at the top with a view over the north coast to the sea.

Why the buses skip it: it's not on the postcard, it's not Hindu, and it's up a side road. Most people who come here are Balinese Buddhists and the occasional retreat guest. You're asked to be quiet. Nobody minds if you are.

When to go: same morning as the hot springs. Ten minutes apart. Do the monastery first while it's cool, then soak.

On your feet: the gardens are terraced, so there are stairs between levels, all with rails and landings. Roughly 20 minutes if you climb to the top. The lower gardens are lovely on their own.

The west and the water

9. Pemuteran and Menjangan from a moored boat

A sleepy fishing village on the north-west coast, and offshore, Menjangan Island inside West Bali National Park. Coral walls drop away under clear, calm water. Turtles are common. Big waves aren't.

Why the buses skip it: it's three hours or more from the south, which is a day trip nobody enjoys. So we stay. And on the water, we use a boat that ties up to fixed moorings rather than dropping an anchor on the reef.

When to go: April to October for the calmest water. Mornings are glassy.

On your feet: none, really. You step off the boat into water that's warm and still, and float. Life jackets are on board for anyone who'd like one, and you can stay on deck if you'd rather watch.

10. Amed shore snorkel at the Japanese wreck

A small wartime wreck lying in shallow water just off the beach at Banyuning, on the Amed coast. You walk in from the shore, and within a few strokes you're over coral and fish. No boat required.

Why the buses skip it: Amed is a string of quiet fishing villages with black-sand beaches, two hours from anywhere a coach wants to be. The wreck is unsigned and easy to miss unless someone shows you.

When to go: early morning, when the water is calmest and the light comes in low. The current picks up later.

On your feet: roughly 50 metres across pebbles to the water, with an arm to hold if you want it. Water shoes help. We bring spares.

The interior

11. Penglipuran, early

A traditional village near Bangli with a single stone street lined by matching family gate-houses and a bamboo forest behind it. It's been kept this way on purpose. The families still live here.

Why the buses skip it: they don't. It's popular by late morning, and fair enough. But at 8am the street is being swept, the offerings are fresh at every gate, and the only other people are the ones who live there.

When to go: as early as you can. We're there by 8 and gone by 9:30, before the first coach arrives.

On your feet: the main street is roughly 300m of gentle uphill, paved and even. The bamboo forest walk is another 15 minutes on a flat path and worth it.

12. Sekumpul at 7am

Several waterfalls pouring into one green amphitheatre in the northern hills. Most people who've seen it say it's the best on the island. We won't argue.

Why the buses skip it: the walk. A coach group can't get 50 people down there and back on schedule. We have 12, and we start at 7.

When to go: 7am, before anyone else is awake. You'll have the spray to yourself for an hour.

On your feet, honestly: this is the biggest walk on any of our trips. It's roughly 40 minutes down, with steps, and the same back up with a few pauses. It's not technical, but it's a workout. So here's the deal. It's optional. A car waits at the top, there's a lookout that needs no steps at all, and a coffee stall beside it. Nobody who stays up top has ever been disappointed with the view.

At a glance

What you won't find on this list

No captive wildlife. No elephant rides, no civet coffee, no dolphins chased by a dozen boats. No swing over a rice field with a queue and a ticket price. None of those show you Bali. They show you a business built for the buses.

Most of the twelve above sit on our 10-day and 14-day trips, and a few are on the 7-day. If you want to see how they fit into an unhurried week and a half, the 10-Day Island Loop is where most people start. Travelling with kids or grandkids? The family retreats page explains how Bali Sunny Kids fits around days like these. And if you have a question about walking, food or getting there, the FAQ answers the ones we hear most. Dates and prices are on the dates and prices page, in Australian dollars, with nothing hidden.

Want the day-by-day?

The free 20-page Itinerary Pack has all three itineraries laid out day by day, real pricing in AUD, a packing list, and this article with a few extra places we didn't have room for here. First name and email, nothing else. Send me the Itinerary Pack.