A spectacular blend of dramatic natural beauty and charming culture; discover an island paradise on Bali holidays with Kuoni.

A beautiful island within the Indonesian archipelago, Bali enchants with its vibrant character and tropical charm. This 'Island of the Gods' is aptly named – this is a land of stunning natural beauty and friendly people who are proud of their ancient culture, spirituality and traditions. Hinduism is a defining aspect to Balinese culture; elaborate religious ceremonies and spiritual music and dance can often be seen taking place, while the daily offerings of colourful fresh petals that decorate the streets are a wonderfully unique aspect of the island. 

Holidays to Bali offer the chance to explore an incredibly diverse landscape; culture and history combine seamlessly with beautiful beaches, jungle forests, gourmet eateries and luxury spa retreats. Southern Bali is one of the nation’s most popular spots – and for good reason. It’s where you’ll find the excellent beach resorts that the island is known for. But venture inland, amid the lush rice terraces, dramatic valleys and volcanoes, and you’ll discover that artsy Ubud has an atmosphere all of its own.

We know Bali really well. Our Personal Travel Experts have been there, so they can share their first-hand recommendations and honest insight with you. Get in touch and we’ll help make your dream Bali holiday a reality.

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Bali Hotels

Our recommendations for the best places to stay in Bali

Viceroy Bali

A boutique retreat with appealing intimacy and a breathtaking pool hanging over the valley.

Sankara Suites & Villas

Green-and-blue views and a treetop infinity pool. Sankara Suites and Villas is ravishingly rural...

The Apurva Kempinski Bali

Five-star hotel featuring a Family Club, aquarium dining, ocean-facing fitness centre and 60-metr...

The Elysian

Spacious villas each with a private pool, tucked away in tropical gardens in Seminyak’s fashionab...

The Samaya Seminyak

This sumptuous resort with impeccable service is one of Seminyak’s best and is perfect for couple...

The Royal Santrian, Luxury Beach Villas

On the southern shores of Bali, grand but intimate The Royal Santrian is home to 20 ridiculously...

The Lovina Bali

The Lovina is in a plum position overlooking volcanic beach, Bali Sea and paddy fields and is a p...

Alila Seminyak

This sleek beachfront hotel sits at the hip heart of stylish Seminyak.

Alila Ubud

A stylish hilltop retreat, an award-winning pool and breathtaking rainforest and rice paddy views...

Alila Villas Uluwatu

A world-class wellness retreat offering cliff-hanging seclusion and crystal-clear ocean views.

Puri Santrian

This charming hotel is typically Balinese, with warm hospitality and an exclusive adults-only clu...

Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali

A cool, coastal, adults-only wellness retreat with an emphasis on mind, body and soul.

Sudamala Resort Sanur, Bali

Sudamala is a peaceful retreat of elegant suites, incredible artwork and an delightful pool.

The Laguna, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

A network of lagoon-style pools, 24-hour butlers, fabulous fire dances, a bamboo lantern-lit bar...

The Oberoi Beach Resort, Bali

Superb facilities, renowned Oberoi service and some of the best beachfront views in Bali.

The Samaya Ubud

A peaceful escape of rice paddy and river views, authentic Balinese hospitality and contemporary...

The Ubud Village Resort & Spa

An intimate hideaway overlooking Ubud’s glorious terraced rice paddies.

Candi Beach Resort & Spa

East coast tranquility overlooking the glistening Indian Ocean.

Melia Bali

24-acre gardens are home to the traditionally designed and down-to-earth Melia Bali.

The Pavilions Bali

A hushed escape that’s particularly lovely for couples, yet Sanur town and its beach are on your...

Wapa di Ume Sidemen

Blending beautifully into its surroundings, this hidden gem in East Bali is sympathetically moder...

Holidays in Bali

  • Bali
  • 5 Star

A boutique retreat with appealing intimacy and a breathtaking pool hanging over the valley.

From £2,575 p/p
  • Bali
  • 4 Star

Green-and-blue views and a treetop infinity pool. Sankara Suites and Villas is ravishingly rural yet only 10 minutes from artsy Ubud.

From £1,375 p/p
  • Bali
  • 5 Star

Five-star hotel featuring a Family Club, aquarium dining, ocean-facing fitness centre and 60-metre swimming pool

From £1,887 p/p
  • Bali
  • 4 Star

Spacious villas each with a private pool, tucked away in tropical gardens in Seminyak’s fashionable heart.

From £1,609 p/p
  • Bali
  • 5 Star

This sumptuous resort with impeccable service is one of Seminyak’s best and is perfect for couples.

From £2,125 p/p
  • Bali
  • 5 Star

On the southern shores of Bali, grand but intimate The Royal Santrian is home to 20 ridiculously photogenic all-pool villas.

From £2,252 p/p
  • Bali
  • 4 Star

The Lovina is in a plum position overlooking volcanic beach, Bali Sea and paddy fields and is a perfectly peaceful mix of sheltered coves and calm kayaking.

From £1,347 p/p
  • Bali
  • 5 Star

This sleek beachfront hotel sits at the hip heart of stylish Seminyak.

From £1,770 p/p
  • Bali
  • 4.5 Star

A stylish hilltop retreat, an award-winning pool and breathtaking rainforest and rice paddy views.

From £1,561 p/p
  • Bali
  • 5 Star

A world-class wellness retreat offering cliff-hanging seclusion and crystal-clear ocean views.

From £3,397 p/p

Central Bali’s Highlights by Vintage VW Jeep

A vintage 1970s-style VW Jeep tour is one of the coolest ways to explore central Bali. Jump on board this classic icon and travel to your first stop: the 1000-year-old Batuan Temple, which is a village and ancestral temple that’s cared for by the residents of Batuan. Your driver will then continue through local villages to artsy Ubud – the cultural heart of Bali and a hub of traditional crafts and dance. Highlights here include impressive Puri Saren Agung Palace, the arts market and famous monkey forest, where playful brown macaques dart around the ancient trees and ornate statues. A scenic drive through rice fields and sleepy mountain villages then awaits to reach imposing Mount Batur. The view of the volcano, caldera and Lake Batur is breathtakingly beautiful, so make sure you’ve got your camera ready. Next up is a drive down into the crater to the lava fields, where you’ll have time to wander through the unique rock formations. Lunch-with-a-view will be served on the edge of the crater before your journey continues to the tranquil and lesser-visited temple of Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu – a beautiful water temple built on a natural spring and surrounded by lotus ponds and thick forest. The final stop will be Tegallalang, where giant steps have been carved into the landscape to create lush rice terraces.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 7am to 4pm
• Departing daily from South Bali, Seminyak or Central Ubud hotels
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
We recommend bringing a light jacket or jumper and long trousers as it can get cool in the mountains. A sarong will be provided to allow you to cover up for temple visits.

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Mount Batur Sunrise Trek

Watching the sun rise from the top of Bali’s Mount Batur is an unforgettable experience. A very early start awaits as we’ll need to start the climb around 4am to make sure we reach the summit in time for sunrise. Mount Batur is a 1717-metre-high active volcano to the north west of Mount Agung. The climb will take around two hours and we’ll reach the top just as the sun rises for a magical and peaceful moment high above the island. Tuck into a well-earnt breakfast and enjoy time to soak up the panoramic views over the volcanic landscape and mountain peaks and acknowledge your achievement. You’ll then head back down to base camp, where a soothing soak in hot springs will be waiting for you. This sunrise trek would be a fantastic adventure to add on to a honeymoon or beach holiday.

• Departing Monday, Thursday and Friday from South Bali, Seminyak, Ubud, Uluwatu and Candidasa hotels • Operates year round
• Group experience

Good to know
There are a number of things we recommend bringing for this trip: warm clothes, hiking shoes, long trousers, swimwear, camera and sun block. Your professional tour guide will provide a head lamp, walking sticks, gloves, hiking bag, rain coat and a small water bottle to make the climb much easier. This climb is classified as a medium level of difficulty, so a good level of fitness is required (as a guide, it’s suitable for those that enjoy hill walking).

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Western Bali’s Highlights by Vintage VW Jeep

Bali’s colourful VW 181 Safari Jeeps are a classic sight around the island. They also provide a seriously cool way to explore. Jump on board for an adventure around western Bali to see some of the island’s most famous temples and stunning diverse landscapes. Your tour begins with a trip to Bali’s most popular attraction: the ancient sea temple shrine of Pura Tanah Lot, which is perched on a rock formation offshore. A morning visit will hopefully mean you’ll have a more tranquil experience. You’ll then be driven through villages and rice fields up into the mountains to the rainforested slopes of Batukaru volcano, home to impressive Pura Luhur Batukaru, which you’ll explore on a guided tour. A drive through Bali’s most spectacular rice terraces around UNESCO World Heritage-listed Jatiluwih follows, before you arrive at Bedugul, located 1200 meters above sea level. We’ll stop at Beratan Lake to visit beautiful Ulun Danu Temple, which sits in the middle of the lake, and have a buffet lunch in the tropical gardens. On our route back, we’ll head to a colourful local market so you can experience the buzz of local life and then look around a traditional Balinese family compound, which has a distinctive design, for an insightful end to the day.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 7am to 4pm
• Departing daily from South Bali, Seminyak and Central Ubud hotels
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
We recommend bringing a light jacket or jumper and long trousers as it can get cool in the mountains.

Read more

Get to know Bali and those important practicalities when planning your perfect holiday.

Capital
TIME DIFFERENCE

GMT +7 hours

CURRENCY

Indonesian Rupiah

FLYING TIME TO DESTINATION

16¼ hours (not including stopover time)

RELIGION

Muslim (minority Christianity and Hinduism)

LANGUAGE

Indonesian

Where is Bali?
Just one island within the vast Indonesian archipelago (of which there are more than 17,000), Bali’s nearest neighbours are Java to the west and Lombok to the east. Though Bali enjoys consistently high temperatures year-round, the best times to visit are between May and September, when the wet season has finished and days are filled with plenty of sunshine and blue skies.

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Bali's beaches
Most of Bali’s beach resorts lie on the southern end of the island. Seminyak is a popular upmarket beach resort where you’ll find some gorgeous luxury hotels. The beaches here are relatively quiet, but the area comes alive in the evening, with a great choice of boutiques, high-end bars and beach clubs. Sanur is one of Bali’s original beach resorts, which offers a number of authentic Balinese hotels; this is a more family-friendly area, thanks to its calmer waters and quieter vibe. Purpose-built Nusa Dua boasts exclusive hotels, right in the very south of the island. On the island’s southernmost Bukit Peninsula, Uluwatu is known for its towering cliffs and stunning coastal views.

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Inland Bali
Far removed from Bali’s beaches, artsy Ubud is the cultural heart of the island, and its surrounding areas are often a highlight of a Bali holiday. Dining options here are vast, from market stalls to upmarket restaurants, and there are some excellent Balinese cooking classes on offer. Spas, yoga and meditation are very popular here, and there are lots of galleries, temples and markets to explore. Ubud’s surrounding areas are characterised by a stunning region of rice terraces, tiered into the hillsides – venture north for some of the best views of the rice paddies and valleys.

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Diving & snorkelling
Bali lies within the Coral Triangle, one of the richest ecosystems on the planet. As a result, the island enjoys incredible coastal waters that offer fantastic diving opportunities and snorkelling experiences that are widely available across most of the island. One of Bali’s most famous diving sites is the USAT Liberty Wreck, found just off the northeast coast near Tulamben Beach. On the east coast of Bali, the Blue Lagoon is a stunning underwater haven; starting almost right at the shoreline, this reef offers fantastic marine life and multiple snorkelling opportunities.

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Food & drink
If you’re a self-confessed foodie, Bali definitely won’t disappoint. From street food to cafés, to beach clubs and high-end restaurants complete with Michelin-starred chefs, Bali is an exciting and all-round dining destination to visit. Dining on the island can cover a little bit of anything and everything – not only can menus include both classic Indonesian flavours and western specialities, but Bali also enjoys a vibrant health and wellness food scene, and offers a fantastic range for vegetarians and vegans too. 

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