Bali is a province of Indonesia and its only Hindu-majority one, with about 86 per cent of residents following Balinese Hinduism. That shapes everything a visitor sees: small offerings on pavements, temple festivals that close roads, villages organised around their own shrines, and a calendar that still follows the 210-day Pawukon cycle alongside the ordinary one. The island is about 5,600 sq km, small enough to cross in a few hours by road, but traffic is slow and the best sights are scattered across volcanic hills, so distances feel longer than the map suggests.
This page is the island overview. It covers what sits outside the main resort and town areas: the lake temple at Bedugul, the rice terraces of Jatiluwih, the mother temple of Besakih, the Mount Batur caldera, the water palaces of the east, the north coast and the national park in the west. Each of the better-known bases, including Ubud, Seminyak, Kuta, Canggu, Nusa Dua, Uluwatu and Sanur, has its own Raahzo guide, and the offshore islands such as Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan do too. Read this page first to decide where to base yourself, then open the area guide.
For an Indian family, Bali is easier than it looks. The island is used to visitors, English is widely understood in hotels and at the main sights, and a private car with a driver by the day is a standard and sensible way to travel. The caution is not safety but stamina: tropical humidity, steep temple steps, long drives on narrow roads and the heavy rain of the wet season. Vegetarian eating is workable with care, and Indian restaurants exist in the southern tourist belt, but Jain and strict vegetarian cooking is not the norm outside it. Plan one big sight a day, keep the afternoons light, and Bali becomes a relaxed holiday for older travellers as well as children.
Visitors should know three rules before arriving. Foreign tourists pay a one-time provincial tourism levy through the official Love Bali portal. Temples expect covered shoulders and knees, usually with a sarong and sash, and are working places of worship first. And on Nyepi, the annual Day of Silence, the whole island including the airport shuts for a day, so check that date before booking.
Before you plan
Bali at a glance
- Best months
- April to October is the drier seasonApril to October is the drier season, with May to September usually the most comfortable. November to March is wet, heaviest from December to February, though mornings are often clear.
- Ideal trip length
- 5 to 7 days for the island with one…5 to 7 days for the island with one or two bases; add 2 to 3 days for the Nusa islands or the east coast
- Airport
- Ngurah Rai International AirportNgurah Rai International Airport (DPS) at Tuban, about 13 km south of Denpasar; the island's only airport, closed for the full day on Nyepi
- Railway station
- NoneNone. Bali has no passenger railway, so every journey on the island is by road or sea.
- Getting around
- A private car with driver by the day…A private car with driver by the day is the usual choice for families and seniors; app cabs work in the south but are restricted in some villages. Self-drive and scooters are not advised for older visitors.
- Daily budget
- Very approximate planning range…Very approximate planning range ₹3,500 to ₹9,000 per person per day excluding flights and hotel, for a car and driver share, entry fees and meals; check current exchange rates before you go
- Senior comfort
- Good with planning: many sights have…Good with planning: many sights have steps, uneven ground and heat, so choose one anchor sight per day, take a driver, and keep the highland sights for cooler hours
- Language
- Indonesian is the national language…Indonesian is the national language and Balinese is widely spoken at home; English is common in hotels and tourist areas, and a few Hindi or Tamil speakers work in Indian restaurants
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Bali: May, June, July, August, September. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Bali itinerary
One good day
1 day in Bali
With a private driver, leave early for the highlands. Start at Ulun Danu Beratan at Bedugul while the lake is still quiet, then drive to Jatiluwih for the rice terraces and a long lunch overlooking the paddies. On the way back to the south coast, stop at Tanah Lot for the late-afternoon light. This is a long day in a car, so it suits families with older children and fit grandparents, and it is the one-day answer for anyone staying in the south.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Bali
Visit Taman Ayun at Mengwi on the way north, an easy royal temple with a moat and lawns. Continue to Ulun Danu Beratan for the lake and cooler air, then to Jatiluwih for lunch among the terraces. Return via Tanah Lot at the end of the day, timing your arrival for the late afternoon.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Bali
Start at Taman Ayun in Mengwi, then drive up to Bedugul for Ulun Danu Beratan. Have lunch at Jatiluwih, walking only the short flat paths among the terraces. Finish at Tanah Lot at golden hour and stay for the sunset if the crowds are manageable.
Day-by-day plan →
