Drive Bali's full circuit from south-coast Seminyak to the rice terraces of Ubud, the cool highland waterfalls of Munduk, and the quiet fishing villages of Amed on the east coast. Ten nights, one car, the complete island.
Indonesia's most popular island rewards those who drive it properly. A self-drive loop from Seminyak takes you through the cultural centre of Ubud, up into the cool highland forests of Munduk, across to the quiet fishing villages of Amed on the northeast coast, and back through the east at Candidasa to your starting point. Ten nights, one car, the full range of Bali in a single circuit.
A car with a local driver is the most comfortable way to do this route. Self-drive is possible with an International Driving Permit, but the narrow mountain roads, frequent scooters, and traffic around Kuta make a driver a worthwhile cost for first-timers. Budget IDR 650,000–900,000 per day ($40–55 USD) for a private driver. For two people that often works out cheaper than a rental car once fuel and the learning curve are factored in.
Roads vary considerably. The main corridors (Seminyak to Ubud, north coast highway to Amed) are wide and straightforward. The highland roads around Munduk are narrow, steep, and occasionally mist-covered in the late afternoon.
Seminyak is where most visitors land and it earns its place as a two-night base. The beach clubs and seafood warungs give you time to adjust before heading into quieter territory. Walk north to Double Six Beach for the sunset, or take an afternoon to visit Tanah Lot temple 30 minutes down the coast road, where a sea temple perches on a volcanic rock that becomes an island at high tide.
Leave by 8am on day three to get ahead of the road traffic before Ubud.
Three nights in Ubud is the minimum to do the cultural heartland justice. The Tegalalang Rice Terraces north of town are worth an early morning visit before the tour groups arrive. The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in the centre of town is smaller than it sounds but genuinely interesting, with over a thousand long-tailed macaques among ancient temple ruins. Tirta Empul holy spring is 15 minutes north: visitors wade into the purification pools alongside Balinese Hindus performing the melukat ritual.
Ubud is also the best place on the route for cooking classes, traditional Kecak and Legong dance performances, and workshops in silver jewellery and batik painting. Book a class or performance one day ahead through your accommodation.
Eight days through the finest UNESCO towns of Bohemia and Moravia: Prague's Astronomical Clock, the bone church of Kutná Hora, Telč's Renaissance square, the fairy-tale castle bend of Český Krumlov and Pilsner Urquell in Plzeň.
The drive north from Ubud to Munduk takes around two hours and the road climbs continuously through terraced farmland and coffee and clove plantations. At 1,000 metres the air is noticeably cooler and the pace drops. Munduk is a highland farming village with more than twenty waterfalls within hiking distance. The Munduk Falls Trail links four of them in a half-day walk through forest and plantation: allow 3–4 hours and wear grip shoes.
On the afternoon of your second day, drive west to the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. These UNESCO heritage fields cover several kilometres of Bali's western slopes with a fraction of the visitors that Tegalalang attracts.
Four quiet fishing villages along the northeast coast, collectively known as Amed, make up the route's most restful stretch. Black-sand bays, small guesthouses, and the cloud-capped silhouette of Mount Agung visible across the water. The main draw is the USAT Liberty, a US cargo ship torpedoed by the Japanese in 1942, now resting at up to 30 metres off Tulamben beach (20 minutes north of Amed). The upper hull is accessible to snorkellers. Hire gear on the beach for around $5 and go before 9am for the best visibility.
Candidasa is a quiet fishing town, useful as a final pause before the drive south. The east-coast beach is calm and uncrowded. A short drive inland brings you to Tenganan Pegringsingan, one of the oldest and most intact Bali Aga (original Balinese) villages, known for weaving the rare double-ikat cloth called geringsing. The village is free to enter. From Candidasa, Seminyak is roughly two hours on the main south road.
When to go: April to October is Bali's dry season. July and August are peak season with higher prices and more crowded sites. May, June and September are the sweet spot.
Getting around: Car hire with driver runs $40–55 per day. Book through your first hotel or guesthouse, or arrange in advance. Self-drive requires an International Driving Permit and confidence on narrow mountain roads.
What to pack: Light cotton clothing, a rain jacket for Munduk afternoons, reef-safe sunscreen for snorkelling at Amed, and a sarong for temple visits (often available to hire at the gate, but bring your own to save time).
Money: Most small warungs, roadside stalls, and guesthouses on this route accept cash only. ATMs are plentiful in Seminyak and Ubud, less common in Munduk and Amed. Withdraw enough cash before leaving Ubud.
From Cambridge's Gothic spires to Ely's cathedral rising above the flat Fens, this journey through Cambridgeshire takes in Bronze Age causeways, a Norman cathedral with a theatrical three-arched West Front, and Stamford, England's finest stone town.
The full route — stops, maps, and driving times — is on Routebook by Kington.
A complete circuit of Bali from the south-coast beach hub of Seminyak to the cultural centre of Ubud, the cool highland waterfalls of Munduk, and the black-sand fishing coast at Amed, returning south via Candidasa.
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