The Best Attractions in North and East Bali

Bali can never be short of stunning and impressive places to visit and explore. Go beyond the southern coast beaches by heading up north and east to discover all the magnificent gems of the region!

After exploring Ubud, use it as a perfect exit point to explore the northern and eastern parts of Bali. We’ve outlined the best places to visit and things to do that will add a unique touch to your holiday in Bali. You can head westward and visit the Jatiluwih Rice Terrace before going further north to visit the iconic Bratan Lake. You can also head eastward and stop by the highly significant Tirta Empul Temple, taste some Luwak coffee at BAS De ATAYANA, trek the Mount Batur and Mount Agung volcanoes, have a dip in the royal water gardens, and visit the gate of heaven at Pura Lempuyang. Whether you want to visit some or all of these places that are popping up on everyone’s Instagram feed lately, or are just looking to take in the grandeur of this unique side of Bali, this article is for you!

🚀 How to get to the northern and eastern parts of Bali?

If you can ride a scooter, go ahead and rent one! It’s a super budget friendly option with rental prices being as low as IDR 50,000 (USD 3.4) per day and IDR 600,000 (USD 40) a month. If you’re quoted a higher price, try haggling.

Renting a car is also a feasible option since the roads are pretty good up north and east! This will be more expensive to do, but it also provides a whole lot of comfort.

If self-driving isn’t an option, you can join one of the many tours on day trips that start from and return to Ubud and South Bali.

🚀 Take in the stunning views of Jatiluwih Rice Terrace

Drive to Jatiluwih and be mesmerized by the pattern of expansive paddies on the hills that are a result of the Balinese Subak irrigation system. Jati means ‘real’ and Luwih means ‘good’ or ‘beautiful’; and this place surely is beautiful, which is why it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area is very rural, inhabited only by farming communities and there are a few high-end mountain resorts. If you choose to stay here longer, you can trek and explore different parts of the terraces and even go cycling. If not, we’d recommend to at least sit down to a nice lunch with a panoramic view of the rice terraces.

• 🕣 Jatiluwih Rice Terrace Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 8:30am – 6:00pm
• 🎫 Jatiluwih Rice Terrace Entrance Fee: IDR 40,000 (USD 2.7)

🚀 Visit Pura Ulun Danu Beratan

Further north is the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, an iconic Hindu temple located in the Bedugul area. Built for the Goddess of Water, the temple has multi-tiered shrines that sits on the calm waters of the Beratan Lake against misty mountainous backdrop. The weather is chill in this area and it’s just lovely admiring the scenery that is printed on the IDR 50,000 note of the Indonesian currency!

• 🕣 Ulun Danu Beratan Temple Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 8:00am – 6:00pm
• 🎫 Ulun Danu Beratan Temple Entrance Fee: Adult IDR 50,000 (USD 3.4), Child IDR 25,000 (USD 1.7)

🚀 Snap a photo at Handara Golf and Resort Gate

The beauty and ambiance at Bali’s Handara gate is worth witnessing. It was built in the 1980s and offers a world class golf course with lush green mountains and rain forests creating a dramatic backdrop. For this attraction, you need to buy a “selfie ticket” that lets you capture an Instagram-worthy shot. You may even have to wait in line sometimes depending what time of the day you’re there. Funny, isn’t it? A gate that merely served as an entrance to a golf course and resort, is now, due to the power of social media, a famous paid attraction!

• 🎫 Handara Golf and Resort Entrance Fee: IDR 30,000 (USD 2)

🚀 Uncover the Wanagiri Hidden Hills

Just a short drive up from Bedugul is the Hidden Hills of Wanagiri. This place is Instagram-famous for its selfie spots including a human-sized bird’s nest, swings, bamboo boat lookout, and tree houses, all of which gift you marvellous views of the mountain ranges along with the Buyan Lake and the Tamblingan Lake. There are various entrances to this place and each location has different attractions. On a busy day, you may need to join a queue to take a photo, or you could be an early riser and escape the crowd! You can check some of the best shots visitors have taken here!

• 🕣 Hidden Hills Wanagiri Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 8:00am – 6:00pm
• 🎫 Price for photo spots at Hidden Hills Wanagiri: IDR 20,000 – 40,000 (USD 1.4 – 2.8)

🚀 Visit a beautiful waterfall or two

If you have extra time to spare and love the water, go waterfall hopping while you’re up north in Bali. Some of the best ones located north of Ulun Danu Temple include the Banyumala Waterfall, Gitgit Waterfall, and Sekumpul Waterfall. Nungnung Waterfall and Leke Leke Waterfall are located south of Ulun Danu Temple.

🚀 Bathe at Tirta Empul Temple

Go check out the Tirta Empul Holy Water Temple located in Tampaksiring. This place is home to the holiest springs in Bali which is why the name Tirta Empul means ‘holy water springs’. The general public can pass through a carved gate and find 15 spouts pouring spring water into two shallow rectangular pools. Each shower spout has a special significance such as curing illnesses, blessing newly-built houses, improving one’s luck, etc. While you may not notice instant changes in your luck, the fresh bath will enliven your mood! No swimsuits are allowed here. You will have to rent a proper religious attire before bathing.

• 🕣 Tirta Empul Temple Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 9:00am – 5:00pm
• 🎫 Tirta Empul Temple Entrance Fee: Adult IDR 15,000 (USD 1), Child IDR 7,500 (USD 0.5)

🚀 Taste coffee at BAS De ATAYANA (I Love BAS Agrotourism)

After a refreshing bath, head to BAS De ATAYANA for a Luwak coffee plantation tour and tasting! The tour explains the Luwak coffee making process and includes tasting one variant of Luwak coffee, 15 different types of beverages, and a sticky rice sweet dish. Our favourite was the coconut coffee and vanilla coffee! Oh and you will also get to say hi to the civets (toddycats in English, Luwak in Indonesian language), the animals responsible for digesting the coffee beans that are then picked from their faeces to make Luwak coffee. How does this work? The structure of proteins in the coffee beans is changed by their digestive enzymes, which removes some of the acidity resulting in a smoother cup of coffee.

• 🕣 BAS De ATAYANA Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 8:00am – 7:00pm
• 🎫 BAS De ATAYANA Tour and Tasting Fee: IDR 60,000 (USD 4)

🚀 Check out Mount Batur, Kintamani

Drive up to Kintamani to see the majestic Batur Volcano and the crescent-shaped caldera lake, surrounded by the high walls of crater rim that make for superb views. The sunrise volcano trek to Mount Batur is also an experience not to be missed should time permit, and we suggest doing it with an experienced local guide. There are heaps of other ways to explore the region including taking a helicopter ride over the volcano, kayaking and canoeing, or even cycling through the Kintamani highlands.

🚀 Visit the Besakih Temple

Located in Karangasem, this complex of Hindu temples is mighty impressive having miraculously survived the catastrophic volcano eruption in 1963. For the Balinese people, this temple is a sanctuary and a place of pilgrimage. Located on the slopes of Mount Agung, there are 22 temples in this complex, with umpteen number of shrines and sculptures, decorated with carvings of Mahabarata and Ramayana. The architecture of the complex and backdrop of Mount Agung make it a worthwhile place to visit, even though you won’t be allowed to enter the temple.

• 🕣 Besakih Temple Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 8:00am – 5:00pm
• 🎫 Besakih Temple Entrance Fee: Adult IDR 60,000 (USD 4)

🚀 Hike Mount Agung

Being the highest mountain in Bali and the 5th highest volcano in Indonesia, Mount Agung makes for a great trekking expedition! From the Pasar Agung Temple starting point, the hike takes about 3-4 hours; and from the Besakih Temple starting point, the hike is about 5-7 hours. You need to be physically fit to conquer this hike to enjoy the experience to the fullest. It’ll also work very much in your favour if you join a tour group or go with a local guide who knows the terrain really well. This hike is best done for its sunrise views, so you will have to start in the wee hours of the morning to reach the summit in time for the break of dawn.

🚀 Visit the Water Gardens: Tirta Gangga and Taman Ujung

Tirta Gangga was a former royal palace that’s now been turned into a beautiful spring water garden. The area of the park is 1.2 hectares, consisting of ponds home to beautiful fishes, wading pools, fountains, Balinese sculptures, and a royal mansion bordered by rice paddies and well-kept lawns.

• 🕣 Tirta Gangga Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 8:00am – 6:00pm
• 🎫 Tirta Gangga Entrance Fee: Adult IDR 30,000 (USD 2)

Taman Ujung Water Palace is even more magnificent with its stunning blend of man-made structure and scenic panoramas. The ornate pillars and statues are a result of Balinese architecture with a Dutch influence. Not to mention, this 10 hectares complex also hosts lush green gardens and spring water pools set against the backdrop of Mount Agung. Having suffered devastation by hot ash spills from the Mount Agung eruption in 1963 and the earthquake in 1979, the restoration efforts are commendable that have resulted in such a splendid attraction today!

• 🕣 Taman Ujung Water Palace Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 8:00am – 5:00pm
• 🎫 Taman Ujung Water Palace Entrance Fee: Adult IDR 35,000 (USD 2.4)

🚀 Have a slice of heaven at Pura Lempuyang

The Lempuyang Temple is located at the summit of Belibis Hill in Karangasem on the northeast side of Mount Agung, about 1,050 metres above sea level. It is also known as the Temple of Thousand Steps, which stays true to its name because you have to climb around 1700 steps to reach it. Heaps of people come here, even more nowadays, to capture the grandeur of the gate specially during sunset time with the dominating Mount Agung view in the backdrop. Pura Lempuyang is a remarkable place to visit; but you need to arrive there at the right time and be patient to queue up for about an hour to get THAT perfect shot!

• 🕣 Pura Lempuyang Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 7:00am – 5:00pm
• 🎫 Pura Lempuyang Entrance Fee: IDR 10,000 (USD 0.7) temple donation

Note:
If you don’t have a scooter, you need to pay a 2-way fee for a vehicle ride that will take you up and down the hill from the car park (IDR 40,000 – USD 2.8 for a 2-way ride). If you don’t have a sarong, you must rent one for IDR 10,000 (USD 0.7). To have your photograph taken at the gate you need to pay a voluntary fee of about IDR 10,000-50.000 (USD 0.7-3.5) to the guy who will take the photo for you and who will also hold a mirror close to the phone lens to create the water reflection effect that makes the picture magical!

While you are in the eastern side of Bali and if you are a diving fanatic, you can check out Tulamben where the USAT Liberty Wreck dive is. We’ve shared all about visiting Tulamben and doing the shipwreck dive there on the blog!