Hitesh.
First light over Lake Batur from the summit trail
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Indonesia · Aug 2025

Mantas, Mud, and a 1,000-Step Cliff

8 Days Across Bali and Nusa Penida

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A tropical escape from Dubai to Denpasar, chasing sunrise over Mount Batur, getting muddy in Ubud's green highlands, hiking down Kelingking Beach and snorkeling with manta rays off Nusa Penida.

Some trips are for resting and some are for earning the view. This one did both. We flew out of Dubai into Denpasar for sunset cocktails on Bali's beaches, then headed inland to Ubud's green highlands for jungle, rice fields and an ATV ride through the mud. We climbed Mount Batur in the dark to watch the sun come up over the crater lake, and looked down on the Indian Ocean from the cliffs of Uluwatu. Then we crossed the Badung Strait to Nusa Penida, hiked all the way down to Kelingking Beach and swam with manta rays, before a last night in Jakarta and the flight home.

Duration
8 days (August 25 to September 1, 2025)
Route
Dubai → Denpasar → Seminyak & Legian → Ubud & Mount Batur → Uluwatu → Nusa Penida → Jakarta → Dubai
Key stays
ibis Styles Bali Legian, Ramada Encore Seminyak, Daphila Cottage (Nusa Penida), ibis Styles Jakarta Airport
Highest point
Mount Batur summit at sunrise (1,717 m)
Biggest milestone
Hiking down Kelingking's cliff to the beach, then snorkeling with manta rays

Route

7 stops

INDONESIA With our driver With our driver With our driver Fast boat Flight Legian & Seminyak, Bali Beach sunsets 1 Ubud Jungle & rice terraces 2 Mount Batur sunrise Sunrise on a volcano 3 Uluwatu cliffs Clifftop temple 4 Kelingking Beach T-Rex cliff beach 5 Manta Point snorkel Swim with mantas 6 Jakarta One night stopover 7 BALI & NUSA PENIDA 8 days · Dubai → Bali → Jakarta → Dubai N HOW WE TRAVELLED With our driver Fast boat Flight THE ROUTE Tap a stop to jump to that day 1 Legian & Seminyak, Bali Aug 25 · Beach sunsets 2 Ubud Aug 26 to 27 · Jungle & rice terraces 3 Mount Batur sunrise Aug 27 · Sunrise on a volcano 4 Uluwatu cliffs Aug 27 · Clifftop temple 5 Kelingking Beach Aug 28 to 31 · T-Rex cliff beach 6 Manta Point snorkel Aug 28 to 31 · Swim with mantas 7 Jakarta Aug 31 to Sep 1 · One night stopover

Tap a pin to jump to that stop.

Day by day

The itinerary

  1. 1 Aug 25 Legian & Seminyak, Bali Touchdown, Sunsets & Island Life Unlocked

    We landed in Denpasar from Dubai and went straight for South Bali's beaches. Sunset cocktails at a beach club, palm trees against an orange sky and a dance floor full of good energy were the perfect start to the trip.

    “Sunset, cocktails, and favorite people. Island life = unlocked.”
    Photos from this stop are coming soon.
  2. 2 Aug 26 to 27 Ubud & the green highlands Jungle Greens, Mud Trails & Java Frappés

    Ubud is the green heart of Bali, with tall palms, terraced rice fields and jungle paths everywhere you look. We swapped the beach for helmets and an ATV ride through muddy jungle tracks, and came back splattered and grinning. Afterwards we cooled off with an iced Java frappé and dadar gulung, Bali's bright green coconut pancakes.

    “Beach pics snapped, treks conquered, mud survived. Now, sugar please.”
    Photos from this stop are coming soon.
  3. 3 Aug 27 Mount Batur (sunrise trek) A Pre-Dawn Climb & Fire Over the Crater Lake

    We started hiking in the dark and reached the rim of an active volcano just as the sky turned orange and pink over Lake Batur. Watching the sun rise over the crater, with Mount Abang and Mount Agung on the skyline, was the best kind of reminder that nature runs the show.

    “Sunrise over Mount Batur. Mother Earth reminding us she's the real VIP.”
    First light over Lake Batur from the summit trail Pre-dawn glow over the Batur caldera
  4. 4 Aug 27 Uluwatu cliffs Clifftop Views Over the Indian Ocean

    Bali's southern tip, where green limestone cliffs drop straight into the waves. We grabbed a cliffside seat at Malini Uluwatu and watched the waves break far below.

    “In pursuit of views. Uluwatu delivered.”
    The cliffs and surf of Uluwatu
  5. 5 Aug 28 to 31 Nusa Penida: Kelingking Beach One of Bali's Toughest Treks, Paid Back in Turquoise

    We took the fast boat to Nusa Penida and checked into Daphila Cottage. Then came the one we'd been waiting for: Kelingking Beach. The steep, uneven steps and narrow paths go straight down the famous T-Rex-shaped cliff. It's tough, sweaty and dizzying, and every step is worth it when you reach the white sand and turquoise water. We were proud, tired and totally in awe.

    “Conquered one of Bali's toughest treks. Steep steps, endless paths, and the turquoise paradise of Kelingking at the bottom.”
    The turquoise curve below the Kelingking cliff On the sand at the bottom of the trek, Nusa Penida
  6. 6 Aug 28 to 31 Nusa Penida underwater: snorkeling with mantas Manta Rays, Sea Turtles & Coral Gardens

    Nusa Penida is even better below the surface. We snorkeled over coral full of bright tropical fish, swam next to a sea turtle, and watched giant manta rays glide by under us. To finish, we floated in an infinity pool looking out over the ocean.

    “Underwater vibes: mantas gliding beneath us in Nusa Penida's blue.”
    Photos from this stop are coming soon.
  7. 7 Aug 31 to Sep 1 Jakarta, Java The Java Stopover & Homeward Bound

    We left the islands for one night at ibis Styles Jakarta Airport, then flew home to Dubai with salty hair, sore legs and a serious holiday hangover.

    “One last night in Indonesia before home.”
    Photos from this stop are coming soon.

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