Bali Temples & Rice Terraces: The Perfect Full-Day Itinerary
Bali's spiritual side is its most photogenic — emerald rice terraces carved into hillsides, sea temples perched on cliffs and rocks, and a fire dance performed as the sun drops into the Indian Ocean. Here is how to see the best of it in one full day, with the top-rated temple and rice-terrace tours to book.
At a glance
- 1Tegalalang rice terraces at sunrise
- 2Water temple blessing near Ubud
- 3Tanah Lot on its wave-cut rock
- 4Uluwatu Kecak dance at sunset
Morning: Tegalalang before the crowds
Start at the Tegalalang rice terraces north of Ubud by 8am, before the tour buses arrive and the midday heat sets in. Entry is around IDR 25,000, with small extra donations at farmers' checkpoints along the walking paths. Guided Ubud tours typically pair the terraces with the Sacred Monkey Forest or a jungle swing, and a driver saves you the scooter ride on narrow, winding roads.
Midday: water temples and Besakih
From Ubud, head to a holy water temple — Tirta Empul, where Balinese Hindus bathe in spring-fed purification pools, or the lakeside Ulun Danu Beratan. Ambitious itineraries push east to Besakih, the 'Mother Temple' complex on the slopes of Mount Agung. A sarong is mandatory at every temple; most tours include one, otherwise rentals are available at the gate for a small fee.
Afternoon: Tanah Lot at low tide
Tanah Lot, Bali's most photographed sea temple, sits on a wave-carved rock offshore — at low tide you can walk right up to its base. Foreigner entry is IDR 75,000. It gets very busy from 4pm as sunset approaches, so if you're combining it with Uluwatu the same day, come earlier and save the golden hour for the clifftop.
Sunset: Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu
End at Uluwatu Temple, on a 70-metre cliff at Bali's southern tip, for the nightly Kecak dance — a hypnotic chant-and-fire performance staged in the open-air amphitheatre at 6pm. Tickets are around IDR 150,000 and sell out in high season, so book a tour with reserved seats. Watch your sunglasses: the resident monkeys here are professional thieves.
Book the experiences in this itinerary
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