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🇮🇩 Itinerary · Indonesia · 7 days

1-week Indonesia itinerary 2026: Bali and the Gili Islands

7 days in Bali and the Gili Islands: Ubud, the rice fields, the temples and snorkeling. The short format for a first trip, with detailed budget and transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

7 days

Stops

4 places

Average budget

€1,100-1,800

Total distance

~250 km

Profile

First time

Season

May-Oct

Ubud 3d · Amed 1d · Gili Air 2d · Canggu 1d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Indonesia 1-week itinerary map: Ubud, Sidemen, Amed, Gili Air, Canggu

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

7 days, day by day

1

~€70/pers

Ubud · Arrival & the heart of Bali

  • Morning Arrival in Denpasar. Private car to Ubud (1h30, €20).
  • Afternoon Rest, walk in the Monkey Forest.
  • Evening Dinner at a local warung, kecak dance show at the temple.
🛌 🛌 Ubud · e.g. Bisma Eight (3 nights)·🚗 Private car or Grab·Ubud guide →
2

~€50

Ubud · Rice fields and temples

  • 6am Tegallalang rice terraces at dawn, before the groups.
  • 11am Tirta Empul temple, sacred springs and purification bath.
  • 5pm Balinese cooking class, spice market.
3

~€55

Ubud · Volcano and waterfalls

  • 5am Sunrise at the summit of Mount Batur (active volcano, 1,717 m).
  • 12pm Hot springs at the foot of the volcano.
  • 4pm Tegenungan or Tukad Cepung waterfalls.
4

~€90

Ubud → Amed → Gili Air

  • 8am Road to eastern Bali, diving or snorkeling on the Tulamben wreck.
  • 1pm Speedboat from Amed to Gili Air (1h, €25).
  • 5pm Check-in, cycling around the island (no cars or scooters), sunset.
🛌 🛌 Gili Air · e.g. Pink Coco (2 nights)·🚗 Car + 🚤 speedboat
5

~€45

Gili Air · Snorkeling and turtles

  • Morning Snorkeling with turtles, boat trip around the three Gili.
  • Afternoon Lazing on the beach, hammock facing Lombok.
  • Evening Grilled fish dinner with feet in the sand.
6

~€70

Gili Air → Canggu · Back to Bali

  • 10am Speedboat to southern Bali.
  • 3pm Check-in in Canggu, surf and cafe vibe.
  • 6pm Sunset at Tanah Lot temple.
🛌 🛌 Canggu · e.g. The Slow (1 night)·🚤 Speedboat + car
7

Flight

Canggu → Return

  • Morning Surf lesson or brunch, last shopping.
  • Afternoon Denpasar airport, return flight to Paris via a Gulf or Asian hub.

How much

Itinerary budget (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€1,100

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €800
  • 🏨 Guesthouse: €15/night
  • 🍜 Warung: €8/day
  • 🚤 Speedboats + transfers: €90
  • 🎫 Activities: €80
Recommended

Comfort

€1,500

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €900
  • 🏨 Hotel with pool: €50/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed restos: €20/day
  • 🚤 Speedboats + private car: €130
  • 🎫 Activities: €120

Premium

€2,800

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €1,600
  • 🏨 Private villa: €200/night
  • 🍽️ Fine dining: €45/day
  • 🚖 Private driver
  • 🎫 Diving + spa: €250

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

You're here

1 week

1 week

Bali and the Gili. The essential format.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Java, Bali and Lombok or Komodo.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour, from Sumatra to the Sunda islands.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

A week with no domestic flight: everything runs by private car on Bali and speedboat to the Gili. Distances on Bali are short but traffic stretches them out.

🚗

Private car on Bali

~€40/day with driver · simpler than a scooter

🚤

Speedboat Amed → Gili Air

~€25 · 1h · book the day before

🚴

Cycling on the Gili

free or ~€5/day · no cars on the islands

Adapt by season

Dry season or rainy season

The dry season (May-October) is ideal: calm sea for the crossing to the Gili and clear skies over the rice fields. The rainy season (November-March) brings short tropical showers, mostly in late afternoon, and a sometimes rough sea that can cancel speedboats to the Gili. In that case, favor southern Bali, more sheltered, or the flight to Lombok.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In June 2024, I climbed Mount Batur for sunrise: 4am start, sea of clouds at 6am atop the volcano, it stayed the highlight of the week, well ahead of the beaches.
  • • Choosing Gili Air over Gili Trawangan: same turquoise water, calmer vibe.
  • • The Tegallalang rice terraces at dawn, before the coaches arrive.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Skip Canggu if you don't surf and add a night on the Gili.
  • • Prefer Nusa Penida to the Gili for dramatic cliffs (more relief).
  • • Over 7 days, skip Java: the Bromo volcano needs two days of transport.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is one week in Indonesia enough? +
Yes for Bali and the Gili: Ubud, a volcano and an island. Trying to add Java (Bromo, Borobudur) over 7 days loses two days to transport and flying.
Should you take the speedboat or the flight to the Gili? +
The speedboat (1h from Amed or Padangbai) is simplest. If you fear seasickness or travel with family, the Denpasar-Lombok flight (40 min) then a short boat is more comfortable.
Do you need a scooter to visit Bali? +
Not essential. A private car with driver (~€40/day) is safer in Bali traffic and lets you combine everything without an international license.
Is this itinerary suitable for families? +
Yes, lightened: swap Mount Batur for the waterfalls, keep the Gili (no cars, calm water). Bring sunscreen and a UV rash guard for snorkeling.
What's the best period? +
May to October, in the dry season: calm sea for the Gili, clear skies. The rainy season (November-March) still works with short showers, but speedboats can be cancelled.
How much for a week all in? +
Count about €1,100 backpacker, €1,500 comfort and €2,800 premium, flight from Paris included, per person.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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