Bali

April–October is the ideal dry season; July–August peaks — May, June and September are the smart picks.

• Tegalalang and Jatiluwih rice terraces
• Ubud: forest, temples and arts
• Tanah Lot temple at sunset
• Waterfalls (Sekumpul, Tibumana)
• Nusa Penida boat trips

Ubud for nature and calm; Seminyak/Canggu for beaches and dining; Nusa Dua for gated family resorts.

Hire a daily driver (~USD 40) instead of self-driving — roads are narrow and busy. Halal warungs (Muslim-run) are findable via apps.

Getting around: A private day-driver is the real transit system (IDR 350–600k per car-day) — inter-area distances run hours, not minutes. Grab/Gojek work within zones that allow them. Don't ride a scooter without real experience — tourist crashes are daily.

Halal & prayer places: Bali is Hindu inside a Muslim country: local warungs are often non-halal (pork is common), but halal restaurants spread across Kuta, Seminyak and Nusa Dua (Muslim-Indonesian chains — Padang kitchens are halal by default) — look for the Halal sign or Padang cooking.

Local safety: Same as country →

Cost figures: Approx. 2026 prices: day driver IDR 350–600k, Tegallalang ~25k, Uluwatu ~50k with kecak show ~150k, mid-range meal IDR 50–150k per person.

🗓️ Crowding calendar — periods to avoid: Peaks: July–August, New Year and Australian holidays. On Nyepi (Day of Silence, March) the whole island stops for 24h — airport included.

5-7 days

Suggested plan:

1. Two days for Ubud, terraces and waterfalls
2. Two days for beaches and sea temples
3. A Nusa Penida day
4. A free resort day