I’ve got to be honest with you. We are not your typical Bali backpackers. We won’t be able to tell you where the best wifi cafes in Sanur or Seminyak are, or which beach club in Uluwatu or Canggu will have the best happy hour deals and sunset views.

I promise you can find those articles on plenty of other blogs.

We challenged ourselves to explore parts of Bali that have not been impacted by overtourism. The best way to do this was to rent a motorbike and tour the island. During our trip we took notes of the locations, accommodations, people, food, activities, etc., that we felt that you guys (the adventurers & explorers) should see for yourselves. 

So we went ahead and made this comprehensive guide to help you plan your own motorbike trip around the off-the-grid and beautiful areas of West & North Bali.

If you’ve made it to this blog post, there’s a good chance you’re already in Bali right now.

Or perhaps you’ve been before and are planning your next trip back to paradise.

Or maybe you’ve never been to Bali, and want to go on an epic adventure...

Maybe you’re feeling guilty of staying in a familiar place for too long – we sure were. We know there are probably many of you out there who love Bali like we do, and have wanted to see the rest of the island but aren’t quite sure how to do it.

Well, we might just be able to solve that problem.

Sidemen Valley + Telaga Waja River

Have you heard about West Bali National Park? If I told you that there was a tiny island connected to West Bali’s conservation area where wild deer live and swim on an unspoilt, white sandy beach AND this tiny island is said to have some of the best diving and snorkeling in all of Bali, would you want to go here?

Or, did you know that there’s a place in Northwest Bali where they have vineyards that grow grapes year round? Or that you can go swimming with dolphins?

If you lit up at all thinking about these possibilities, then it’s crystal-clear: you should roadtrip West Bali. Not only will you get the chance to see beautiful destinations, but the journey itself will make for an epic story.

In this blog post, we’ve put together a Bali roadtrip itinerary based on our personal experiences doing it ourselves, and we hope that when you finish reading it, you’ll be prepared to set out on your own adventure through West Bali.

Lovina Beach

Vineyards in Northwest Bali

I longed to come back to Bali ever since I visited before Covid happened, and I promised myself I was going to see more than just Eastern Bali the next time I visited.

This time around was Drew’s first time in Bali, so we mainly used Sideman as our home-base, while hitting the Eastern Bali tourist spots: like Amed for it’s beautiful black-sand beaches and picture-perfect views of Mt Agung, Sideman-Karangasem Valley for it’s friendly locals and beautiful rice-trekking fields, and venturing a bit North to Kintamani to see Mt Batur and checking out the free Batur Geopark UNESCO Museum.

After getting the tourist stuff out of the way in Eastern Bali, we wanted to try something new, so we slapped together a loose route for a Bali roadtrip looping around the west end of the island.

With a rough itinerary and a 150CC motorbike, we were ready to hit the road. Drew was our driver, and I kept him company on the back of the motorbike per usual.

The roadtrip itself isn’t as long as you might think. Your longest day of driving is your first day – and that’s only if you’re coming from Eastern Bali, like we did.

Bali isn’t big – it’s actually really small. On a map you’d easily miss it. But it’s dense and filled with infinite rows of rice fields and steep hills surrounded by luscious jungle greenery. 

And so here was our plan. 5 nights, 5 locations: Medewi, Negara, Pemuteran, Lovina, and Munduk.

The total distance of our roadtrip was 9 hours & 363 kilometers.

Grab a cup of coffee (or tea), and let our experience guide and inspire you to get on a motorbike and go on your own West Bali adventure. ↓

An adventure in itself. The first day is the most driving, especially if you’re coming from Eastern Bali like we did. It took about 3 hours to drive from Sideman to Medewi.

Your butts will probably hurt, and it’s important to stop once every hour – so this is exactly what we did. The route we took also avoided the congested streets of Ubud.

Backpack on & motorbike ready to go!

After an hour of nonstop driving, we took Stop #1 in Sukawati to grab a Pocari Sweat for some hydration and our favorite Indonesian sweet treat, a peanut Silver Queen. While you’re in the area, you might checkout Sukawati Art Market – one of the oldest art markets in Bali and a major shopping destination for tourists.

Stop #2 was in the small village of Timpag in the Tabanan Regency – we had no plans of stopping here but we were starving so we pulled over on the side of Jl. Raya Timpag next to Warung Nasi Be Manis. This warung had ONE Google Review: “Delicious & Cheap”. And it was exactly that.

A very nice Balinese woman was serving a pot of white rice, something that resembled spicy chicken, and a cup of some delicious chicken broth. Both meals were under a dollar each. We definitely recommend making this Warung your lunch spot on this leg of your journey.

While you’re here, take a quick trip through Uma Urip Timpag, for some serenity in the rice fields.

If you’ve found her, you’ve found happiness

The last stretch to Medewi was the most beautiful of the whole 3-hour journey. As you make your way down towards the lazy beach town, you’ll be surrounded by layers and layers of rice fields, beach waves and… TRUCKS.

Yes, there were lots of trucks on Jl. Raya Depensar – Gilimanuk. This was probably the scariest bit of driving because it was very busy and the trucks drive fast. It’s about 40 minutes of chaotic highway, but it’s doable and the drive is beautiful.

Read the driving selection at the end for all our best advice about driving in Bali.

 Uma Urip Timpag

We arrived in Medewi around 4pm, dropped our bags at our homestay and quickly headed to Medewi Beach to soak up the last hours of sun.

Medewi is a surf town, through and through. It’s mellow and quiet, and attracts surfers who like to stay a few weeks at a time, riding long and slow waves. It’s also a great place for beginner surfers!

There is definitely a tight-knit surfer crowd here. Locals and tourists seem to all know each other. The general crowd is also way more chill than other areas of Bali… the focus isn’t on beach clubs and partying unlike what you’ll find in Uluwatu regency.

Although we didn’t get the chance to surf, there are plenty of opportunities to take a surfing lesson at Medewi Beach. I went ahead and listed a few homestays that offer lessons – most do offer private or group surf lessons.

Top surf schools in Medewi (5 ★’s on Google):

• Medewi lesson | THANA SURFING
• Medewi Point Surf Lesson
• Surfing West Bali – medewi surf lesson (Available on WhatsApp +62 817-1731-3493)

Medewi at low tide

Bunut Bolong

• • Bunut Bolong (drive time 25min): an ancient Banyan tree with a road tunnel right through its trunk and a mysterious history worth reading about.
  • Sea Turtle Hatchery & Conservation Center (drive time 50min): A bit of a drive from Medewi but an option if you plan to stay here for a few days OR plan to skip Day 2 Negara itinerary. Learn more about the hatchery in the next section.

Sea Turtle Hatchling

These two spots are an absolute MUST-TRY if you’re a foodie, like us:

• Warung Gede (have dinner here while enjoying the sunset and surfers, and ask them what fish they recommend!)
• Rasta Cafe (come here for breakfast and try their Rasta Coffee)

Garlic Butter + Fresh Catch at Warung Gede

Rasta Cafe’s spin on Tikka Masala

We stayed at Jungle House – surf & stay, which was comfortable and accessible for us. It’s only a 10-min drive to Medewi Beach and has a great network for backpackers and surfers. We had a spacious and clean private room & bathroom, and a shared outdoor kitchen for only RP 179,845 (US$ 12) per night.

This is embarrassing to admit, but we were too tired to socialize with the other travelers at our homestay that night.

However, our friendly neighbor from France was kind enough to offer us a Bintang and a brief conversation on our shared porch. We learned that he had been staying there for 8 months, learning to surf and enjoying the peaceful vibes of Medewi. Some women from Germany had also been there for 3 weeks, surfing everyday. Everyone was super laid back.

Here’s some more outstanding Medewi accommodations ( 8.5+ on Booking.com):

• • Alen’s Surf Homestay
  • Ayolah surf House & Medewi Surf Camp
  • Friend House STAY & SURF
  • AGALIVING SURF CAMP (for the spendier traveler)
  • Ayumar Homestay Medewi
  • Medewi Secret SurfCamp

We were pretty bummed to only have one night here. Drew really wanted to take a surf lesson, and it seemed like the perfect place to slow down and enjoy the waves for a few days.

So if you’re able to, we’d suggest staying for a few nights so you can take a couple surf lessons, get to know other backpackers and locals, and enjoy the slow life of Medewi.

Bought T-Shirts from Medewi Board Riders (a non-profit org), proceeds go to local beach cleanups and support for junior board riders ◡̈

Compared to our drive on Day 1, Medewi to Negara is a freaking breeze.

You’ll continue onward on Jl. Raya Denpasar – Gilimanuk and arrive in Negara in Jembrana regency with plenty of daylight to spare.

The Welcome Committee in Negara ♥

Negara is the capital of Jembrana regency and has quite a strong Muslim influence because of its proximity to Java. There are a few neighborhoods within Negara, with both Muslims and Hindus living here. We stayed in Air Kuning, a majority Muslim neighborhood.

The reason I mention this, is because it just so happens that we were there on June 16 which is the ending of Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), a very important Islamic religious festival which holds deep meaning to Muslims across the globe.

Although the village is small, they celebrated BIG. A parade of motorbikes in the streets: men, women and children celebrating as one, laughing and having the best time.

Drew and I decided to join the parade on the motorbike, and we had a blast to say the least. It ended up being the highlight of our time in Negara.

Joined the festivities with the locals!

Traveling allows you to experience and see other cultures in action, and is the best way to immerse yourselves in something that you would otherwise know nothing about.

The locals were so friendly and welcoming to complete strangers, in a community whose traditions, before that night, I knew very little about.

A reminder to do your research and, “know before you go.” Especially in places like Indonesia, where religion is a vital part of the cultural experience.

Checkout these calendars for important holidays & observances:

• Islamic Hijiri Calendar
• Buddhist Holidays & Observances

More Locals (in Sidemen) who invited us to swim in the river.

Unlike the other locations along our route, there’s not much to do here. It’s unknown to most tourists. You won’t find beach resorts or western-style restaurants. This place is for the tourist who is looking for an authentically-West Bali experience.

However, there is ONE very important reason to visit Negara…

Hatchlings about to swim for the first time 

Kurma Asih (Turtle Carer) was created in the 90’s when a group of traditional turtle hunters in Western Bali became aware of the status of sea turtle populations. The caretakers were trained by the WWF and began active protection and introduced educational programs which now involve the villages along Jembrana’s 50km of beach.

There were probably thousands of eggs at the hatchery. Turtles hatch every single day, then stay in tubs provided by the hatchery before they get let out in to the ocean. They’re usually ready within 7 days, but can go sooner if they’re strong swimmers.

We were lucky enough to let a couple good swimmers go out to sea – good luck and farewell, Pedro and Toulouse!

Rows and rows of turtle eggs

Our strong swimmers, Pedro & Toulouse

Good luck, Toulouse! 

There are a few turtle hatchery’s spread throughout Bali, but Kurma Asih Sea Turtle Conservation Center in Jembrana, is bound to be the least overrun by tourists.

Info: Open 7 days per week, 8am-6pm. It costs $0 to enter, but you can (and should) leave a donation and sign the guest book at the end of your visit. Our sweet guide had worked at the hatchery since it opened to the public in 1997, and we made sure to leave a nice donation to support him and the turtles.

Address: Perancak, Jembrana, Jembrana Regency, Bali 82218, Indonesia

Conveniently located right next to the hatchery and the beach is Warung Ikan Bakar Kurma Asih. It’s got great seafood, and a beachfront view.

It also happens to be one of the only warungs that we came across along the entire beach front of Negara – tourism truly doesn’t exist here, and we kind of love it.

When we asked our friendly server for a second helping of Sambal Matah, a delicious Balinese chili sauce, he was honored and brought out an ENTIRE bowl of it. And so of course, I did what I do best – gave this restaurant a 5/5 on Google Reviews. 

Local Catch

We stayed at Jembrana Bali Homestay, with a private room and bathroom direct beach access and a little restaurant with breakfast included. This stay was RP 272,583 (US$ 18) per night.

The locals who ran the homestay were very outgoing and spoke great English. In fact, one of the women who managed the homestay was also heavily involved in social programs within Jembrana regency and the rest of Bali, which helps provide jobs and English-learning opportunities to orphans.

Friendly staff invited us to watch the Euro Cup with them ◡̈

Other stays nearby:

• • SPOT ON 92404 Pondok Ai
  • Di Kubu YR

There’s not a ton of places to stay near Negara. If you can’t find accommodation, don’t worry about it. Just stay in Medewi and take a day trip here to visit Kurma Asih Hatchery and Warung Ikan Bakar.

If you did stay at Jembrana Homestay or in the vicinity, you’ll want to take this scenic way back to the main highway. It’s a beautiful country road, surrounded by rice fields.

Apparently Warung Mangrove is delicious, so you could stop there if you’re feeling up for their crab legs or other seafood, and a beautiful countryside.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Then you’re back on ol’ Jl. Raya Denpasar – Gilimanuk for the next hour. This part was honestly fine – it’s flat, there aren’t as many trucks, and the roads are in good condition.

By now, our butts were indeed hurting. And since I was lugging around the backpack, my back was hurting too. But luckily West Bali roads are much flatter than Eastern Bali’s windy and hilly ones. And so it’s A LOT easier to lug around a backpack without maneuvering as much as I would if we were driving through the hills of East Bali.

As soon as we saw the West Bali National Park sign – we were greeted by monkeys.

DO NOT STOP OR FEED THE MONKEYS in West Bali National Park – or anywhere else for that matter. The monkeys tend to congregate near the busy highway. Sadly, it’s common for monkeys to get hit by cars while picking up food or trash that tourists and locals leave behind on the highway.

We arrived in Pemuteran in the early afternoon and immediately went to our homestay to unload our stuff and found a local warung to get some grub.

Pemuteran is in Northwest Bali where temperatures are usually hot and a bit drier than East Bali. 

If you like nature, diving, snorkeling, exploring coral reefs, bird-watching, or trekking, then you might just end up staying in Pemuteran for more than one night.

A bit too windy for water activities!

Important Disclosure: it was too windy when we visited Pemuteran and the Menjangan ferries stopped running for the day, so we could not do these activities ourselves. Our suggestion would be to check the weather and plan for a couple of nights in Pemuteran to ensure you have time to do everything.

This rich, dense and magnificent national park covers the whole of the Prapat Agung Peninsula. It’s heavily protected due to its mangroves, dense rainforests, dry savanna, as well as its magical Menjangan Island which is said to have some of the best snorkeling and diving in all of Bali.

• Animals of Bali Barat: Bali starling (endangered), wild boar, mouse deer, small leopard cats, turtles, storks, swallows, water monitors, and many more fascinating creatures!
• Popular Trails: Tegal Blunder Trail, Gunung Klatakan Trail, & Teluk Brumbun (best for bird and animal sighting)
• Getting around the park: you’ll need a guide to get around. The easiest way to do this would be by joining a tour group with a guide.
• Fees: Tourist entry fees are RP 200,000 on weekdays and RP 300,000 and must be paid at 1 of 2 park offices (Cekik or Labuan Lalang) to get your entry permit. There are additional fees for cars, trekking, etc.

A part of Bali Barat National Park, but very much a natural wonder of its own: Menjangan Island, is named ‘Deer Island’ for its Javan Rosa deer running around the beaches of this fascinating place. What can be found beneath the ocean surface might be a snorkeler or divers dream, as the coral reefs here have been said to have some of the most vibrant coral reefs in Bali.

• What will you see underwater? Turtles, pygmy seahorses, clownfish, parrotfish, etc.
• Temples: There are 3 temples throughout the island, including Pura Gili Kencana, which I’ve been told is a magical and mystical temple. Don’t forget to pack a Sarong!
• Boats to Menjangan: There are two ferry terminals, Labuan Lalang and Teluk Terima Beach.
• Getting a guide/dive operator: You can find plenty of scuba guides at Pemuteran Beach, just make sure you book your trip in advance. If you want to go to the National Park for rainforest trekking, be sure to ask the dive operators, as they may run trekking tour groups as well.
• Fees: you will still be expected to pay the national park entrance fee (mentioned above), plus whatever your diving/snorkeling price is.

This Biorock site is Indonesia’s largest coral reef restoration project. Back in 2000, two scientists, with support of the locals, initiated this sight to help conserve and grow coral reefs.

The entry point is right at Pemuteran Beach and is accessible by both snorkelers and divers, however you can see a lot more of the reefs by scuba diving.

Find out more about the Biorock project here.

This is a perfect (and private) sunset viewspot at the farthest West tip of Pemuteran Beach near ‘Pantai Pemuteran Bali’. It takes about 15 minutes on a bumpy dirt road but it’s worth it for the sunset views.

You can see silhouettes of the volcanoes of Java as the sun disappears below the horizon.

Drizzy’s advice about Pemuteran: trekking the national park and snorkeling/scuba diving at Biorock or Menjangan each take a full day. So, in order to experience the best parts of Pemuteran, you’ll need at least 2 full days here.

We shamelessly ate at Warung D’Bucu 3 times.. and we were only here 1 night. Hands down, the best Balinese food we’ve had on the island.

If you’re in the mood to try authentic & delicious home-cooked Balinese cuisine, here’s some recommendations to try from D’Bucu:

• Tempe Bachem Sambel Udang – RP 35k  (Grilled Tempe with Shrimp, Spices & Herbs)
• Sate Lilit Ikan with Vegetable & Coconut Rice – RP 60k (Sate Lilit is a traditional Balinese dish, usually made of chicken, pork or fish and then mixed with coconut, lemon juice, shallots and pepper.)
• Pepe’s Ikan with Chili Sauce, Vegetable & Coconute Rice – RP 60k (steamed fish in banana leaves)

Tempe Bachem Sambel Udang

Sate Lilit Ikan on Lemongrass Skewer

Fish & Vegetables with Coconut Rice

We stayed at Dija, with a private room/bathroom and a porch with a small breakfast included. This stay was RP 128,800 (US$ 8.51) per night.

For the price – we were very content. The owner was kind and although he doesn’t live on the property, he brings breakfast to his guests every morning. Plus, there was a warung (which I still think might be my favorite Balinese food I’ve had in all of Bali) just a 5-min walk from the accommodation.

However, here are some more great stays in Pemuteran (with a 9+ on Booking.com):

• Tiara Homestay Pemuteran Bali
• Krisna Homestay
• Kubu Padi Wooden House
• Mango Moon
• Global Royal Pemuteran (for the spendier traveler)
• Pondok Shindu Guest House
• Arjuna Homestay

The drive from Pemuteran to Lovina is the easiest and flattest of the whole roadtrip. Our advice is to come hungry and thirsty, because there are two stops you’ll want to make on your way to Lovina…

If you’ve been to any of the restaurants in Bali that are catered towards westerners, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Hatten Wines on a drink menu.

Hatten Wines happens to be Bali’s first wine company and has been producing wines from locally grown grapes since 1994. You are coming right to the source of Bali’s very own wine grapes and you can even take a personal tour around the vineyard.

We had so much fun walking around the vineyards and seeing the process of the evergreen vines which produce fruit year-round and reflect Bali’s unique specialty. Although a bit sweet, the wines are fruity, tropical and delicious!

Cost: RP 100k per person to go on a tour + try 3 cold wines!

Our guide showing us around the vineyards

Tasting a fruity Rosé

If you haven’t yet tried Bali’s traditional dish of Babi Guling, now is your chance. This is definitely not a dish that should be eaten everyday, but for meat-lovers and foodies alike, it is a must-try while you’re in Bali.

Babi Guling (Suckling Pig) is made by spit-roasting a pig and lathering it with a spicy sauce, and is usually served with a heaping side of rice, pork satay or fatty parts, blood sausage, and chunks of dry, smokey skin.

Babi Guling (Suckling Pig)

Lovina get’s its name from the phrase “Love Indonesia” and is actually not the name of the town, but refers to Lovina Beach, which is a 15 km long black-sand beach strip.

Although it’s a tourist destination with resorts and beach bars, it’s nowhere near as crowded as South Bali – and it’s a whole lot cheaper.

Lovina is the best place to swim with dolphins in Bali. And because the snorkeling right at Lovina Beach is nonexistent, this is the best way to see dolphins and go snorkeling at a nearby coral reef (accessible by boat).

We spent about two hours following the dolphins – being that close to them was an amazing experience to say the least. The last hour was spent snorkeling at a massive, colorful coral reef.

• • Trip options: the sunrise trip (6:30am) or the normal trip (8am). When choosing the time, the tour guide advised us to take the 8AM trip, because it tends to be less busy. From Lovina Beach, you’ll head out about 30 minutes towards where the dolphins feed in the morning.
  • Price: For a private tour (includes dolphins & snorkeling), it cost RP 300k per person. For a shared boat trip of up to 8 people (includes dolphins & snorkeling), it cost 250k.
  • Company: We used Lovina Ocean Tours (Kadek +62 878-6322-9639) but another option with great reviews is Lovina Dolphin Watching.

Close enough to hear them chirp & splash ◡̈ 

There is no better place to watch the sunset than right here on Lovina Beach. And I may be bias, but Funky Place Beach Bar & Grill is the best place to set up camp while you watch the sun go down below the horizon.

Funky Place has a great set up with bean bags and chairs lined all along the sand, and most nights they have a DJ come on as the sun goes down. They even start a bonfire as the sun goes down.

• Singsing Waterfall (drive time 10 min): only 5km from Lovina is Singsing waterfall, a perfect escape to nature.
• Banjar Hot Springs (drive time 10 min): not far from Lovina is this sulfur hot spring that can be enjoyed 7 days per week for only RP 20k (US$ 1.30) . Advice from locals was to go in the morning, but avoid weekends and holidays as it tends to get crowded.

Sunset at Funky Place

We stayed at Funky Place where we had our own room and bathroom with breakfast included, as well as a beachfront bar, restaurant and live music every night.

The music shuts off around 1am, which might turn some people away. This stay was RP 281,520 (US$ 18) per night.

Amazing singer, Komang, and her band! 𝄞 ♬ ♪

We had such a good time here, mainly because of the staff. They were so friendly and you could just tell they had a blast putting on a show for all of their guests. After the DJ plays on the beach, everyone moves to the restaurant for a live band performance.

I don’t want to give away too much, but I’ll just leave these photos here…

But, you don’t have to stay at Funky Place to join in on the fun!

Here are some other great stays near Lovina (8+ on Booking.com):

• Kartika Villas
• Kubu Elsa Bali
• Kaia Lovina Guest House Junior Suite
• Lovina Oasis Hotel
• Family Hostel

DON’T TAKE THE RECOMMENDED ROUTE ON GOOGLE MAPS. You’ll notice when you search “Lovina to Munduk” that there are a few different routes. We heard mixed reviews about driving conditions due to some dangerous roads.

There is an alternate route that is safer and just slightly longer than the other routes (around 1 hour) – the road is wider and easier to handle when taking curves up steep hills.

Optional: Make it an adventure and stop at Gitgit Waterfall or Air Terjun Bertingkat on your way to Munduk.

Best Route from Lovina to Munduk

By Day 5, we were feeling a bit rundown. And thanks to Funky Place, a bit hungover too. We decided to stay at our accommodation for the rest of the day to relax and enjoy the stunning view that was right in front of us.

If you’re a nature lover…

Munduk is in the Buleleng regency of North Bali, and it is a completely different landscape than the rest of the island. Here, you’ll find yourself in wild nature and mountainous landscapes.

Honestly, Munduk could not be a better place to relax after 5 days on the road.

In the nearby vicinity, you’ll find waterfalls, temples, lakes and views that you can only find at this kind of elevation. Temperatures can drop at night and it can be a quite windy so bring a sweater or use a sarong as an extra layer.

​

​Like I said, since we only had one night we chose to relax at our accommodation which had stunning views of the valley below, but there is plenty to do in Munduk and North Bali. Our advice: if you have more time, stay longer in Munduk and make sure to checkout these top locations…

​Lake Tamblingan and Lake Buyan. The trek between the two lakes is said to take around 3 hours.

The best way to do this is with a guide so that they can point out ancient temples, banyan trees, and the vast wildlife that is said to be hidden in the lush rainforest.

If you don’t have time for a long trek, you can check out Banyumala Twin Waterfall, which is home to crystal-clear spring water and is only a 20-minute trek.

​There are four major waterfalls that can be seen separately, or if you feel like trekking the “Munduk Waterfall Trek”, you can see them all on foot as they connect.

Be aware that a common scam is to upcharge waterfall entrance fees. A typical entry fee should only be between RP 20k-50k.

• Golden Valley Waterfall (no entry fee, if you’d like to leave a tip to the priest and caretakers there’s a donation box)
• Red Coral Waterfall (fees are RP 2k for parking your scooter and RP 45k to enter the waterfall)
• Labuhan Kebo & Melanting Waterfalls (park at Melanting Cottages and visit these waterfalls together. Entrance fee at Labuhan Kebo is just RP 10k.)

Trying Bali’s famous Luwak coffee is, of course, an experience when you visit the island. The coffee is produced from a “coffee cherry” or bean which has been digested by a furry little creature called a Civet – which kind of looks like a big cat. You may have heard someone telling a joke about the ‘cat poop’ coffee in Bali, which, honestly, is not far off from the truth.

We toured a Luwak plantation where civets were kept in cages, which unfortunately tends to be common practice at most Luwak coffee plantations.

However, I did find one family-owned coffee plantation where the Luwak civets are left wild and unharmed if you’re interested in this experience. You can tour an organic and sustainable coffee plantation – check it out here Bali Beans.

Coffee Cherry

Coffee grounds – or cat poop – whatever you prefer to call it ◡̈

There is nothing I love more about Bali than the iconic lush, green rice terraces. There are a few smaller rice terraces in the area including Munduk Rice Terrace, Dayang Rice Terrace, and Bada Rice Terraces.

Jatiluwih Rice Terraces are another option (about 1hr drive from Munduk), if you want to see the beautiful UNESCO-protected landscape. We didn’t go this time around, but the first time I came to Bali, we took a private guide to Jatiluwih,  and I was blown away at how beautiful these rice fields were. To this day, they are still some of the most gorgeous, vast rice fields I’ve seen.

You’ll have a much more relaxed experience trekking through any of these rice terraces than you would in, say, Ubud, which has become too crowded.

Rice terraces near Tirta Gangga

Compared to the other nights, our stay at Wanagiri Campsite had the biggest “wow” factor of all. We had our own Bungalow and attached bathroom. We paid RP 248,400 (US$ 16.11) per night. 

Wanagiri Campsite is above the trees, in high elevation. And the feeling while you’re up here is both peaceful and spiritual. 

We would stay here again in a heartbeat. But, you’ll find that when you look up Munduk accommodations, you’ll have a lot of amazing options to choose from…

Here’s just a few other amazing stays near Munduk (8.8+ on Booking.com):

• Villa Dua Bintang
• The Sangkih Villa Restaurant & Bar
• Gosela Homestay
• The Winaposa
• Kraras Munduk Guest House & DonBiyu Rendezvous Restaurant

Munduk was the final location of our roadtrip and to end it, we drove a couple hours Southeast towards Sidemen.

Blog Photo Caption

Because of its proximity to the equator, Bali’s got high temperatures and high humidity all year round. And, although not always reliable, the island does have two distinct seasons:

(1) Dry season: April to October

(2) Wet season: November to March

We did this roadtrip in June, and while it was still pouring rain everyday in East Bali, West Bali was significantly drier, and we did not experience any rain the entire road trip.

So while you can try to plan ahead for the wet or dry season, it’s always good to prepare for any circumstance… and usually that means bringing a good rain jacket.

Sideman Valley on a rainy day

First things first – PACK LIGHT.

Since Drew and I were on one bike, we combined bags. We used my Osprey 55L bag and after a few hours, my back hurt. If you’re doing this solo, then I would use a smaller backpack just to make it as easy as possible to lug around.

We also had camera gear which made it heavier, so if you’re able to shed the electronic weight, it’ll feel a lot better.

Ladies:

• Lightweight tennis shoes or sandals
• 2 pairs of merino wool socks
• 2 merino wool underwear/bras
• Quickdry tank/shirt
• Poncho or rain jacket (you can put your backpack under the poncho if it rains)
• 1 pair of running shorts
• 1 swimsuit
• A jacket or sweater (higher elevation is colder)
• Face wash & sunscreen
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Snorkel
• Sarong (for temples)
• Optional: A jumper/romper OR leggings (comfy when straddling a bike for a few hours)

Men:

• Lightweight tennis shoes or sandals
• 2 pairs of merino wool socks
• 2 merino wool underwear
• 2 merino wool shirt
• Poncho or rain jacket (you can put your backpack under the poncho if it rains)
• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 pair of swim trunks
• A jacket or sweater (higher elevation is colder)
• Face wash & sunscreen
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Sarong (for temples)
• Snorkel
• Optional: Joggers (comfy when straddling a bike for hours)

Shop our travel necessities here.

On your road trip, you will drive on highways, through rice terraces, on dirt roads (etc.) and it can be scary as heck. However, it can also be an alarmingly scenic and peaceful drive.

If you have driven a motorbike before:

My biggest tip is to take it slow on the highways and keep your distance from the trucks. The highway heading from the west port to the southern tip is full of trucks going to and from Java so it is super busy. This is the most challenging part of the drive. Once you start heading East on the northern side of the island it gets much more peaceful.

If this is your first time driving a motorbike:

YOU NEED TO PRACTICE DRIVING BEFORE THIS ROADTRIP for safety purposes. Rent your bike a few days early and find some remote areas to drive around. Get comfortable on your bike then head into the city for some more practice. Make sure you are very very comfortable on a bike before heading out onto the busy highways. I first got tons of practice doing The HA GIANG LOOP in Vietnam.

The highways are the least enjoyable part of this trip, so check the map to see about alternate routes. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can see if there are backroads that would avoid the highway.

However, if a back road looks bad when you first get on it, then it most likely won’t get better. Trust me, I know from personal experience when driving near Kintamani – I should have turned around on a dirt hill before the road got even worse but ended up skidding out.

150ccs of Pure Joy

Motorbike Rental Information:
Scooter Rental (Aditya Rental in Sideman) – 5 STAR GOOGLE RATING – +62831927723655 (AVAILABLE ON WHATSAPP).

We paid 100K/night (2024). Obviously, pricing can change but renting for longer will help lower the price.

1. Get a bike with extra power: Having enough power to maneuver on the highways is very important for safety. We drove a 150CC Honda Vario and it was perfect. Easy to control and plenty of power for hills and highways.

2. Driving on the left: Take it slow and think before you turn and everything will be ok. It feels weird at first, but you’ll get used to the left side of the road pretty quickly. However, trying to make a quick move or turn is where accidents are going to happen, so just be patient.

3. Stick with other scooters: Whenever possible ride with other scooters when you’re on a busy road. Big trucks will have a much easier time seeing a group of 3-5 scooters than one scooter alone.

4. Don’t try to keep up: Building on the last tip, being in a group is great but do not try to keep up with the locals. You’ll quickly realize many of them drive a lot faster than you. Don’t drive faster than you are comfortable just to stay in a group. Scooters with 3 or 4 people will drive slower, so try to join them and not solo drivers.

5. Practice riding: Don’t let your first time riding a scooter be the first day of this trip. rent a scooter ahead of time and practice on some back roads. Get comfortable with your turn signals and stopping quickly. The last thing you want to do is cause an accident that hurts your passenger and other people.

Whew. That was a lot of information. But at least, I hope that this guide will help you feel confident and prepared to go have your own adventure.

And remember – it’s about the journey, not the destination.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

If you’d like to extend your trip or want to explore alternate locations:

Option 1. Kintamani: not far from Munduk is Kintamani. Home of the grand caldera of Mt. Batur and Batur Lake. We took a day a day-trip and just enjoyed driving around the hills and near the lake. You could come here after Munduk.

Batur Caldera

Option 2. Amed: from Kintamani, you could drive to Amed, which is an East Bali gem with long, black-sand beaches, perfect views of Mount Agung, and could be another perfect ending to your roadtrip.

The snorkeling here is some of our favorite and you get to enjoy the laid back beach vibes without a ton of tourists.

Views of Mount Agung from Amed Beach

And just like that… happy roadtripping ◡̈