2 Weeks in Bali & Lombok: The Perfect Island Itinerary
Two weeks gives you enough time to cover Bali’s main regions properly and cross to Lombok for beaches, surf and the Gili Islands. This itinerary moves at a reasonable pace — not rushing, not lingering so long in one place that you run out of things to do. Budget estimates are given in three tiers throughout.
Budget tiers used in this guide:
- Budget: basic guesthouses, warungs, local transport
- Mid-range: 3-star accommodation, cafés and restaurants, organised day tours
- Comfort: 4–5 star villas and resorts, private drivers, premium experiences
Days 1–2: Seminyak
Arrive at Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), Bali. Clear immigration and collect your bags. The airport is in Kuta; Seminyak is 20–30 minutes north by taxi (approximately IDR 100,000–150,000).
Seminyak is the most polished part of southern Bali — restaurants on Jalan Kayu Aya, beach clubs along the coast, and the famous Seminyak sunset at Petitenget Beach. Settle in, adjust to the time zone and eat well.
Day 2: Spend the day at leisure. Walk the beach from Seminyak north toward Batu Belig and Berawa. Lunch at a beach café. In the afternoon, visit Seminyak Square for shopping or spend time at Potato Head Beach Club (entry free with minimum spend). Sunset dinner along Jalan Petitenget.
Accommodation: Budget — Double-Six Legian guesthouses from approximately USD 30/night. Mid-range — The Layar or similar boutique hotel from approximately USD 80/night. Comfort — The Layar private villa or COMO Uma Seminyak from approximately USD 200+/night.
Days 3–4: Ubud
Drive north to Ubud — approximately 1.5 hours by private car (approximately IDR 250,000–400,000) or via Perama tourist bus (approximately IDR 75,000–100,000 per person).
Day 3: On arrival, visit the Tegallalang Rice Terraces (IDR 15,000 entry for the lower viewing platform; parking approximately IDR 5,000). Arrive by 8am to beat tour groups. Afternoon: walk Monkey Forest Road, browse Ubud Art Market (best buying from 3pm onward when vendors are less aggressive). Evening: dinner at a lesehan restaurant on Jalan Hanoman.
Day 4: Half-day cooking class — an excellent way to understand Balinese cuisine. Alas Harum, Paon Bali and Casa Luna are reputable options; classes run approximately IDR 350,000–500,000 per person including market tour and 5–6 dishes. Afternoon free for massage (traditional Balinese massage from approximately IDR 100,000/hour) or gallery browsing. Browse Ubud cooking classes and cultural tours to compare options and book ahead — popular classes fill quickly in peak season.
Accommodation: Budget — guesthouses around Jalan Karna from approximately USD 20/night. Mid-range — Komaneka Bisma or similar boutique resort from approximately USD 60/night. Comfort — Komaneka at Bisma or Alaya Resort from approximately USD 150+/night.
Day 5: Kintamani & Tirta Empul
Day trip from Ubud. Hire a private driver (approximately IDR 350,000–500,000 for the full day).
Morning: drive to Tirta Empul holy spring temple (approximately 30 minutes from Ubud; entry approximately IDR 50,000). Join or observe the purification ritual in the sacred pools. Continue north to Kintamani — the caldera rim overlooking Mount Batur and the crater lake. Lunch at one of the restaurants on the rim with the volcano view; expect to pay slightly inflated prices (approximately IDR 80,000–150,000 per person) for the setting.
Afternoon: drive back via Tegallalang if not visited on Day 3, or stop at a local silver workshop in Celuk or wood-carving village in Mas.
Days 6–7: Nusa Penida
Take a fast boat from Sanur harbour to Nusa Penida — approximately 45 minutes, costing approximately IDR 200,000 one-way. Boats depart from roughly 7am; Rocky Fast Cruise and Maruti Fast Boat are reliable operators with fixed departure times.
Nusa Penida has no formal public transport. Hire a scooter (approximately IDR 100,000/day) or a private driver (approximately IDR 300,000–500,000 for a full day circuit).
Day 6: West coast circuit — Kelingking Beach (the T-Rex cliff viewpoint; no entry fee for the top; the descent to the beach is steep and takes 45 minutes each way), Angel’s Billabong (natural rock pool at low tide; free), Broken Beach (a natural arch sea cave; free). All three are within 30 minutes of each other.
Day 7: Crystal Bay for swimming or snorkelling — the bay is sheltered and beautiful; mola mola viewing requires a dive, July–October. Alternatively, book a snorkelling trip to Manta Point (approximately IDR 200,000–350,000 per person for a guided boat trip from Toyapakeh) for manta ray encounters year-round.
Return to Bali from Nusa Penida; transfer or drive to East Bali for nights 7–8.
Accommodation on Nusa Penida: Budget — Penida Bambu Green or guesthouses near Toyapakeh from approximately USD 20–30/night. Mid-range — Adiwana Warnakali from approximately USD 60–90/night.
Days 8–9: East Bali — Amed & Candidasa
East Bali is quieter and less developed than the south — a black-sand coastline lined with Balinese fishing villages, coral gardens for snorkelling and the famous Liberty Wreck at Tulamben.
Day 8: Check into accommodation in Amed. Afternoon snorkel or dive at the Japanese Wreck in Jemeluk Bay (guide and equipment hire from approximately IDR 150,000–250,000). Sunset dinner of fresh grilled fish along the Amed strip (approximately IDR 60,000–120,000/plate).
Day 9: Drive 20 minutes north to Tulamben for the USAT Liberty Wreck (beach entry; small donation approximately IDR 20,000; dive from approximately IDR 400,000 including guide and equipment, or snorkel independently from the surface for free). Afternoon: visit Tirta Gangga water palace (30 minutes south of Amed; entry approximately IDR 30,000) — the stepped pools and stone sculptures in a mountain setting are a marked contrast to southern Bali’s beach culture.
Accommodation: Budget — Amed guesthouses from approximately USD 20–30/night. Mid-range — Waves & Wings or Santai Hotel from approximately USD 50–80/night.
Day 10: Cross to Lombok
Drive from Amed to Padang Bai harbour (approximately 45 minutes) and take the fast boat to Lembar or directly to Bangsal/Teluk Nare for the Gili Islands (from approximately IDR 350,000–600,000 per person, 2–3 hours depending on route). Book through Gili Fast Boat or Eka Jaya in advance.
Alternatively, public ferry from Padang Bai to Lembar (Lombok west coast) takes 4–5 hours and costs approximately IDR 60,000 — much slower but an experience in itself.
Day 11: Kuta Lombok
Base in Kuta Lombok (not the same as Kuta in Bali — this is a beautiful bay town on Lombok’s south coast with a fraction of the development). Spend the day at Tanjung Aan (twin-bay beach with white sand and vivid blue water; free) and Selong Belanak (gentle surf beach; surfboard hire approximately IDR 100,000/hour).
Accommodation: Budget — Nusa Indah Bungalows or similar from approximately USD 20/night. Mid-range — Kuta Beach Club Boutique Hotel from approximately USD 60/night.
Days 12–13: Gili Trawangan
Fast boat from Bangsal harbour to Gili Trawangan (approximately 20 minutes, IDR 150,000 per person). No motorised vehicles on the Gilis — everything on foot, bicycle or horse cart.
Gili Trawangan (Gili T) is the most developed of the three Gili Islands: good snorkelling from the beach (turtles year-round on the east coast), a lively sunset strip on the west, dive centres along the harbour, and the best selection of restaurants and bars. Full-day snorkelling trips around all three Gilis: approximately IDR 250,000–400,000 per person. Sunset at the swing over the sea on the west coast (free, join the queue from 4pm). You can book guided tours and activities on Lombok and the Gilis in advance, including snorkelling trips and day excursions to Narmada and Senaru.
Accommodation: Budget — Budget guesthouses behind the main strip from approximately USD 25/night. Mid-range — Pearl of Trawangan or similar from approximately USD 80/night.
Day 14: Return to Bali
Fast boat from Gili T back to Bali (Padang Bai or Sanur, approximately IDR 350,000–500,000, 2–3 hours). Transfer to the airport. Most Lombok/Gilis → Bali boats time their arrivals for afternoon, allowing evening flights home.
Budget Summary
| Category | Budget/day | Mid-range/day | Comfort/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | USD 20–30 | USD 60–100 | USD 150–300 |
| Food | USD 10–15 | USD 25–40 | USD 50–100 |
| Transport & activities | USD 10–20 | USD 30–50 | USD 60–120 |
| Total | USD 40–65/day | USD 115–190/day | USD 260–520/day |
Estimates as of 2026. Exchange rates fluctuate — check current IDR/USD rates before travel.
Book ahead
Book the key experiences
Turn this itinerary into reality. Secure your spots — popular tours sell out 2–3 days ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is 2 weeks enough for Bali and Lombok?
- Two weeks covers Bali and Lombok comfortably at a reasonable pace. This itinerary includes Seminyak, Ubud, Nusa Penida, East Bali, Kuta Lombok, and the Gili Islands without rushing. Three weeks would allow time to add Komodo and Flores or go slower in each area.
- How do you get from Bali to Lombok?
- Fast boats connect Padang Bai or Sanur in Bali to Bangsal, Teluk Nare, or Lembar in Lombok, taking 2–3 hours and costing approximately IDR 350,000–600,000 per person. Domestic flights from Bali (DPS) to Lombok (LOP) take approximately 30 minutes from approximately IDR 300,000 and are faster for those prioritising time.
- How much does 2 weeks in Bali and Lombok cost?
- Budget travellers can cover two weeks for approximately USD 40–65 per day (accommodation, food, transport, activities). Mid-range runs approximately USD 115–190 per day. Comfort travel including villas and private drivers starts from approximately USD 260 per day. All figures are approximate as of 2026.
- Is Nusa Penida worth visiting from Bali?
- Yes. Nusa Penida's west coast circuit — Kelingking Beach, Angel's Billabong, and Broken Beach — is among the most spectacular coastal scenery near Bali. The fast boat from Sanur takes approximately 45 minutes and costs approximately IDR 200,000 one-way. Two days covers both the west and east coasts.
- What are the Gili Islands like?
- The three Gili Islands — Trawangan, Meno, and Air — have no motorised vehicles. Gili Trawangan is the most developed, with good snorkelling (turtles are common on the east coast year-round), dive centres, and a lively sunset strip on the west. Full-day snorkelling trips around all three islands cost approximately IDR 250,000–400,000 per person.
- What is the best area to stay in Bali for a first visit?
- Seminyak is a reliable arrival base — good restaurants, beach clubs, and 30–40 minutes from the airport. Ubud suits those who want culture, cooler temperatures, and rice terrace scenery from the start. Most two-week itineraries cover both, typically starting in the south and moving inland before heading east and crossing to Lombok.