My trip to Bali: 14 days, Ubud to Uluwatu

Fourteen days. Five areas that don't resemble each other in almost anything: jungle and temples in Ubud, surf and beach clubs in Canggu, cliffs and manta rays in Nusa Penida, a car-free island in Gili Trawangan, and the perfect closing act on the cliffs of Uluwatu.

We started in Ubud, five days surrounded by rice fields, temples and jungle — waterfalls, river rafting, Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi and the Mother Temple, Besakih. Then came the radical change of scenery: Canggu, much younger and more chaotic, with surfing in the mornings and beach clubs in the afternoons.

And then the water: a night in Nusa Penida among impossible cliffs and manta rays swimming beneath us, and two days in Gili Trawangan pedaling aimlessly around an island without a single car on the pavement.

Each area felt like a different trip within the same trip — we never had the feeling of repeating the previous day.

We finished in Uluwatu, with the temple on the cliff, the Kecak dance at sunset, and three days picking a beach, an experience and a sunset with no real rush.

This series of posts is my way of telling how that trip really went. If you're thinking about doing this same route, I hope it's useful to you.

The route, in short

Ubud (five days), Canggu, a night on Nusa Penida, two days on Gili Trawangan and the last days in Uluwatu. Each area resembles the others very little, which is why the trip never gets repetitive. Here are the key guides to organize it:

• When to go: best time to visit Bali.
• Entry: visa for Bali: how the e-VOA works.
• How much it costs: how much does a Bali trip cost.
• Where to stay: Ubud, Canggu or Uluwatu and Nusa Penida and Gili.
• Getting around: Grab, private driver or scooter and fast boats to Nusa Penida and Gili.

If you're wondering how many days you need, we explain it in why we chose 14 days.