When thinking of Bali, I bet scuba diving, surfing and other water sports come to your mind. But what if I told you that the island is also a paradise for walking enthusiasts? If water isn’t your element, or if you’re simply addicted to hiking, this post on the best hikes in Bali is for you. Grab your water bottles, boots and hats and let’s get started with the top 6 treks and hikes in Bali. Hold on tight until the end of the article, I’ve got a little surprise in store for you 😉
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1. Mount Agung
I had to mention Mount Agung to kick off my list of the best hikes in Bali. After all, it’s one of my favourite adventures to do on the island 🤠 If I’m honest, I took out the challenge of this hike in 2017 without really knowing what to expect… and I must say, the struggle was real..! I consider myself to be a pretty good hiker, but I’d never really done a climb like this one before and it puts you in extremely difficult conditions right from the start ! Actually, if you’re wondering “what’s the hardest hike in Bali” or “what’s the highest hike in Bali ?” well… you have your answer !
The path is badly marked out, it gets really steep right from the first few metres, the trail goes from dense jungle to sand to rocks that you must tackle with your hands… In short, you kind of turn into Indiana Jones – except you don’t look as cool with the cold of the night, your sore muscles and your short breath.
I loved this trek, not because I love suffering (believe it or not), but because of the deep sense of accomplishment you feel at the end. The views during the ascent and at the summit are just insane. Despite my exhaustion, I felt a huge sense of peace as I stared at the starry skies over Bali’s villages and the sun rising over the Island of the Gods. There’s no denying it, once you’ve made it to the top, you can feel really proud of yourself.
=> It’s worth noting that you can’t hike Mount Agung in Bali without a guide.
Duration of the hike: my group took 5 hours for the way up and 3 hours for the way down… But our guides told us we were particularly fast!
Level: difficult. For experienced hikers only
Where to sleep: I left from the village of Tianyar where I did my voluntary work, but you can also leave from Amed, Ubud or Sidemen.The hike starts from Pasar Agung or Besakih temple (we started from the former).
Need a guide?
I’ll organise the logistics for you with my local partner Fikry, an Indonesian guide who knows volcanoes like the back of his hand! Send me a quick message to get further details:
2. Trunyan hill
The hike up Trunyan hill, just opposite the famous volcano Batur, is surely one of the most underrated in Bali. I found out about this spot very randomly on Instagram and the pictures of this ridge path really intrigued me. My friend and I decided to head for Kintamani and after a few hours’ sleep, we started the hike before sunrise from the starting point we’d found on Google Maps. I honestly think the only reason why this trail is so unknown (we only saw a few other hikers, all locals) is that the tourist guides don’t mention it. In any case, we really found it to be one of the most beautiful hikes in Bali !
It’s a tough climb, and you’d better not be afraid of heights and take your time on the descent as the ground can be very slippery. Overall it’s a good physical challenge, but very worth it when you see the landscapes surrounding you ! Lake Batur and the Batur volcano, hills as far as the eye can see, the sea in the distance… A real feast for the eyes.
Yes, this Bali trek is done without a guide, so this adventure won’t cost you much. I’ve read reviews on Google from foreigners claiming they have been ripped off at the entrance of the trail. There is indeed a little office where you have to make a small donation and I personally didn’t feel any pressure to give a large amount. But as usual, I think the fact that I speak Indonesian saved me… I recommend that you keep a small bill aside from your wallet and tell the guards that’s all you’ve got.
Duration of the hike: around 1 hour 45 min for the ascent, if you walk at a good pace. A little less for the descent, but take your time as it is quite dangerous.
Level: intermediate
Where to sleep: I stayed in these bungalows on the shores of Lake Batur, between Kintamani and the village of Trunyan (a rather unusual village, by the way… I’ll let you discover why in this article). You can also leave from Amed, Sidemen or Ubud.
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3. The Munduk waterfalls
I won’t soon forget my week-end getaway with friends in Munduk. I love Bali’s beaches, but there’s something about being surrounded by trees that really makes me feel at home (to be fair, I grew up close to one of France’s biggest forests). If you’re travelling to the island and want to soak up all the splendour of its lush jungle, the Munduk waterfalls hike will probably become your favourite Bali adventure. Expect a tropical jungle filled with extravagant plants, quite a few steps but an overall easy level and, above all, magnificent waterfalls all along the trail! Start at Adila Warung and homestay(Google Maps location here): the entrance to the trail is right next door. Then just follow the signs to discover the 3 waterfalls: Melanting, Labuhan Kebok and Red Coral.
Note: you have to pay at the entrance to each waterfall (20,000 rupees max, about $1). Also : I’d recommend starting the hike early in the morning, as the waterfalls get quite busy later.
Duration of the hike: 1h30 to 2h. Add to that the time you’ll spend enjoying the different waterfalls 💦
Level: easy, there are just a lot of steps. Definitely doable with kids.
Where to sleep: The best place to stay is, of course, the lovely village of Munduk! We stayed at this hotel, which has excellent value for money.
And if that little walk wasn’t enough for you, you should know that the region of Munduk is a true paradise of unspoilt nature! All of you nature lovers will be amazed by its lakes, lesser-known temples, jungle and rice paddies… The icing on the cake are the fairly cool temperatures, as Munduk is located in higher altitude. No wonder why this spot is home to one of the best hikes in Bali.
4. mount Batur
I’m using @rebelliousbrownie ‘s lovely photos here because I wasn’t lucky enough to witness such a beautiful sunrise when I climbed Batur myself! To be honest, I hesitated a little before including Mount Batur in this list of the best hikes in Bali, but let’s face it: it’s the most popular hike in Bali for tourists. And why is that? Well… 1: it’s super easy to find an excursion to take you there, 2: anyone can do this walk and 3: with a bit of luck with the weather, the views can be truly breathtaking.
From my point of view, the spot is a little too busy (it’s so crowded you can’t even walk at your own pace) and if you’re a hardcore hiker, you may be disappointed by how easy and quick climbing Batur is. I’d still recommend it to anyone who isn’t so used to hiking but still wants to enjoy a magnificent sunrise over Bali!
Duration of the hike: from 1 hour for the fastest to 3 hours for those less used to hiking. No rush, just go at your own pace 😅
Level: easy
Where to sleep: A large number of tours will pick you up from your hotel wherever you are (I’ve put a link below), but most travellers leave from Ubud, Sidemen or Kintamani, the nearest town.
Can you hike Mount Batur without a guide? Officially, no. As a foreigner, if you get there without a guide, groups of locals posted at the start of the trail will literally force you to pay a guy to accompany you… Even though you don’t actually need one: the path is super easy and it’s impossible to get lost with this crowd… Balinese people looove charging foreigners for everything and it drives me a bit crazy. To be honest, I managed to get through without a guide for the only reason that I speak Indonesian, but if you don’t… it’s not even worth trying.
looking for a guide?
Book your guide for the hike of Mount Batur in Bali now! I’ll handle all the logistics for you with my local partner Fikry, an Indonesian guide who knows volcanoes like the back of his hand! Hit me up on Whatsapp for more details:
5. The Ubud Rice Trail
Duration of the hike: if you do the whole loop back to the Jalan Subak Sok Wayah trail, allow an hour or so.
Level: a Sunday walk!
Where to sleep: Ubud, of course!
There’s no denying it: Ubud is one of Bali’s most popular tourist destinations. Having lived there for 10 months, I can tell you that it is worth the hype. Ubud really does bring together the best of Balinese culture and craftsmanship. Plus, the food is great and to top it all off, nature is everywhere. If you’re staying here and you want to escape the bustle of the town centre, head for the trail in the middle of the rice paddies, a few minutes north of the main street. Forget the Campuhan Ridge Walk (overcrowded unless you go at sunrise) and head to the pretty Aldi’s Coffee & Eatery. This is the starting point of the georgous Kajeng Rice Field trail through the rice fields! The perfect spot for a quiet stroll, far from the crowds.
6. The Lempuyang temple
Head to the East of the island to discover another one of the best hikes in Bali ! Welcome to the Lempuyang temple, located on the side of the Lempuyang hill. This breathtaking spot is one of the most sacred places in Bali according to the locals and guess what? It’s also the perfect place to go hiking. My friends and I followed the path that goes all the way to the summit and we were amazed to come across such an impressive landscape! Believe me, my photos don’t do justice to the beauty of that place. Mysterious mist, trees straight out of Jurassic Park and a stunning view on Mount Agung, which seems to float above the clouds in the distance. At the summit, the last level of the temple appears as a reward, after climbing all those steps (with a sarong on, as this is a sacred place, and let me tell you it ain’t that easy !!).
One thing to know about Lempuyang : the temple recently became extremely popular on Instagram and people now rush here to pose in front of the gates… without climbing to the top of course 🫠 Don’t freak out when you see the line of tourists waiting to take their shot, just head directly to the trail ! It is sincerely one of the best hikes I’ve done in Bali.
Duration of the hike: between 1 and 2 hours’ ascent
Level: easy to intermediate. The main difficulty for me was the sarong, which was really hard to walk in.
Where to sleep: Lempuyang is about 30 minutes from Amed and 1 hour from Sidemen, two destinations in East Bali that I highly recommend.
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Bonus: mount Ijen in Java
I know, I’m sort of cheating… The Ijen volcano isn’t located in Bali but in Java, its big neighbour. But in all honesty, this expedition was one of the best I’ve ever done in Indonesia, and since the volcano can be reached easily from Bali, I wanted to add it to the list of the best hikes to do in Bali. Kawah Ijen (‘green crater ‘ in Javanese) is simply unique in the world. Just picture this: a turquoise lake, natural electric-blue flames and gas that condenses into blocks of amber-yellow sulphur. Quite a palette, right? For the wild ones among you: forget about dipping your toes in these divine waters… as this is the most acidic lake in the world ☠️
The hiking route that goes all the way to the top of the crater isn’t too difficult, as long as you are in good physical shape. The path isn’t too bad, but there are several steep sections. The presence of gas may also slow some people down, as you have to wear those masks you see in my photos as you approach the crater! Yup, not the best place for asthmatics… The ascent takes about 2 hours. What I really recommend is that you go down the crater when it’s still dark, to make sure you have time to catch the sunrise, but above all to see the stunning blue flames!
need some guidance?
Fancy visiting Kawah Ijen from Bali ? Take a look at this 24-hour excursion from the Island of the Gods:
Duration of the hike: around 2 hours for the ascent, 1.5 hours for the descent
Level: intermediate
Where to sleep: The town of Banyuwangi, where the ferry arrives from Bali, is the perfect base for an expedition to the Ijen volcano. Given that the night was going to be very short, we chose to sleep in this super cheap homestay ($4 for a room!) located just opposite the harbour. If you want to treat yourself though, there are plenty of nice places to stay, like this homestay for $10/night, or this hotel if you’re looking for a more luxurious option.
Thank you for making it to the end of this post! Going on outdoor adventures is definitely one of my favourite aspects of my new life in Bali and the treks never disappoint me. So, how did you find this content on the best hikes in Bali? Which one appeals to you most? Which hike would you have added to this list? Let me hear your opinions in the comment section 😉
