Bali: Beaches & Boat Rides — Self-Launched
9 days · Bali & Gili Islands, Indonesia
G Adventures charges £394
No-markup version: ~£373 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of G Adventures' 9-day Kuta-to-Gili-Trawangan backpacker trip. Same route, same highlights — surf at Kuta, jungle guesthouse and cooking class in Bulian village, waterfalls and temples in Ubud, then fast boat to car-free Gili Trawangan — but booked independently with hostel dorms, local bemos and public fast boats. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Kuta — sunset beers on the beach
Kuta, Bali
Fly into Ngurah Rai (DPS) and grab a Grab/Gojek or metered Bluebird taxi to Kuta (roughly £4-6, 20-30 mins). Check into a hostel dorm a few streets back from the beach. Pay the Bali Tourist Levy (IDR 150,000 / ~£7.50) online via Love Bali before arrival, and complete the All-Indonesia arrival card within 72 hours of landing. In the evening walk down to Kuta Beach for sunset, then find a cheap warung for nasi campur (~£2.50) and a Bintang on the sand.
🚌Airport taxi/Grab ~£4-6
🛏Hostel dorm in Kuta (e.g. budget surf hostel near Poppies Lane), £10-14/night
- →Settle in and explore Kuta
- →Sunset on Kuta Beach
- →Beachfront bar evening
Surf lesson and Kuta nightlife
Kuta, Bali
Book a half-day beginner surf lesson on Kuta/Legian beach — book direct with one of the many surf schools on the sand or via Klook/GetYourGuide for around £18-25 (cheaper than the operator's £37 add-on). Kuta's beach break is ideal for first-timers. Afternoon: chill at the hostel pool or walk to Seminyak. Alternatively take a Gojek to Canggu (~£2) for cafés and Batu Bolong beach. Evening: cheap eats on Poppies Lane II then a bar crawl along Jalan Legian.
🚌Walking / Gojek scooters £1-3
🛏Hostel dorm in Kuta, £10-14/night
- →Half-day beginner surf lesson (~£20)
- →Beach time at Legian
- →Optional Canggu café afternoon
- →Kuta nightlife
Kuta to Bulian village (north Bali)
Bulian, Buleleng
Take a shared or private car north to Bulian village in Buleleng regency — 3-4 hours. Cheapest option is the Perama or Kura-Kura shuttle bus (~£8-12); a private Grab/Gojek car transfer split between 2-3 travellers is ~£40-55 total. Stop en route for a cheap local lunch at a community training café near Ubud (a similar setup to the operator's G for Good lunch, ~£3-4). Arrive at a village guesthouse/homestay surrounded by jungle and rice terraces — book direct on Booking.com or Airbnb, £10-15/night including breakfast. Sunset over the hills.
🚌Shared shuttle Bali-Kuta to Singaraja/Buleleng ~£8-12, or split private car ~£20pp
🛏Bulian village homestay/guesthouse, £10-15/night incl. breakfast
- →Scenic drive through central Bali
- →Community café lunch stop
- →Village sunset walk
Balinese cooking class, waterfall and dragon fruit farm
Bulian, Buleleng
Arrange a Balinese cooking class directly with your homestay — most village guesthouses offer a 3-4 hour class with market visit for IDR 250,000-350,000 (~£12-18), often including lunch. Learn to make base gede spice paste, satay and lawar. In the afternoon rent a scooter (~£4/day) or hire a local guide (~£10) to walk to nearby Sekumpul or Munduk-area waterfalls, swim in a natural spring, and stop at a dragon fruit farm.
🚌Scooter rental ~£4/day or local guide walk
🛏Bulian village homestay/guesthouse, £10-15/night incl. breakfast
- →Balinese cooking class with market visit (~£15)
- →Village trek
- →Waterfall visit and natural spring swim
- →Dragon fruit farm
Bulian to Ubud — waterfall and lotus temple
Ubud, Bali
Morning free at the homestay. Late morning head south to Ubud (~1.5-2 hrs) by shared shuttle or Grab for roughly £6-10. Check into a Ubud hostel or guesthouse — plenty of good dorms around Jalan Hanoman/Jalan Monkey Forest for £9-14, or private rooms from £18. Afternoon: visit Gitgit Waterfall on the way (entry ~£1.50) or in Ubud head to Pura Taman Saraswati, the water temple with lotus ponds behind the palace — free to enter, small donation expected. Evening: walk the Campuhan Ridge at sunset (free) and eat at a night market (pasar senggol) for ~£2-3.
🚌Shared shuttle/Grab Bulian to Ubud ~£6-10
🛏Ubud hostel dorm or guesthouse, £9-14/night
- →Gitgit Waterfall (~£1.50 entry)
- →Pura Taman Saraswati lotus temple
- →Campuhan Ridge sunset walk
- →Ubud night market dinner
Monkey Forest, Tirta Empul and Kecak dance
Ubud, Bali
Early start at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (entry IDR 80,000 / ~£4) — go before 9am to avoid crowds and keep sunglasses, phones and snacks zipped away. Then a Gojek or hired driver to Tirta Empul holy springs (~£4 each way, entry ~£3) for a purification ritual — bring a sarong and change of clothes. Afternoon: yoga class in Ubud (~£7-10 drop-in) or a Balinese massage (£6-9/hr). Tonight see a Kecak dance performance at Ubud Palace or Pura Dalem Taman Kaja — tickets IDR 100,000-150,000 (~£5-8) bought at the gate or via GetYourGuide.
🚌Gojek/Grab to Tirta Empul ~£8 return
🛏Ubud hostel dorm or guesthouse, £9-14/night
- →Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (~£4)
- →Tirta Empul purification (~£3 entry)
- →Optional yoga class (~£8)
- →Kecak dance performance (~£6)
Ubud to Gili Trawangan by fast boat
Gili Trawangan, Lombok
Book a fast boat to the Gilis in advance via Klook or directly with operators like BlueWater Express, Eka Jaya or Wahana (Padang Bai to Gili T takes ~2 hrs; Ubud pickup shuttles included by most operators). Budget roughly £28-35 one-way including hotel pickup. Boats typically depart mid-morning, so you'll be on Gili T by early afternoon. The island is car-free — walk or cycle. Check into a beach bungalow or hostel on the quieter north/east side, £12-18/night. Afternoon: swim, find the famous Gili T swing for photos, and watch sunset from the west side with a drink at a beach bar.
🚌Fast boat Padang Bai/Ubud to Gili Trawangan ~£28-35 incl. pickup
🛏Gili Trawangan beach bungalow or hostel, £12-18/night
- →Fast boat crossing to the Gilis
- →Gili Trawangan swing photo stop
- →West-side sunset at a beach bar
Gili T by bicycle — snorkelling and last sunset
Gili Trawangan, Lombok
Rent a bicycle (~£2.50/day) and ride the 7km loop around the island. Snorkel straight off the beach on the east side, or join a glass-bottom 3-island snorkelling trip to Gili Meno and Gili Air (~£13-17 including gear, book at any dive shop or via Klook) — you'll likely see turtles and the famous underwater statues. Afternoon: yoga drop-in (~£8) or a massage (£6-9). Catch your last sunset on the west side at Ombak Sunset or the Exile, then celebrate with the cheapest mojitos on the strip and a bonfire on the beach.
🚌Bicycle rental ~£2.50
🛏Gili Trawangan beach bungalow or hostel, £12-18/night
- →3-island snorkelling trip (~£15)
- →Cycle the island loop
- →Optional yoga (~£8)
- →Sunset and beach bonfire night out
Departure — back to Bali or onwards to Lombok
Gili Trawangan / Kuta
Morning swim and a final breakfast. If flying home from Bali, book the fast boat back to Padang Bai plus a shuttle to DPS — book the 'Bali Express' return combo (~£30-35) or via Klook. Allow 5-6 hours total, so don't book a flight before 20:00. Cheaper fly-out option: take the public boat to Lombok (Bangsal, ~£1) and fly from Lombok International (LOP) to Bali or onward. Alternatively stay on in Lombok for Mt Rinjani or the south coast surf beaches.
🚌Fast boat to Bali + airport shuttle ~£30-35, or public boat to Lombok ~£1 + flight
🛏None (departure day) or optional extra night £12-18
- →Final morning swim
- →Fast boat back to Bali
- →Optional extension to Lombok
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£373 | £394 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £21 per person (5%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£373
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Bali: Beaches & Boat Rides — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £373 per person for 9 days in Bali & Gili Islands, Indonesia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £394 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £373 — a saving of roughly £21 (5%) per person.
How long is the Bali & Gili Islands, Indonesia trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Bali & Gili Islands, Indonesia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, beaches, backpacker trip through Bali & Gili Islands, Indonesia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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