Bali Experience 12 Day — Self-Launched
12 days · Bali & Gili Islands, Indonesia
INTRO Travel charges £1,290
No-markup version: ~£590 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of INTRO Travel's 12-day Bali Experience: Seminyak, Canggu, Lovina, the Gili Islands and Ubud, with the same headline activities (Uluwatu Temple sunset, surf lesson, waterfalls and rice terraces, Balinese family visit, dolphin boat trip, turtle snorkelling, monkey forest, cooking class and sunrise volcano trek) booked independently through local operators, hostels and guesthouses, and public fast boats and bemos. Expect to spend roughly a third of the guided tour price, with the same route and far more flexibility — especially useful given the notorious Gili fast-boat cancellation risk. All costs are approximate per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Seminyak
Seminyak
Fly into Denpasar (DPS) and take a Grab or Blue Bird taxi to Seminyak (approx 30-45 min, £6-8; Grab is cheaper than airport touts). Settle into a hostel or budget guesthouse around Jalan Kayu Aya or Batu Belig, then walk down to Double Six or Petitenget beach for sunset and a cheap warung dinner (nasi campur ~£2.50). Pick up a local SIM/eSIM at the airport (~£8 for 30GB) — you'll need it for Grab, Gojek and ferry bookings.
🚌Grab/Blue Bird taxi from DPS airport, ~£6-8
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Seminyak (£10-15/night)
- →Airport transfer to Seminyak
- →Sunset at Petitenget/Double Six beach
- →Warung dinner on Jalan Kayu Aya
Uluwatu Temple, Canang Sari & beach club sunset
Uluwatu / Seminyak
Hire a scooter for the day (~£5 plus petrol) or use Grab to reach Uluwatu Temple in the late afternoon — entry is about £3, and you need a sarong (rentable on site). Do a short Canang Sari offering-making workshop at a local cultural centre or ask your guesthouse to arrange one (many run free/small-fee sessions, ~£5). Stay for the sunset Kecak dance at Uluwatu (~£8, tickets sold at the gate from early afternoon). Have sunset drinks and dinner at a mid-range clifftop beach club (Sundara, Single Fin or El Kabron — aim for a £15-20 spend rather than the £60+ tables) and finish with cheap drinks on Seminyak's Jalan Camplung Tanduk.
🚌Scooter hire ~£5/day plus petrol, or Grab rides ~£3-5 each way
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Seminyak (£10-15/night)
- →Uluwatu Temple entry and sunset
- →Canang Sari offering-making session
- →Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu
- →Clifftop beach club sunset drinks
- →Seminyak nightlife
Learn to surf in Canggu
Canggu
Take a Grab to Batu Bolong or Echo Beach in Canggu (~£3). Book a beginner surf lesson direct with a local school — Pro Surf School Bali or Odysseys Surf School charge around £20-25 for a 2-hour group lesson including board and rash vest; cheaper if you just rent a soft-top board for the day (~£7). Spend the afternoon at a Canggu café (Crate, The Shady Shack) and watch sunset from Echo Beach with a £2 Bintang. Move your bags to a Canggu hostel if you'd rather not backtrack.
🚌Grab to Canggu ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm in Canggu or Seminyak (£10-15/night)
- →Beginner surf lesson at Batu Bolong/Echo Beach
- →Canggu café-hopping
- →Sunset at Echo Beach
Seminyak to Lovina via Jatiluwih and waterfalls
Lovina, North Bali
This is the long travel day the tour does in a private bus — replicate it with a hired driver for the day (around £35-45 for a full-day car shareable between 2-4 people, so ~£12-20 each) or a combination of Grab to Mengwi bus terminal plus local bemos, which is far slower. Best value: book a private driver via your hostel and route it through Tanah Lot temple (~£4 entry), the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces (~£3 entry, the UNESCO-listed terraces the tour visits), a waterfall such as Banyumala Twin Waterfall (~£2), and a Luwak coffee plantation tasting (usually free with purchases). Arrive in Lovina by early evening — it's a 3-hour drive. Note the tour's dolphin trip requires a very early start, so sleep early.
🚌Shared/hired car with driver for the day ~£12-20 per person
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Lovina (£10-16/night)
- →Tanah Lot temple
- →Jatiluwih Rice Terraces
- →Banyumala or Munduk waterfall swim
- →Luwak coffee tasting
- →Rice paddy viewpoints
Dolphins at sunrise & Balinese family visit
Lovina
Book a traditional outrigger (jukung) dolphin boat on the beach at Kalibukbuk the evening before — around £8-10 per person, departing 6am. Be aware the dolphin sightings are hit-and-miss and the boats can feel crowded; treat it as a sunrise boat ride rather than a wildlife guarantee. Afterwards, arrange a village visit through your guesthouse or a local guide (~£10-15) — Desa Pemuteran and the Munduk highlands both have family-run homestays and basket-weaving demonstrations; ask at the guesthouse for a genuine introduction rather than a staged show. Spend the afternoon at your guesthouse pool or at Lovina beach.
🚌Walk to beach; local bemo or Grab for village visit ~£3-5
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Lovina (£10-16/night)
- →Sunrise dolphin outrigger boat trip
- →Balinese family home visit / basket weaving
- →Afternoon at Lovina beach
Lovina to Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan
Travel south to Padang Bai or Amed and take a fast boat to Gili Trawangan. The most reliable route is the direct Lovina–Gili fast boat (Eka Jaya/Wahana, ~£25-30, 2.5-3 hours) — book a day or two ahead through your guesthouse or 12Go Asia. Honest warning: these crossings do get cancelled in rough seas, and the 'replacement' slow ferries can be grim. Build in a buffer, travel with seasickness tablets, and keep your onward Gili–Bali boat ticket flexible. On arrival, walk or take a cidomo (horse cart, ~£2) to your guesthouse — there are no cars on the island. Sunset drinks on the west side and a beach bar along the strip in the evening.
🚌Lovina–Gili fast boat ~£25-30
🛏Guesthouse or budget bungalow on Gili Trawangan (£12-20/night)
- →Fast boat crossing to Gili Trawangan
- →Sunset on the west beach
- →Beach bar nightlife
Gili T by bicycle
Gili Trawangan
Rent a bicycle for the day (~£3) and ride the 7km loop around the island — it takes about an hour and passes all the beaches. Stop at Turtle Point on the east side, snorkel straight off the beach (bring or rent mask and fins, ~£4), and have lunch at a beachside warung. In the afternoon, join a Gili Eco Trust beach or reef clean-up if one is running (check their Facebook page or the dive shops) or visit the turtle hatchery. Watch the sunset from Ombak Sunset or the Sunset Point bars.
🚌Bicycle hire ~£3/day
🛏Guesthouse or budget bungalow on Gili Trawangan (£12-20/night)
- →Bicycle loop of Gili Trawangan
- →Snorkelling from the beach at Turtle Point
- →Gili Eco Trust beach clean-up (volunteer)
- →Sunset on the west coast
Turtle snorkelling trip & celebration dinner
Gili Islands
Book a shared snorkelling trip around the three Gilis with a local operator on the main strip — around £15-18 for a half-day trip covering Turtle Point, the Meno statue garden and Gili Air, including gear and a beachside lunch. Alternative: a 3-dive Discover Scuba package with a Gili dive shop (~£50-60) if you'd rather dive. In the evening, splash out on a seafood BBQ on the beach (~£12-15) with drinks at a beach bar.
🚌Walk to snorkel operator
🛏Guesthouse or budget bungalow on Gili Trawangan (£12-20/night)
- →Shared snorkelling boat trip around the Gili Islands
- →Swim with turtles at Turtle Point
- →Beachside seafood BBQ dinner
- →Optional Discover Scuba dive
Gili Trawangan to Ubud
Ubud
Take the morning fast boat back to Padang Bai (~£20-25, 1.5-2 hours) then a shared shuttle or Perama bus to Ubud (~£5-8, 2 hours), or a Grab from Padang Bai (~£15). Arrive in Ubud by mid-afternoon and check into a guesthouse off Jalan Hanoman or Jalan Sugriwa (~£10-15/night). Wander the Campuhan Ridge Walk at sunset (free), then eat at a local warung — babi guling at Warung Babi Guling Ibu Oka or nasi campur at a Jalan Dewi Sita spot (~£3-5).
🚌Gili–Padang Bai fast boat ~£20-25 plus shuttle to Ubud ~£5-8
🛏Guesthouse in central Ubud (£10-15/night)
- →Fast boat back to Bali
- →Campuhan Ridge Walk
- →Ubud warung dinner
Monkey Forest & Balinese cooking class
Ubud
Visit the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary early (~£5 entry) before the crowds and keep bags zipped — the macaques are quick. Then explore Ubud's art market on Jalan Raya and the Threads of Life textile gallery. In the afternoon, book a half-day Balinese cooking class direct with a local school — Casa Luna, Paon Bali or Wayan's classes run £25-35 for a market tour, 5-6 dishes and a recipe booklet. Eat the results for dinner. Optional evening: Legong dance performance at Ubud Palace (~£6).
🚌Walkable; Grab for cooking class pickup ~£2-3
🛏Guesthouse in central Ubud (£10-15/night)
- →Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
- →Ubud art market
- →Balinese cooking class with market tour
- →Optional Legong dance at Ubud Palace
Mount Batur sunrise trek & Balinese massage
Ubud / Kintamani
Book a Mount Batur sunrise trek via GetYourGuide, Klook or a local Ubud operator — around £25-35 including hotel pickup at 2am, a guide, torch, breakfast cooked in the volcanic steam at the summit and drop-off back in Ubud around 10am. It's an easy-moderate 2-hour climb; bring a fleece, the summit is cold. Back in Ubud, nap, then book a one-hour traditional Balinese massage at a local spa such as Taksu or Karsa Spa (~£10-15). Final night dinner somewhere nice on Jalan Goutama.
🚌Trek operator pickup included in trek price
🛏Guesthouse in central Ubud (£10-15/night)
- →Mount Batur sunrise trek with summit breakfast
- →Traditional Balinese massage
- →Final dinner in Ubud
Depart from Ubud / Denpasar
Ubud / Denpasar Airport
Book a shared airport shuttle from Ubud to DPS (~£8-10, 1.5 hours) or a Grab (~£15-18). Allow at least 3 hours before your flight. If you have a late flight, use the morning for a final yoga class (~£8) or a coffee at a Jalan Hanoman café before heading out.
🚌Shared shuttle Ubud–DPS ~£8-10
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Optional morning yoga
- →Transfer to Denpasar Airport
Self-launched vs. INTRO Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | INTRO Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£590 | £1,290 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £700 per person (54%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more INTRO Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£590
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 Experience 12 Day — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £590 per person for 12 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 INTRO Travel?+
Yes — INTRO Travel charges around £1,290 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £590 — a saving of roughly £700 (54%) per person.
How long is the Bali & Gili Islands, Indonesia trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 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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