Magical Bali: Self-Launched 7-Day Adventure
7 days · Bali, Indonesia
Costsaver charges £680
No-markup version: ~£325 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Experience the very best of Bali — from the emerald rice terraces and royal palaces of Ubud to the clifftop sea temples and sunset beaches of the south — entirely on your own terms. This self-launched version of Costsaver's popular Magical Bali tour follows the same route and hits every highlight, swapping group-coach transfers for cheap shared bemos and metered Grab rides, and trading hotel dining for the brilliant local warungs right outside your door. Estimated costs are approximate and based on current budget traveller rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Bali — Transfer to Ubud
Bali / Ubud
Fly into Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS). Skip the overpriced airport taxis — book a Grab car to Ubud for around £8–10, or arrange a pre-booked shuttle with Perama Tour (~£5–7). The journey takes roughly 1.5–2 hours depending on traffic. Check into your guesthouse, stroll the main strip, and grab a cheap Nasi Goreng at a local warung to kick off the trip right.
🚌Grab car or Perama shuttle from Ngurah Rai Airport to Ubud (~£5–10)
🛏Ubud budget guesthouse or hostel (e.g. Ubud Tropical Hostel or Bisma Sari Resort budget rooms) — ~£12–18/night
- →Arrive at Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS)
- →Transfer to Ubud via Grab or pre-booked shuttle
- →Settle in and explore Ubud's main street
- →Dinner at a local warung (try Nasi Goreng or Mie Goreng)
Ubud — Temples, Rice Terraces & Markets
Ubud
A packed cultural day replicating the tour's included Day 2 activities — all bookable independently. Start with a walk or cheap ojek ride to Mas Village to browse the traditional wood-carving workshops (free entry). Head north to the iconic Tegallalang Rice Terraces — entry is ~£1.50, and you'll pay small swing/photo spot fees if you want them. Return to town and visit Puri Saren Agung (Ubud Palace) — entry is free and the royal architecture is stunning. Finish the afternoon at Ubud Art Market, haggling for batik, carvings and silver. For lunch, replicate the tour's traditional Balinese meal: head to Warung Babi Guling Ibu Oka for a classic local spread with volcano views.
🚌Walk, ojek (motorbike taxi, ~£1–2 per trip), or rented scooter (~£4/day)
🛏Ubud budget guesthouse — ~£12–18/night
- →Visit traditional wood carving workshops in Mas Village (free)
- →View the emerald Tegallalang Rice Terraces (entry ~£1.50)
- →Visit Puri Saren Agung (Ubud Palace) — free entry
- →Explore Ubud Art Market for local handicrafts
- →Traditional Balinese lunch at a local warung (~£3–5)
Ubud — Monkeys, Cooking & Yoga
Ubud
A flexible day to pick your own optional extras — same as the tour offers, but booked directly for less. The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a 10-minute walk from the centre and charges ~£3.50 entry — 700+ long-tailed macaques await. For a morning cooking class, book directly with Paon Bali Cooking Class (~£25) or via GetYourGuide. In the afternoon, join a drop-in yoga class at The Yoga Barn (from ~£8 per session) — one of the best studios in Asia and open to all levels. Mix and match or take a slow afternoon wandering Ubud's back lanes.
🚌Walk or ojek around Ubud (~£1–2 per trip)
🛏Ubud budget guesthouse — ~£12–18/night
- →Visit Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (entry ~£3.50)
- →Traditional Balinese cooking class — book via GetYourGuide or direct with Paon Bali (~£25)
- →Afternoon drop-in yoga class at The Yoga Barn (~£8)
Ubud to Sanur — Three Temples Route
Ubud to Sanur
Today's temple trail mirrors the tour's included Day 4 perfectly — and it's easy to do independently by hiring a private driver for the day, which costs ~£30–35 and lets you stop at your own pace. Ask your guesthouse to arrange one, or find drivers via Klook. Visit Ulun Danu Bratan Temple rising dramatically from Lake Bratan (entry ~£2), then Taman Ayun Temple with its beautiful multi-tiered shrines and moat (entry ~£1.50). End the day at Tanah Lot at sunset — Bali's most photographed sea temple, perched on a coastal rock (entry ~£2.50). Continue on to Sanur and check into your beach-area guesthouse.
🚌Private driver for the day Ubud → temples → Sanur (~£30–35 total, split across the day)
🛏Sanur budget guesthouse or hotel (e.g. Flashbacks or Segara Village budget rooms) — ~£15–22/night
- →Visit Ulun Danu Bratan Temple on Lake Bratan (entry ~£2)
- →Visit Taman Ayun Temple with multi-tiered shrines (entry ~£1.50)
- →Sunset visit to Tanah Lot sea temple (entry ~£2.50)
- →Transfer to Sanur and check in
Sanur — Uluwatu Temple & Kecak Fire Dance
Sanur / Uluwatu / Jimbaran
Another full-day trip that's ideal for a shared private driver (~£25–30 for the day). Head to the Bukit Peninsula to visit Pura Luhur Uluwatu, the dramatic sea temple perched 70m above the crashing Indian Ocean (entry ~£3 — sarong provided). At sunset, watch the spine-tingling Kecak Fire Dance performed at the clifftop amphitheatre with the ocean behind it (tickets ~£8–10, book via GetYourGuide or on the gate). Round the evening off with a fresh seafood dinner on Jimbaran Beach — skip the tour's included dinner pricing and go direct to the beachside warungs for grilled fish, prawns and squid for ~£8–12 per person. Optionally, add a vintage VW Kombi Denpasar city tour (~£30 via Klook).
🚌Private driver for the day Sanur → Uluwatu → Jimbaran → Sanur (~£25–30)
🛏Sanur budget guesthouse — ~£15–22/night
- →Visit Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple (entry ~£3)
- →Watch the Kecak Fire Dance at sunset (~£8–10 via GetYourGuide or on the gate)
- →Fresh seafood dinner on Jimbaran Beach at a local warung (~£8–12)
- →Optional: Vintage VW Kombi Denpasar city tour (~£30 via Klook)
Sanur — Nusa Lembongan or Balinese Village Life
Sanur / Nusa Lembongan
Two brilliant options today — choose your own adventure. Option 1: Take the fast boat from Sanur Beach to Nusa Lembongan (~£7–10 each way with Scoot Fast Cruises or Rocky Fast Cruises). Rent a scooter on the island (~£5), swim at Devil's Tear, snorkel the coral at Mushroom Bay (gear hire ~£4), and explore the mangroves. Option 2: Join a 'Balinese Daily Life' experience — book via GetYourGuide for a guided morning walk through local markets, rice fields and an ancient fertility temple (~£20–25). Either way, this is your last full day — save the evening for a farewell dinner at a rooftop warung in Sanur.
🚌Fast boat Sanur–Nusa Lembongan return (~£14–20) OR local transport for village tour (~£2–5)
🛏Sanur budget guesthouse — ~£15–22/night
- →Option 1: Fast boat to Nusa Lembongan, snorkelling and island exploration (~£25–35 total)
- →Option 2: Balinese Daily Life experience — market, rice field trek and temple (~£20–25 via GetYourGuide)
- →Farewell dinner at a Sanur rooftop warung
Depart Bali
Sanur / Ngurah Rai Airport
Final morning — grab a last Balinese coffee and Nasi Kuning breakfast at your guesthouse before checking out. Book a Grab car or pre-arrange a driver transfer to Ngurah Rai Airport (~£8–12). If your flight is late, store your bags and spend a few final hours on Sanur's calm beach promenade.
🚌Grab car or pre-booked driver to Ngurah Rai Airport (~£8–12)
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Final breakfast at a local warung
- →Last stroll along Sanur beach promenade
- →Transfer to Ngurah Rai Airport via Grab (~£8–12)
Self-launched vs. Costsaver
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Costsaver | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£325 | £680 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £355 per person (52%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Costsaver-style trips? Check them out here.~£325
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 Magical Bali: Self-Launched 7-Day Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £325 per person for 7 days in Bali, 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 Costsaver?+
Yes — Costsaver charges around £680 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £325 — a saving of roughly £355 (52%) per person.
How long is the Bali, Indonesia trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Bali, 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 culture, beaches, budget trip through Bali, 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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