Classic Bali & Lombok — Self-Launched
14 days · Bali & Lombok
G Adventures charges £1,420
No-markup version: ~£612 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 14-day DIY version of G Adventures' "Classic Bali & Lombok" loop, starting and finishing in Sanur. You'll cover the same ground — Lake Bratan and the Jatiluwih rice terraces, Kintamani's hot springs and Mt Batur sunrise, Ubud's temples and Kecak dance, laid-back Candidasa, the Sasak villages and surf coast of Lombok, a Tetebatu countryside trek with a Sendang Gila waterfall swim, and a snorkelling day on Gili Trawangan. Instead of a CEO and private minibus you'll string together Bali's cheap bemos, Grab/Gojek rides, tourist shuttles, the public ferry to Lembar and the fast boat to the Gilis — all doable solo on a backpacker budget. Costs are approximate per person in GBP, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Sanur
Sanur
Fly into Denpasar (DPS) and pay the 150,000 IDR (£7) Bali tourist levy online beforehand or at the airport, plus the IDR 500,000 visa-on-arrival if you need it. Grab a Grab/Gojek or metered Blue Bird taxi to Sanur (roughly 200,000-250,000 IDR, £10-13). Check into a guesthouse a few streets back from the beach, then walk the seafront promenade at sunset and eat at a warung near Danau Tamblingan.
🚌Airport taxi/Grab to Sanur ~£12
🛏Sanur guesthouse or budget hotel (double/twin, £20-25)
- →Settle in, Sanur beachfront promenade walk
- →Sunset dinner at a local warung
Sanur to Munduk via Lake Bratan & Jatiluwih
Munduk
Hire a driver for the day (or take a shared tourist shuttle toward Bedugul and negotiate stops) and head north into the highlands. Visit Ulun Danu Bratan temple on the lake shore (entry ~75,000 IDR), then walk the UNESCO-protected Jatiluwih rice terraces (entry ~50,000 IDR). Continue up the winding road to Munduk and check into a hillside guesthouse with mountain views; dinner of Balinese nasi campur included at many homestays or eat locally.
🚌Private driver day hire split between travellers ~£30-35pp, or tourist shuttle ~£10
🛏Munduk hillside guesthouse (£15-20)
- →Ulun Danu Bratan temple
- →Jatiluwih rice terrace walk
- →Optional nearby waterfall walk
Munduk to Kintamani
Kintamani
Ask your guesthouse to arrange a car or join a tourist shuttle across to Kintamani (roughly £15-20pp private, cheaper shared). The drive winds through clove and coffee country and rice fields with views toward the Batur caldera. Spend the afternoon soaking in the local hot springs on the lakeshore (entry ~100,000-150,000 IDR) with Mt Batur looming above. Simple warung dinner in the village.
🚌Shared/private car Munduk-Kintamani ~£15-20pp
🛏Kintamani guesthouse with caldera view (£15-20)
- →Local hot spring pool
- →Caldera viewpoint stroll
Mt Batur sunrise hike, then Ubud
Ubud
Book a Mt Batur sunrise trek a day ahead through your guesthouse or GetYourGuide (approx 650,000 IDR / £32 including guide, torch and breakfast). You'll be picked up around 3.30am, summit for sunrise over the caldera, then be back for a late breakfast. In the afternoon take a Grab or shared shuttle down to Ubud (~£8-12), do a self-guided orientation loop of the palace and main streets, and eat at a warung near Jalan Hanoman.
🚌Grab/shuttle Kintamani-Ubud ~£10
🛏Ubud guesthouse or hostel (£15-22)
- →Mt Batur sunrise hike with guide
- →Self-guided Ubud orientation walk
Ubud free day
Ubud
Your pick of Ubud: walk the Campuhan Ridge at dawn, visit the Sacred Monkey Forest (100,000-120,000 IDR), browse the Ubud art market, or do a Balinese cooking class. In the evening book a Kecak dance performance at Ubud Palace or Pura Dalem (tickets ~200,000-300,000 IDR / £10-15). Book directly at the temple ticket window or via GetYourGuide.
🚌Walking / short Grab rides £3
🛏Ubud guesthouse or hostel (£15-22)
- →Campuhan Ridge walk
- →Monkey Forest
- →Ubud art market
- →Kecak dance performance
Kerta Gosa and on to Candidasa
Candidasa
Stop at Kerta Gosa in Klungkung on the way east — the painted ceiling 'hall of justice' is a 30-minute visit (entry ~50,000 IDR). Then continue by bemo or Grab to Candidasa (~£8-10) and check into a beachfront bungalow. The afternoon is for lounging by the water; Candidasa's reef makes for easy snorkelling straight off shore.
🚌Grab/bemo Ubud-Klungkung-Candidasa ~£9
🛏Candidasa beachfront bungalow (£18-22)
- →Kerta Gosa visit
- →Beach time and snorkelling from shore
Tirta Gangga and the east coast
Candidasa
Scooter hire (~70,000-100,000 IDR/day) or a Grab will get you to Tirta Gangga water palace (entry ~50,000 IDR) — go early to beat the crowds — and the traditional Bali Aga village of Tenganan. Come back via a secluded east-coast beach such as Pantai Pasir Putih, or book a local massage in Candidasa for around 150,000 IDR.
🚌Scooter rental ~£5 or Grab rides ~£8
🛏Candidasa beachfront bungalow (£18-22)
- →Tirta Gangga water palace
- →Tenganan traditional village
- →Secluded beach stop
- →Optional massage
Ferry to Lombok and Sasak village
Kuta, Lombok
Take the public ferry from Padang Bai to Lembar (about 5 hours, ~50,000 IDR / £2.50 — bemo or Grab to Padang Bai first). On the Lombok side, hire a driver to stop at a Sasak traditional village (Sade or Ende, small donation expected) en route to Kuta Lombok in the south. Check into a surf-town guesthouse and eat grilled fish by the beach.
🚌Bemo/Grab to Padang Bai £3, public ferry £3, driver to Kuta via Sasak village ~£15pp
🛏Kuta Lombok guesthouse (£15-20)
- →Padang Bai-Lembar public ferry
- →Sasak traditional village visit
- →Kuta Lombok beach evening
Kuta Lombok surf and beaches
Kuta Lombok
Full day around Kuta. Take a beginner surf lesson at Kuta beach or Selong Belanak (~48 USD / £38 for a lesson with board), or rent a scooter and beach-hop to Mawun, Tanjung Aan and Selong Belanak. Sunsets from Bukit Merese are worth the short hike.
🚌Scooter rental ~£5
🛏Kuta Lombok guesthouse (£15-20)
- →Surf lesson
- →Beach-hopping by scooter
- →Bukit Merese sunset
Tetebatu trek, Sendang Gila waterfall, to Senggigi
Senggigi
Hire a driver for the drive through the middle of Lombok to Tetebatu. Pick up a local guide in the village for a 2-hour countryside walk past rice fields and tobacco plantations with Rinjani views (~150,000-200,000 IDR), enjoy a simple village lunch, then hike to Sendang Gila waterfall for a swim. Continue north to Senggigi for the night.
🚌Full-day driver Kuta-Tetebatu-Senggigi ~£25-30pp split
🛏Senggigi guesthouse or budget hotel (£18-22)
- →Tetebatu countryside trek with local guide
- →Village lunch
- →Sendang Gila waterfall swim
Fast boat to Gili Trawangan and snorkelling
Gili Trawangan
Get a combined minibus + fast boat ticket from Senggigi/Bangsal to Gili Trawangan (~250,000-350,000 IDR / £13-18, book a day ahead or via 12Go). Drop your bags, then join a half-day glass-bottom snorkelling trip to the three Gilis (~150,000-200,000 IDR) — good odds of turtles. Evening at the sunset side of the island with a beach BBQ.
🚌Shuttle + fast boat to Gili T ~£15
🛏Gili Trawangan bungalow or hostel (£18-25)
- →Half-day three-island snorkelling trip
- →Sunset on the west beach
Gili Trawangan free day
Gili Trawangan
Rent a bike and cycle the loop road (~50,000 IDR), grab a yoga class (drop-in classes around 120,000-150,000 IDR), or do a Discover Scuba dive if you fancy it. The east side has the market strip and cafés; the north is quiet. No motorised vehicles on the island, so it's all bikes and horse carts.
🚌Bicycle rental ~£3
🛏Gili Trawangan bungalow or hostel (£18-25)
- →Cycle the island loop
- →Optional yoga class
- →Optional intro dive
- →Market street food
Return to Bali
Sanur
Take the fast boat back to Bali (Padang Bai or Serangan, ~£15-18 combined with onward minibus) and head to Sanur for the last night. If time allows, stop in Ubud or the eastern beaches for lunch. Pick up last souvenirs and have a final meal at a seafood warung on Sanur beach.
🚌Fast boat + minibus Gili T-Sanur ~£18
🛏Sanur guesthouse or budget hotel (£20-25)
- →Return fast boat to Bali
- →Sanur beach sunset
Depart Bali
Sanur
Morning swim or coffee on the promenade, then a Grab to Denpasar airport (~£12) for your flight home. If you're on a late flight, Sanur's cafés and the beach are an easy way to kill a few hours with bags stored at your guesthouse.
🚌Grab/taxi to DPS ~£12
🛏None (departure day)
- →Morning beach walk
- →Departure transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£612 | £1,420 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £808 per person (57%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£612
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 Classic Bali & Lombok — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £612 per person for 14 days in Bali & Lombok. 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 £1,420 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £612 — a saving of roughly £808 (57%) per person.
How long is the Bali & Lombok trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through Bali & Lombok.
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 backpacker, beaches, culture trip through Bali & Lombok, 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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