Bali's Hidden Gems: Discovering Lesser-Known Attractions
Published · Updated · 7 min read
The Bali hidden gems worth the drive sit well away from the Kuta to Canggu strip: two beaches at the bottom of Bukit cliffs, a canyon waterfall in Bangli, a cold twin waterfall in the northern hills, a spring temple, a weaving village, a royal water garden and a small carved temple on the north coast. Every place below has a real walk or a long drive attached, so each section tells you the effort, the cost and the best hour to go. Where sources disagree on a fee, the range is given and you should check at the booth.
Nyang Nyang Beach: how hard is the walk down?
It is a 15 to 20 minute descent on the east side, steep in places and rocky, and it is worth it for a long beach with few people on it. Nyang Nyang is on the Bukit Peninsula, roughly 1 to 1.5 hours from Kuta, Seminyak or Canggu depending on traffic.
There are two ways in. The west entrance has a very steep new road that only scooters can use, so if you come by car you park at the top and walk. The east entrance (Google Maps calls it Nunggalan Beach) starts behind a hotel car park, with a path down the cliff. Entry is by donation, and about IDR 5,000 per person was suggested at the west booth at the time of writing. There are small warungs at the top and bottom, but no lifeguard, so be careful in the water. The beach faces east, which makes early morning the best time and sunrise possible. Wear shoes with grip. If you like the idea of empty sand, our guide to Bali's best beaches covers the busier ones for comparison.
Green Bowl Beach: is it worth 320 steps?
Yes if you like caves and clear water, no if you have bad knees. A concrete staircase of about 320 steps takes around 6 minutes down, and it is shaded most of the way, which you will appreciate on the way back up.
Green Bowl is on the south coast of the Bukit, at the end of Jalan Pantai Green Bowl. You pay an entry fee per person and a parking fee at the barrier (parking has been about IDR 2,000 for a scooter and IDR 5,000 for a car, and the per-person fee is set at the barrier, so ask when you arrive). The two warungs, toilets and showers are in the car park, not on the beach. Swim around mid-tide: at low tide the coral is exposed and can cut your feet, and at high tide there is very little beach left. A large sea cave sits on the sand, and further up the cliff a bat cave holds a shrine where locals do water purification. Keep belongings off your scooter, because there are monkeys. The beach faces southeast, so it is poor for sunset.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall: when do the light beams appear?
Between about 9:00 and 11:00 in the morning, when sun comes through the opening in the cave roof. After that the crowd arrives and the effect fades. Tukad Cepung is on Jalan Tembuku in Bangli Regency, about 38 minutes from Ubud and 1.5 to 2 hours from Seminyak, Canggu or Kuta.
The walk from the car park takes about 20 minutes, mostly down steep stone steps, and the climb back is the hard part. The fee is paid in cash at the booth. Guides quote anywhere from IDR 15,000 to IDR 30,000, so bring small notes. You can wade, but you cannot really swim. Bring sandals for the sharp rocks at the bottom and a waterproof pouch for your phone. Avoid it in or right after heavy rain, especially from November to March, because the steps get slippery and the stream rises fast. Our Candidasa tour lists Tukad Cepung as an optional stop.
Banyumala Twin Waterfall: how cold is the pool?
Very cold, and chest deep at the most, with a calm current that makes it a good quick dip. Banyumala is in Wanagiri in Buleleng, about 2 hours from Ubud and closer to 3 hours from Seminyak, Canggu or Uluwatu, so make it a full day with a lake or highland stop.
The walk down is about 1 km and takes 10 to 15 minutes. Most of it is paved steps, but some sections stay wet and muddy. The most recent guide gives IDR 50,000 per person (children under 10 free, cash only), while older guides quote less, so expect to pay around that. It opens at 8:00, last entry is around 17:00, and midday from 12:00 to 14:00 is busiest. Before 10:00 it can feel nearly private. There is nowhere to change at the bottom, so bring dry clothes, and pack a light jacket because the north is cooler than the south. Toilets cost IDR 2,000 and a scooter taxi from the ticket booth back up to the car park is IDR 25,000. Our Bedugul tour lists Banyumala as a place guide.
Gunung Kawi Sebatu: a quiet spring temple near Ubud
It is a flat, 30 to 60 minute stop with spring-fed pools and koi ponds, and far fewer people than Tirta Empul. The temple is in Sebatu village, Tegallalang, about 15 km from central Ubud, and it is dedicated to Vishnu.
Do not confuse it with Gunung Kawi at Tampaksiring, which has the big staircase and the rock-cut shrines. Sebatu is the gentle version. Opening hours are given as 8:00 to 18:00. Small tour groups tend to arrive from late morning, so go early. One current guide lists the fee at IDR 50,000 for adults (IDR 25,000 for children aged 5 to 11), and others list as low as IDR 15,000, so check at the gate. Bring cash. A sarong is provided. There is a separate bathing area used for melukat, the water purification ritual. If you plan to do it, bring a towel and dry clothes, and expect to rent the green bathing sarong on site. Photos are fine, but drones are not.
Pura Beji in Sangsit: a small temple covered in carving
Go for the stonework, not for size. Pura Beji is in Sangsit village, about 8 km east of Singaraja on the north coast, and it is dedicated to Dewi Sri, the rice goddess.
The carving covers almost everything, from the main gate and the second gate to the inner courtyard, and two dragon statues guard the entrance. It is small compared with the big southern temples, so allow 30 to 45 minutes. The north coast gets hot by midday, so bring water, sunscreen and a hat, and wear a sash and cover your shoulders as at any temple. Some listings give an entry fee and others call it a donation, so carry small notes. It fits naturally on a day around Singaraja or Lovina. If you are heading that way for dolphins, our Lovina Dolphins tour starts at dawn from the beach.
Tenganan Village: what is double ikat?
It is a cloth in which both the lengthwise and crosswise threads are tied and dyed before weaving, and Tenganan is the only place in Bali that makes it, as geringsing. A single piece can take years, and locals treat the cloth as protective in ceremonies.
Tenganan is a Bali Aga village in Karangasem, the island's original community with its own customs and layout. Entry is by donation at the booth, and the village is open roughly 7:00 to 18:00. Dress respectfully; you do not need a sarong. Allow 1 to 2 hours. The drive is about 1.5 hours from Ubud and 1 hour 45 from Kuta, longer from Seminyak and Canggu. It is a living village, not a stage set, and some visitors find it less polished than Penglipuran. Shops sell the cloth at very different prices, so ask before you handle anything. Tenganan is one of the optional stops on our Candidasa tour.
Taman Ujung: a royal water garden with Agung behind it
Taman Ujung is a park of ponds, stone bridges and pavilions built by the King of Karangasem in the early 1900s, and it is not an active temple, so there is no sarong to carry. It sits in Tumbu, about 5 km southeast of Amlapura, with Mount Agung as the backdrop.
It is open daily 7:00 to 19:00, with last entry around 18:00. Guides quote IDR 75,000 to IDR 100,000 for adults, and parking is a few thousand rupiah on top, so check at the gate. Allow one to two hours and go early, before the heat. From Ubud it is about 1 hour 45 minutes, and from Kuta or Seminyak over 2 hours, so pair it with Tenganan on a single East Bali day. Our place page for Taman Ujung has the background. More off-route ideas by region are in our guide to off the beaten path Bali, and the trails are covered in the hiking and trekking guide.
How do I fit several of these into one day?
Pick places that share a region, and do the walks early. Tukad Cepung, Tenganan and Taman Ujung work together on one East Bali day, which is why they appear as optional stops on our Candidasa tour. Banyumala belongs with Bedugul and the lakes. The Bukit beaches go with each other and with Uluwatu. Do not combine East Bali with the north in one day.
Treat any fee above as a guide. Prices, hours and trail conditions change, and several of these places collect cash only.
If you want hidden Bali tours planned around these places with a driver who knows the roads and the timing, message us through our contact page with your hotel and dates, and we will suggest a route.