Indonesia Holidays

Last updated: September 2026

Bali and Indonesia holidays offer one of the world’s most distinctive travel experiences — a small Hindu island in the world’s largest Muslim nation, where rice terraces cascade down volcanic hillsides, temple ceremonies fill the streets, and the combination of spiritual depth and natural beauty is unlike anywhere else in Asia.

Bali is the starting point for most visitors, but Indonesia’s 17,000 islands hold extraordinary variety beyond it. The Gili Islands off Lombok offer car-free beach tranquillity; Borneo has the orang-utans and rainforests; Java has Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist temple. For most UK travellers, Bali alone fills two weeks with ease and keeps drawing people back.

Why Choose Bali and Indonesia?

Bali offers something genuinely rare in modern travel — a destination with a living, visible spiritual culture woven into everyday life. Daily offerings appear on pavements and shop counters; temple processions move through villages in full ceremonial dress; the gamelan orchestra drifts from open-air pavilions at dusk.

The island also delivers outstanding value. Luxury villas with private pools, excellent restaurants and world-class spa treatments are all available at prices that feel almost implausibly low to UK visitors.

Bali pairs well with Malaysia and Thailand for multi-country itineraries, with budget flight connections making it easy to combine destinations.

Ubud and the Cultural Heartland

Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali — a town set among rice terraces and jungle ravines in the island’s central highlands, home to artists’ studios, dance performances, cooking schools and some of the finest spas on the island.

The Tegallalang Rice Terraces just north of town are the iconic Bali image — emerald-green stepped paddies fed by the traditional subak irrigation system, a UNESCO-recognised cultural landscape. Early morning is the best time to visit, before the day-trip coaches arrive.

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in the town centre houses three ancient temples amid a dense canopy of nutmeg trees — a genuinely atmospheric spot, though keep bags and sunglasses secured around the resident macaques.

Ubud is also the best base for exploring Bali’s temple circuit. Pura Besakih — the Mother Temple on the slopes of Mount Agung — and the clifftop Pura Luhur Batukau are both within a scenic day’s drive.

South Bali

Seminyak and Canggu on Bali’s southwest coast offer the island’s most sophisticated dining and nightlife scene — beachfront clubs, excellent international restaurants and a vibrant café culture that has made this strip enormously popular with younger UK visitors.

Kuta and Legian, immediately south, are Bali’s most developed beach areas — lively and commercial, with a wide range of budget accommodation, surf schools and evening entertainment. Families and first-timers often base themselves here for the convenience and the central location.

The Bukit Peninsula in the far south is Bali’s surf coast — clifftop beach clubs, world-class breaks at Uluwatu, and the iconic Tanah Lot sea temple, perched on an isolated rock just offshore and most spectacular at sunset.

Beaches and Islands

Bali’s beaches vary enormously around the island. The southwest coast offers the famous surf beaches backed by bars and restaurants. The quieter east coast at Amed and Candidasa has dark volcanic sand and outstanding snorkelling directly offshore.

The Nusa Islands — Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida — lie a short boat ride east of Bali and offer dramatic clifftop scenery, clear water and the chance to snorkel with manta rays. Nusa Penida is increasingly popular but still feels remarkably unspoiled.

The Gili Islands, reached by fast boat from Bali’s north coast or from Lombok, are three small coral-fringed islands with white sand, no motorised vehicles and some of the best snorkelling in Indonesia. Gili Trawangan is the most social; Gili Meno is the quietest.

Beyond Bali

Lombok, Bali’s larger eastern neighbour, offers similarly spectacular landscapes with fewer tourists. The Rinjani volcano (3,726 metres) is one of Indonesia’s great trekking destinations, and the south coast beaches at Kuta Lombok are among the most beautiful in the country.

Borneo — shared between Malaysia and Indonesia — is the only place on earth where orang-utans can be seen in the wild alongside pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys. The Indonesian province of Kalimantan offers genuine jungle expeditions for adventurous travellers.

Java’s Borobudur — the world’s largest Buddhist temple, built in the 9th century — is a magnificent day trip from Yogyakarta and one of Asia’s most important archaeological sites.

Food and Culture

Balinese cuisine is distinct from the rest of Indonesia — rich in spices, often ceremonial in character, and built around slow-cooked pork and duck in ways that reflect the island’s Hindu identity.

Babi guling (suckling pig), bebek betutu (slow-roasted duck) and nasi campur (mixed rice plate with multiple side dishes) are the defining dishes of the Balinese table. Warung Ibu Oka in Ubud is the most famous purveyor of babi guling and worth the inevitable queue.

The broader Indonesian tradition includes the rich rendang beef curry of Sumatra, nasi goreng fried rice and satay from a score of regional traditions — a food culture of extraordinary depth and variety.

When to Go

Bali’s dry season runs from April to October — the best time to visit, with low humidity, sunny days and excellent conditions for outdoor activities. July and August are peak season, with higher prices and busier temples and beaches.

The wet season (November to March) brings afternoon downpours, usually lasting an hour or two, after which skies clear. Prices drop significantly, the rice paddies are a vivid green, and the temples are at their most atmospheric. Many experienced Bali visitors prefer the shoulder months of April–May and September–October for the combination of good weather and reasonable prices.

Getting There

Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar) has good connections from the UK via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong, with total journey times of around 16–18 hours. Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific offer well-regarded one-stop services.

Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is Indonesia’s main hub with more frequent connections, though most UK visitors fly directly into Bali. Budget carriers AirAsia and Lion Air connect Bali cheaply to Lombok, the Gili Islands’ mainland gateway and other Indonesian islands.

UK citizens receive a free 30-day visa on arrival at Bali’s international airport — extendable to 60 days at an immigration office on the island. Always ensure your passport has at least six months’ validity remaining.

Indonesia at a Glance

Book Your Indonesia Holiday

Search4Sun compares Bali and Indonesia holiday deals from the UK’s leading tour operators, with departures from local airports across the UK. From boutique Ubud retreats to south Bali beach packages and Lombok extensions, we help you find the right deal.

For last-minute Bali deals, check LastMinute.com. Bali combines well with Malaysia and Thailand — see our Asia holidays page for the full regional picture.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bali Holidays

Which part of Bali is best for a first visit?

Most first-time visitors split their time between Ubud (2–3 nights for culture and rice terraces) and a south or southwest coast beach area (Seminyak, Canggu or Nusa Dua) for the remainder. This combination gives a good sense of Bali’s dual identity as both cultural heartland and beach resort. Ubud is best for those interested in spas, yoga and arts; the south coast suits those prioritising beaches, surf and nightlife.

Is Bali suitable for families?

Bali is excellent for families. The Nusa Dua area on the southeast coast offers calm, protected beaches ideal for young children, good-quality all-inclusive resorts and a generally safe, walkable environment. Ubud’s Sacred Monkey Forest and the rice terrace walks are popular with older children. The island’s culture, food and general atmosphere are accessible and engaging for all ages.

What is the best beach in Bali?

The answer depends on what you’re looking for. Seminyak and Canggu are the liveliest sunset beaches with beach clubs and good surf. Nusa Dua has calm, protected water ideal for swimming and families. The east coast at Amed has excellent snorkelling. For truly spectacular scenery, the beaches of Nusa Penida island — particularly Kelingking Beach — are among the most dramatic in all of Asia, though the cliff descent is steep.

Do I need a visa for Bali?

UK citizens receive a free visa on arrival at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport valid for 30 days, extendable to 60 days at an immigration office on the island. You need a valid passport with at least six months’ remaining validity and a return or onward ticket. The on-arrival process is straightforward and takes around 15–20 minutes.