Bali Essence

Handcrafted Travel
Daily Departure
  • Culture & Heritage
  • Beach Escapes

Overview

Day 1 - 2: Bali - Ubud
  • Arrive in Bali. Drive to Ubud.
  • Visit Gunung Kawi, Tirta Empul. Enjoy the spectacular views of green rice terraces and the Pakrisan river.
Day 3 - 5: Batubulan - Batur - Sanur - Departure
  • Learn about the Balinese philosophy through Barong dance in Batubulan.
  • Enjoy the view of Batur volcano and Lake Batur.
  • Drive to Sanur and relax on the idyllic beach.
  • Board the departure from Bali’s Denpasar airport.

Customizable itinerary

Discover the true spirit of Bali with our ‘Bali Essence’ tour in 5 days, carefully crafted to immerse you in the island’s most authentic experiences.

Explore Ubud, the cultural heart of Bali. Immerse yourself in Balinese culture by visiting the sacred temples of Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi, and enjoy the traditional Barong dance, which depicts the battle between good and evil spirits. Take in the breathtaking views of Lake Batur before stopping at the Tegalalang rice terraces, one of the island’s most photogenic landmarks. No trip to Bali is complete without experiencing the ocean, so be sure to visit the beautiful seaside town of Sanur, with its idyllic beach, which makes for the perfect conclusion to your journey.

A warm greeting awaits at Bali International Airport; your private guide and driver will meet you at the arrival lounge and take you directly to your hotel. Your knowledgeable guide will be happy to answer any questions along the way and will assist you with check-in and registration at the hotel.

After a short rest, we will drive from the south of Bali to Ubud. The Balinese kings, benevolent to the arts, transformed their court seat into a true global village. Ubud shops, galleries and craft shops blend traditional arts and crafts with modern design. Visiting European artists, attracted by the lure of an untouched tropical paradise, were encouraged to stay. They gave new impetus to the existing local arts while creating some exciting new forms in the process. This atmosphere reverbs to this day. A visit to Ubud means indulging in the local arts, visiting the ancient temples and enjoying the archetypical Balinese surroundings of steep gorges and sculpted rice fields.



Ubud is the ideal basis to explore some interesting landmarks and sights of Bali’s hinterland and enjoy the enthralling Balinese landscapes. Famed for its painters and sculptors, the township and nearby villages exude an atmosphere of grace and serenity that has attracted art celebrities from all over the world. The Balinese culture is alive and well with some of the finest workings in wood, stone and silver on display.

Venture north up to Gunung Kawi. Gunung Kawi is only to be reached via a flight of stairs. You will, however, be rewarded with magnificent views over rice terraces and the Pakrisan river. Then we will move onwards to Tirta Empul, a major temple complex and holy mountain spring in the village of Manukaya.

Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)



Today you will have the best of culture and nature in a day. First, you will attend a playful introduction to the Balinese philosophy. The gracious Barong dance in Batubulan, performed by professional actors and dancers. Proceed to the rightfully famous woodcarving center of Mas. Young artisans with amazing skills emblaze tropical woods with life.

Then we will drive further to the east and enjoy the breathtaking view over the volcano and the Lake Batur, while having lunch in Penelokan, Kintamani. This is the largest lake in Bali and can be found in the smaller, secondary caldera of the Batur volcano, right at the foot of Mount Abang. The final stop will be the photogenic Tegalalang Rice Terraces before you arrive in Sanur.

Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)



Enjoy morning breakfast and day at your leisure to enjoy at the resort or self-explore the beautiful surrounding.

Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)



Free at your leisure to enjoy the resort’s facilities until departure time, meet your guide at the hotel lobby for your transfer service back to Denpasar airport. End of services.

Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)

Useful Information

This tour is built upon our firsthand knowledge & experience, offering you the best choices available. The price of this trip varies depending on the number of people in your party, dates of departure, and availability of ground services. Please click on REQUEST A FREE QUOTE (above) and supply the required information, enabling us to send you your personalized quote within 24 hours!

Note: Amendments CAN be made to this tour to suit your requirements.

What’s Included?

  • Accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels
  • Private Vehicles and Drivers
  • Private English Speaking Guides (Other languages if available, upon request)
  • Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
  • Entrance fees for all mentioned sights visited
  • Service Charge & Government Taxes

What’s Not Included?

  • Your International Flights to and from Bali
  • Indonesia entry Visa Fees (contact us for further information)
  • Personal Expenses (such as laundry, telephone, drinks, etc.)
  • Any bank fees or charges at your end
  • Meals other than those mentioned in the itinerary
  • Personal Travel Insurance
  • Tips for guides and drivers
                           

Request A Free Quote

Free service. No credit card required

Reviews on Our Service

We are committed to giving our customers unforgettable experiences in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and beyond, not just something staged for tourists. Read reviews written by our customers about their experiences in Indochina after they have returned home. These include the ratings and comments on attractions, guides, activities, hotels and food.

Thank you Asia Pioneer Travels.

Thanks to Asia Pioneer Travels for my fantastic trip to Vietnam and Thailand. They assigned both a driver and local guide expert to meet me at every destination on the itinerary they created for me based on my preferences. They made all lodging and domestic flight reservations as well. They also checked with me throughout the trip to make sure I got to where I wanted to go. As such I saw these beautiful countries never having to worry about my sightseeing schedule.

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Greg Moore - Long Beach, CA.
Oct 28, 2025

Vietnam family tour

Using Asia Pioneer travel company for our family’s 2 generation recent Vietnam trip was the best decision we possibly could’ve made. Their well-informed, organized and fun English speaking guides made our trip exceed all our expectations. From the time they met us at the airport in Ho Chi Minh City they filled our days with the culture and hospitality of the Vietnamese people. We experienced Vietnam history, beauty and amazing food. Enjoying both the city and the countryside. Our journey took us from south Vietnam to north. Each step of the journey was filled with amazement. Don’t hesitate to hire them if you are considering a trip to Vietnam.

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Amber O -
Oct 24, 2025

Excellent private tour arranged

Maris at Asia Pioneer Travel arranged outr2 week tour of Vietnam. From first contact, to a detailed itinerary, seamless arrival to departure she was our absolute go to.

She designed a tour exactly what we wanted. She listened to us and gave choices of hotels & experiences. No large group tours or bus rides. All private guides, clean & comfortable vans & excellent accommodation. I would 100% highly recommend Maris & Asia Pioneer Travel for a trip through Asia.

She even took time out of her personal schedule to meet us in her home city. A great catch up & nice to put a face to the voice over the line.

Thanks again Maris for ensuring we had a wonderful time visiting Vietnam. We will definitely be back!!!

Five star experience!!!

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Michelle S -
Oct 22, 2025

An excellent experience with fantastic customer service.

At the last minute, myself, husband and 12 year old daughter decided to visit Vietnam. With only 3-4 weeks to go we found Winston and within 24 hours we had an itinerary! Winston listened to what we wanted and certainly delivered. We didn’t want to tour in a group, but we did want a guide and driver. Our tour was personalised to meet our family’s needs.

We flew into HMC and met Lucy who looked after us with such care as we visited the city then out to the Meekong Delta.

Next we flew to HoiAn and met Cuong, again we were so well cared for. We then flew to Hanoi and met Marcus who was awesome.

All our guides were amazing, knowledgeable, and always included our daughter. It felt like travelling with friends. I will also mention that we felt safe with our drivers and very comfortable in our private mini buses.

Lastly, we did a cruise in Halong Bay and as it was my husband’s birthday, Winston had arranged a surprise celebration on the boat. It’s things like this that you remember forever.

Vietnam is an amazing place to visit, the people are so friendly and we had zero negative experiences.

Visas, internal flights, accommodation and activities were all organised for us, no stress at all.

We will certainly use Asia Pioneer Travel again.

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Hazel J -
Oct 22, 2025

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