Bali Essence
- 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
Free service. No credit card required
Reviews on Our Service
Simply Perfect!
Simply perfect. We had an amazing three weeks (albeit busy and active – as we requested!) which included a perfectly curated itinerary in Vietnam and Thailand.
From the time I connected with Stella, I knew she’d be able to do exactly as I asked. As for the pre trip/planning portion, I had researched all we wanted to do within the two countries, gave her a budget and advised of the duration of our trip. She mapped all of the logistics: arranging private transportation, English speaking tour guides and enlisted us with specialty activities (some that we joined in with other small groups some of which we did alone). The initial itinerary was “massaged” a couple times to keep everything aligned (us making various decisions) and in line with our initial ideas. Stella ran with every suggestion made! We received a an incredibly detailed itinerary that just made us even more excited for our trip.
Once we arrived, Stella continued with excellent communication by providing us with very specific info communicated on what we could expect, (meeting places, time frame, what to bring for the day, etc). In fact, many people we ran into envied our personalized situation. She left all the guess work out of our trip and we were well prepared in every instance.
Everything was simply wonderful-and we experienced it with a local
flair. I only wish we had a company like this in all countries we want to visit. The experience made it so carefree and we were right at budget. We greatly appreciate all of Stella’s hard work on our behalf, and her company high class, top tier company, Asia Pioneer Travel!
Trip to Cambodia and Vietnam
We just finished an amazing 18-day trip to Cambodia and Vietnam. Winston Dinh was our travel designer. He went above and beyond his duty to make sure that we had a perfect trip. He was always available to respond to our request and/or questions. We could not ask for a better travel designer.
The only one thing we wish that our hotels in Da Nang and Hoi An would-be walking distance to the center of night light activities. Other than that, we were very happy with our hotel arrangement.
We already planned for your next trip in 2025. Winston will be the first person that we will contact to help us with our next trip. Thanks, Winston, for a job well done.
THE BEST OF THE BEST……WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR!
Chloe from Asia Pioneer travel prepared for my friends and I a wonderful trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. The planning of the itinerary was a lot of fun and we felt very much part of the process. Chloe and her team delivered everything as planned. guides, vehicles, hotels were first class and were delivered on time and as promised.
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In Angkor Way my friend jumped off a small ledge and broke her heel. CHLOE, ASIA PIONEER AND OUR LOCAL GUIDE WENT INTO QUICK ACTION HAD HER IN VERY COMPETENT HANDS IN A MODERN HOSPITAL WITHIN MINUTES. SHE WAS WELL TREATED BUT SHE DID END UP IN A WHEELCHAIR FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP..
As they say in Vietnam every thing is possible SO CHLOE and her team went into action modified our itinerary and planned other activities compatible with a person in a wheelchair..
In the blink of an eye they made this all possible. . They ARE A WELL GROOMED MACHINE THANK YOU VERY MUCH CHLOE. for making this the trip into an unforgettable memory. I GIVE CHLOE THE HIGHEST RATING AND GIVE HER MY PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS AS TRAVEL PLANNER FOR VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA.
An incredible Lifetime Adventure in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand – Experience Local Culture – Thank You Asian Pioneer
Special thanks to Lizzie Pham and the Asia Pioneer Travel Team for an incredible experience in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand in November 2024. They were always available from our original booking through our travels, and selected knowledgeable, professional, and friendly guides and drivers. My wife and I had the trip of a lifetime. My sister had made a similar trip, with Asia Pioneer, in February and strongly recommended them. We had considered a large tour group and realized, that for approximately the same price, we could have our own private tour. Our ability to be flexible was an advantage not available to large tour groups. Every day was well planned and full of sights and activities. What made this trip extra special was our experience with the local culture which was an important goal. We will always remember taking a Vespa tour through Hanoi learning about the local religion, tasting fruit in the market, and fully appreciating the significance of the tea culture. Biking around a small island on the Mekong Delta, being rowed in the small waterways, making candy with a local family, and catching our own fish to eat for dinner was a highlight. Exploring a local Cambodian floating village and sipping coconut milk while on a floating restaurant (with caged crocodiles) just added to the adventure. Taking a tuk-tuk around Bangkok walking through the Flower market and watching them make Pad-Thai (my favorite) and eating it was yet another “WOW”. The nighttime was yours and with local car or tuk-tuk service being inexpensive we were able to have drinks, on the rooftop, at the famous Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, enjoy Hanoi street food, Pub Street and the Phare Circus in Siem Reap, and eat incredible street food in Bangkok. We are so glad that we had the Asia Pioneer TravelTeam manage this remarkable journey.