Bali is not one place and the parts of it are genuinely different. Split your stay rather than picking one base and driving — the island is small but the traffic is not.
Surf breaks, beach clubs and the best coffee on the island. A soft landing while the jet lag wears off.
Onward: Road, 1 hr 30. North and inland to Ubud
Rice terraces, the monkey forest, and temples at Tirta Empul. Get out to the Campuhan ridge before breakfast while it is still empty.
Onward: Road then fast boat, 2 hr total. To Sanur, then 45 min across to Nusa Penida
Kelingking, Angel’s Billabong and Diamond Beach. The roads are rough and the cliffs are unfenced — hire a driver rather than a scooter.
Onward: Fast boat, 1 hr 30. Direct to the Gili Islands, or back via Sanur
Gili Air for snorkelling with turtles and no motor traffic at all; Amed on Bali’s east coast for diving and black-sand quiet.
On eight nights, drop the Gilis. Ubud and Penida are the two that people remember.
Add Munduk or Sidemen for two nights of mountains and no beach clubs whatsoever, or cross to Lombok for Rinjani.
Booking Ubud and expecting a beach. Ubud is inland, up in the rice fields, and the nearest coast is well over an hour away through traffic. It is the best base on the island — just not for swimming.
Read the full Indonesia travel guide or take the Indonesia packing list.