Bali Backpacking for 4 Weeks 🌞🌴

I didn’t come to Bali for a quiet holiday — I came for the chaos, the connection, and the kind of memories you only make when you throw yourself into the deep end of a new place. A few weeks, one backpack, no fixed schedule. My priorities? Chase good waves, find the best dance floors, drink coffee that keeps me up for 48 hours, and meet people who are just as down for spontaneous adventures as I am.

Bali’s got a way of throwing you from sunrise surf sessions into sunset cocktails, then straight into a 3am dance-off with strangers you met two hours ago. One minute you’re sipping a flat white in a bamboo café, the next you’re racing through backstreets on a scooter in a convoy of new friends heading to a beach party. And the beauty is, you can do it all without torching your budget — if you know where to go.

This is the route I took, looping around the island over three to four weeks. It’s a mix of party hubs, surf breaks, chill-out zones, and island escapes — the perfect balance for anyone who wants to keep life loud, salty, and social.

Kuta & Seminyak – Touchdown and Turn It Up

These two spots are the perfect landing zone. They’re minutes from the airport, the surf is beginner-friendly, and the nightlife… well, let’s just say you’ll get broken in fast. I kicked things off learning to surf in Kuta — cheap board hire, mellow waves, and a beach full of other travellers figuring it out. Afternoons meant street food or hitting a pool club for a lazy session with music and cocktails. By night, it’s either Sky Garden for cheap drinks and chart bangers or wandering Seminyak’s slightly fancier bar scene.

Why: Easy start, beginner surf, and a guaranteed big night.

Do:

• Try your first waves at Kuta Beach.

• Potato Head or Mrs Sippy for poolside vibes.

• Party crawl through Sky Garden or Seminyak bars.

  Stay: Lokal Bali Hostel (close to airport, great place to meet people).

  Tip: Don’t blow your whole budget before you even leave the south.

Canggu – My Island HQ

Canggu is where I found my crew. It’s all tattoos, surfboards, and cafés that look like they’ve been pulled from Melbourne. Mornings were either in the water at Batu Bolong or parked in a café with a flat white and a smoothie bowl. Evenings kicked off with sunset beers at The Lawn, and more often than not, ended underground at Vault with a sweaty techno crowd. Staying at Tribal Bali Hostel meant I never had to try hard to find people to hang with — by 8pm, someone was always rounding up a group for whatever was happening that night.

Why: Surf in the morning, party at night, coffee all day.

Do:

• Batu Bolong or Echo Beach for waves.

• Café-hop: Crate, Motion, Baked.

• Sunset drinks at The Lawn, then Vault.

  Stay: Tribal Bali Hostel (co-work by day, party by night).

  Tip: If you’re broke, bring your own beers to the beach — same view, no bar tab.

Uluwatu – Cliffside Days, Sunset Nights

The further south you go, the bigger the waves and the better the views. Uluwatu is a mix of postcard beaches and pumping surf breaks. My days here were a blur of riding Bingin’s waves, discovering hidden stretches of sand like Nyang Nyang, and timing my evenings so I could catch the sunset at Single Fin. On Sundays, that place turns into a full-on party. I even swapped my board shorts for a sarong one night to catch the Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu Temple — surprisingly epic.

Why: World-class waves and the best sunset bar in Bali.

Do:

• Surf Padang Padang or Bingin.

• Hidden beach missions to Nyang Nyang or Thomas Beach.

• Single Fin for a sunset session (Sunday = chaos).

  Stay: Sultans of Swell (laid-back hostel near the action).

  Tip: Everything is spread out — rent a scooter or you’ll be stranded.

Nusa Lembongan & Nusa Penida – Island Recharge

After a week of mainland madness, I jumped on a boat to Nusa Lembongan, and it was like hitting the slow-motion button. White sand, blue water, and just enough nightlife to keep it interesting. I spent my days snorkelling at Mangrove Point, scooter-tripping over to Nusa Penida for that wild T-Rex cliff view, and diving with manta rays. Evenings were more about beers on the beach than clubs, and honestly, I needed that breather.

Why: Clear water, insane viewpoints, mellow party scene.

Do:

• Dive/snorkel with manta rays at Manta Point.

• Kelingking Beach and Broken Beach by scooter.

• Chill at a beach bar on Lembongan.

  Stay: Bong Hostel (infinity pool + epic views).

  Tip: Buy boat tickets in person at the dock — cheaper than online.

Ubud – The Reset Button

Back on the mainland, I headed north into the jungle to Ubud. This place is a total 180 from the coast — rice terraces, yoga studios, temples, and every health food café you can imagine. I walked the Campuhan Ridge at sunrise, dodged monkeys in the Monkey Forest, and took a cooking class with a local family. Nights here aren’t wild, but bars like Laughing Buddha still make it easy to grab a drink with fellow travellers.

Why: Culture, nature, and a break from the chaos.

Do:

• Campuhan Ridge Walk.

• Monkey Forest & Tegalalang Rice Terrace.

• Balinese cooking class.

  Stay: Depa House (sociable, central, clean).

  Tip: Perfect spot to recharge before diving back into party mode.

Amed – Slow Days and Shipwreck Dives

From Ubud, I cruised east to Amed, and the pace dropped instantly. This is where you go for black sand beaches, quiet nights, and the kind of diving that sticks in your memory. The USAT Liberty wreck dive at sunrise was unreal — swimming through a WWII ship as the sun filters through the water. Evenings were all hammocks, grilled fish, and volcano views.

Why: Laid-back vibe, world-class diving, volcano sunsets.

Do:

• Dive/snorkel the USAT Liberty wreck.

• Eat fresh fish at a beachside warung.

• Scooter rides along the coastal road.

  Stay: Ocean Prana (dive & yoga hostel).

  Tip: ATMs are scarce — bring cash.

Back to Canggu/Seminyak – The Big Send-Off

To finish, I looped back to Canggu for one more run of waves and parties before flying out. I hit my favourite cafés, surfed Batu Bolong at sunrise, and danced through my last night at La Brisa. The final days were about soaking it all in — the beaches, the people, and that feeling of never quite wanting to leave.

Why: Wrap it all up with your favourite surf and party spots.

Do:

• Revisit your best waves and cafés.

• Party at Vault, The Lawn, or La Brisa.

• Chill on the beach with your hostel crew.

  Stay: Tribal Bali or The Jungle House.

  Tip: Leave at least one hangover-free day before your flight.

Greetings,

Charlie Reed