Bali is two islands wearing one name. There is the Bali of Instagram — the beach clubs of Canggu, the swings over the rice fields, the traffic that turns a ten-kilometre trip into a ninety-minute ordeal. And there is the other Bali, the one that still runs on temple festivals and irrigation cooperatives, waiting a couple of hours’ drive to the north and east.
Bali’s traditional subak irrigation system — a cooperative water-management practice centuries old — is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural landscape. [1]
The black-sand east
Amed, on the far eastern coast, trades white sand for volcanic black and beach clubs for fishing villages. The snorkelling starts a few metres offshore, the sunsets frame Mount Agung, and a beachfront room costs a fraction of what you would pay in the south.
Into the highlands
- Sidemen — the rice-terrace scenery of Ubud without the crowds or the price tags.
- Munduk — waterfalls, coffee plantations, and cool mountain air.
- Tirta Gangga — a royal water palace with stepping stones across koi ponds.
- The West Bali National Park — jungle, mangroves, and the island’s best-preserved reef at Menjangan.
The Bali people fall in love with is rarely the one on the postcard. It’s the one two valleys over.
— Sari Dewi
Getting around
A hired driver for the day is inexpensive and saves you from Bali’s notorious traffic and its equally notorious scooter accident statistics. For more islands and shorelines, dive into our beaches collection.
Where to Eat
Away from the beach clubs, the best meals in Bali happen at warungs in the highlands and along the black-sand east coast.
Nasi Ayam Kedewatan — Ibu MangkuBalinese chicken rice — Ubud
An Ubud institution serving its original nasi ayam recipe, offered in Special, Regular and Vegetarian versions.
Why it’s so good: Operating since 1970, one of Ubud's enduring local landmarks for the dish.
Top picks: Nasi Ayam with sambal, egg, vegetables and peanuts · Sate Lilit
Puteri Minang PadangWest Sumatran Padang warung — Peliatan
A point-and-choose Padang warung where you step up to the display case and select from the spread.
Why it’s so good: Described as possibly the most famous warung in town, bringing West Sumatran spice to Ubud.
Top picks: Rendang · Spicy eggplant · Curried jackfruit
Begawan BijiBalinese/Indonesian farm-to-table — Payangan, North Ubud
A two-storey open-air pavilion at the edge of the rice fields, furnished like a friend's chic living room, with near-360-degree farmland views upstairs.
Why it’s so good: Run by the Begawan Foundation with profits supporting education and conservation, cooking with produce from its own farm under chef Andrew Eko Fahludza.
Top picks: Wagyu Minced Beef Martabak · Tuna Satay Gorontalo · Black Heritage Pork Loin
Warung SabarBalinese seafood warung — Amed, east Bali
A friendly family-run warung set among palm and frangipani trees, frequently full with return visitors.
Why it’s so good: Ranked among Amed's very top restaurants (4.8 across 800+ reviews) and repeatedly cited as having the best-tasting seafood in Amed.
Top picks: Seafood basket (grilled fish, calamari, shrimp, fish skewers) · Fish and squid skewers with roasted pineapple
Warung Ume AnyarBalinese/Indonesian warung — Sidemen
An open-air warung with a near-360-degree terrace view over the Sidemen rice terraces and Mount Agung, run by host-cook Wayan and his family.
Why it’s so good: Rated 4.8 across 113 reviews, with 2025 reviews calling it the best food in Sidemen 'by far.'
Top picks: Tofu and tempe curry · Vegetable curry · Dadar gulung
