Day Trips from Canggu: Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Ubud, Nusa Penida & More

Canggu’s position on Bali’s southwest coast puts it within easy reach of the island’s best surf beaches, temple cliffs, and highland art towns. Most destinations are under 90 minutes — Tanah Lot is a 20-minute scooter ride; Uluwatu is under an hour. Ubud requires a bit more effort but is entirely doable as a day trip. Nusa Penida demands an early start but rewards with some of Bali’s most spectacular coastal scenery. Below are six of the best excursions, with entry costs (as of 2026), transport logistics, and two suggested itineraries.

For scooter rental, ride-hailing, and car hire logistics, see our Bali transport guide. For surf spots within Canggu itself, the Canggu surf guide covers breaks, schools, and board rental.

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Uluwatu Temple and Cliffs

Distance from Canggu: 28km south | Journey: 45–60 minutes by scooter or car

Uluwatu is a sea temple perched on a 70-metre limestone cliff at the island’s southwestern tip, one of Bali’s six directional temples protecting the island from evil spirits. The cliff walk along the headland — monkeys and all — leads to viewpoints looking directly onto the surf break below, where world-class left-hand barrels peel across the reef. On a solid south swell, watching surfers negotiate the cave entry from above is half the reason to visit.

Entry fee: IDR 50,000 (adults) as of 2026; sarong and sash required (provided at gate) Hours: 9am–7pm; Kecak Fire Dance at sunset (approximately 6pm) IDR 150,000 per person Best time: Arrive at 5pm, watch the Kecak as the sun drops, walk the cliff in the fading light

The Kecak dance is performed in a natural amphitheatre on the cliff edge — 60–80 men chanting in hypnotic rhythm while the Ramayana unfolds against the orange sunset. Book seats early if visiting in peak season (July–August); queue forms from 5pm.

After the dance, drive 15 minutes north to Jimbaran Bay for a seafood dinner grilled on the beach — IDR 100,000–250,000 per person for fish, prawns, and squid with side dishes. Menega Cafe and Lia Café are the most reliable options.

GYG-bookable option: Combined Uluwatu sunset and Kecak dance tours from Canggu with hotel pick-up are widely available for IDR 200,000–350,000 per person.

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Tanah Lot Temple

Distance from Canggu: 12km north | Journey: 20–30 minutes by scooter

Tanah Lot is the most photographed temple in Bali — a sea stack rising from the Indian Ocean, connected to land by a narrow rocky causeway that floods at high tide. The temple itself is closed to non-Hindu visitors, but the surroundings offer solid cliff-top walking, a series of viewpoints above the sea stacks, and a temple platform at low tide.

Entry fee: IDR 75,000 (adults) as of 2026 Hours: 7am–7pm daily Best time to visit: 60–90 minutes before sunset (check the daily sunset time)

The tide timing matters: the sea platform access and the most dramatic photography angle (temple floating on water) only occur within two hours of high tide. Check a Bali tide calendar before going — this takes 30 seconds and transforms the visit. At low tide the rocks are exposed and the setting is less atmospheric.

The commercial strip leading to the gate is dense with vendors — walk purposefully through. Inside, the path along the cliff edges northward gives the best unobstructed views of the temple and breaking waves.

Being only 12km from Canggu, Tanah Lot pairs easily with a morning surf session at Echo Beach or Batu Bolong, then a scooter ride north for the afternoon.

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Ubud: Temples, Rice Fields and Art

Distance from Canggu: 35km east | Journey: 60–90 minutes by car (longer in peak-hour traffic)

Ubud is the cultural centre of Bali — the base for cooking classes, temple ceremonies, Monkey Forest walks, and the island’s best restaurant scene. As a day trip from Canggu it is manageable: depart by 9am, spend 4–5 hours exploring, return by late afternoon before traffic builds.

Key Ubud stops on a day trip from Canggu:

• Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary — IDR 80,000; 700 long-tailed macaques in a forest temple compound; best before 10am
• Tegallalang rice terraces — 11km north of Ubud, IDR 10,000–20,000 donation; UNESCO-recognised subak irrigation system; most atmospheric before 9am
• Pura Tirta Empul — IDR 50,000; holy spring temple with active bathing ritual; allow 90 minutes

For a full Ubud day-trip itinerary with timings and transport, see our Ubud day trips guide.

Lunch in Ubud: Locavore is Bali’s most acclaimed fine-dining restaurant; book weeks in advance. For something casual: Room4Dessert on Jalan Goutama for innovative desserts, or Warung Ibu Oka for the original Ubud suckling pig (open from 11am until sold out, typically by 2pm).

Transport from Canggu to Ubud: Grab car IDR 80,000–130,000 one way; hired car with driver IDR 350,000–500,000 full day (recommended if combining multiple sites); scooter possible but Denpasar bypass traffic is challenging for less confident riders.

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Nusa Penida

Distance from Canggu: 45–60 minutes to Sanur port, then 30-minute ferry | Ferry cost: IDR 85,000–150,000 each way as of 2026

Nusa Penida is the biggest and most dramatic of Bali’s three offshore islands — a rugged limestone plateau with vertiginous cliff faces, turquoise bays, and beaches barely accessible by car. The scenery is unlike anything on the Bali mainland.

Top sites:

• Kelingking Beach (T-Rex cliff viewpoint) — free viewpoint; 20-minute hike down to the beach (steep, no shade); the defining image of modern Bali
• Angel’s Billabong — IDR 25,000; natural rock pool at cliff edge; swimmable at low tide only
• Broken Beach (Pasih Uug) — IDR 10,000; natural sea arch forming a circular bay; best in morning light
• Crystal Bay — IDR 15,000; the island’s best snorkelling spot for mola-mola (oceanic sunfish), most sightings July–October

From Canggu: Hire a car to Sanur (IDR 100,000–130,000 one way) or take a Grab. Ferries to Nusa Penida depart from Sanur Beach approximately every 30 minutes from 7am. Once on the island, hire an island driver (IDR 350,000–500,000/day) — roads are steep and rough, not suitable for inexperienced riders.

Timing: Depart Canggu at 7am, catch the 8am Sanur ferry, reach Kelingking by 10am before midday heat peaks on the cliff descent. Return ferry by 4pm, back in Canggu by 6pm.

GYG-bookable option: Nusa Penida day tours including Sanur ferry, island driver, and snorkelling run IDR 350,000–600,000 per person.

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Seminyak and Kerobokan

Distance from Canggu: 5–10km south | Journey: 15–25 minutes by scooter

Seminyak is Bali’s upscale beach strip — boutique fashion, rooftop beach clubs, and the island’s densest concentration of fine-dining restaurants, all within easy scooter range of Canggu. As a “day trip” it functions more as an afternoon and evening destination than an all-day excursion.

Highlights:

• Ku De Ta / MILK & MADU — beach clubs with pools and sunset views; day pass IDR 100,000–350,000 with F&B credit
• Petitenget Temple — free (sarong required); active sea temple with regular ceremonies; smaller and less commercial than Tanah Lot
• Jalan Laksmana (Eat Street) — lined with excellent mid-range restaurants: Sarong, La Lucciola, Mama San, Bambu
• Deus Ex Machina — Canggu institution that technically sits on the border, café-bar-motorcycle-workshop-gallery

A scooter or Grab handles the short distance easily. If combining with a shopping run to Seminyak Square or Beachwalk in Kuta, a car gives more flexibility to carry bags.

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Jatiluwih Rice Terraces (UNESCO)

Distance from Canggu: 70km northeast | Journey: 90–120 minutes by car

While Tegallalang gets more visitors, Jatiluwih is the more significant rice-terrace landscape — a working subak system covering 600 hectares in the highland regency of Tabanan, recognised as part of Bali’s UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape. The terraces here are on a grander scale than Tegallalang and far less commercialised.

Entry fee: IDR 50,000 (adults) as of 2026; includes access to the main viewpoint and walking trails Hours: 8am–6pm Best time: Morning for clear views of Gunung Batukaru volcano rising above the terraces

Several walking trails (1.5km and 5km circuits) cut through the active paddies. The 5km trail takes 2–3 hours and passes through working farms where tending schedules depend on the rice cycle. A licensed guide can be hired at the entrance for IDR 150,000.

Being further from Canggu than other stops on this list, Jatiluwih suits a combined day with Pura Batukaru (a highland temple 8km further east at the foot of Gunung Batukaru, IDR 30,000 entry) — one of Bali’s most spiritually significant and least-visited temples.

GYG-bookable option: Guided Jatiluwih rice terrace tours from Canggu or Ubud with hotel pick-up run IDR 300,000–500,000 per person.

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Suggested Itineraries

Cliff and Temple Loop (full day, scooter or car)

Start: Depart Canggu by 9am

1. Tanah Lot — 9:30–11am. Temple circuit, sea cliff walk, coffee at the ridge café.
2. Drive south toward Uluwatu — 11am–12:30pm (70 minutes via the coastal route through Seminyak and Jimbaran).
3. Lunch at Uluwatu — The Cashew Tree or Single Fin beach bar above the surf break; IDR 80,000–150,000 per person.
4. Uluwatu Temple and Kecak — 4pm–7:30pm. Temple walk, Kecak Fire Dance at sunset.
5. Seafood dinner at Jimbaran Bay — 8pm; budget IDR 120,000–200,000 per person.
6. Return to Canggu by car (IDR 80,000 Grab) — arrive ~10pm.

Transport: Scooter for Tanah Lot; Grab car south to Uluwatu and return (traffic is lighter on the Uluwatu–Jimbaran–Canggu return route in the evening). Full-day car hire IDR 350,000–500,000 if you prefer one vehicle throughout.

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Island and Beach Escape (full day)

Start: Depart Canggu by 7am

1. Sanur ferry to Nusa Penida — 8am ferry (IDR 85,000–150,000).
2. Nusa Penida circuit — Kelingking, Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach, Crystal Bay snorkelling; 10am–3pm with island driver.
3. Return ferry from Nusa Penida — 3:30pm or 4pm.
4. Sunset at Seminyak Beach — 5:30pm; La Plancha or Ku De Ta beach club for one drink.
5. Return to Canggu by 7pm.

Cost estimate: Grab to Sanur (IDR 100,000) + ferry return (IDR 170,000–300,000) + island driver (IDR 400,000 split between group) + snorkel gear rental (IDR 30,000) ≈ IDR 700,000–1,000,000 per person for the day (approximately USD 43–62 as of 2026).

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Practical Notes

• Scooter vs car for Uluwatu: The Uluwatu road involves 30 minutes of highway riding with heavy truck traffic. Inexperienced riders should take a Grab or hire a car. Confident riders can manage comfortably.
• Bali tourist levy: International visitors are charged a one-time IDR 150,000 (approximately USD 9) Bali tourism levy on entry, payable via the Love Bali app. It applies once per visit, not per excursion.
• Temple sarongs: Keep a sarong in your bag — most Bali temples require waist coverage and won’t allow entry without it. Most sites lend or rent them for IDR 10,000–20,000.
• Nusa Penida rough roads: The southern loop (Kelingking–Angel’s Billabong–Broken Beach) involves steep, partially unpaved descents. Only confident off-road riders should attempt it by scooter. Hire an island driver to handle the roads.
• Booking Kecak: High season (July–September) fills the Uluwatu Kecak amphitheatre early. Arrive 30 minutes before the 6pm show or book a guided tour that secures seating.

More Canggu Guides

• Things to do in Canggu — Echo Beach surf, temple walks, yoga studios and the Canggu Club
• Canggu surf guide — Echo Beach, Batu Bolong, Old Man’s and where to take lessons
• Best cafés in Canggu — laptop-friendly workspaces, specialty coffee and Canggu’s brunch scene
• Getting around Bali — scooters, Grab, car hire and fast boats between islands