Bali Honeymoon: the perfect romantic destination
The island of Bali in Indonesia is one of the world’s most romantic places, and a perfect honeymoon destination. It offers spectacular beaches, jungle forests, volcanoes and ricefields to explore with your partner. But there’s more than nature! Bali has areas with amazing nightlife and many high-end luxurious resorts and 5-star hotels.
We believe Bali is the perfect honeymoon destination! Bali offers amazing beaches and nature to explore, a unique hospitable culture, delicious food and many romantic activities for couples. All of this can be experienced while comfortably staying in luxury accomodation. Bali has an unmatched offering of affordable luxury hotels and resorts - at a fraction of the price you would pay anywhere else in the world. It is a diverse island, with popular tourist areas as well as secluded spots for you and your partner to retreat to.
Tropical Island
Bali is a tropical island in the Indian Ocean, part of the Indonesian archipelago in South-East Asia. The island’s beautiful landscapes are formed by millions of years of volcanic activity, as well as a humid, tropical climate. Rivers have carved majestic valleys through the island. Bordering the wild Indian Ocean on the south and calm Java Sea on the north, a wide variety of beautiful beaches form the border between land and sea.
Island of Gods
Bali is known as the Island of Gods. It is the only Hindu island in Indonesia, with a very distinct and unique culture. The island features around 20.000 Hindu temples – some of which are very spectacular and open to visitors. The local culture and traditions are still practised all over the island. When traveling around you will very likely stumble upon ceremonies or parades. The Balinese people are extremely hospitable and friendly, and will welcome curious visitors to witness their traditions.
Luxury & Romance
In Bali, your options as a newlywed couple are almost endless. The island is known for its luxurious hotels, fancy beachclubs and fine dining. It is definitely possible to splurge on fancy accomodation for you and your partner. The most spectacular honeymoon suites do come at a cost. However, in general, Bali is very affordable, and the island is great on any budget. Lovely beach clubs are scattered around the island, especially the south. Fine dining restaurants can be found in the Ubud, Uluwatu and Seminyak regions. Some restaurants offer romantic private dining, in a secluded spot surrounded with candle lights!
Bali regions and map
The island of Bali is larger than most people expect, and has many distinct regions. It takes around 3 hours to drive from north to south or from west to east. Most people combine a few regions during their honeymoon in Bali to get a full taste of what the island has to offer. Check out our 8 ready-made Bali Honeymoon Itineraries for inspiration!
South Bali is the most developed and touristy region on the island. This is where you find the most luxury hotels and nightlife. The south is also famous for its beaches and surf. The airport is conveniently located near the popular tourist spots in South bali. Our guide will help you find the right spots in South Bali for a romantic honeymoon. We love Uluwatu, Seminyak and Canggu. We recommend against spending your honeymoon in Kuta - it’s overrun by mass tourism and there are many more romantic places in Bali. Another option in South Bali is Nusa Dua, an area known for its large luxurious resorts right in front of a beautiful beach.
North Bali is a different world, away from the crowds: spectacular nature with dense jungle, 100-meter high waterfalls, volcanoes, crater lakes, calm beaches, hot springs and more. North Bali is where you will still find very traditional Balinese life. Our articles on Amed and Lovina will help you and your partner to find some romantic secluded spots!
Between the North and the South, in Central Bali, you will find the spectacular jungle town of Ubud. Made famous by the Movie Eat Pray Love, Ubud is our favorite honeymoon destination on the island. Check out our Ubud Honeymoon Guide to learn why!
Some more remote off the beaten path destinations in Central and East Bali are the Munduk Region on the slope of a volcanic crater and the serene Sidemen village surrounded by rice fields and mountains. Or consider staying at the beautiful calm beach town of Candidasa. While these are more uncommon destinations for a honeymoon, both have a luxury boutique hotel we would recommend, so check our guides!
We have published honeymoon guides to each of the different regions. Use the filter buttons below to find the perfect destination for you and your partner!
Honeymoon Hotels and Resorts
The options for Bali honeymoon hotels are endless. Bali offers spectacular luxury at reasonable cost, especially compared to locations in the Western hemisphere. A 5-star hotel experience in Bali might cost the same as a 3-star hotel in Australia, Europe, or North America. Add the famous Balinese hospitality, and you can be sure to celebrate your honeymoon in comfort and style!
Not all regions in Bali offer the same amount of luxury honeymoon hotel options - but there are great places to stay all over the island for any budget. Uluwatu and Seminyak are your best bets for luxury beachfront resorts, while the jungle town of Ubud is well known for it’s luxury accomodation overlooking valleys, rivers and ricefields.
Make sure to check our list of the top 20 most luxurious Bali hotels for an unforgettable experience. However, no need to splurge every night, even during a honeymoon! We have composed a list of 10 amazing budget hotels, often with rooms under 100$ per night.
We have listed our 3 absolute favorite luxury hotels below. You can’t go wrong on these. But make sure to check out our regional articles for many more great options (including some more budget-friendly suggestions).
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Bulgari Resort Bali (Uluwatu)
15m drive east of Uluwatu, on the cliffs♥Check Availability
✓ Rated ★9.6 at Booking. →
For more amazing Bali hotels, check out our list of most luxurious Bali hotels.
Best Bali Honeymoon Itineraries
Bali is a large island with many regions. There is a lot to see and do, and the options might be overwhelming. We have created 8 unique Bali honeymoon itineraries which can be a good starting point to plan your perfect Bali honeymoon itinerary. Before diving into the itineraries, there are three completely different ways you can visit Bali:
- Visit multiple Bali regions: We believe the best way to see Bali, is by spending time in a few different regions. We recommend taking it easy, and staying 3 to 4 nights per region. Traveling can be exhausting, and this allows you to really enjoy the regions you visit.
- Stay in one place: This is more convenient, especially for couples looking to wind down on their honeymoon after their wedding. You can still discover the island by doing some day trips. Check our single-hotel itinerary suggestion.
- Combine Bali & other islands: With 17.000 islands, Indonesia has a lot more to offer than just Bali. Scroll further down this article for an overview of other beautiful regions in Indonesia to visit. Why not combine one of our suggested itineraries below with another region of Indonesia?
Bali Honeymoon Planning Tips
- Slow is fine: the itineraries listen above keep a reasonable pace to get the most out of your stay. If you prefer taking it slower, or have some more days at the beach, we suggest picking an itinerary that is shorter than the actual number of days you are planning to stay. We would not suggest doing these itineraries faster than the suggested speed.
- Everyone’s budget is different: As we specialize in honeymoon itineraries, we are suggesting quite a few high-end hotels in these itineraries. If you’d like to keep your holiday within budget, check out our list of great Affordable Bali Hotels for couples. In addition, the 14-day Budget Travelers itinerary is written with budget-conscious travelers in mind.
- A late night arrival into Bali Denpasar Airport, or an early departure on the way back? Spend some time in Seminyak. It is conveniently located less than 30 minutes from the airport, and a great place to relax before or after a long flight. Alternatively check out the calm beach town of Sanur.
- There is more than beaches, explore the inner lands of Bali too! Ubud is an amazing jungle town that cannot be missed on any Bali honeymoon itinerary. Sidemen and Munduk are great regions to escape the crowds.
- Ideally do not plan your Nusa Penida or Gili Islands visit just before your flight back home. Sometimes the weather can result in ferry cancellations, meaning you might miss your flight.
- Day Trips are a great way to see remote parts of Bali without hauling your suitcases everywhere. We’ve collected a list of popular day trips that you can take from South Bali, however it is usually easy to find taxi drivers that are willing to take you anywhere on the island - just make sure to agree on a price in advance. Oh, did you know you can even take a day trip to the island of Nusa Penida, or an epic 24-hour organized journey to the Iljen Volcano on the island of Java?
Romantic Activities in Bali
Bali has a wide range of romantic activities to enjoy with your partner. The island is large, so it really depends where you stay! Learn to dive together in Amed, explore Bali’s best beaches and sunsets around Uluwatu, watch Dolphins in Lovina, enjoy fine dining in Seminyak or discover a spectacular jungle together around Ubud. The options are endless…
However if you would force us to choose, these are our favorite romantic activities that make a perfect Bali Honeymoon:
Check out our full list of 30 Favorite Romantic Activities in Bali Here!
One of the most romantic activities in Bali is watching the sunset. There are many great sunset locations across Bali. Check our overview of The 10 Most Romantic Bali Sunsets for a complete overview. Great spots to watch the sunset are beach clubs, and therefore we have listed our 15 Favorite Beach Clubs in Bali in a separate article.
Another great activity for couples on a honeymoon in Bali is visiting a spa, sauna or hotspring - we love it so much that we wrote this dedicated guide with our favorite spots. You’ll feel so refreshed afterwards!
You don’t need to move from hotel to hotel to see most of Bali. A great way to explore the island without a lot of hassle is by booking one of the many Bali day trips. They normally include pick-up and drop off at your hotel.
Romantic Dining in Bali
In most countries, the Michelin Guide sets the record straight. It decides which restaurants deserve their famous stars. Unfortunately, they not operate in Bali or Indonesia. We believe they should! Bali offers world-class fine dining experiences that can compete with some of the finest Michelin-starred restaurants out there.
Most romantic fine dining restaurants can be found in Ubud and Seminyak. We’ve listed a few below. In Ubud, you can even find some options for romantic private dining surrounded by candlelights in a secluded location overlooking the jungle. The perfect dining experience for couples on their honeymoon!
While Canggu and Uluwatu are not offering the same level of fine dining as Ubud or Seminyak, they offer a wide variety of healthy food and varied international dining options – likely to serve the health-conscious surfers staying in these places. Canggu is where you will likely be served the most “Instagram-worthy” plates of beautifully presented dishes.
Don’t just stick to fancy food! You might like to splurge a little on your honeymoon. But don’t forget to try out the excellent local Balinese and Indonesian dishes. Bali is known for its pork dishes, including Sate Babi (grilled pork skewers) and Babi Guling (spicy dish made of suckling pig). Ayam Betutu is a delicious Balinese meal consisting of chicken and rice. Anywhere across Bali you will find Warungs, local family restaurants serving a wide variety of Indonesian dishes. Don’t know what to choose? Ask for Nasi Campur, a bowl of white rice surrounded by samples of the best dishes they have on offer.
If we had to pick our favorite honeymoon restaurants in Bali, these would be our picks:
For more restaurant ideas, check out our list of 10 Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Bali, with up-to-date menu prices.
The Cost of a Bali Honeymoon
A Bali honeymoon can be expensive, especially when frequenting fine dining restaurants, fancy clubs and the best honeymoon suites. However, a Bali honeymoon is possible on almost any budget. No matter what level of luxury you and your partner prefer, you will be guaranteed to get amazing value for money in Bali. We said it before, but luxurious hotels and restaurants cost a fraction of what they cost in most other countries in the world.
A reasonable budget without going overboard would be around 300USD per night, including food, accomodation and activities. This does require some conscious choices. If you would like to experience the best hotels in Bali, you will likely spend more than that on just accomodation. Some hotels, like the Bulgari or Four Seasons, offer their best honeymoon suites at rates well beyond 1000USD per night. Beach Clubs and nightlife can get expensive too - often expecting a minimum spend for their best tables or sunbeds. Don’t let that scare you however: you can really have a honeymoon in Bali on any budget. There are couples who manage to get by with less than 100USD per night!
Some tips to keep the budget within reason:
- Ubud, Seminyak, Uluwatu and Canggu are known to be more expensive regions, while Nusa Penida, Amed and Lovina are known to be cheaper regions. Combining a luxurious location with a more affordable region might be an option.
- Fine dining with your partner is amazing. But Bali has amazing street food at extremely low prices. Give it a try!
- Especially in Canggu and Seminyak: the beachfront hotels are expensive. Look a little further inland. You can still get the beach experience by visiting a beach club for a day!
Indonesia beyond Bali
As we lived in Bali for many years, we had the opportunity to explore many corners of Indonesia. Olivia is originally from North Sumatra, a region famous for orangutans and one the largest volcanic lake in the world. Unfortunately, this region is a bit far from Bali (it requires 2 flights to get there!). However, there are many great regions closer to Bali that we love to recommend for a honeymoon in Indonesia.
Be aware that Bali is very luxurious and easy to travel compared to the rest of Indonesia. If you plan to enjoy fine dining and splurge on 5-star luxurious hotels, we would recommend staying in Bali.
But if you are an adventurous couple… Indonesia is a beautiful large and diverse archipelago with over 17.000 islands. Some great destinations can be reached by ferry from Bali, while other destinations will require a domestic flight or even multiple flights. Below we list our favorite regions adventurous couples should consider when visiting Indonesia.
- Visit the neighbouring island of Lombok for surf (Kuta), hiking (Rinjani) or party and diving (Gili Islands). Take the ferry from Padangbai or take a 30 minute flight from Bali to Praia.
- Between Bali and Lombok you will find the three Nusa Islands, of which Nusa Penida is the largest and we believe the most interesting. It offers iconic cliffs and beaches to explore. Nusa Lebongan and Nusa Ceningan island are getting more popular too, but are much smaller and don’t offer as stunning landscapes.
- Climb the Iljen and Bromo volcanoes in East Java. Reachable by short ferry from Gilimanuk in west Bali, or by direct plane from Bali to Surabaya.
- Explore the cultural heart of Java and visit the world’s largest temple Borobodur in Yogjakarta. Direct flights from Bali to Yogyakarta are available.
- Say hi to komodo dragons and dive with manta rays around Flores and the Komodo Islands. Take a direct flight to Labuan Bajo on Flores Island. From there you can board a multi-day boat trip to the Komodo Islands, or stay overnight and join any of the day trips to Komodo.
- See orang-utans in Bukit Lawang and discover Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in the world, in North Sumatra. We love this region (Olivia grew up here!). Not many direct flights from Bali to Medan are available, most options will require a transit in Jakarta. Medan is easy to reach with direct flights from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur too.
- Explore the underwater world in the world-famous Raja Ampat in West Papua. This is said to be one of the world’s best dive sights - but it is really hard to get here! It will involve multiple flights and a ferry.
- Go off the beaten path and discover the beauty of Sumba Island - great for surf and pristine beaches. Direct flights to Tambolaka are available. Oddly, the world’s most luxurious resort, the Nihi Sumba, can be found on this island.
- Indonesia’s capital Jakarta is not known as a honeymoon destination. However, many people enter the country here, and there is a lot of history to see, food to enjoy and some luxury hotels to stay at. In addition, it could be a starting point for discovering Java island by train.
- Bandung is one of the nicer cities in Indonesia. It is very green, nestled against the West Java mountains. Worth visiting if you plan to travel overland from Java to Bali.
- The island of Wakatobi is a luxurious dive destination near Sulawesi. Guests who stay at the Wakatobi Resort can hop on the complimentary private jet(!) from Bali to fly to the island.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bali a good Honeymoon destination?
Bali is a great honeymoon destination. One of the world's most romantic places, that has a lot to offer in nature, culture and affordable luxury. Beautiful beaches, jungle and ricefields. Fine dining and amazing nightlife. Beautiful sunsets and romantic places to explore, discover them all in our Honeymoon Guide.
What is the best region in Bali for a Honeymoon?
Seminyak, Uluwatu and Ubud are the most popular honeymoon destinations in Bali. However the island is very diverse and has a lot to offer for any couple!
Is Kuta in Bali a good honeymoon destination.
We don't think so. Kuta does not have very romantic vibes. This is where you find masses of tourists looking for cheap liquor. Nearby Seminyak has more upscale vibes.
Written by Olivia & Dirk
Hi! We have put together this guide with a lot of care, based on our own experiences. As a couple, we have lived in Bali for the past 5 years, and we fell in love with the island. We have visited every corner of Bali, especially the romantic places ;-). While our articles do contain affiliate links, you can trust us to recommend only the experiences that we love.
Read more about us or let us help you organize your honeymoon for you!