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.
Why Honeymoon in Bali?
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.
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.
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!
Not sure where to go? 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.
Most Luxurious honeymoon hotels
We have listed the 3 absolute best luxury hotels below. You can’t go wrong on these. But make sure to check out our region guides for many more great options (including some more budget-friendly suggestions).
Budget-friendly honeymoon hotels
No need to splurge every night, even during a honeymoon! We really like the romantic hotels below, and they are very fairly priced.
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:
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.
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:
Best Bali Honeymoon Itineraries
Bali is a large island with many regions. Some couples prefer to spend their honeymoon in one place, doing day trips from their base. Others prefer to stay in multiple regions, or combine Bali with another region of Indonesia.
Option 1: Visit a few regions of Bali
Bali is a diverse island, and the best way to see it, is by spending time in a few different regions. Your pace will determine the number of regions you can fit in your honeymoon. Fast travelers might want to spend only two nights in a single place. We would recommend a slightly slower pace where you spend 3 to 4 nights per region.
Some suggestions when deciding which regions to visit:
- Packing, checking out, moving, checking in and unpacking. It can get exhausting, maybe take it easy: Staying only seven days? Stick to two regions. It makes sense to visit three regions if you are staying over ten days. We would only consider four regions if we would stay at least two weeks.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Option 2: Staying in one place
The most convenient Bali Honeymoon option! No need to pack, unpack and haul your bags from hotel to hotel. You could stay in a central location in the south (we recommend Seminyak or Canggu for this). From here, you can do fantastic Bali Day Trips (either as private or group tours) to Ubud, Uluwatu, explore the waterfalls of north Bali or climb the Batur Volcano. But at the end of the day, you will always be returned to the convenience of your hotel.
Hiring a private car with driver for an entire day is surprisingly affordable, making day trips instead of moving from hotel to hotel a serious option. Expect to pay around 50 USD for a taxi for an entire day.
Option 3: Combine Bali with other Indonesian islands
Indonesia is a large and diverse country. Most tourists stick to Bali, but there is much to see and discover beyond Bali. Spending part of your honeymoon in Bali and part in a different region could be a great option. Some ideas:
- 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.
- Climb the Iljen and Bromo volcanoes in East Java. Reachable by short ferry from west Bali, or by direct plane via Surabaya.
- Explore the cultural heart of Java and visit the world’s largest temple in Yogjakarta. Direct flights from Bali to Yogyakarta available.
- Say hello to komodo dragons and dive with manta rays around Flores and the Komodo Islands. Take a direct flight to Labuan Bajo.
- See orang-oetangs and crater lakes in North Sumatra. Amazing region, but far from Bali. Requires a transit in Jakarta and a second flight to Medan.
- Explore the underwater world in the world-famous Raja Ampat. 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 can be found on this island.
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!
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.md and romantic places to explore.
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.