The must-do highlights of Bali in three days

The smell of fresh-caught fish wafting from the seafood barbeques along Bingin Beach come 5pm, is hard to walk past, but culture calls. One of Bali’s most culturally significant and memorable experiences is the Kecak Fire Dance show at Uluwatu Temple in an amphitheatre teetering on a limestone clifftop 70 metres above the Indian Ocean. The monkeys here are notorious. Keep your phones, sunnies and bananas hidden as you walk along the road to the temple, or they’ll be petty pinched by primates. The Balinese Hindu sea temple, one of six key religious sites in Bali, is worth a gander but the kecak is the showstopper. Male dancers (mostly) in costumes of traditional red and black chequered loin cloth use extravagant movements, and chants, to tell a story from the Hindu Ramayana text - an epic tale involving warriors, apes and gods, all in the red glow of the setting sun. Afterwards meet your pre-organised car and driver for the 90-minute drive to the next stop, Ubud.

DAY TWO – Ubud

Morning

Stretch awake in the jasmine-scented fresh air of Ubud. First up is an early amble along the Campuhan Ridge Walk, a 1.25-kilometre paved hilltop route through jungle scenery. It’s the town’s green lung with views on each side to beautiful guesthouses and resorts (made from bamboo and natural wood) camouflaged by the greenery. Start at the Karsa Kafe end and walk to Warwick Ibah resort noting the fairy tale bridge and intricate Pura Gunung Lebah temple on the way. From the end of the walk, navigate your way to breakfast at Casa Luna, a delightful cafe owned by Australian-born Janet DeNeefe and her husband Ketut Suardana. Then continue onto Ubud Traditional Art Market, a fun and chaotic outdoors place selling the gamut of handicrafts and souvenirs, from ceramics and silk scarves to woven baskets and wood carvings. Across the road from the market is Ubud Royal Palace, or Puri Saren Agung, the former home of the Ubud king. Saunter around the complex’s traditional Balinese architecture, manicured gardens and lotus ponds.

Afternoon

Ubud’s famed Monkey Forest is as much about the hundreds of different tree species, pretty bridges and stone-carved temples as it is about the 700 or so little grey macaques who are as adept at stealing from you as their Uluwatu cousins. Make sure to exit via Monkey Forest Shortcut onto Jalan Nyuh Bojog in the little enclave of Nyuh Kuning. This walkable neighbourhood has little wellness-focused cafes, boho bars and browsable shops like Tradisi Textiles, where you can buy quality fabrics that make stylish keepsakes. Give a bit back to the Bali community by stopping by Bumi Sehat, a non-profit birthing centre for Balinese locals and one of Bali’s most well-known charitable organisations. Donate money or plan by bringing a blanket from home for a nursing mother.

Evening

Next stop is Pyramids of Chi, a holistic retreat where guests can delve into Ubud’s enigmatic spirituality with an evening experiencing an ancient sound healing, manifestation cacao ceremony or light sound vibration. If the full moon is up there’s a ceremony for that too. The healing experiences are held inside huge pyramids audio-engineered for the perfect pitch, vibration and resonance. Follow it with a taste of Indonesia’s incredible traditional cuisine at Nusantara by Locavore which serves iconic dishes plucked from all corners of the island nation. For mod-Aus fare, newcomer Honey and Smoke is chef Will Meyrick’s ode to the chargrill is top-notch too. Meet your pre-organised car and driver for the 90-minute drive to the next stop Canggu.

DAY THREE – Canggu

Morning

Canggu’s Batu Balong beachfront is known for its beginner-friendly surf with plenty of shacks renting boards and spruiking lessons. A two-hour lesson almost guarantees catching your first wave. For breakfast, sit on the umbrella-shaded beanbags at Times Beach Warung taking in the black sands, beach dogs and bangle sellers. A full-body beach massage from one of the local touts is a cracker option, but for a deeper immersion, pop by nearby Hotel Tugu, known for its collection of Indonesian antiques and collectibles, and by-gone ambience. Its Waroeng Djamoe Spa similarly prides itself on the tradition of the Balinese, Javanese and Chinese Peranakan with healing experiences including a new moon massage and Javanese body scrub. The Canggu post-surf massage is pretty good too.

Afternoon

Walking along the beachfront is a neat way to explore Canggu without having to face the incessant traffic caused by the lack of crossroads. From Batu Balong head along the black volcanic sand west past the thumping tunes of The Lawn beach club, cruisy Como Beach Club and the beach wall of Pura Batu Mejan temple. When you pass La Brisa, with its tropical island vibe, you’ve reached Echo Beach where a strip of warungs serve cheapish cocktails on beanbags in the sand. Team a drink with a grilled corn cob sold from the little beach carts. Ask for spicy. Further along, over Calvary footbridge, you’ll see the Coconut Shack, a local ramshackle favourite ideal for wave-watching with a coconut in hand. Just beyond it, Sol, is Pererenan Beach’s newest sunset bar, strung with fairy lights and playing party tunes. It’s near the colourful Gajah Mina, a mighty statue of an elephant-headed fish ridden by Baruna, the ruler of the sea. End the walk at Pantai Lima, a less touristy beach where casual Lyma Beach bar serves up nasi goreng, Bintang beer and live acoustic tunes.

Evening

Bali’s sunsets are iconic, with purple and pink cumulus clouds building on the horizon, a setting sun that stripes the water yellow and waves kissed silver by the last light of the day. Pick off any combination of the restaurants and bars mentioned above for a final sunset mocktail and meal. Then it’s off to the airport. Allow 90 minutes, so you don’t miss that late night flight home.