Bali Travel Guide

A visit to Bali is, as always, replete with kingly comforts, beautiful resorts, fine dining, and immersion in an ancient culture amid an island dreamscape. The following 2-week plan starts you off in Seminyak and then takes you to Ubud, Gunung Bakur, Menjangan, Jimbaran Bay, and Tanjung Banoa. The last stop is Nusa Dua, where you can treat yourself to a luxury spa.

Days 1-2: Seminyak

This hip, yuppie beachside enclave is a great alternative to the overrun Kuta just south of here. Lounge at the oceanfront pool at the luxurious Legian. The next day, take a surf lesson at the Rip Curl School of Surf, followed by a sunset cocktail and dinner at Ku De Ta. Dance late into the night at Hu'u Bar.

Days 3-4: Ubud

The 1-hour drive to Ubud takes you from the shore to the lush rice paddies and jungles of Bali. The stellar Chedi Club, a collection of boutique private villas with personal butlers, is worth every rupiah. Take a morning trek through the rice paddies and get a back scrub and rub at Ubud Body Works Center, a great value spa. The next day, peruse the numerous housewares shops on Monkey Forest Road and take a break at Monkey Forest, where you can feed the monkeys a few bananas. Late in the afternoon, take the 1-hour drive to Penelokan, a town that sits on the outer crater's edge of Gunung Batur. The digs aren't fancy here, but the best of the lot is the Lakeview Hotel.

Day 5: Gunung Batur

Make the 2-hour ascent of Gunung Batur, an active volcano. At the top, you can boil eggs in pockets of erupting steam and walk along one of the volcano's ridges. In the afternoon, hire a car for the 3-hour trip to Pemuteran, on Bali's north shore. The Matahari Beach Resort provides beachside bungalows and Michelin-star-worthy dinners.

Days 6-7: Diving & Snorkeling in the North

Enjoy a snooze on the north shore's less touristed beaches or canoe in the calm waters. The next day, take a dive boat to Menjangan, Bali's premier dive spot. Dive or snorkel in crystal-blue waters with ample coral, turtles, and fish of every color.

Days 8-9: Jimbaran Bay

Hire a car to the romantic yet local area of Jimbaran Bay, home to a number of the world's top resorts. The cream of the crop are the Ritz-Carlton Bali and the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay. Even if you don't stay at the Ritz, be sure to make an appointment at its world-class spa -- it features a unique therapy pool called the Aquatonic, which delivers a massage and light workout via jet streams. Visit the cliffside temple Uluwatu at sunset, followed by a grilled lobster and shrimp dinner at Menega Cafe, the best seafood hut on Jimbaran beach.

Days 10-11: Tanjung Benoa

A half-hour taxi ride away, this fishing village offers great watersports and world-class Balinese cooking schools. For cooking fanatics like myself, I recommend the Rumah Bali guesthouse, which offers lessons right on its premises. The next day, windsurf, water-ski, or take a catamaran out onto the sea. Relax with a poolside cocktail at Tao before enjoying a scrumptious Thai meal at this much-talked-about restaurant.

Days 12-14: Nusa Dua

End your holiday by winding down beachside or poolside at any number of the resorts in this five-star enclave. If you're seeking a peaceful and quiet alternative to the brand-name resorts, head to the pristine Balé, a series of minimalist villas with ocean views. The Westin Resort Nusa Dua offers fantastic restaurants and a top-notch spa.