Ubud, Manggis & beach holiday in Sanur

The day you’ve been looking forward to has finally arrived. You’ll fly from your selected airport to Denpasar on Bali with connecting flight(s) along the way. 

You’ll land at Bali’s international airport, Ngurah Rai, in the capital, Denpasar. After clearing immigration, where your tourist visa will be issued, you’ll collect your luggage and head into the arrivals hall. Here, your local guide will be waiting in a TourCompass uniform, holding a clearly visible TourCompass sign so you can easily recognise them. From the very start, you’ll feel the genuine Balinese hospitality.

From here, you’ll be driven to your hotel in Ubud on a scenic journey that takes around 1½ hours, depending on traffic.

After check-in, the remainder of the day is at your leisure. Use the time to unwind after the long flight, take a dip in the pool, or enjoy the lush views and warm tropical temperatures as you gently ease into the Balinese atmosphere.

The Balinese are a deeply spiritual people, and the island’s traditions and beliefs are woven into everyday life. Today, you’ll have the chance to experience the essence of Balinese spirituality at Sebatu temple, nestled in the lush highlands near Ubud.

Sebatu temple, also known as Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, is one of Bali’s most serene and beautiful temples. Surrounded by jungle, rice terraces, and natural springs, the scent of incense mingles with the sound of running water from the sacred pools. Locals come here every day to pray, make offerings, and cleanse the body and mind in the temple’s clear spring water.

From your hotel, you’ll drive to Sebatu, where your local guide will lead you around the tranquil temple grounds and explain the temple’s role in the beliefs and daily life of the Balinese. You’ll also visit the temple’s sacred spring, believed to have purifying properties. Your guide will help you put on a traditional Balinese sarong and show you how to pray to the gods. You’ll learn about the colourful offerings and their symbolic meaning before taking part in a traditional purification ceremony in the sacred water.

After the ceremony, you’ll enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to the famous Tegalalang rice terraces. Here, the landscape opens out in undulating patterns of emerald-green terraces. It’s wonderfully tranquil, and the view across these harmonious terraces is one of the most iconic in all of Bali.

You will then be driven back to your hotel in Ubud, where you can enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. 

The next days are yours to spend as you please. You can choose to explore Ubud at your own pace and, if you wish, add one of our exciting optional tours.

Ubud is Bali’s cultural heart, a town brimming with galleries, artisan shops, and small markets where you can browse colourful textiles, handicrafts, and local delicacies. You can also take a walk through the rice fields along the Campuhan Ridge Walk or treat yourself to a Balinese spa treatment.

Ubud is also known for its cosy cafés and atmospheric restaurants, where you can settle in with freshly squeezed juice, a cup of Balinese coffee, or a tasty dinner under the open sky. When night falls, a calm, almost magical ambience settles over the town – perfect for a relaxed evening with great food and live music.

Today, your tour will continue to eastern Bali, where you’ll visit the Samsara Living Museum, a place that brings the island’s spiritual traditions to life.

The word “samsara” comes from Hinduism and describes the cycle of life, from birth to rebirth, and humankind’s quest for perfection through life’s many stages.

At the museum, you’ll gain a fascinating insight into the rituals and ceremonies that accompany Balinese people from birth and wedding rites to ancestor veneration.

The Samsara Living Museum isn’t a traditional museum but a living cultural centre, where history unfolds in vivid scenes all around you. Here, you’ll meet locals who proudly share their heritage through music, dance, and handicrafts, and you’ll have the chance to sample Balinese cuisine during the included lunch.

After your visit, you’ll continue the tour to Manggis, where you’ll spend the next few days at Kaura Bali. Perched high above a verdant valley, it looks out over rice terraces and the Indian Ocean. Expect days of tranquillity, immersion in nature, and genuine insight into local village life.

Kaura Bali is a one-of-a-kind place to stay, founded and run by our local partner in close collaboration with the village community. It’s built on local involvement, warm hospitality, and respect for nature. This isn’t a traditional resort but a community, where village life and its stories are woven naturally into your experience.

Here you can really get under Bali’s skin: from village walks and working the rice fields alongside local farmers to Balinese cookery, weaving, and ceremonies at sacred springs.

All the staff come from the surrounding villages and will welcome you with warmth, curiosity, and pride in their culture. It’s the people here who make your stay so special, leaving you with memories that last long after your journey home.

You can find out more about the project here.

After breakfast, set off on a leisurely village walk with a local representative who has been closely involved in the development initiatives that laid the foundations for the partnership between Kaura and the village. You will follow narrow paths through the village and out to the rice fields to see the restored irrigation system, which has once again provided a reliable water supply to the fields and boosted local farming.

Along the way, you’ll hear about the village’s use of organic fertiliser, which has increased yields while protecting the soil. The walk also offers a glimpse into everyday village life, where you’ll meet local residents as they go about their daily routines. You’ll also come across the village goats, now a hallmark of the area, which often raise a smile and spark curiosity.

By a fast-flowing stream, take a short break to taste local fruit and cool your feet in the clear water before continuing to the village community hall. This is where the community gathers for meetings and events, and you may see the village women’s group busy with preparations for upcoming occasions. A visit to the greenhouse rounds off the story of the initiatives that have helped strengthen this community.

After your village walk, you’ll return to Kaura, where you’ll continue the day in the resort’s open kitchen alongside a group of warm, welcoming women from the village. Here, you’ll learn to cook classic Balinese dishes using fresh, local produce, while your hosts share their recipes and talk about the role that food plays in village life. You’ll gain an insight into the techniques and flavours passed down through generations and feel the joy and pride that comes from cooking together.

The day concludes with a communal lunch, where you can enjoy the dishes you’ve helped to prepare.

The rest of the day is at your leisure.

The day is at your leisure at Kaura. Here you can soak up the peace, the surroundings, and the laid-back atmosphere in the heart of nature. Ease into a slow morning overlooking the rice terraces, read a book on the terrace, or take a dip in the infinity pool, where the view drifts out towards the sea.

If you’re in need of some pampering, visit Kaura Spa, where Balinese treatments are carried out with natural ingredients and gentle techniques that offer the body and mind a moment of deep relaxation.

If you’d like a touch more adventure, you can book one of our optional excursions. Hike along the hidden trails of Manggis to the impressive Jagasatru waterfall. Or opt for a cycling trip along gentle mountain ridges, passing through small villages and rice fields, before rounding off the day with a refreshing swim at the tranquil Virgin Beach.

However you choose to spend the day, your stay at Kaura will give you time to switch off completely and feel the distinctive calm that defines East Bali.

Today you will leave magical East Bali.

After breakfast and check-out, you will be collected by your driver and continue towards the south-eastern part of Bali to the charming seaside town of Sanur.

Sanur is a popular resort town which, despite development, has retained its relaxed, charming atmosphere.

The town’s main draw is its five-kilometre stretch of golden sand with shallow, tranquil waters. A protective coral reef calms the waves further out, making the beach ideal for swimming and unwinding. A seafront promenade runs along the coast, where you can walk or go for a jog and stop at little shops selling handmade crafts, clothes, and souvenirs.

Along the town’s main street you’ll find a wide choice of cafés, restaurants, and shops, while the little side streets offer a more local glimpse of everyday life, with traditional houses, small temples, and an unhurried pace.

As evening falls, you can watch the sunset from the beach. Here, the sea mirrors the sky while palms, colourful fishing boats, and the little pavilion at the water’s edge create an atmosphere that captures the essence of peaceful Sanur.

Your days in Sanur are free to spend as you please.

After an experience-packed tour, you can take a well-earned breather and enjoy life on the beach. Spend the day in the shade of a parasol, take a dip in the calm waters, or simply let time drift by as you soak up the sun’s warmth and the sea breeze.

If you need to unwind, treat yourself to a traditional Balinese massage – a lovely way to round off the tour. You can also put on a mask and snorkel and explore the life beneath the surface along the protective coral reef, or try your hand at some of the many water sports available in the area.

If you’d like to explore more of the area, you can book one of our optional tours. You’ll find the options below.

Today, it’s time to bid farewell to beautiful Bali.

After checking out of your hotel, you’ll be picked up and driven to Denpasar airport. From here, your flight home to Europe begins, with connecting flight(s) along the way.

You’ll arrive at your selected airport after a wonderful tour filled with memories of stunning landscapes, warm smiles, and unforgettable experiences.