DK Bali and Lombok

By DK Travel

Make your trip to Bali and Lombok extraordinary

Trek volcanic Mount Rinjani. Surf the Bukit Peninsula. Visit holistic healers in Ubud. For a vacation to remember, Bali and Lombok is hard to beat. Whatever your dream trip involves, this DK travel guide is the perfect companion.

Our updated guide brings Bali and Lombok to life, transporting you there like no other travel guide does with expert-led insights, trusted travel advice, detailed breakdowns of all the must-see sights, photographs on practically every page, and our hand-drawn illustrations, which take you inside the region’s buildings and neighborhoods.

You'll discover:

- our pick of Bali and Lombok’s must-sees and top experiences
- beautiful photography and detailed illustrations, taking you to the heart of Bali and Lombok
- the best spots to eat, drink, shop and stay
- detailed maps and walks which make navigating the region easy
- easy-to-follow itineraries
- expert advice: get ready, get around and stay safe
- color-coded chapters to each part of Bali and Lombok
- a lightweight format, so you can take it with you wherever you go

Travelling around Asia? Try our DK Malaysia and Singapore or DK Thailand travel guides.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DK Travel
• Release date: Nov 25, 2025
• ISBN: 9798217303854

DK Travel

Travel is good for us. It makes us happy! Escape more, celebrate more, "weekend" more with DK travel guides and create memories that last a lifetime. Each of our books is jam-packed with gorgeous pictures, helpful maps and expert insights, making them totally comprehensive, really easy to use, and full of ideas and inspiration. And we know what we're doing – we've been publishing guides for over 30 years. So forget the ordinary. Travel extraordinary.

Book preview

Bali and Lombok. By DK

BALI AND LOMBOK

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Contents

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Key to Main Icons

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Price Guide

Throughout the guide the following price categories have been applied:

   On a budget

   Mid-range

   Splurge

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Key to Maps

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DISCOVER BALI AND LOMBOK

t Sunrise over Mount Rinjani, Lombok

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Welcome To

Bali and Lombok

t Beach on Lombok with colourful umbrellas.

Sun-kissed beaches lapped by turquoise waves. Treks through the jungle to awe-inspiring temples. A rich heritage of arts and crafts. Whatever your dream trip to Bali and Lombok includes, this DK travel guide is the perfect companion.

Nestled within the Indonesian archipelago, these two neighbouring islands have deservedly been proclaimed paradise. Bali’s beaches need little introduction, with their soft sand, fish-filled waters and world-renowned surf. The island’s interior is just as beguiling. Here, mountains are draped in lush jungle and ancient volcanic calderas now hold shimmering lakes rather than lava.

Although it’s often overlooked in favour of its western neighbour, Lombok also has a wealth of natural beauty to savour, from the idyllic Gili Islands to the cloud-shrouded Mount Rinjani, an active volcano. Although only 35 km (22 miles) of sea separates these islands, the cultural distinctions between the predominately Hindu Bali and the largely Islamic Lombok are considerable, and each beckons with its own fascinating traditions, festivals, music, dance, theatre and arts and crafts. Enjoy Bali’s sophisticated international restaurants, shopping and nightlife in Seminyak, vegan cafés in Canggu and art museums and holistic healers in Ubud. For a quieter experience, head to the resorts of Senggigi and Kuta in Lombok. On both islands there are plentiful opportunities for bartering in markets or indulging in a relaxing massage at a spa retreat.

This guidebook features easily navigable chapters, full of expert knowledge and insider tips. We’ve picked out themes and created detailed itineraries and colourful maps to help you plan the perfect trip. Whether you’re on a flying visit or an extended adventure, this DK travel guide will ensure you experience the very best these two islands have to offer.

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1 Canang sari devotional flower offerings, Bali.

2 Mount Batur at sunrise, Bali.

3 Indonesian chicken satay dish.

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Reasons to love

Bali and Lombok

A natural landscape blessed with beauty. Markets and menus full of vibrant foods and flavours. A cultural history as rich as it is varied. Here are some of the reasons to love Bali and Lombok.

1 Gunung Kawi Royal Monuments

t Bali’s Valley of the Kings is one of the prettiest sights on the island. Descend through rice terraces to ancient shrines carved out of rock overlooking the Pakerisan River.

Discover Reasons to Bali and Lombok

2 Nature and Wildlife

t The islands’ stunning natural landscapes, including volcanoes, rainforests, lakes, river gorges, rice fields, cliffs and beaches, are home to abundant flora and fauna.

Discover Reasons to Love Bali and Lombok

3 Gamelan Music

t Catch a performance of Bali’s unique style of gamelan, an Indonesian percussion music played with heavy bronze gongs, bamboo pipes, metallophones, drums, cymbals and flutes.

Discover Reasons to Love Bali and Lombok

4 Pura Luhur Uluwatu

t High on the edge of a cliff above the ocean, this 11th-century temple glows with the radiance of the setting sun and will leave you with a powerful memory of spiritual Bali (see Pura Luhur Uluwatu).

Discover Reasons to Love Bali and Lombok

5 Trekking UP Mount Batur

t Trekking to the summit of Gunung Batur volcano to see its serene crater lake and witness the sun rise behind the mighty Gunung Agung is a truly unforgettable experience.

Discover Reasons to Love Bali and Lombok

6 Spas

t The wellbeing industry is thriving in Bali and Lombok, offering both traditional and modern treatments for mind and body (see Bali and lombok for Wellness).

Discover Reasons to Love Bali and Lombok

7 Scuba Diving in Nusa Penida

t Attracting divers from all over the world, the clear waters off Nusa Penida teem with marine life, such as gorgeous corals, turtles, silvertip sharks, manta rays and oceanic sunfish.

Discover Reasons to Love Bali and Lombok

8 Lombok’s Gili Islands

t Did you know there are more than a dozen Gili Islands? Enjoy the famous Trawangan, Meno and Air or relish the seclusion of the secret Southwestern Gilis.

Discover Reasons to Love Bali and Lombok

9 Art and Culture in Ubud

t Visit Ubud to discover the best of Balinese art and culture, which ranges from dance, music and drama to paintings, carvings and hand-woven textiles (see Ubud).

Discover Reasons to Love Bali and Lombok

10 Tenganan Bali Aga village

t A lifestyle of ritual and ceremony is practised at this enchanting 700-year-old village. Expert artisans use centuries-old skills to create basketware and textiles (see Tenganan Bali aga Village).

Discover Reasons to Love Bali and Lombok

11 Jimbaran Seafood Feast

t For seafood lovers, Jimbaran Bay is not to be missed. Lining the white-sand beach are dozens of simple stalls serving up the delicious catch of the day.

Discover Reasons to Love Bali and Lombok

12 Beaches of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula

t With secluded coves at the base of towering cliffs and white-gold sand pounded by world-famous surf breaks, the Bukit Peninsula has some of the island’s most idyllic beaches.

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Explore

Bali and Lombok

Two neighbouring islands in the heart of the Indonesian archipelago, Bali and Lombok are home to beautiful beaches, vibrant towns, endless swatches of rice fields, soaring mountains and much more besides. Becoming familiar with each region will help when planning your trip.

n This guide divides Bali and Lombok into five colour-coded sightseeing areas, as shown on the map below. Find out more about each area on the following pages.

DISCOVER Getting to Know Bali and Lombok

South Bali and the Bukit Peninsula

White-sand beaches, secluded bays and a wide range of accommodation options, including lavish hotels and resorts, make South Bali a popular choice. The Bukit Peninsula, with its rugged coastline, clifftop views and watersports, is South Bali’s highlight. At the south-western tip of the peninsula is Uluwatu, home to a stunning clifftop temple and beaches famous for their surf breaks. Yet more beautiful nature can be enjoyed on the relatively undeveloped Nusa islands to the east.

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Best for Beaches, watersports, shopping

Home to Pura Luhur Uluwatu, Denpasar, Sanur, Kuta and Legian

Experience Seafood and beautiful sunset views over the sea

Go To: South Bali and the Bukit Peninsula i

DISCOVER Getting to Know Bali and Lombok

t Entrance to Kuta Beach at sunset

DISCOVER Getting to Know Bali and Lombok

Central Bali

Traditional arts and crafts communities, water temples, rice terraces, vertical river gorges and lush jungle are what characterize Central Bali. Numerous trails offer the opportunity to witness time-honoured methods of agriculture. The royal town of Ubud, Bali’s artistic and cultural hub, is home to a treasure trove of art museums and galleries, a palace, market and monkey forest. Performances of traditional Balinese dance are staged here daily. Be inspired by the creativity all around, trek in beautiful forests or escape to a tranquil retreat for some meditation and yoga.

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Best for Art and culture, yoga

Home to Bali Bird Park, Ubud

Experience Watching a traditional dance performance

Go To: Central Bali i

DISCOVER Getting to Know Bali and Lombok

t Tegallalang rice terraces viewed from the air

DISCOVER Getting to Know Bali and Lombok

East Bali

Peaceful East Bali offers a relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle of mainstream tourism, with its quiet beaches and calm, clear waters. This area is home to some of Bali’s most significant royal palaces, water gardens and ancient villages. On a clear day, Gunung Agung, Bali’s tallest and most sacred volcano, dominates the skyline. To the northwest, set within the crater of a vast and ancient caldera, is Bali’s most-climbed volcano, Gunung Batur, overlooking Lake Batur in the spectacularly fertile Kintamani area.

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Best for Snorkelling, diving, rice-field and mountain trekking

Home to Besakih Temple Complex, Gunung Batur, Pura Ulun Danu Batur, Klungkung, Tenganan Bali Aga Village

Experience Seeing the sunrise from the top of Mount Batur

Go To: East Bali i

DISCOVER Getting to Know Bali and Lombok

t Rays of light in the morning mist in the Sidemen Valley

DISCOVER Getting to Know Bali and Lombok

North and West Bali

With some of Bali’s most isolated and least-visited areas, this region is characterized by the unspoiled, rugged beauty and impenetrable highlands of the Taman Nasional Bali Barat (West Bali National Park). Further to the east is Bali’s mountainous lake district, with spectacular waterfalls, rainforests and lakeside temples. Surfers will be attracted by the black-sand beaches and pummelling waves of the wild west, while divers and nature lovers are drawn to the dolphins and calm waters of the north coast, and the birds and wildlife in the national park.

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Best for Forest-trekking, bird-watching, wildlife-spotting

Home to Taman Nasional Bali Barat, Singaraja, Pura Meduwe Karang, Pura Taman Ayun

Experience Dolphin-watching at Lovina

Go To: North and West Bali i

DISCOVER Getting to Know Bali and Lombok

t Tanah Lot Temple, on a small island off the coast

DISCOVER Getting to Know Bali and Lombok

Lombok

Dominated by the mighty Mount Rinjani and bounded by divine beaches, picturesque bays, tiny paradisiacal islands, coral reefs and thrilling surf breaks, Lombok offers a myriad of natural attractions. It is perfect for the adventurous traveller in search of outdoor pursuits, such as surfing some of Indonesia’s best waves, trekking the Rinjani National Park or seeking out hidden waterfalls. Divers and partygoers will love the northwest Gili Islands, while the less developed secret Southwestern Gili Islands offer a more tranquil getaway.

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Best for Trekking, snorkelling and diving, surfing

Home to Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani, Gili Islands, Mataram

Experience Bau Nyale Festival, held in February or March

Go To: Lombok i

DISCOVER Getting to Know Bali and Lombok

t A beautiful coral reef off Gili Meno

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BALI AND LOMBOK ITINERARIES

t Rice terraces in the Sidemen Valley.

The islands of Bali and Lombok brim with travel possibilities, from short stays in a single spot to great adventures across varied landscapes. These itineraries will help you see the best this beautiful part of the world has to offer.

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Discover Bali and Lombok Itineraries

2 WEEKS

In Bali