Free in the morning, quiet before the tour groups arrive around 10:30. Came back in the evening too for the Legong dance (~100,000 IDR / $6.50) — that's the version worth prioritizing if you can only do one visit. Clean, shaded courtyards, a good easy first stop to ease into the trip.

80,000 IDR (~$5), paths clean and well swept. Genuinely stunning temple ruins under the canopy once you get past the monkeys' antics near the entrance. Lock your bag or carry nothing loose — watched three separate sunglasses thefts in the twenty minutes I was there.

Our one splurge of the trip — about 5,750,000 IDR (~$380) a night — and the infinity pool looking straight down the Ayung River valley is the reason every COMO Uma photo looks the way it does. Breakfast was genuinely excellent: fresh tropical fruit, a real espresso machine, eggs cooked to order. Staff arranged our Mount Batur trek pickup without any hassle. Only complaint: the walk into central Ubud is a real 20 minutes, further than it looks on the map, so budget for a scooter or Grab rather than walking it daily.

Went early specifically to beat the crowds and had a solid 30 minutes at the top viewpoint nearly alone. Several small entrance donations (15-25k IDR each) along the different viewpoints add up but each angle is genuinely distinct. Paths get muddy fast after rain — real shoes, not sandals.

Completely free, no ticket at all. Did the full out-and-back at golden hour and the light on the grassland ridge was unreal, one of the best free things I did in Bali. Paved for the first stretch then turns to dirt and gets slippery if it's rained recently.

Around 50,000 IDR (~$3.20) including sarong rental. Joined the purification bathing queue and it was genuinely moving watching Balinese families there for real religious practice, not just tourist photos. Pools cleaned regularly but crowded by 11am, go right at opening.

50,000 IDR (~$3.20), smaller than I expected but the demon-face carved cave entrance is genuinely striking and the surrounding rice paddy views make it worth the short stop. 30-45 minutes was plenty, grounds well kept.

Early ferry from Sanur (~200,000 IDR / $13 round trip) was worth it — had the T-Rex-shaped cliff viewpoint nearly empty before the day-trip crowds landed. Free entry, small parking fee only. The descent to the actual beach is genuinely steep and no joke, brought proper shoes and it was still slow going. No real toilets or bins up top, pack out what you bring.

Free, but check tide times before going — at high tide waves wash straight over the rocks and it's genuinely unsafe. Swam in the natural infinity pool at low tide and it was one of the best moments of the whole trip. No lifeguards, no real facilities nearby, go with others and watch your footing on the wet rock.

Free, small parking donation only. No swimming access but the rim walk around the collapsed sea cave gives incredible angles — paired well as a quick 30-minute stop right after Angel's Billabong, they're a short walk apart. A couple of basic warungs nearby for water if you need it.

Guided tours run 350,000-450,000 IDR (~$23-30) including a basic breakfast at the top. Two-hour climb in the dark with a headlamp, tough but watching the sun break over the caldera with Lake Batur below was worth every step. Genuinely cold at the summit, bring a real jacket. Toilets at the rest point are basic squat-style, bring your own tissue.

Small entrance donation, quiet and mostly empty by the time the trekking groups head down — a peaceful stop for tea with the volcano still looming behind the temple courtyards. Good spot to decompress before the drive back.