The island of Bali is the smallest province of Indonesia, and the country’s most popular tourist destination. Bali is best known for its beautiful beaches, but the little island has so much more to do and see. Make sure to try one of the many adventure activities the island has to offer!
Scuba Diving
Bali is an extremely popular diving destination, and for good reason. The coral reefs here are healthy and teeming with fish, starfish, eels, sea cucumbers, and other marine life. There are also several easily accessible shipwrecks to explore around the island, such as the USAT Liberty and a Japanese wreck. Certified divers have many choices for diving around Bali, and many shops and guides to choose from. If you aren’t a certified scuba diver, you can take a certification class at one of the island’s many dive schools. If you’ve never tried diving before, most dive schools offer a half-day guided diving experience.
Go Underwater
Not interested in diving, but still want to see the underwater world? No problem! You have lots of options to choose from. Snorkel tours are ubiquitous, and glass bottom boat rides and kayak rentals are popular as well. The “ocean walker” is an astronaut-style helmet that allows you to walk on the sandy ocean bottom, where you can hand-feed the fish for an up-close and personal experience. If walking isn’t your thing, hop onto an underwater scooter and zip around the seas in a scooter/submarine combination that looks like something out of Star Wars. You can even go underwater without getting wet in the Odyssey Submarine, the only submarine in Southeast Asia.
©llse Reijs and Jan-Noud Hutten
Try Surfing
Bali offers surfing spots for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or an expert. There are plenty of options for classes if you’re a novice, and board rentals are cheap. The island is home to several famous surf spots, including Uluwatu, Impossible, and Padang Padang. However, these areas are better for advanced surfers, and can be dangerous due to sharp coral reefs lurking just below the surface. Newbies should stick to easier and safer areas, like Balangan or Dreamland. The best season for surfing is March through November.
Volcano Hiking
Bali isn’t just about pristine beaches and clear blue water. The island has beautiful volcanic mountain ranges covered in lush vegetation, and there are several options to hike up and around active volcanoes. The island has two active volcanoes, Mount Batur and Mount Agung. Treks range from easy beginner hikes to moderate hikes, so just about everyone can handle a hike. Sunrise hikes are popular, but keep in mind that they usually begin at 2:00am in order to reach the summit by daybreak.
Cycling Tours
Want to see the island but think walking is too slow? Then cycle tours might be right up your alley. Mountain biking tours start at the top of the mountain, making your ride down a piece of cake. You’ll see gorgeous views, traditional Balinese villages, thriving rice paddies, old temples, and so much more.
©Sergio Fernández
White Water Rafting
White water rafting down one of Bali’s beautiful rivers is an exciting way to see the island. Expect to get wet and get a good workout in from all the paddling! Several companies offer white water rafting tours on several different rivers, but don’t expect anything too insane—all the rapids are class II or III, which require only moderate paddling skills to navigate and aren’t generally dangerous.
