Active Bali: Self-Launched Adventure from Ubud to Sanur
12 days · Bali & East Java, Indonesia
G Adventures charges £1,450
No-markup version: ~£690 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 12-day Active Bali trip: whitewater rafting the Ayung River, rice-field trekking and a homestay in Bulian, the overnight Ijen blue-fire volcano hike in East Java, snorkelling off Pemuteran and learning to surf in Canggu. Everything is bookable independently — local rafting operators in Ubud, a family homestay in Bulian, shared minibus (bemo/travel shuttle) transfers, and GetYourGuide/Klook for the Ijen trek and surf lesson. Budget roughly £45-60 per day in Indonesia, so the whole trip lands at a fraction of the guided price.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Ubud
Ubud
Fly into Denpasar (DPS) and take a Grab/Gojek or fixed-rate airport taxi to Ubud (~IDR 350,000 / £18, 60-90 mins). Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel in central Ubud. Spend the afternoon wandering the Campuhan Ridge Walk and the Monkey Forest area, then eat at a warung (nasi campur ~£2.50). Book tomorrow's rafting and tonight's Kecak performance directly with a local operator or via Klook.
🚌Airport taxi/Grab from DPS to Ubud (~£18)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel dorm in central Ubud (~£12-15/night)
- →Campuhan Ridge Walk
- →Ubud evening wander
- →Warung dinner
Ayung River whitewater rafting
Ubud
Morning rafting trip on the Ayung River — book direct with a local Ubud operator or GetYourGuide/Klook (~£25-30 including pickup, lunch and equipment). Class II-III rapids with jungle and rice-terrace scenery. Afternoon free: yoga class (~£7) or the Gianyar Night Market for cheap eats. Optional evening Kecak dance performance at Ubud (tickets ~£15).
🚌Rafting operator pickup; walk locally
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel dorm in central Ubud
- →Ayung River whitewater rafting
- →Optional Kecak dance performance
- →Gianyar Night Market
Ubud to Candidasa via Kertha Gosa
Candidasa
Take a shared travel shuttle or Perama bus from Ubud to Candidasa in East Bali (~£8-12, 2-2.5 hrs). En route (or by a short detour from Semarapura), visit Kertha Gosa, the old Hall of Justice with its painted ceiling (entry ~£3). Lunch at a local community-run warung — the kind of initiative G Adventures supports, but bookable independently. Settle into a guesthouse by the sea.
🚌Shared shuttle Ubud to Candidasa (~£10)
🛏Budget guesthouse in Candidasa (~£14-18/night)
- →Kertha Gosa Hall of Justice
- →Tirtagangga optional detour
- →Sunset by Candidasa lagoon
Bungaya village trek, yoga and Virgin Beach
Candidasa
Hire a local guide in Bungaya village (ask your guesthouse — ~£15 for a half-day walk) or simply follow the rice-field paths on foot. Walk through Bungaya's traditional Balinese compound houses and paddies, stop for a simple Balinese lunch, then do a drop-in yoga class in Candidasa (~£7). Afternoon at Virgin Beach (Pantai Pasir Putih) in Karangasem — shared bemo or Grab ~£3 each way, ~£1 entry.
🚌Local bemo/Grab to Bungaya and Virgin Beach (~£6)
🛏Budget guesthouse in Candidasa
- →Bungaya village rice-field trek
- →Yoga class
- →Virgin Beach afternoon
Kintamani to Bulian homestay and rural cycling
Kubutambahan / Bulian
Travel north via Kintamani for views over Mount Batur and the lake (shared shuttle or private driver split between travellers ~£15-20; a private car for the day costs around £40 and is worth splitting). Arrive at Bulian, a quiet village east of Singaraja, and check into a family homestay (~£15 including dinner). Rent a bicycle (~£4) for an afternoon loop through rice fields and down to the coast, finishing at Air Sanih hot springs (entry ~£2) for a soak. Evening Balinese dance and dinner.
🚌Shared shuttle/private car via Kintamani (~£18)
🛏Family homestay in Bulian village (~£15/night with meals)
- →Kintamani/Batur Lake viewpoint
- →Rural cycling to Air Sanih hot springs
- →Balinese dance evening
Bulian village life and cooking class
Kubutambahan / Bulian
Slow morning at the homestay. Join your hosts for a village walk where you learn to make canang sari offerings and visit a small local temple ceremony (respectful dress: sarong and shoulders covered). In the afternoon take a Balinese cooking class — many Bulian and Singaraja homestays run these (~£20 including dinner); alternatively book a half-day class through Klook. Eat the buffet you've made and listen to local musicians in the evening.
🚌Walking
🛏Family homestay in Bulian village
- →Canang sari offering making
- →Village temple ceremony visit
- →Balinese cooking class
To Pemuteran and the Ijen night hike
Pemuteran & Ijen
Transfer west along the north coast to Pemuteran (~£15 shared shuttle, 3 hrs), dropping in at the Brahmavihara-Arama Buddhist monastery near Lovina en route. Drop bags at your Pemuteran guesthouse, then book an Ijen blue-fire trek for tonight with a local Banyuwangi-based guide via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£45-55 including transport, mask, guide and park fee). Depart around 8-9pm, drive to Paltuding, hike 1.5-2 hrs to the crater rim and down to the blue flames, and watch sunrise before returning to Pemuteran in the morning.
🚌Shared shuttle Pemuteran + Ijen tour minibus (~£55 combined)
🛏Budget guesthouse in Pemuteran (check-in for the following morning rest)
- →Brahmavihara-Arama monastery
- →Ijen crater night hike and blue fire
- →Sunrise from Ijen rim
Recovery day in Pemuteran
Pemuteran
Sleep off the night hike. Afternoon on Pemuteran beach — rent snorkel gear (~£4) or join a coral-reef restoration snorkel with the local Pemuteran reef project (~£12-18). Bicycles rent for ~£3/day if you'd rather pootle along the coast. Cheap seafood dinner at a beach warung.
🚌Walking/bicycle hire
🛏Budget guesthouse in Pemuteran (~£14-18/night)
- →Beach time
- →Optional snorkelling / coral planting
- →Optional cycling
Menjangan Island snorkelling
Pemuteran / Menjangan
Book a shared boat trip to Menjangan Island through your guesthouse or a local operator (~£25-30 including boat, guide, snorkel gear, park fee and lunch) — the reef walls here are some of Bali's best for snorkelling. Back mid-afternoon for a nap and sunset on the beach.
🚌Shared boat to Menjangan (~£27)
🛏Budget guesthouse in Pemuteran
- →Menjangan Island snorkelling trip
Pemuteran to Sanur via Gitgit and Ulun Danu
Sanur
Long transfer day south. Split a private driver for the day (~£50-60 total between 2-4 people) to stop at Gitgit Waterfall (entry ~£2) and the floating Ulun Danu Beratan temple (~£3.50), then continue to Sanur. Alternatively take a shuttle to Denpasar/Ubud and local transport onward. Check into a Sanur guesthouse or hostel and eat at the night market.
🚌Private driver split (~£20 per person) or shuttle (~£15)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Sanur (~£14-18/night)
- →Gitgit Waterfall
- →Ulun Danu Beratan temple
- →Sanur night market
Surf lesson in Canggu
Canggu / Sanur
Take a Grab/scooter taxi to Canggu (~£5 each way, 40 mins). Book a beginner or intermediate surf lesson with a local surf school directly or via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£20-25 including board and instructor). Spend the afternoon on Batu Bolong beach or a café. Return to Sanur for the evening.
🚌Grab to/from Canggu (~£10)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Sanur
- →Surf lesson at Canggu
- →Beach time
Depart from Sanur
Sanur / Denpasar
Last morning swim or breakfast by the beach, then a Grab/Gojek to Denpasar airport (~£8-10, 30-40 mins). Extend in Sanur or hop a fast boat to Nusa Lembongan/Gili Islands if you have more time.
🚌Grab to DPS airport (~£9)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Beach morning
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£690 | £1,450 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £760 per person (52%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£690
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Active Bali: Self-Launched Adventure from Ubud to Sanur cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £690 per person for 12 days in Bali & East Java, Indonesia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £690 — a saving of roughly £760 (52%) per person.
How long is the Bali & East Java, Indonesia trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Bali & East Java, Indonesia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, backpacker trip through Bali & East Java, Indonesia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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