Day trips · Ubud · Indonesia

6 best day trips from Ubud

Where to go when you want a day away from Ubud, and how long it really takes.

Updated 24 October 2026By the AMZBooking editorial team

Quick answer

The classic day trip from Ubud is Mount Batur sunrise trek (About 1 hour by car, plus a 2-hour climb). The closest option is Sanur, about 25 km away.

Day trips in this guide: 6
Closest: Sanur (25 km)
Most popular: Mount Batur sunrise trek

Day trips compared

Day trips from Ubud: distance, time and transport
Destination	Distance	Travel time	How	Best for
Mount Batur sunrise trek	35 km	About 1 hour by car, plus a 2-hour climb	Organised trek with early-morning hotel pick-up	First-timers, Solo travellers, Couples
Besakih Temple	45 km	About 1.5 hours by car	Private driver	Culture, First-timers
Sidemen valley	40 km	About 1–1.5 hours by car	Private driver	Quiet stays, Couples, Culture
Jatiluwih rice terraces	50 km	About 1.5–2 hours by car	Private driver	Culture, Quiet stays, Families
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple	50 km	About 1.5 hours by car	Private driver	First-timers, Families, Culture
Sanur	25 km	About 45 minutes–1 hour by car	Private driver or app taxi	Families, Beach, Quiet stays

The day trips

35 km · About 1 hour by car, plus a 2-hour climb

1.Mount Batur sunrise trek

Treks to the 1,717-metre summit of this active volcano start in the dark from the villages around Lake Batur so that walkers reach the crater rim for sunrise over Mount Agung and Mount Rinjani on Lombok. Steam vents near the top are used to cook eggs for breakfast. The climb is steep and loose in places.

Getting there: Organised trek with early-morning hotel pick-up
Best for: First-timers, Solo travellers, Couples

45 km · About 1.5 hours by car

2.Besakih Temple

Bali's mother temple is a complex of more than 20 temples climbing the slopes of Mount Agung, the island's holiest mountain. It is the most important religious site in Bali and busy with pilgrims during ceremonies. Visitors walk with a sarong, and local guides are available at the entrance.

Getting there: Private driver
Best for: Culture, First-timers

40 km · About 1–1.5 hours by car

3.Sidemen valley

A quiet valley of rice terraces below Mount Agung, known for songket weaving workshops and walks between villages along irrigation channels. It is what Ubud's surroundings felt like before the town grew, and a good overnight stop on the way to the east coast.

Getting there: Private driver
Best for: Quiet stays, Couples, Culture

50 km · About 1.5–2 hours by car

4.Jatiluwih rice terraces

Part of the UNESCO-listed Cultural Landscape of Bali Province, Jatiluwih's terraces cover a much wider area than Tegallalang and have marked walking trails of different lengths. Combine it with Ulun Danu Beratan temple on the lake at Bedugul.

Getting there: Private driver
Best for: Culture, Quiet stays, Families

50 km · About 1.5 hours by car

5.Ulun Danu Beratan Temple

The water temple dedicated to the lake goddess Dewi Danu appears to float on Lake Beratan in the cool highlands at Bedugul. The surrounding area has a large botanical garden and fruit and flower markets.

Getting there: Private driver
Best for: First-timers, Families, Culture

25 km · About 45 minutes–1 hour by car

6.Sanur

The nearest beach town to Ubud has a calm, reef-protected lagoon, a long seafront path for walking and cycling, and the fast-boat harbour for Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. It works as a beach afternoon from Ubud or as the next base.

Getting there: Private driver or app taxi
Best for: Families, Beach, Quiet stays

Day-trip tips

Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask

+What is the best day trip from Ubud?

Mount Batur sunrise trek. Treks to the 1,717-metre summit of this active volcano start in the dark from the villages around Lake Batur so that walkers reach the crater rim for sunrise over Mount Agung and Mount Rinjani on Lombok.

+How long does it take to get from Ubud to Mount Batur sunrise trek?

About 1 hour by car, plus a 2-hour climb — Organised trek with early-morning hotel pick-up, about 35 km.

+How long does it take to get from Ubud to Besakih Temple?

About 1.5 hours by car — Private driver, about 45 km.