Tumbling Rice Paddies of Ubud

You’ll be transferred to your comfy hotel in Ubud with a tropical garden and swimming pool amidst the quirky art boutiques of this buzzing town. Once you’ve settled in, you can set straight out to explore the small streets lined with warungs, bohemian bars and cosy coffee shops.

After a laid-back breakfast in the poolside garden, you’ll be collected by your driver for a tour into the emerald countryside surrounding Ubud. You’ll visit a traditional village to get a glimpse into local life, visit a rural temple and cross into an area with fascinating rice fields that flow down the hillside. At the bottom of the valley, mystical royal tombs lie hidden amongst the cliffs.

Alternatively, if you’re feeling energetic, you can cycle between the bright green rice paddies instead. With this option, you’ll be picked up by private car for the drive into the hills of Kintamani, where you’ll begin pedalling through the remarkably beautiful countryside. You’ll whizz past women carrying fruit offerings, bamboo forests and waving children in the local villages.

While the whole of Bali is asleep you’ll be awake and dressed by 2am, ready to climb Mount Batur (or Gunung Batur) to witness the sunrise.  Along with your friendly guide, you’ll follow a narrow path up to the top which can get quite technical and tougher the higher you climb. Be sure to kit yourself out with sturdy walking boots and warm socks, a warm sweater, light gloves and a hat if you feel the cold. It’ll be worth it when you’re sitting on the crater rim, sipping hot coffee and watching the Mount Batur sunrise over Bali, colouring the hills and valleys a golden orange.

The next day, you can enjoy a relaxed breakfast before your adventure in Bali continues.