Ten days in Bali. Room to actually unwind.

Your brief

Emma and Josh, you want a ten-day, nine-night Bali holiday from Brisbane: beach mornings, local food, a little culture and breathing room. Your planning ceiling is A$6,000 for two adults, including return flights. You prefer two hotel bases and do not want to drive scooters.

Working direction: six nights in Sanur, then three nights in Ubud. This is a proposed itinerary, not a booking. Your travel month has not been fixed; season, current advice, flight timings and accessibility needs must be checked before you commit.

Your shared budget

• Return flights for two: A$1,800.
• Nine nights of accommodation: A$1,800.
• Food and drinks: A$800.
• Private transfers and local transport: A$400.
• Activities: A$350.
• Travel insurance, entry requirements and administration allowance: A$250.
• Contingency: A$600.
• Total: A$6,000 for two adults. These are invented planning allowances, not current prices or confirmed availability. Replace every line with quotes; if a line rises, adjust the plan rather than consume the whole buffer.

Your ten-day itinerary

• Day 1 — Arrive and transfer to Sanur. Keep the evening simple; buy water and confirm the next day's plans.
• Day 2 — Slow beach morning, promenade walk and a relaxed local dinner. Check swimming conditions locally.
• Day 3 — A flexible food-and-market day. Choose places with good hygiene practices and allow time out of the heat.
• Day 4 — Optional half-day cultural outing with a reputable driver. Confirm inclusions, total price and dress requirements beforehand.
• Day 5 — Completely unplanned beach/rest day. No paid excursion needs to fill this gap.
• Day 6 — Choose one optional activity suited to the weather, insurance and your comfort level; otherwise keep it local.
• Day 7 — Check out and transfer to Ubud. Check into your second hotel and explore nearby on foot where safe.
• Day 8 — Early cultural or landscape visit, then a quiet afternoon. Check access, terrain and local conditions before choosing a walk.
• Day 9 — One final Ubud outing or a rest day. Pack and reconfirm your airport transfer.
• Day 10 — Travel to the airport with a generous traffic buffer and your airline's required check-in time.

Before you pay for anything

• Read current Smartraveller advice, entry requirements and passport guidance for your nationality.
• Verify visa requirements directly with Indonesian immigration; check any applicable Bali tourism levy through the official channel.
• Get insurance quotes before making non-refundable bookings, including appropriate medical and activity cover.
• Confirm hotel location, recent reviews, cancellation terms, taxes and transfers—not just the nightly rate.
• Compare the complete flight fare, baggage and arrival/departure times. Check whether your final Ubud-to-airport journey fits the return flight.
• Keep booking copies offline and discuss accessibility, health or dietary needs with relevant providers.

Your next three moves

• Choose two possible date windows and verify advice and seasonal conditions.
• Quote flights and both hotel bases, then rebuild the budget using real totals.
• Book only when the itinerary, cancellation terms and insurance fit together. Keep the A$600 buffer available rather than treating it as spending money.

Your takeaway

Your plan has a route, a shared budget and permission to slow down. The itinerary gives you a useful starting point; it does not guarantee safety, availability or prices. Every booking remains yours to verify and approve.

References to check

• Smartraveller — Indonesia travel advice
• Indonesian immigration — official visa information
• Bali Government — official tourism levy