Beach hopper: a beach lover’s ideal 10-day Balinese holiday

If you’ve done the regular Seminyak-Ubud Bali beach route and you’re after something still beach-based but different, then look no further. We’ve mapped out your ideal 10-day beach hop itinerary.

Ah, good ol’ Bali. A province comprising one big island and a handful of smaller islands, Bali has long drawn travellers seeking a beach holiday, and there’s no doubt it delivers. From palm-fringed, white-sand coasts and cliff-guarded coves to shimmering, black-sand volcanic beaches and wave-buffeted shores, there’s a beach to suit any traveller. Here’s a new take on a Bali beach holiday.

Day one – Check in to Wyndham Dreamland

From the airport, hail a taxi or book a Go-Jek (the Indonesian equivalent of Uber) and head south to Wyndham Dreamland on the Bukit Peninsula. Steps from Uluwatu’s hotspots, the newly-opened resort will serve as a base for the start of your trip.

After checking in, cool off in the resort’s lagoon pool or catch a wave at one of Bali’s world-famous surf breaks. Dreamland Beach, Bingin Beach and Padang Padang are all within easy reach and promise a thrilling ride regardless of your skill level. For a more relaxed start, stroll on over to one of the many warungs (eateries) for a snack and watch the pros carve waves in front of the setting sun.

Wyndham Dreamland Resort Bali — Cool off in Wyndham Dreamland Resort’s lagoon pool.

For dinner, look no further than Rayunan Restaurant at your resort to sample some truly traditional ‘nusantara’ (meaning archipelago in Old Javanese) fare. Try the Indonesian classic Oxtail soup, Sop Buntut, or the Balinese take on crème brûlée, Nusantara Srikaya.

Day two – Explore the Bukit

After a yoga class and a hearty breakfast at the resort, start your day of exploring the Bukit. If you’re confident on a scooter (and have insurance and an international scooter license), make your way around that way. If you don’t, ask reception to arrange a private driver for the day.

Beach-wise, check out Suluban for its natural formations and rocky enclaves but, for a truly hidden gem, don’t go past Thomas Beach. Located halfway between Padang Padang and Uluwatu, you’ll find it off the main road, down a nondescript gravel driveway.

Suluban Beach, Bali — Check out the natural formations and rocky enclaves at Suluban Beach.

For lunch with a side of cocktails, visit cliff-side El Kabron or chilled-out Single Fin. Cashew Tree in Bingin is another great pitstop for a healthy veggie lunch. For dinner, you can’t go past a seafood barbecue on the beach at Jimbaran Bay.

Day three – Day trip to Seminyak or Canggu

Pencil in time today to explore Seminyak or, slightly further north, Canggu. It takes roughly one hour to get to Seminyak and 90 minutes to Canggu – but plan ahead for traffic on the day, which could make the trip a little longer.

In Seminyak, drop by Motel Mexicola, Potato Head Beach Club and some of the cute town centre boutiques. In Canggu, café-hop around Crate, GIVE and Deus.

Day four – Unwind at Wyndham Tamansari Jivva Resort

Now it’s time to relax in another part of the island. Take a Go-Jek or hire a driver and travel 90 minutes to Klungklung on the south-east coast. Here, your base will be Wyndham Tamansari Jivva Resort, a luxury accommodation right on black sand Lepang Beach. Choose from suites with plunge pools or villas overlooking rice paddies.

This slice of paradise is known for its much slower pace. After checking in, make a beeline for the ocean-facing pool and order from Jivva Beach Club. Afterwards, trot over to the onsite Tirta Spa for a massage.

In the evening, book a yoga class in the resort’s open-air bamboo yoga room or sweat out all your stresses in the sauna. You’re on holiday, after all.

Wyndham Tamansari Jivva Resort Bali — Slow it down at Wyndham Tamansari Jivva Resort in Klungklung on the south-east coast.

Day five – Tour Klungklung

Start your day exploring Klungklung’s market. Here, brightly-coloured textiles hanging from shopfronts and locals going about their daily shopping set the scene, while vendors spruiking everything from tropical Bali fruits to silver and homewares, the soundtrack.

When you’re all shopped out, walk mere steps from the market to Klungklung Palace. Dating back to the 17th century, the monuments and landscaped grounds offer a peek into Bali’s fascinating past. While most of it was destroyed during the Dutch colonial conquest in 1908, many structures still remain, including the ‘hall of justice’ complex, Kertha Gosa.

Cap the day off with dinner at open-air resort restaurant Bumbu.

Day six – Ferry to Lombok

Make your way to Padangbai Harbour on mainland Bali, a 30-minute drive from the resort, and catch the 90-minute fast boat to Lombok. One of the many neighbouring islands off the mainland, it’s still relatively untouched and often described as Bali before the crowds. If ferries aren’t your thing, drive to Denpasar Airport and take the 45-minute flight instead.

In Lombok, check into Wyndham Sundancer Resort. Here, you can don your bathers, snag a seat at the resort’s Sundancer Beach Club and spend your afternoon soaking up the Bali beach sun.

Wyndham Sundancer Resort Bali — Snag a seat at the resort’s Sundancer Beach Club.

Day seven – Dive or snorkel in Lombok

Lombok has some of the most spectacular, not to mention easily accessible, underwater life in the world, so take full advantage with a day of diving or snorkelling.

You won’t need to travel far, with a Dive Centre soon opening right at the resort. Get fitted with your equipment, then learn to dive in the resort pool before letting the team take you out for the real thing. Popular dive sites include Meno Wall, Nipah Slope and The Cathedral, as well as a sunken ship at Wreck Point off Gili Trawangan.

A sea turtle at Wreck Point off Gili Trawangan.

After a day on the water, spruce up for dinner at resort restaurant Bukit. On the second floor, the formal eatery is afforded gorgeous views over the ocean.

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Day eight – Day trip to Gili Islands

Organise a day trip to the charming Gili Islands, Meno, Trawangan and Air, a 20-minute boat ride off Lombok. Gili Trawangan is by far the busiest, with the most resorts and nightlife. As you’re just here for the day, rent a bike and roam around its car-free terrain, grab a snorkel and swim with turtles, or hire a see-through kayak and paddle around the island. Or simply flop yourself on a beach lounge chair.

Gili Meno and Gili Air are both known for being honeymoon destinations and are, of course, much quieter. Stroll the beach, relax in a hammock or, on Gili Meno, walk to the saltwater lake and mangrove forest.

Day nine – Drive around Lombok

Use today to explore the countless mountains, waterfalls and beaches around Lombok. The island is surprisingly big, so plan ahead to get the most out of your day.

If you can manage the early start, take a taxi to Selong Belanak Beach, 90 minutes south of the resort but well worth the drive. Otherwise taxi straight to Benang Kelambu Waterfall, two hours inland. Six falls running through trees make the enchanting curtain of water truly a sight to behold. Also worth visiting is Rinjani Mountain, a massive volcano that towers off the island and is the second highest in the country.

Air Terjun Tiu Kelep waterfall, Senaru, Lombok — Explore the countless waterfalls around Lombok.

Just before sunset, hit busy Senggigi Beach or pink-sand beach Mawun to see the sun sink into the sea.

Day 10 – Head back home

It’s the last day of your trip, and time to head home and back to reality. From Lombok, hop on a fast boat back to mainland Bali where you’ll catch a cab to the airport.

Speeding past rice paddies, greenery all around you and a sense of calm within, you’ll be basking in your new-found Bali glow and hoping it stays with you long enough until your next visit.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

How to spend 10 days in Bali, beach-style