Short, affordable getaways don’t have to be just across the border to places like Johor Bahru. You can venture out a little further and still have fun without breaking the bank!
It’s only a 2.5-hour direct flight from Singapore, with hidden waterfalls and rice fields waiting to be explored. Check out our 3D2N Bali itinerary to see some interesting things we did — under a budget of S$500 (including food, transport, accommodation and flights)!
We didn’t do much on Day 1 as it was mostly just flying into Bali and checking into our accommodations after arriving in the evening! More details below 😉
For this trip, we took AirAsia, which cost around S$156 per pax for a return trip (in March 2025) without checked-in baggage. However, prices fluctuate according to the season, so we recommend using third-party flight aggregator sites like Skyscanner to easily search and compare the cheapest flights.
*Pro-tip: Plan your short getaway for the weekdays instead of the weekend, as flight prices will definitely be cheaper 💸. Here are a few extra tips on how to score cheap flights.
Check in to Hotel Puriartha Ubud
We landed in the evening, and then it was an hour-long Grab ride to our accommodation, Hotel Puriartha Ubud. Although the hotel wasn’t near the bustling city area, we loved the peace and quiet.
Our room was cosy and equipped with basic amenities like a TV, a dressing mirror, and a safe. The bed and pillows were comfy, and we immediately knocked out after the flight.
Reception is also available 24/7, which is great for late check-ins and early check-outs.
Cost:~S$55.24 for 2 nights (1 pax) Address: Jl. Made Lebah No.5, Peliatan, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia How to get there: 1hr drive from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (Google Maps)
Day 2
For our “first” official day, we wanted to make the most of our time and explore many different Ubud attractions.
Since they were all far apart from each other, we booked a private car charter via Klook for convenience! It cost only S$49.20 for 12 hours (group of 1–3), but we had to top up around Rp250,000 (~S$20.50) surcharge as we travelled out of the designated zone.
However, the total cost still came down to ~S$33.60/pax (split between 2 pax) for the day.
Taking Instagrammable photos at Banjar Mancingan Rice Field
Did you really go to Bali if you didn’t take an IG-worthy photo at a beautiful rice field?
One of the most famous rice fields in Bali is undoubtedly Tegallalang Rice Terraces, but for a less-crowded alternative, we headed to Banjar Mancingan Rice Field instead. Entry is free, and there’s a long stretch of road where we could take our OOTD photos without fighting for an empty spot!
Entrance fee: Free Opening hours: 24hrs Address: H8H8+8P9 Banjar Mancingan Riceterrace, Manukaya, Kec. Tampaksiring, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80552, Indonesia How to get there: 40min drive from Hotel Puriartha Ubud (Google Maps)
There were plenty of photo-taking spots at the cafe — a mini viewpoint, “bird nest” seating areas, and koi ponds. Menu-wise, the cafe serves local dishes and interesting coffee combinations like Balinese porridge and strawberry mint coffee.
*Note: This cafe is located in the Kintamani region, and you’ll need to pay a Rp50,000 (~S$4.10) entrance fee to enter the area.
Opening hours: 5:30AM – 10PM Address: Penelokan Main Rd No.777, Central Batur, Kintamani, Bangli Regency, Bali 80652, Indonesia How to get there: 30min drive from Banjar Mancingan Rice Field (Google Maps)
Exploring an animal farm at Bali Farm House
Then, we got up close and personal with farm animals like donkeys, ponies, horses, and rabbits at Bali Farm House. The area is pretty huge, with lots of free space for them to roam.
For a fee of Rp100,000, you can even purchase some veggies to feed them — we had a fun time interacting with the freshly-groomed alpacas 😂
There’s also a cafe and restaurant serving sandwiches, nuggets, fresh bakes and ice cream if you get hungry.
Entrance fee: Rp175,000/pax (~S$14.35) Cost of animal feeding: Rp100,000/pax (~S$8.20) Opening hours: 9AM – 5PM Address: Jl. Raya Singaraja-Denpasar, Pancasari, Kec. Sukasada, Kabupaten Buleleng, Bali 81161, Indonesia How to get there: 1hr 45min drive from Akasa Specialty Coffee (Google Maps)
Hiking to Pucak Manik Waterfall
Pucak Manik Waterfall is truly a hidden gem — even our private car driver didn’t know where it was! But after asking a few locals on the way, we found it.
It’s a 15-minute hike down several flights of steep stairs, but once we reached the end, we were rewarded with views of three gorgeous waterfalls. The best part of it all? There were no crowds to fight with for this epic photo!
Needless to say, it made the excruciatingly painful 30-minute return hike up worth it.
*Pro-tip: Before you start the hike, a local will offer you a hiking stick for support. TAKE IT, trust me, it was our life-saver.
Entrance fee: Rp50,000 (~S$4.10) Opening hours: 8AM – 5PM Address: Q4Q6+M8R, Jl. Pucak Manik, Wanagiri, Kec. Sukasada, Kabupaten Buleleng, Bali, Indonesia How to get there: 16min drive from Bali Farm House (Google Maps)
Dinner at Bebek Teba Sari
After the long day out, our driver suggested dinner at one of his favourite locations: Bebek Teba Sari. And we can see why! It had stunning overwater private “huts”, overlooking a paddy field.
We ordered the signature Bebek Tebasari dish (Rp143,500), which consisted of breaded crispy fried duck, jukuturab (veggie salad with coconut), snake skin-fruit pickle, steamed rice and sambal. The duck meat was tender and had a thin yet crispy skin!
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM (last order at 9:30PM) Address: Jl. Raya Kengetan Br. Kelingkung, Lodtunduh, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia How to get there: 1.5hr drive from Pucak Manik Waterfall (Google Maps)
Day 3
For our last day, we immersed ourselves in the local culture by learning a Balinese dance, met the cutest furbabies at a non-profit foundation, and even tried surfing at one of Bali’s famous beaches!
Circle K is a Canadian-American chain of convenience stores and gas stations, with numerous outlets across the world, including Indonesia.
There’s an outlet just a 10-minute walk from our hotel, so we dropped by for a quick breakfast of steamed buns, hot dogs and some drinks before heading off to our next activity.
Opening hours: 24hrs Address: F7H7+858, Jl. Raya Pengosekan, Mas, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia How to get there: 10min walk from Hotel Puriartha Ubud (Google Maps)
Learning a traditional Balinese dance at Pondok Pekak Library
Pondok Pekak Library is not just a local library, it’s also a place which strives to preserve the Balinese arts and culture — with Balinese dance being one of them.
So we booked a 1-hour session with a dance instructor, Ketut, who was super friendly and patient. She taught us the moves step by step, and while we struggled at the start, we ultimately got the hang of it and could perform a decent dance at the end.
*Note: Make reservations online in advance to secure your slot before you go!
Cost: Rp200,000/pax for 1hr dance lesson (~S$16.48) Opening hours: 9AM – 5PM Address: Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia How to get there: 20min drive from Circle K (Google Maps)
Visiting adorable cats at Villa Kitty Foundation
After our dance lesson, we visited Villa Kitty Foundation, which houses over 500 of Bali’s abandoned cats. It was founded in 2009, but later expanded in 2011 to a larger area to provide better facilities for them.
These adorable furbabies were so sweet and cuddly, and they truly deserve all the love in the world. Get to know them all via a tour led by a staff member during visiting hours.
While entry is free, we highly encourage donations to help the foundation continue in its mission to care for these cats.
Entrance fee: Free Opening hours: 10AM – 12PM, 1PM – 3PM, closed on Mon Address: Mas, Ubud, Gianyar Regency, Bali 80571, Indonesia How to get there: 30min drive from Pondok Pekak Library (Google Maps)
Lunch at Samm’s Farm Kitchen & Brewery
For lunch, we went to Samm’s Farm Kitchen & Brewery — a minimalist-style cafe with a farm-to-table concept, which means ingredients are harvested fresh from their own farm (e.g. spices in rice, vegetables etc).
There’s a mix of Western and Indonesian cuisines like pizzas, pastas, and nasi goreng (fried rice).
We also tried signature drinks like Samm’s Summer Coffee (Rp45,000), which had a refreshing, orangey twist on coffee.
Opening hours: 8:30AM – 10PM Address: Jl. Canggu Padang Linjong No.58, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80351, Indonesia How to get there: 1hr drive from Villa Kitty Foundation (Google Maps)
Surfing at Batu Bolong Beach
Just an 8-minute drive from our lunch spot is Batu Bolong Beach. Located in Canggu, Bali, it’s popular with surfers and beach club-goers!
We walked up to the first surf instructor we saw on the beach and got a good deal of Rp350,000 per pax for a 2-hour surf session. That’s less than ~S$30!
It was really worth it for a private session, and he was patient in teaching us how to ride the waves while ensuring our safety.
Cost: Rp350,000 for 2hr surf lesson (~S$29) Opening hours: 24hrs Address: Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali, Indonesia How to get there: 8min drive from Samm’s Farm Kitchen & Brewery (Google Maps)
Dinner at Black & White Surf Cafe
To end the day, we settled down for dinner at Black & White Surf Cafe. It’s just a 5-minute walk from where we had our surf lesson, and was one of the few places along the beach which didn’t have a minimum spend requirement.
There are options of salads, burgers, grilled seafood and even Asian cuisine like mie goreng (fried noodles), but we ended up with a margherita pizza (Rp96,000) to share instead.
It was a simple yet hearty last meal for our 3D2N Bali itinerary, before we flew back to Singapore the next day!
Opening hours: 9AM – 10PM Address: Canggu, Kuta Utara, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia How to get there: 5min walk from Batu Bolong Beach (Google Maps)
3D2N Bali Itinerary Budget Breakdown
Overall, we had such a fulfilling time in our short getaway to Bali. Instead of going to the usual tourist spots, we found lesser-known rice fields and even tried to learn a local dance, which made the trip all the more fun and unique!
For those who’re interested, here’s our total cost breakdown for the 3D2N Bali itinerary:
