Bali Beyond Ubud: The East Coast Nobody Talks About

I didn't plan to go to East Bali. I was doing the usual circuit — Seminyak for the first two nights, Ubud for three, maybe Uluwatu for a sunset temple visit. Standard itinerary. Then a German couple at my guesthouse in Ubud said something that changed my trip: "If you want to see what Bali looked like 20 years ago, drive east until the tourists stop."

So I did. Rented a scooter, left Ubud at 7am heading toward Mount Agung, and by noon I was in a part of Bali that felt like a completely different island. No beach clubs. No Instagram cafes. Just volcanic coastline, rice terraces that cascade into the sea, and villages where people seemed genuinely surprised to see a foreigner.

East Bali is what everyone says they want from Bali but can't find in Ubud or Canggu anymore. Here's what you need to know.

You know the Tegallalang rice terraces north of Ubud? The ones with the swing that every influencer posts? Sidemen has terraces just as beautiful — arguably more beautiful — and a fraction of the visitors. I spent two full days here and maybe saw 15 other tourists total.

The village sits in a valley beneath Mount Agung, and the terraces cascade down the hillsides in deep, impossible green. In the morning, the whole valley fills with mist and the only sounds are roosters and the irrigation channels clicking through the paddies.

Where to stay: Samanvaya Luxury Resort & Spa if you want something polished (~$120/night, insane value for what you get — infinity pool overlooking the valley, included breakfast). For budget, Darmada Eco Resort has bamboo bungalows for ~$35/night with the same views. Book direct, not through Booking.com — the owners give you a better rate and usually throw in a scooter.

What to do: Hire a local guide for a rice terrace walk (~100,000 IDR / $6.50 for 2 hours). They'll take you through working paddies, explain the subak irrigation system that's been UNESCO-listed since 2012, and probably introduce you to their uncle who makes palm wine. The walk from the village to Undisan viewpoint is the best sunrise I've seen in Bali — zero crowds, the volcano behind you, the valley below.

Amed is a string of fishing villages along Bali's northeast coast where the sand is volcanic black, the water is calm and clear, and the entire vibe is "someone forgot to commercialize this place." The main road is one lane. The restaurants are family warungs with plastic chairs. The beaches are empty at 10am on a Saturday.

I'm not going to pretend the beaches are Maldives-level — they're not. The sand is coarse and dark, and the coastline is rocky in spots. But the snorkeling is some of the best in Bali, right from shore. Jemeluk Bay has a coral garden you can swim to in two minutes from the beach. I saw a sea turtle on my first swim there. Mask rental from the warungs on the beach is 50,000 IDR (~$3.25).

Where to stay: Blue Moon Villas — quiet, family-run, ocean-view rooms for ~$45/night. The owner, Ketut, will arrange snorkeling trips and cook dinner for you if you ask nicely. Aquaterrace is the splurge option — gorgeous infinity pool that seems to float over the ocean, rooms from ~$90.

The drive from Ubud: About 2.5 hours by scooter or car. The road winds through Besakih (Bali's mother temple — worth a quick stop) and climbs through the volcanic highlands before dropping down to the coast. It's one of the most scenic drives on the island. Important: Grab and GoJek don't really work out here. Arrange transport through your hotel or rent a scooter in Ubud and keep it for the east coast.

Even if you're not a diver, Tulamben is worth the stop. The USAT Liberty — an American cargo ship torpedoed by the Japanese in 1942 — sits in 5 to 30 meters of water, just 25 meters from shore. You don't need a boat. You walk in from the beach.

The wreck is encrusted with coral and swarming with fish — giant groupers, bumphead parrotfish, barracuda, and if you're lucky, a reef shark cruising the deeper sections. I did a two-tank dive for 1,200,000 IDR (~$78) with Tauch Terminal Resort, and it was the best diving value I've found anywhere. The divemasters are experienced, the equipment is well-maintained, and the Liberty wreck is genuinely world-class.

For snorkelers: You can see the shallowest parts of the wreck with just a mask and fins. The coral garden about 50 meters north of the wreck entry point is excellent too — the visibility here is usually 15-25 meters because there's no river runoff on this side of the island.

Pro tip: Stay the night in Tulamben and do the dawn dive (6am entry). You'll have the wreck almost to yourself — the day-trippers from Ubud don't arrive until 10am. Plus the morning light underwater is something else entirely.

Between Amed and Sidemen sits Tirta Gangga, a royal water palace built in 1946 by the last king of Karangasem. It's a series of ornamental pools, fountains, and stone carvings surrounded by manicured gardens and — here's the best part — working rice paddies that flow right up to the palace walls.

Entry is 50,000 IDR (~$3.25), and for an extra 10,000 you can swim in the spring-fed pools. The water is genuinely cold — it flows straight from Mount Agung — and on a hot day after hours of scootering, it's perfection. There's a fountain with stepping stones across the main pool that's become a photo spot, but if you visit before 10am, you'll have it mostly to yourself.

The Trekking Tirta Gangga rice terrace walk (separate from the palace, starts at a trailhead 500 meters south) is one of the best short hikes in Bali. About 90 minutes through working terraces with Agung looming in the background. Local guides wait at the trailhead — 100,000 IDR is fair.

• The roads are rough. East of Klungkung, the road quality drops significantly. Potholes, narrow shoulders, and trucks hauling volcanic rock. If you're not comfortable on a scooter, hire a driver (~500,000 IDR / $32 for a full day).
• Limited nightlife. If you want cocktail bars and clubs, East Bali is not the move. Evenings here are dinner at a warung, a Bintang on the beach, and early sleep. That's the trade-off for no crowds.
• Food options are simpler. You won't find avocado toast or açai bowls out here. You'll eat nasi goreng, mie goreng, fresh grilled fish, and whatever the warung made that day. Honestly? It's better. But if you need variety, you'll miss the Canggu scene.
• Cell service is spotty. Telkomsel works best but expect dead zones between villages. Download offline maps before you leave Ubud. Seriously.
• ATMs are scarce. The last reliable ATM is in Amlapura. Bring cash — enough for 2-3 days if you're heading to Amed or Tulamben.

East Bali isn't for everyone, and that's exactly why it's worth going. The tourists who need their comforts stay in Ubud and Seminyak, and the east coast stays quiet. For now, at least. Go before that changes.