Bali: Secret and Untouristic Tour North West Bali.

North West Bali stays quiet if you go right. This 10-hour route pairs Belimbing Rice Terrace views with a slow, local-feeling walk, set against Batukaru Mountain. I love how the day feels unforced: you get time to look, breathe, and ask questions instead of racing from one selfie stop to the next.

The other big win is the switch from village quiet to sacred calm and back to nature. Blahmantung Waterfall sits in a resident garden with no clear signage, and that means you’ll likely do some walking, plus a little path-finding with locals’ help. The trade-off: this isn’t a low-effort outing (and it’s not suitable for wheelchair users).

Key highlights worth caring about

• A private car charter with an English-speaking driver for a smooth rural route
• Belimbing Village rice-terrace trekking with farmers working in the fields
• Siwa Pujungan Temple’s story tied to a massive 1993 bronze Shiva statue
• Blahmantung Waterfall with minimal signage and a short walk from the highway
• A low-tourism feel where you may see only a handful of people at each stop
• Guides like Adi, Made, and Kadek who give you time and adapt the plan

North West Bali that feels local, not crowded

This tour is built around a simple idea: see Bali in places that most normal itineraries skip. You still get major sights, but the tone is different. Instead of a packed circuit, you’re moving through villages where daily life is the main event, and tourists are the side story.

What you’ll notice fast is the pace. You’re not just driven to viewpoints; you’re given time at each stop. In particular, the rice-terrace section isn’t rushed. You walk in the fields, you see how people farm, and you get a sense of what the countryside looks like when it’s not designed for mass tourism.

There’s also a practical upside to the private setup. The day includes multiple areas around Tabanan Regency and west Bali, and that’s exactly the kind of route where a private driver saves you stress. You get hotel pickup, petrol, parking fees, and entrance fees handled, so you can focus on the scenery and the walking.

One more note: the best moments often come from small interactions. Depending on your driver, you might get chances to try local fruit, talk with locals, and learn why each place matters beyond the postcard version. Guides such as Adi, Made, and Kadek stand out for explanations and for giving you space to enjoy what you’re seeing.

Belimbing Rice Terrace: rice farming with Batukaru Mountain behind you

Your day starts at Belimbing Rice Terrace in Belimbing Village, a traditional village in Tabanan Regency. The village sits about 600 meters above sea level, and that elevation shows in the feel of the air and the views. With Batukaru Mountain as a backdrop, it’s the kind of scenery where you pause without being told to.

Belimbing Village is also known for tropical plantations—things like durian, coffee, clove, rambutan, mangosteen, and others. That matters because the rice terrace isn’t isolated. It sits inside a living patchwork of farms, not a landscaped exhibit.

At this stop, you can expect rice paddy trekking. The point is less about covering distance and more about seeing the rhythm of the fields: what’s growing, how the farmers are working, and how the terrace system fits into the surrounding village. If you like photography, this is one of the better areas of the day because the view has depth. If you like nature, it’s also a nice break from temple interiors—green, quiet, and practical.

Practical tip: bring a change of clothes even if you don’t plan to swim. The walking paths can be damp, and the day includes a waterfall later.

Siwa Pujungan Temple: a temple shaped by one huge 1993 bronze statue

After the rice fields, you shift into sacred space at Siwa Pujungan Temple (Pura Siwa Pujungan). The temple has a focused origin story, and your driver can explain it in a way that makes it feel human, not like a museum label.

Here’s the key backstory you can remember while you’re there: the temple was founded by Jero Mangku Sutarjana. In 1993, he found a bronze statue of Lord Shiva, 10.5 meters tall, on the western slope of Mount Batukaru. Later, after a revelation, he used his own budget to build the temple at the location. The name Siwa Pujungan ties back to that Shiva statue, which sat cross-legged upright on the mountainside.

That story gives you a better way to look at the temple. You’re not just admiring buildings; you’re seeing how one discovery became a place of worship.

Location-wise, the temple is in Pujungan Village, Pupuan District, Tabanan Regency. From Denpasar it takes about 90 minutes, and from the city of Tabanan it’s about 47 kilometers. There’s also a very important walking detail: the distance between the vehicle parking lot and the temple is around 3 kilometers. So even though it’s a temple stop, it’s also a walking stop.

If you want a mental reset, this is a strong choice. Many people describe the temple as a place to refresh your mind, and the setting helps. Just be ready for the walk there and plan your pace.

Blahmantung Waterfall: a quiet resident garden with confusing paths

The final big nature hit is Blahmantung Waterfall, described as sitting in the middle of a beautiful, quiet garden owned by local residents. This is one of those Bali moments where the experience depends on how you handle small details.

First, there’s no signboard. There isn’t a clear parking area either. If you arrive with a vehicle, you can park on the roadside toward the waterfall. From the edge of the highway, you then walk about 800 meters.

Second, the route isn’t always obvious. There are branching paths, and if it’s your first time there, you can get turned around. The smart move is to ask locals for direction once you’re close. With the private driver guiding you, you’ll have a better chance of finding the right trail, but the key point is still yours: slow down, ask, and follow the people who know the garden paths.

What about the hike itself? One traveler-style detail that’s worth taking seriously: the waterfall involves a decent descent and a decent climb back up. If you don’t like steep, you might still enjoy it, but you’ll want to take your time with a careful footing mindset.

Bring a towel and plan for wet conditions. Even if you only stand near the falls, you’ll feel the damp air, and you might get splashes on the walk back.

Price and value: how $36 turns into a real day out

At about $36 per person for a 10-hour private day, the value comes from what’s included. You’re not paying extra for the practical stuff that usually eats your time and attention.

Included in your tour:

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Private car charter and petrol
• English-speaking driver
• Parking fees and entrance fees
• Mineral water

Not included:

• Extra hours if you run long (listed at IDR 50K per hour)
• Personal expenses
• Lunch/dinner
• Drinks and meals

This pricing works best if you care about doing more than one rural stop. Each of these places has its own challenges: temple walking from a distant parking area, rice field trekking, and a waterfall that doesn’t make it easy to find. A private car and driver compress those problems into a manageable day.

One caution: lunch isn’t included. If you get hungry, you’ll need to either stop for food on your own or rely on your driver’s flexibility. Some guides are good at adapting the plan to your wishes, including making time for a local shop stop if it fits.

If you’re the kind of traveler who likes to spend less time planning and more time looking at rice terraces and temples, this is a solid deal. If you want a schedule with meals built in, you’ll need to handle food separately.

How the 10 hours usually feel: driving, walking, and real breaks

Even without a minute-by-minute schedule, the day has a clear structure: rice terrace trekking first, then temple, then waterfall. That order makes sense because you build from open fields into sacred space into wet nature.

Expect a lot of movement, even with a private car. The biggest “effort blocks” are:

• Rice terrace trekking: active walking, generally manageable at your pace
• Siwa Pujungan Temple: about 3 kilometers from parking to the temple area
• Blahmantung Waterfall: about 800 meters from the highway edge plus the paths within the garden area, with a return climb

Driving time matters too. Belimbing Village is around 30 km from Denpasar, about 2 hours by car. The temple is about 90 minutes from Denpasar. So your day is a mix of scenic roads and countryside travel.

Here’s the key mindset I’d recommend: don’t treat this like a fast checklist. Treat it like a day with multiple “micro-adventures.” You’ll enjoy it more if you slow your body down as much as your camera does.

Also, remember the pickup detail: you’ll wait in your hotel lobby about 10 minutes before pickup. If you’re planning to catch breakfast, build in buffer time so you don’t feel rushed.

Packing you’ll actually use (and what not to bring)

This tour gives you a field-and-water day, not a light city stroll. Pack like it:

Bring:

• Towel
• Sunscreen
• Comfortable clothes
• Change of clothes
• Sandals

Not allowed:

• Luggage or large bags
• Pets

That luggage note is more important than it sounds. Since you’re on a private car, it’s easy to think you can bring more than you should, but you’ll want to travel light for comfort during walking segments. A small day bag is the best approach.

Clothes-wise, comfortable and breathable helps. The rice terraces and the waterfall area can involve damp air and uneven ground, so you’ll want footwear that won’t fight you on return climbs.

Guides who make it worth the long drive

A good driver on a rural route does more than drive. They translate the place into something you can understand without being lectured.

On this route, guides like Adi, Made, and Kadek have stood out for a few reasons:

• They explain things clearly and give you time instead of forcing speed
• They sometimes include small local touches, like letting you try local fruit
• They adapt the plan to your preferences, including adding a stop at a local shop when there’s room

That matters because rural Bali isn’t always straightforward. The waterfall area in particular has branching paths and no signage, so local direction becomes part of the experience. If your guide speaks enough English and stays observant, you’ll feel more confident with each turn.

My advice: ask questions early. Ask what you should look for in the rice terraces, and ask how to approach the waterfall walk safely. When you do that, you’ll get a better day from every stop.

Who should book this North West Bali day?

This is a strong match for you if:

• You want less crowded parts of Bali
• You like a mix of rice paddies, temples, and a waterfall
• You’re okay with walking, including a temple walk of about 3 kilometers
• You want a private, English-speaking driver instead of piecing together transport

It’s not a good fit if:

• You need wheelchair accessibility (it’s listed as not suitable)
• You want a totally easy, flat, no-walking day
• You expect lunch and drinks to be included

It also works especially well if you’re staying in the Denpasar area and want a long day that feels more countryside than tourist strip.

Should you book it? My practical decision guide

Book this tour if you want a day that feels grounded in village life: rice farming with Batukaru behind you, a temple with a clear human-origin story, and a waterfall reached through a resident garden. The private car and included entrance fees remove a lot of hassle, and the $36 price becomes more convincing the moment you realize how much walking and navigation would be annoying to DIY.

Skip it if you’re chasing a super-low-effort plan, need wheelchair access, or you don’t like steep descents and climbs near water. Also, if you get hangry without planned meals, make sure you have a simple food plan before the day starts.

If you fit the first group, you’ll probably leave with the kind of memories that don’t require filters: quiet fields, a temple set in motion by one discovery, and a waterfall you found by following local directions.

FAQ

How long is the Bali North West Secret and Untouristic Tour?

The tour runs for 10 hours.

What’s included in the price?

It includes hotel pickup and drop-off, private car charter, an English-speaking driver, petrol, parking fees, entrance fees, and mineral water.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch and dinner are not included, and drinks and meals are also not included.

What should I bring for the tour?

Bring a towel, sunscreen, comfortable clothes, a change of clothes, and sandals.

Is there a limit on luggage or bags?

Yes. Luggage or large bags are not allowed.

Is the tour wheelchair friendly?

No. It is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.