Bali offers year-round surfing, on the west coast during the April–October dry season and on the east coast during the November–March rainy season: Kuta Beach makes a great place to learn. But Bali also sits within the Coral Triangle, one of the most diverse marine areas in the world. From the manta rays off Penida Island (Nusa Penida) to the USS Liberty wreck near Amed, Bali boasts world-class snorkeling and scuba diving at prices that won’t bust the budget.

Bali has its own rich performance tradition, from the delicate legong dance to the lively barong show, featuring a giant shaggy monster. But the island’s signature is the kecak, where a beatboxing, shirtless male voice choir accompanies performers in stories drawn from the Ramayana epic—often followed by a spectacular fire dance. The amphitheater by Uluwatu Temple hosts a spectacular sunset cliff-top kecak; the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) also delivers wonderful performances.

With museums, waterfalls, galleries, and arts and crafts villages, Ubud’s art scene is a must-include for any Bali travel guide. But craft classes and courses are some of the most rewarding things to do in Ubud. You can try your hand at everything from painting and Balinese dance to making batik or wood carving, but many travelers love the silversmithing classes. Most let you sketch out your own design and create it with help, or choose from a range of sample styles.

There are so many temples on Bali, and they’re some of the most mesmerizing Bali attractions. Be sure to visit a water temple, either the popular Tirta Empul Temple or less-crowded Gunung Kawi Sebatu Temple. Elsewhere, cliff-top Uluwatu Temple offers dazzling ocean views, and Besakih Temple is the island’s largest and most important temple.

Tropical rain and volcanic landscapes make Bali’s waterfalls a highlight of any Bali island tour. Instagrammers flock to the falls around Ubud, particularly Tegenungan Waterfall, Tibumana Waterfall, Kanto Lampo Waterfall, and Tukad Cepung Waterfall, where sunlight seems to shine through a cave into the falls in the morning. Or head farther afield into the highlands of Munduk, which has several rewarding waterfall hikes, or Sekumpul Waterfall, a series of seven slim cascades.

Many Bali tours include a sunset stop at Tanah Lot Temple, a sea temple perched on a lava outcrop in the ocean north of Canggu, or Jimbaran Beach, where sundown brings seafood feasts by candlelight on the sand. Opt to sip a sundowner at slick beach clubs like Canggu’s La Brisa, or Seminyak’s KU DE TA or Potatohead, or pick a simpler beachfront eatery, perhaps Warung Pantai on Batu Belig Beach.

Bali is an island in its own right, but for a slice of small island life it’s worth heading east. A triptych of isles hangs in the water between Bali and neighboring Lombok: Nusa Penida, known for manta rays and cliff-framed beaches; Nusa Lembongan, known for mangroves and laid-back beach clubs; and tiny Nusa Ceningan. Or, jump a fast boat from the port at Sanur to the Gili Islands off Lombok’s northwestern coast.

With more than 17,000 islands, Indonesia offers a whole world of flavors, from Indian- and Arab-influenced curries in Sumatra to sago dishes in Papua. Restaurants like Ubud’s Nusantara and Seminyak’s Kaum offer lightly elevated takes on archipelago favorites; Babi Guling Chandra in Bali’s capital Denpasar majors on the island’s signature dish, spit-roasted babi guling suckling pig. There’s no better Bali travel advice than to take a cooking course—perhaps one with a market tour.

It was rice terraces and valleys, not beaches, that brought the first intrepid travelers to Bali, and some of the best places to visit in Bali are still rice farming districts. Compact but charming Tegalalang Rice Terrace outside Ubud is a popular stop on Ubud tours; west Bali’s Jatiluwih has well-marked hiking trails through spectacular landscapes where dragonflies flit amid organic rice; meanwhile, Sidemen hikes yield dramatic views of the Mt. Agung volcano.

At different times, Bali has been divided into as many as eight kingdoms, and each ruler left their own mark on the landscape. Royal Bali landmarks for beginners include the Tirta Gangga Water Garden, a confection of pools and pavilions built for the king of Karangasem—as well as his less-visited Ujung Water Palace. Ubud Palace, where Ubud’s kings once lived, is still at the heart of Ubud, while the limpid pools and lush landscapes of Taman Ayun Temple were designed for the rulers of Mengwi.