Delve Deep: Bali & the Gili Islands 2023-24

Ready to embrace the new and exotic? Discover the unknown? Change your view and challenge your expectations? Well, this is the place to do it – welcome to Bali. Meet us in Canggu as we kick off the adventure with a group dinner at a local eatery. Then: pull up a deck chair and sip on a cocktail as the sky turns into a million different shades of pink and orange. This is gonna be good.

Rise and shine! Kick-start your free day with an optional hike to Mt Batur. Setting off in the dark, we’ll reach the top just in time to watch the sun rise behind Mt Agung – Bali’s notoriously temperamental active volcano. Cue: all the goosebumps. Unpredictable volcanos not really your bag? DW: we’ve got options. Learn to carve like a pro on an optional surfing lesson. Join an e-bike tour around the stunning Jatiluwih area’s lush valleys and thick forest. Re-enact those sibling wrestling matches in a muddy rice field with a traditional Mepantigan experience – a Balinese martial art. Or balance your chakras on an optional yoga class, followed by a relaxing massage. It’s a tough life but someone’s got to do it.

Time for one last swim before we set our sights on the tropical rainforests of Ubud. There’s more here than #Insta swings – trust us. Bit of a nature buff? You’ve come to the right place. First up: our fact-filled Trip Leader will give us a whip around the area, passing Ubud Palace (for allll the carvings), the traditional craft market and the Monkey Forest (hold onto your iPhone – they WILL steal it and use all your data FaceTiming their nan). After a pit stop at a local café where your drink’s on us, the evening’s all yours. Need some recs for dinner? Head to Sage for one of the best vegetarian burgers you’ve ever had. Even the carnivores will be drooling.

Today’s 100% yours to delve deeper into this culturally rich gem-of-a-place. But we’ve got a few local suggestions, obvs. Opt for a day trip to Manggis, where tropical landscapes, a palm winemaking experience, and a picnic lunch beside a natural pool await. Bliss. Or learn some skills in the kitchen with an optional cooking class – the sate lilit recipe is sure to impress the Tinder matches back home. Later, you could even hike along the Campuhan Ridge for some unbelievable views of the valley. And tonight? Head to a local restaurant and get your fill of gado-gado, babi guling and mie goreng.

Wave goodbye to Bali as we speedboat our way to Gili. We’re heading north to the biggest of the Gili archipelago trio: Gili Trawangan. Insert: sun-bleached sandy beaches, shimmering turquoise water and sipping fresh coconuts under palm trees. Get your bearings with an orientation bike ride around the island. Then: the rest is up to you. Do the obvious and get horizontal on one of Gili’s gorgeous beaches. Relax and unwind with a beachfront massage. Hunt down Pituq Cafe for a refreshing fresh-fruit smoothie. Or pull up a pew at a local cocktail bar – you won’t have to venture far. Tonight, head to Trawangan night market for a feed. Here you can try everything from nasi gorang and bakso meatball soup to fresh lobster, squid, king prawns and snapper. Basically? You want it, they’ll grill it.

Today, you’ve got 24 hrs to do you. Need some suggestions? Channel your inner Little Mermaid and head out on an optional eco-snorkelling tour to explore the island’s ‘biorocks’ – wire structures used to restore the coral reef. Check out the other members of the Gili family: Gili Meno (aka tropical paradise) and Gili Air (hippy vibes) and uncover the best snorkelling spots around the islands. Or do your good deed for the day and help clear the ocean of rubbish on a stand-up paddleboarding session (the sea turtles salute you). Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? Easy. Practice mindfulness at one of the islands many yoga studios. Go for a pedal and cafe-hop your way around the island. Or park up at a beach club that suits your vibe. Later: catch up with the gang at our final group dinner, and watch the sun set in paradise one last time.

A week’s worth of incred Indonesian adventures? Completed. But now it’s time to say goodbye. Heading back to Bali? Your Trip Leader will help sort your boat ride. Staying on? Some people have all the luck. Swap those Insta handles – you’ll need them for next year’s reunion trip. Where to next? Thailand. Vietnam. Cambodia. All the above?