Bali Beyond the Crowds: A Sustainable Travel Guide for 2026
Bali has a sustainability problem — and an opportunity. Overtourism, plastic pollution, and water scarcity plague the island’s most popular areas. But look beyond Seminyak and Kuta, and you’ll find a Bali that’s fighting back: bamboo eco-villages, plastic-free markets, community-led conservation, and some of the most innovative sustainable tourism in Southeast Asia.
Where to Go: Sustainable Bali
Sidemen Valley
Bali’s best-kept secret. While Ubud drowns in Instagram tourists, Sidemen offers the same rice terrace views, traditional culture, and peaceful atmosphere — with a fraction of the visitors. Stay in family-run guesthouses, trek Mount Agung, and learn batik-making from local artisans. This is the Bali that Eat Pray Love tourists never find.
Stay: Samanvaya Luxury Resort (locally owned) or Wapa di Ume Sidemen
Munduk
A highland village surrounded by coffee plantations, clove farms, and twin waterfalls. Munduk is cool, quiet, and deeply Balinese. Hike through jungle to hidden waterfalls, visit a coffee farm to see beans processed by hand, and stay in eco-lodges that source everything locally.
Stay: Munduk Moding Plantation or Puri Lumbung Cottages
Amed & East Bali
A laid-back fishing village turned low-key dive destination. The coral reefs here are recovering thanks to community reef restoration projects — snorkel or dive the Japanese shipwreck and coral gardens. Tourism infrastructure is small-scale and locally owned. Salt farming, a centuries-old tradition, continues along the black sand beaches.
Stay: Blue Moon Villas or Griya Villas and Spa
West Bali National Park
Bali’s only national park covers the entire western tip of the island. Home to the critically endangered Bali starling (fewer than 100 remain in the wild), the park offers jungle treks, mangrove kayaking, and snorkeling at Menjangan Island — arguably the best diving in Bali with zero crowds.
Stay: The Menjangan (eco-resort within the park)
Sustainable Dining
Bali’s farm-to-table scene is thriving:
- Moksa (Ubud) — Plant-based restaurant with its own permaculture garden. Everything on the plate comes from within 100 meters.
- Sardine (Seminyak) — Bamboo pavilion overlooking rice paddies, sourcing seafood from local fishermen
- Warung Bintangbali (Sidemen) — Family cooking class and meal using ingredients from their own garden
- Alchemy (Ubud) — Raw vegan café with a build-your-own salad bar from organic farms
The Plastic Problem (and What’s Being Done)
Bali generates 1.6 million tons of waste per year, and only 48% is properly managed. Rivers of plastic flow to the ocean during rainy season. But the tide is turning:
- Bye Bye Plastic Bags — Founded by two Balinese teenagers, this campaign successfully lobbied for Bali’s 2019 single-use plastic ban
- Sungai Watch — Installing river barriers to catch plastic before it reaches the ocean. Volunteers welcome.
- Refill stations — Bali’s Refill My Bottle app maps free water refill stations across the island
- Eco-Bali Recycling — Community recycling program serving areas without municipal collection
As a visitor, carry a reusable bottle, refuse plastic bags, and support businesses that are part of the solution.
Getting Around
- Electric scooter rental — Companies like Voltly rent electric scooters in Ubud, Canggu, and Seminyak
- Bicycle — Flat areas like Sanur and Amed are perfect for cycling
- Shared shuttles — Perama and Kura-Kura buses connect major tourist areas cheaply
- Avoid ride-hails for very short trips — walk instead
Budget Breakdown
- Budget: $25-40/day (guesthouses, warungs, scooter rental)
- Mid-range: $60-120/day (eco-lodges, restaurants, guided tours)
- Luxury eco: $200-500/day (premium resorts, private guides, spa treatments)
Bali can still be paradise — if we travel there thoughtfully. Explore the quiet side, support the communities fighting for change, and leave the island better than the Instagram crowds do.
More destination guides in our global eco-travel directory. Pack smart with our sustainable packing list.
