Bali Ghost Tour: The Biggest Abandoned Hotel in Bali

The star of this private Bali day tour is the abandoned Bedugul Hotel, a huge unfinished-looking building known locally as the Ghost Palace. You also get two things I value on a long sightseeing day: a private driver-guide and a good mix of places, from a lakeside temple to a waterfall and mountain viewpoints. Guides such as Dekwi, Radi, and Benik have been praised for being friendly, funny, and attentive.

The main drawback is the length. At about 10 hours, this is a full day in the car and on foot, with several stops packed together. Banyumala Waterfalls also involves walking, and the tour calls for moderate physical fitness. If you prefer slow meals and long stays at one place, this schedule may feel busy.

What makes this Bali ghost tour worth considering

• The Bedugul Hotel is the unusual centerpiece: You visit Bali’s largest abandoned hotel, a place tied to local ghost stories and unfinished ambition.
• Four very different stops fill the day: The route combines a temple, abandoned building, waterfall, and photo viewpoints.
• A private guide changes the feel: Only your group takes part, and guides including Dekwi, Radi, and Benik have earned praise for humor, care, and clear English.
• The price covers the costly basics: At $61.54 per person, you get a private air-conditioned minivan, hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, bottled water, and attraction fees.
• The waterfall requires some effort: Banyumala is not simply a roadside photo stop. You should expect a walk, with swimming possible once you arrive.
• It suits people who want photos: Wanagiri includes a swing, bird nest, and other photo spots above Buyan Lake.

Why the abandoned Bedugul Hotel is the main event

Bali has no shortage of temples, rice terraces, beaches, and waterfalls. The Bedugul Hotel offers something different: a large abandoned building with an eerie reputation and a story that is more intriguing because it is unfinished.

The hotel was built around the 1990s with the aim of becoming the biggest hotel in the Bedugul area. That plan never reached its intended finish, and the building became known among local people as the Ghost Palace. On this tour, you learn about the hotel’s past and the spooky stories connected with it while looking around the structure for about an hour.

I like that the experience does not treat the hotel as a stand-alone scare attraction. It places the building within a broader day in Bali’s cooler highland area. You get the strange, atmospheric stop first, then move on to places that show the region’s natural beauty and religious life.

The tour details do not promise theatrical actors, special effects, or a staged haunted-house experience. Keep that in mind. This is a sightseeing visit to an abandoned building, with local stories supplied by your guide. The appeal is the setting, the sense of mystery, and the contrast with Bali’s more polished tourist sights.

You should also follow your guide’s instructions around the building. The supplied information confirms a visit to the hotel but does not describe its interior conditions, safety arrangements, or exact access points. Expect a real abandoned site, not a restored museum.

Ulun Danu Bratan brings a calm start

The day begins with pickup at about 8:00 a.m. and a visit to Ulun Danu Bratan Temple. You spend roughly one hour here, and admission is included.

The temple is set on Lake Beratan and is known for its appearance on the water, with hills behind it. This gives you a gentler start than beginning with the ghost hotel. The setting is made for photographs, but it also gives you a chance to see one of Bali’s best-known religious sites in a quiet lake setting.

I like the contrast between the temple and the abandoned hotel. One is cared for and connected to ongoing spiritual practice. The other is a failed development project left behind. Together, they give the day more meaning than a simple string of photo stops.

Your one-hour visit is long enough to see the temple area and take pictures, but it is not an extended religious tour. The information provided does not include a detailed explanation of temple etiquette or ceremonies, so ask your guide if you want more context during your visit.

Seeing the Ghost Palace in daylight

The abandoned Bedugul Hotel follows as the first major stop, with about an hour set aside. Admission is free, and the private format means you can ask your guide to explain the hotel’s story rather than simply walk through it on your own.

This is where the tour’s title earns its place. The building is large, abandoned, and associated with ghost tales. You may find the atmosphere more interesting than the supernatural claims themselves. The real story is the gap between the hotel’s original plan and its present state.

A private tour works well here. The two detailed guide mentions in the supplied feedback are especially useful: Dekwi was praised for making the day enjoyable, while Radi was described as friendly and able to explain the hotel well in English. Benik was also singled out for being very funny and nice, and for helping create good photographs.

Those names are not a guarantee of your assigned guide, but they show the kind of service the operator aims to provide. The guide is not just a driver who drops you off. The experience is designed around having one person handle transport, explain the places, and help your group move through the day.

Banyumala Waterfalls requires the most effort

The next stop is Banyumala Twin Waterfalls, with about an hour allocated and admission included. It is described as one of Bali’s most beautiful waterfalls, and you can swim there if conditions suit you.

This stop adds the physical element that the tour’s moderate fitness warning is pointing toward. You need to walk to reach the waterfall, and the route is described as worth the effort once you see the view. The tour details do not give a distance, number of steps, or surface conditions, so you should not assume it is a flat, effortless stop.

Bring suitable footwear and be ready for wet conditions. That is practical advice based on the included walking and swimming, not a promise about the exact path. Bottled water is included, which helps on a long day, but you should still dress for a day that includes both sightseeing and possible swimming.

The one-hour schedule may feel short if you want a long swim or a relaxed visit. It is enough to see the falls, take photographs, and possibly get into the water, but the tour is built to cover four main places. If Banyumala is your top priority, ask your guide how much time is available once you arrive.

Wanagiri Hidden Hills is built for photographs

The final listed stop is Wanagiri Hidden Hills, where you spend about an hour. The viewpoint looks over Buyan Lake and includes a swing, a bird nest, and other photo spots.

This is the most overtly staged stop of the day. Unlike the temple or waterfall, the point is not mainly history or nature. It is the chance to pose against a wide highland view using simple structures made for pictures.

That can be a plus if you want memorable holiday photographs without arranging a separate photo session. A private guide can also help take pictures, something directly reflected in the positive comments about Benik and the other guides. You can enjoy the stop at your own pace within the hour instead of waiting for a large group.

The limitation is that the photo platforms are the attraction. If you dislike constructed viewpoints or prefer quiet natural sites, you may find this stop less appealing than the temple or waterfall. Still, it gives the day a light finish after the darker mood of the hotel.

A private vehicle makes the long day easier

Round-trip hotel pickup and drop-off are included, along with transport in an air-conditioned minivan. Pickup begins at about 8:00 a.m., and the total experience lasts around 10 hours.

That matters in Bali, where a day with several distant stops can be tiring. You do not need to arrange separate taxis, work out the route, or find your way back to Ubud after the waterfall. Your driver handles the road while you focus on the stops.

The tour is private, so only your group takes part. This is one of its strongest features. You can ask questions, request help with photographs, and discuss the timing directly with your guide. A private vehicle also avoids the uncertainty of a large coach group, where everyone must follow the same pace.

The four positive comments point to the human side of the service. Dekwi was praised for making the day enjoyable, Radi for friendly and clear English, and Benik for humor and help with photos. Another comment described the private driver arrangement as a pleasant surprise, since the couple had expected a bus.

Your exact guide is not specified in advance, so you should not book solely expecting one of those three people. But the feedback gives you a useful sense of what to look for: a driver-guide who is engaged, friendly, and willing to help beyond simply driving.

Is $61.54 per person a fair price?

At $61.54 per person, the tour is not priced like a basic taxi ride. It includes a private tour, air-conditioned minivan, hotel pickup and return, lunch, bottled water, taxes, handling charges, and admission fees for the included attractions.

The value improves if two people share the booking and want a full day without arranging transport themselves. You are paying for convenience, a private guide, and a carefully assembled route rather than just entry to the hotel.

The minimum booking is two people. For a couple or small group, the cost can make sense because the vehicle and guide are reserved for your party. The price is harder to justify if you only want to see the abandoned hotel and would rather spend the rest of the day at your own pace.

Lunch is included and described as Indonesian food. Alcoholic drinks are not included, so budget separately if you want them. No other meal details are provided, so do not book this expecting a menu tailored to a particular diet unless you confirm that directly before departure.

The tour is often booked about 29 days ahead. That suggests you should plan early if the date matters, especially since it is private and requires at least two people. Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the 8:00 a.m. start time. Cancellations or changes within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would choose this tour if you want Bali sights that feel less predictable than a standard temple-and-waterfall route. The abandoned hotel gives the day a clear theme, while the temple, waterfall, and viewpoint keep it from becoming a one-note ghost story.

It is a good match for:

• Couples who want a private day with help taking photographs
• Small groups interested in unusual buildings and local ghost stories
• First-time visitors who want transport arranged from Ubud
• People comfortable with a full 10-hour schedule
• Anyone who likes combining cultural sights, nature, and photo stops

I would think twice if you want a slow, unstructured day. The schedule includes four stops, a waterfall walk, lunch, and substantial time in the vehicle. It may also disappoint anyone expecting a formal paranormal investigation or a haunted-house production, since the information describes a sightseeing visit and local stories rather than a staged show.

Practical details before you book

Wear shoes suitable for walking, especially for Banyumala Waterfalls. If you plan to swim, bring what you need for that part of the day, since the tour only specifically includes bottled water and lunch.

Keep your phone or camera ready. Ulun Danu Bratan, the abandoned hotel, the waterfall, and Wanagiri all offer different kinds of photographs. Wanagiri is the clearest choice for posed pictures, with its swing and bird nest above Buyan Lake.

Ask your guide questions as you go. A private format is most useful when you use it. You can ask for more detail about the hotel, request help with photos, and discuss the timing of the waterfall visit.

Finally, allow the whole day. The stated duration is approximately 10 hours, not a short morning outing. The early start and long route are part of the trade-off for seeing all four places in one trip.

Should you book the Bedugul ghost tour?

Book it if the abandoned hotel is the reason you are interested, and you also want a private route through Bali’s northern highlands. The mix is strong: one unusual building, one famous temple, one waterfall, and one photo viewpoint, with lunch and transport handled for you.

Skip it if you want a relaxed day, a serious supernatural investigation, or a long stay at a single attraction. For most people seeking a varied private day from Ubud, the $61.54 price offers solid value, especially when shared by two or more people and paired with a friendly guide such as Dekwi, Radi, or Benik.

FAQ

Where does the Bali Ghost Tour take place?

The tour is based in Ubud, Indonesia, and includes hotel pickup and drop-off.

What time does the tour start?

Pickup begins at 8:00 a.m.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately 10 hours.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates in the private tour or activity.

What is the minimum number of people required?

A minimum of two people is required for each booking.

What is included in the price?

The price includes taxes and handling charges, bottled water, hotel pickup and drop-off, private transport in an air-conditioned minivan, lunch, and included attraction admission fees.

Do I need to be physically fit?

You should have a moderate level of physical fitness. The Banyumala Waterfalls stop involves walking, and swimming is possible there.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted.