Bali rewards riders who get off the coastal loop. The best mornings start before 7am, when the mist is still sitting low over the rice terraces and the ridge roads north of Ubud are nearly empty. Here are five routes our team rides on their own days off — and hands out to guests who ask for something more than the beach road.

1. Kintamani's volcano rim

The road that traces the caldera above Lake Batur climbs through pine forest before opening onto views of Mount Agung across the water. It's a two-hour ride from Ubud each way, mostly smooth tarmac with a few tight switchbacks near the top. Fuel up in Kintamani town — the next station is 40 minutes further north, and phone signal gets patchy along the rim.

2. The pass above Sidemen

Narrower and quieter than Kintamani, this route threads between rice terraces with Agung filling the horizon for most of the ride. Best attempted on one of our adventure bikes — the surface turns to loose gravel for the last few kilometers near the top, and the CRF300L handles it far better than a scooter will.

3. Munduk's waterfall loop

Cool mountain air, clove plantations, and three waterfalls within twenty minutes of each other. Bring a rain shell even on clear days — this route sees its own microclimate and can turn from sunshine to drizzle in the space of a switchback.

4. The east coast run to Amed

Flatter and faster than the mountain routes, this is the ride for anyone who wants long straight stretches and black-sand beaches instead of hairpins. Stop in Tulamben on the way for the wreck dive site, even if you're not diving — the shoreline itself is worth the ten-minute detour.

5. Uluwatu's cliff road

Short enough to do in half a day, this stretch hugs limestone cliffs above the surf breaks on the peninsula's southern tip. Traffic picks up in the late afternoon as everyone heads for sunset at the temple, so we usually send guests out mid-morning instead.

Every one of these routes is loaded onto the GPS unit that comes with your rental, along with notes on fuel stops and the sections worth slowing down for. Ask at pickup and we'll walk you through whichever one matches your dates.