When most people think of Bali, they picture serene rice terraces, yoga retreats, and endless beaches. Hopping on an ATV wasn’t part of our original itinerary, but that changed the moment our guide mentioned it. Harry’s grin gave it away instantly; this was something we couldn’t skip. The next day, we were donning helmets, gearing up for a ride through muddy trails, rivers, and rice fields. Little did I know, it would be one of the most thrilling (and messiest) adventures of our trip.

Tandem or single rider

The first thing we were asked when we arrived was if we would prefer to be riding tandem or solo. I could tell that Harry wanted to ride solo, so agreed. It wasn’t until I was sat on the ATV getting the pre-ride briefing that I started wondering if I had made the right decision.

Honestly, I did have moments where I regretted going solo, especially when I found that it was incredibly difficult to reverse and that my brakes weren’t working properly (sorry to the guy I rammed into!). If you’re nervous, tandem might be the way to go. But if you want the full adrenaline rush, I’d say try solo at least once.

The course

The start and end of the course is on a road; I was very glad that there were experienced staff escorting us along the roads as they helped to stop traffic periodically so that we could travel around corners safely as a group. It was a little nerve wracking to be driving an ATV along a busy road alongside all of the mopeds and large vehicles that went past, especially straight after being shown the controls.

The rest of the route to and from the circuit that you are free to travel around at your own speed, is on dirt tracks through fields with gorgeous views, which I enjoyed a little more than just travelling on the main road.

There were two main loops: both filled with thick puddles, rivers, and even a cave and waterfall to blast through. Riders zoomed around at their own pace; Harry was flying through every obstacle with a huge grin, me taking things a little more cautiously. At one point, I ended up behind a guy whose plain white t-shirt was so caked in mud that by the end it looked like part of the design. Let’s just say no one walked away clean.

It was a very similar route if not identical to the “Indiana Jones” course that I’d been seeing everywhere when looking into what there was for us to do in Ubud during our free day.

What to wear

I’m not ashamed to admit that I had a quick Google search to find out what would be suitable and then still ended up wearing something in white! The main recommendation that I have is the exact opposite of what I did, don’t wear anything containing white, especially if you plan on going fast as you’ll end up covered in mud.

Here’s what I’d recommend:

• Avoid white (unless you want to create your own mud-print souvenir).
• Wear clothes you don’t mind ruining and potentially bring a change of clothes for afterwards (especially if you are participating in the rainy season).
• Shoes: Our tour provided wellies and even plastic bags to keep socks dry, which was a lifesaver. If yours doesn’t, bring old trainers you don’t mind getting wrecked. For me personally, the boots weren’t ideal. I found that they were too big for my feet, but too tight on my calves, leaving red marks behind when I took them off afterwards. I was quite grateful for the boots regardless of the slight discomfort considering how much mud covered my legs by the time we were finished.
• Extras: A towel and wet wipes will make your life much easier post-ride.

Safety briefing

I was expecting a bit more of a safety briefing before we were going on the tour, and by a bit more I meant anything at all.

They’d given us a helmet, gone over how to accelerate, break and reverse, then sent us on our way. I think that could have been part of why I was so nervous. There had been very little in terms of what to do if something went wrong, merely a brief explanation of how the ATV worked and being told that if we were to crash or if we damaged anything we’d be paying for it, then we were on the road.

The safety briefing was minimal: helmet, controls, and a warning about paying for damages. That was it, so if you’re a first-timer, I’d recommend doing a quick YouTube search beforehand to feel more confident.

Our experience

I will admit that I thought I’d enjoy this activity more than I did. I’m not sure if that was because my breaks and reverse weren’t working properly, but I didn’t enjoy it as much. For me, the highlight was simply surviving the course without destroying someone’s home (though I did lightly bump the ATV in front of me when my brakes failed). For Harry? He was in his element; racing through rivers, ducking under waterfalls, and grinning ear-to-ear the whole time. Watching how much fun he had made the whole adventure worth it.

Would I do it again? Probably not for myself, but for Harry’s smile, absolutely.

Conclusion

Riding ATVs in Bali was definitely one of the more memorable things we did during our trip. While it wasn’t originally part of our itinerary, I’m glad our guide suggested it; it turned out to be an experience full of mud, laughter, and a few unexpected challenges. Personally, I struggled a little with my ATV (and my brakes!), but seeing Harry’s excitement as he raced through caves, waterfalls, and muddy tracks made the whole adventure worth it.

If you’re staying in Ubud and looking for something different from the usual temples and rice terraces, I’d recommend giving ATV riding a try. It’s messy, thrilling, and offers a side of Bali you won’t see from the main roads. Just make sure to wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, double-check your ATV before setting off, and embrace the chaos. You’ll come away with muddy boots, plenty of stories, and maybe even a new favorite Bali memory.