Best of Bali in 3 days.

First you don't need a "guide." A private driver is all that you need and normally they are not licensed guides.

Rafting picks you up at your accomodation and takes you back so that is covered. The two classic trips are up to Bedugul to see the temple in the lake, Botanical Garden, spice garden, Rice fields along the mountainside and just general being out and about. You might happen upon a temple ceremony or procession or other so play it by ear. Second day up to Batur Volcano, Ceking rice terraces in Tegallalang, Gunung Kawi, Goa Gajah, Mask Museum, stuff like that. Two full days. The day on your own around Ubud check out Neka Museum, shopping, spa.

Of course there is a lot more to do but without knowing what you want it's difficult to recommend!

How does this sound? Is it too much? Anything we can miss out especially if it's going to take a long time to get to?

Day 1.
Tirta Empul Temple, penglipuran village, lempuyang, Tirta Ganga

Day 2.
Royal Temple, Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, Bedugul, git git waterfall, Tanalot

Day 3
Rafting, Uluwatu Temple and back to Ubud.

None of the places in your first day are must sees IMHO. Many people want to bathe in the holy water so if you are a Hindu it might be meaningful to you. Lempuyang is a very tall order literally, hiking that will be enough for the full day plus your travel time. Tirta Ganga is pretty but small and nothing special from a HIndu religious standpoint.

Day 2. Which royal temple? There are thousands of temples in Bali and many of them are "royal" meaning one of the temples "owned" by one of the several former kingdoms of Bali (at least 6 and many lesser royal branches). Tanah Lot is well south of Bedugul and not really efficient to go there and then back to Ubud. Many of the Bus Tour routes go to Tanah Lot after Bedugul because all the Busses leave from one of the beach cities not Ubud.

Day 3: Rafting is either in Ubud along the Ayung River or in East Bali nearer to Lempuyangan. It makes no sense for either plan to see Uluwatu in this plan. Better to see Uluwatu either when you arrive or leave as it's close to the airport.

Also forgot to say that November December is in the rainy season. You might want to play it by ear each day as to which activiites you do..eg rafting is not good during heavy rain, and Lempuyang would be difficult, as would Batur, etc.

Oh Cuscus...now you made me sad! Have to start planning from scratch!
Can you suggest places that I shouldn't miss then? Would love to hear your choices. Thanks for your help!

Look above to post # 1 which I wrote to you earlier. Also there is no real "must do" esp since you only have 3 days..there is so much to see you can't try to see all the highlights in such a short time.

Oh boy!!!!!! In post #2 you mention what you want to cover. That's a hell of a lot!!!!!! Don't forget to take into account how long it will take to get to your desired sights. Traffic in Bali can be horrendous and even "country" roads can be clogged with traffic.

Cuscus, if I can pick your brains for the same time frame (3 days). Instead of basing myself in Ubud, I was planning a round-about (loop) itinerary on a rental bike. Here it is below...

Day 1 - Checkout of Kuta hotel and head north (Jatiluwih terraces, Ulun Danu temple, night in Singaraja-North Bali).
Day 2 - Singaraja to Lempuyang temple (early afternoon), stay near Amed beach
Day 3 - Amed to Ubud (Tukad Cepung, Dusun Kuning waterfalls) and reach Kuta beach by evening.

Also, I have 4 additional days for the region and I was planning to spend 1 day in Gili Air, 2 days in Gili T, and final day in Kuta. I am debating on cutting Gili T to one day, and an extra day in Kuta. What would be your recommendation?

PS: I am not a diver/snorkeler; but visiting the region for mostly sightseeing & beach.

Hashashyin: Do you normally go on a motorbike and do you have the correct license and experience driving in Bali? The roads you are wanting to drive through are tough going and more fatal accidents happen in the country roads where people can go fast. Also, around Ulun Danu Beratan and on to Singaraja are very tough curvy roads. A tourist died about 2 months ago trying to go from Ubud to Lovina (very early morning) and her passenger badly injured..that is only tourists..in Bali more than 1 person dies every day on the roads.

In any case, even if you are a great driver and defensive driver with great luck, your pace is too fast...there is a lot to see and if you are driving yourself and going so far every day you have no time to talk to anyone, admire the views, see the ceremonies or culture, etc.

As far as the Gilis, I don't think they are anything special unless you want to snorkel with turtles. If just beach then stay in Bali and check out places closer...maybe even Nusa Lembongan which is a part of Bali, and perhaps Amed or even the sandy parts of Kuta Bali (not the hellhole parts, just the nice parts)