Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Denpasar. Left side wins both the departure over Istanbul's historic waterways and the arrival over Bali's southern coast and distant Agung volcano. During the cruise over the Indian subcontinent and Bay of Bengal, the left side also tracks closer to the Himalayas on the northern horizon if routing goes via India, making it the stronger choice throughout.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Left side for the best views. IST typically departs eastward on runway 06, so the left (north) side gives you the Bosphorus strait, the historic peninsula of Sultanahmet, and the Golden Horn inlet. The right side faces south toward the Sea of Marmara, which is scenic but less layered with landmarks. Notable sights include: Bosphorus Strait, Sultanahmet historic peninsula (Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque visible), Golden Horn inlet, Galata Bridge area.

When landing at Bali International (DPS), sit on the Left side for the best views. Ngurah Rai Airport typically lands from the north on runway 09 or approaches from the south, but the dominant approach is from the south over the Indian Ocean turning north. On the left side you get the Bukit Peninsula cliffs and the southern Bali coastline, plus the volcanic cone of Gunung Agung visible to the northeast on clear days. The right side faces west toward the Bali Strait and Lombok Strait, which is open water. Notable sights include: Bukit Peninsula sea cliffs, Jimbaran Bay, Gunung Agung volcano (northeast, distant), Kuta Beach coastline.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Bali International (DPS) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours nonstop, though many routings connect via Kuala Lumpur or Singapore adding 3 to 5 hours.

The route typically crosses eastern Turkey and the Caucasus region, then tracks over Iran and the Persian Gulf, across Pakistan and northern India where the Himalayan foothills may be visible on clear days to the left, then over the Bay of Bengal, the Malay Peninsula, and the Java Sea before descending into Bali