Bali

Ubud

Ubud is the right destination for anyone who wants to experience the spiritual Bali! It is considered the cultural and spiritual center of Bali. Besides sacred springs and temples, you will find countless yoga retreats. Ubud is also known for traditional crafts and dance. In general, everything there feels more traditional and religious than in Canggu or Uluwatu, although you will find just as many hip restaurants, cafés and boutiques in Ubud.

Ubud is also characterized by its beautiful nature. You will find impressive rice terraces, imposing waterfalls, beautiful hiking trails and even a monkey forest. But be aware: so much tradition, nature and culture does not mean that it is particularly quiet in Ubud... On the contrary: Ubud is bustling with tourists. There is mass tourism, especially in the center, a lot of traffic and you are constantly being approached by drivers or promoters who want to sell you their services. I found that a bit exhausting at times.

Nevertheless, I would recommend a visit to Ubud. It's worth it for the shopping alone, as there are countless beautiful boutiques. But also, when you see the nature around Ubud, you understand why so many tourists come here! Ultimately, Ubud is somehow a place of contrasts: Loud traffic and mass tourism vs. idyllic nature and yoga retreats. Tradition and culture vs. hip cafés and stores. That's what makes Ubud so interesting!

What to see & discover:

Tegallalang Rice Terraces

If there's one thing Ubud is known for, it's its photogenic, lush green rice terraces! The most famous of these are the Tegallalang rice terraces. For me personally, they were also the most beautiful I saw on my trip. Although there are many other rice terraces in Bali, I liked Tegallalang the most from an agricultural point of view. This could be due to the fact that the rice terraces here rise up on steep slopes, whereas in Sidmen, for example, they tend to be on wide, flatter areas.

So it's no wonder that the Tegallalang rice terraces are so popular with tourists. Unfortunately, this makes it very touristy in some places (with swings & co) and crowded during the day. However, to avoid the tourist crowds, I can recommend that you simply come here when it opens (at 8am). We were the only tourists at this time of day and it wasn't that warm yet. Perfect for a hike through the beautiful landscape!

Afterwards, you can head to one of the clubs on the rice terraces. We have named them “beach clubs without a beach”. Because the clubs are reminiscent of the beach clubs in Canggu - with a pool, good music and delicious food and drinks. Except that you're looking out over the rice terraces and not the beach! The best-known - and probably the most instagrammable - address for this experience is Alas Harum and its day club Cretya. However, if you like it a little quieter, I can recommend D Tukad Coffee Club. You'll find a good mix of both at Tis Cafe.

The Tegallalang Rice Terraces are not the only rice terraces in Bali! The Jatiluwih Rice Terraces are also beautiful and less touristy. Within walking distance of the center of Ubud you will also find the Subak Juwuk Manis rice terraces trail. Yet, it is not too crowded. However, you will probably meet the fewest tourists on the rice terraces in Sidemen. A hike through the rice terraces here is very worthwhile - it was just a little more difficult to find the “entrance”.

ATV tour through the jungle

One of my highlights in Ubud was the ATV tour through the jungle. We did this with Kuber Bali Adventure ATV Rides. We were given our helmets and rubber boots on site. We then had a short briefing on the ATV and off we went. Past rice terraces into the jungle through caves and waterfalls. An incredible experience that I wouldn't want to miss!

If you are also interested in an ATV tour, I would just like to warn you. We were lucky and drove through the real jungle with Kuber. A friend of mine, on the other hand, was unlucky and came across a scam provider. There, they only drove over landscaped areas. So please be careful there!

By the way: Although we did the tour with Kuber, we booked a package consisting of an ATV tour and rafting through Graha Adventure Rafting. That was much cheaper.

Silversmith course at Okta

Bali has a long tradition of silver and goldsmiths. So it's not surprising that my second highlight was our course at the Okta silversmiths in Ubud. We learned how to melt and shape the silver ourselves. We ended up with two beautiful rings. You can hardly bring back a better souvenir from your trip, can you?

Of course, Okta and her husband always supported us well. They took the time to explain everything to us in detail. Although they always intervened where necessary. But they let us do most of the work ourselves so that wet we actually made our rings ourselves.

I liked it so much that I would do the course again at any time. I would just have to find a free finger on my hand for the ring...

Rafting on the Ayung River

I also really enjoyed the rafting tour on the Ayung River. Having already done our ATV tour before, this one was certainly less adrenaline-filled. But we still had a lot of fun. We were also able to talk more fun to each other in the boat. Plus, we could get out of the boat and go swimming every now and then.

We did the tour with Graha Adventure Rafting. Unfortunately, I'm no longer sure how much we paid for it. But I do remember that it was a good offer.

Monkey Forest Ubud

Before my trip to Bali, I was really looking forward to seeing the monkeys in the monkey forest in Ubud! I had heard that they can be very cheeky and even aggressive, but that didn't bother me. However, when I arrived in Bali, I quickly realized that the Monkey Forest wasn't all that special. I have seen monkeys living in the wild in Bali time and again, for example at Padang-Padang Beach in Uluwatu or at Kelingking Beach and Diamond Beach on Nusa Penida.

Nevertheless, I decided to visit the forest in Ubud with over 1000 macaques. Admission costs between 80-100K IDR for international adults, depending on the day of the week. Having already seen so many monkeys, I could certainly have saved myself the trouble. But I found the forest with its banyan trees, a babbling brook and small temples worth seeing even as it was. There was also one thing I just had to do: take one of the famous monkey selfies. Yes, I know, that's really very touristy. But it was worth it for the memory!

Insider tip: The Ubud Monkey Forest is not the only monkey forest in Bali! It's just very centrally located. However, if you like things a little less touristy and don't mind a little more travel time, then you can go to the Sangeh Monkey Forest instead. It is home to over 400 macaques. The entrance fee is only 30K IDR for international adults.

Note: When interacting with the monkeys in Bali, you should follow a few basic rules. The most important thing is not to look the monkeys in the eye. They could take this as an attack. In general, you should not get too close to the monkeys. Therefore, please only take selfies with the monkeys with trained staff. In addition, you should ideally not have any food with you near the monkeys and not feed them. Be sure to store all your belongings safely - this applies to valuables as well as other items such as plastic bottles. Because the monkeys like to steal them. To avoid being peed on, you should also avoid standing under a tree.

1001 Waterfalls

It is not without reason that Ubud attracts so many tourists. Because the nature there is incomparably beautiful! Among them you will find countless waterfalls!

If you tried to visit all the waterfalls, you would definitely have a lot to do. So just pick a few that you want to visit and you won't miss anything. Although all waterfalls are beautiful in their own way, there is not much difference between them.

A visit to the Leke Leke waterfall is worthwhile for a nice photo in front of the waterfall. The Tibumana waterfall is also very impressive and can be reached via a scenic path. And if a single waterfall is too boring for you, then the Kanto Lampo waterfall might be more up your street.

There are so many more waterfalls in Ubud. You can simply enter “Ubud waterfall” in Google Maps and see which one is near you and make your way there.

Tip: I personally found the waterfalls in the north of Bali even more impressive and you'll encounter far fewer tourists there! At the Golden Valley waterfall in Munduk, for example, Helena and I were all alone! Even at the Banyumala Twin Waterfall, we could take a photo in front of the impressive waterfall without having to retouch a single person out of the picture.

Campuhan Ridge Hiking Trail

It was more by chance that I found out about the Campuhan Ridge Walk shortly before I arrived in Ubud. This is a hiking trail or rather a hiking area in Ubud that invites you to hike along lush green paths!

The highlight, however, is the Bukit Campuhan, a hill along the trail from which you have a beautiful view of the untouched nature. At the end of the small main trail, there are also a few places to stop for refreshments, so you can treat yourself to an ice-cold coconut or a homemade lemonade.

Ubud Markets

What you can do very well in Ubud is shopping! Not only the many small boutiques invite you to do so. There are also several markets scattered around the center of Ubud. I liked the Ubud Artisan Market the best. The Ubud Market on Graffiti Street, on the other hand, is better for cheap clothes. The only drawback is that the Indonesians, who are very eager to sell, do not want you to go as soon as you've had even a brief look at their wares.

Holy places

Ubud is home to an incredible number of temples and sacred sites. The Tirta Empul temple complex with its famous sacred springs can also be found here. Many Hindus and more and more tourists come to this place of pilgrimage to take part in a purification ceremony.

I have already mentioned that Ubud is a place of contrasts. And the beautiful Pura Taman Saraswati temple standing next to a Starbucks in the center of Ubud is just as contradictory. But as soon as you enter the temple grounds, you are transported to another world.

The Saraswati Temple is often confused with the Ubud Palace - the Puri Saren Palace. The descendants of the last king of Bali still live in the palace today. Every evening (around 7:30 pm) you can marvel at traditional Balinese dance performances here.

The Goa Gajah Temple, also known as the Elephant Cave, is a special sacred site. You enter the temple through a narrow passage that represents the mouth of a demon. Once inside, you will come across the statue of the god Ganesha, the god with the elephant's head.

Where to eat & drink

Like everywhere else in Bali, you can also eat well in Ubud. My highlight was Blend Cafe Ubud. The food here is always beautifully presented and it's not without reason that they say: “You eat with your eyes.” But even apart from that, it tastes very good here. I was also impressed by the breakfast at Monsieur Spoon. This is a café with French-inspired dishes. I ordered a delicious smoothie bowl and a pain au chocolat, which tasted just like in France! Delicious pastries and good drinks are also available at Gangga Coffee Ubud. You can sit there quietly and comfortably if you are looking for a place to work remotely.

For lunch, I can recommend 9 Angels & 9 Bambu. They offer a lunch buffet with vegetarian and vegan dishes that taste like you're eating at your mother's or grandmother's house. In the evening, you have to try Chai of The Tiger (Indian) at least once. I've rarely had such delicious Indian food! Or you can go to OIA for good Greek food. I really enjoyed the falafel bowl! I even had sushi in Ubud - at Nagi Kitchen. The restaurant is not located in the hotspot of the center of Ubud, which is why it was pleasantly quiet there.

If you fancy a drink and some good music, then you should definitely head to Cretya by Alas Harum. In the club in the middle of the rice terraces of Tegallalang, you can expect delicious food and drinks, a good DJ and several pools with a magnificent view of the rice terraces. The D Tukad Coffee Club is smaller and less touristy, but also good. Alternatively, you can also go to Tis Café.

Where to sleep

On my second visit to Ubud, I had by far the best accommodation: my Airbnb at Villa Harta Mesari. I had my own villa here with a private pool. I also had a delicious breakfast in the morning with crêpes and fresh fruit. Everything was very clean and beautiful. The location was great, too. Everything was within walking distance. I would therefore book this accommodation again at any time.

If you prefer to travel on a low budget, I can recommend the Ubud Tropical Hostel (affiliate link). I chose this hostel on my first trip to Bali mainly because of the beautiful grounds. The hostel has a well-equipped kitchen with a large common room, a green outdoor area and a beautiful pool. You can choose between beds in private rooms, female dormitories and mixed dormitories. I paid 8€ per night for a bed in the 6-bed women's dorm with my own locker. However, my highlight was the people I met here. I traveled with Helena for the next 1 1/2 weeks and met Joey again in Canggu! A friend also recommended the Bali Bamboo Jungle Huts and Hostel (affiliate link) to me. I hadn't been there myself, but the pictures look very good!

When I came to Ubud for the third time and traveled with my friend Clara, we stayed just outside the center of Ubud. We needed a scooter to get from A to B, but we wanted to book one anyway. In return, we got great value for money at Casa D'Sami Ubud. The room was neat and clean, there was a pool and we had a delicious breakfast every day.

I have put together a list of all the places on Google Maps.

You can find the list here.