Indonesia
Bali's spiritual and artistic heart: terraced rice fields, Sacred Monkey Forest, traditional ceremonies and world-class wellness retreats in the cool highlands.
Tiered rice terraces glowing green in the morning light, macaques scrambling over mossy temple statues in a sacred forest, and the clang of gamelan and flash of gold as Balinese dancers perform in a palace courtyard at dusk.
Ubud is Bali's cultural and spiritual heart — a town of temples, palaces and painters set among emerald rice terraces and river gorges, wrapped in a modern scene of yoga studios, wellness retreats, art markets and famously good cafés.
Ubud sits in the hills of central Bali, in Indonesia, about an hour inland from the airport and the southern beaches. Long the island's centre of art, dance and craft, it grew around a royal palace and a network of temples, among steep river valleys and the rice terraces that define the Balinese landscape. In recent decades it has become a global wellness-and-yoga hub — a scene of retreats, vegan cafés and boutiques — layered over the still-living Balinese culture of temple festivals, offerings and dance. Central Ubud can be busy and traffic-clogged, but a short walk or ride reaches ridge trails, terraces and quiet villages. It's Bali's soul, if a well-discovered one.
Ubud offers the richest slice of Balinese culture — royal palace and temple dances, a deep tradition of painting and craft you can see in museums and markets, sacred sites like the Monkey Forest and the water temples, and the iconic rice terraces on its doorstep. It's also the island's wellness capital, for yoga, spas and healthy food, and a comfortable base for waterfalls, volcanoes and river adventures. Green, spiritual and creative, it balances living tradition with modern travel comforts — even if its fame now comes with crowds.
Rice terraces and green valleys — Ubud's landscape is its glory — tiered rice terraces stepping down the hills, kept by the ancient Balinese subak irrigation system, and steep river gorges wrapped in jungle. Walk the free Campuhan Ridge trail above the valleys in the cool morning, or ride out to the famous Tegallalang terraces (touristy but beautiful; go early). The green, layered scenery is what most people picture when they think of Bali, and it's on Ubud's doorstep.
Living Balinese culture — Ubud is the island's cultural capital, and its traditions are alive. Watch a Balinese dance — the graceful legong, the trance-like fire-and-chant kecak — performed most evenings in the palace courtyard and temple stages; see the offerings and processions of the constant temple festivals; and trace the town's painting tradition in the Neka, ARMA and Blanco museums and the Penestanan galleries. The Ubud Art Market and craft villages sell the woodcarving, silver and textiles the region is famous for.
Sacred forest and water temples — At the foot of Monkey Forest Road, the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a genuine temple complex in a river gorge, its mossy shrines overrun by long-tailed macaques (charming, and cheeky thieves — mind your sunglasses and snacks). Out in the countryside lie the great water and cave temples — Tirta Empul, where Balinese and visitors bathe in the holy spring, and Goa Gajah, the ancient "Elephant Cave." These sacred sites are the spiritual core beneath Ubud's modern scene.
Wellness, food and the modern town — Ubud reinvented itself as a global wellness hub, and yoga studios, spas, meditation and healthy-eating cafés now fill the town — an easy place to take a class, a massage or a long vegan brunch. The café-and-boutique scene is genuinely good. Be aware the "Eat, Pray, Love" fame supercharged all this, bringing crowds, traffic and commercialisation — the antidote is to rise early, walk the ridges and terraces before the tour vans, and seek the still-living culture beneath the wellness gloss.
Ubud neighbourhood by neighbourhood — the character of each and who it suits.
The busy heart around the palace and the main crossroads — the market, Monkey Forest Road, temples, restaurants and shops, lively and traffic-clogged. The hub.
The quieter, greener west of town — the Campuhan Ridge, the artists' village of Penestanan, boutique stays and yoga studios above the river valleys. The calm, creative side.
The villages, river gorges and rice terraces ringing the town — Tegallalang's tiered fields, waterfalls, water temples and craft villages, reached by scooter or driver. The scenic, cultural hinterland.
Ubud eats two ways — traditional Balinese and Indonesian, and a strong international-wellness scene. Seek out Balinese specialities: babi guling (suckling pig), bebek betutu (slow-cooked spiced duck), nasi and mie goreng, and satay lilit, plus the everyday nasi campur (rice with an array of sides). Alongside them sit some of Bali's best vegan and vegetarian cafés, smoothie bowls, and third-wave coffee, born of the wellness crowd. Eat a proper Balinese meal at a warung and a healthy brunch at a café, and drink fresh coconut, Bali coffee or a jamu tonic.
Ubud is one of the easiest places in Asia for vegetarians and vegans — the wellness scene means abundant dedicated vegan cafés, raw food and clearly marked menus, alongside plenty of plant-based Balinese dishes. Halal food is available (Indonesia is majority Muslim, though Bali is Hindu); kosher is unavailable. Gluten-free is well catered for in the cafés, but soy sauce (kecap) and some sauces contain gluten — confirm. Traditional dishes may use shrimp paste (terasi) — ask if vegetarian.
Stay in central Ubud for the palace, market, dance and dining on your doorstep (but expect traffic and noise), or in the greener west around Campuhan and Penestanan for ridge walks, yoga and valley-view calm. For total tranquillity, boutique resorts perch over the river gorges and among the rice fields just outside town. Ubud spans cheap homestays to luxury jungle villas; a scooter or driver helps for the countryside.
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Central Ubud is walkable (if congested); for the countryside — terraces, temples, waterfalls — hire a scooter (ride carefully and legally) or, more relaxing, a driver for the day, which is cheap and easy. Ride-hailing apps operate with some local restrictions. A car in the tight centre is a liability.
Central Ubud, Campuhan and Penestanan are a short walk or ride apart; the rice terraces, temples and waterfalls are 20–60 minutes out by scooter or driver — plan them as half-day loops.
Ready-made day plans for Ubud — from a single day to a long weekend.
Start at dawn on the Campuhan Ridge Walk, then the Sacred Monkey Forest and Ubud Palace and Art Market in the centre, with a Balinese lunch at a warung. In the afternoon, ride out to the Tegallalang rice terraces and a waterfall or the Tirta Empul water temple, and return for an evening Balinese dance performance in the palace courtyard and dinner.
Give day two to the countryside and wellness. Take a driver on a temple-and-terrace loop — Tirta Empul, Goa Gajah, a craft village for silver or woodcarving — or spend the morning in a yoga class and a spa, and the art museums (Neka or ARMA) in the afternoon. Round off with a jungle-view dinner over the gorge.
Use day three for adventure or deeper culture — white-water rafting on the Ayung, a cycling descent through the villages, a cooking class, or a trip toward Mount Batur's sunrise and the northern lakes and temples.
A: Ubud for culture, wellness, rice terraces, and highland activities; the coast (Seminyak, Canggu, Nusa Dua) for beach, surf, and resort life. Many families split the trip — 4–5 days in Ubud for culture and inland exploration, 5–7 days at a beach resort. The two areas are 45–60 minutes apart by car. Q: Is Ubud suitable for families with young children? A: Yes, with caveats. The Monkey Forest is a highlight for most children (monkeys up close; the forest is beautiful). The cooking classes, rice terrace walks, and elephant sanctuary (Bali Safari is more ethical than some operators; research before booking) all work well. The heat and long journeys between attractions can be tiring for very young children. Q: How many days do we need in Ubud? A: Three to four days covers the Monkey Forest, Tegalalang, a cooking class, and a traditional dance performance. Five days allows the Campuhan Ridge Walk, Tirta Empul, and a full Mount Batur day trip. Q: Is Ubud suitable for non-yogis? A: Completely — the yoga and wellness focus is one dimension of Ubud but the town has far more to offer: art museums, Balinese architecture and ceremonies, outstanding food, and natural scenery. Yoga studios are everywhere but participation is entirely optional. Q: Is the Mount Batur sunrise hike suitable for teenagers? A: Yes — the hike is approximately 2 hours ascending in darkness, reaching the 1,717m summit at dawn. It requires a guide (booked through local operators or hotels, approximately £25–35 including transport and breakfast), suitable footwear, and reasonable fitness. The reward — watching the sun rise over the volcano crater lake — is spectacular. Q: Is it safe to drink the water in Ubud? A: No — bottled water is used universally by tourists and most residents. Even fruit washed in local water can cause stomach upset; high-end restaurants use filtered water but standard warungs do not. Bring a reusable bottle and refill from filtered water dispensers (common in hotels and some cafés at minimal cost).
Day-by-day itineraries that take in Ubud — routes, timings and what to book.
3 Nights Discover the magic of Bali with an unforgettable journey to paradise. Sun-kissed beaches, vibrant culture, and lush landscapes await.
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6 Nights Discover the diverse spiritual, cultural, and coastal landscapes of Bali on a well-balanced week-long journey anchored by three distinct regional bases. This route loops seamlessly from the emerald rice terraces and jungle temples of Ubud to the vibrant sunset beaches of Seminyak and the calm, reef-protected waters of Nusa Dua.
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View tripApril to October — the drier season; wetter November to March
What to expect — The start of the drier season (around April), warm and humid but with more sunshine, the terraces green. A good, less-crowded window.
What's best — Greener terraces and drier days as the wet season fades, fewer crowds than the July–August peak, and pleasant walking weather — a sweet spot.
What to expect — The dry season peak (June to August) — the driest, sunniest and busiest time, warm by day and cooler in the Ubud hills at night; also the high tourist season. Popular and pricey.
What's best — The best weather for terraces, walks and temples, the Ubud arts scene in full swing, and dry days — but expect crowds, traffic and higher prices; go early to the sights.
What to expect — The tail of the dry season easing toward the wet by around November, still warm and mostly pleasant early on. A good shoulder window.
What's best — Warm, mostly dry weather early in the season, thinner crowds after the summer peak, and green surroundings — a rewarding, quieter time before the rains.
What to expect — The wet season (roughly November to March), warm and humid with heavy afternoon downpours and lush green terraces; mornings often clear. The low season.
What's best — The terraces at their greenest and lushest, lower prices and fewer crowds, and clear mornings for sightseeing — carry rain gear and plan around the afternoon storms.
Skip the midday crowds at Tegallalang → go at sunrise for the terraces to yourself, or walk the quieter Penestanan fields.
Skip driving into the traffic-choked centre → base near the ridge, walk, and hire a driver for the countryside.
Skip chasing every "Insta swing" and gilded-wing photo spot → the temples, terraces and ridge walk are the real Ubud.
Skip judging Ubud by its wellness gloss → seek the living Balinese dance, temple festivals and warung food beneath it.
Central Ubud and the famous terraces get very busy and traffic-clogged by mid-morning — start at dawn.
The July–August dry-season peak is crowded and pricey; the shoulder months are calmer.
The temples are sacred and active — wear a sarong and sash (often provided), cover shoulders and knees, and don't enter during menstruation (a local temple rule).
At the Monkey Forest, don't feed or touch the macaques, hide food, sunglasses and loose items, and don't panic if one climbs on you.
Respect the daily offerings (canang sari) on the ground — don't step on them.
Carry rupiah for warungs, markets and scooter hire; cards and QRIS work in cafés and villas; use bank ATMs (watch for skimming, and the foreign-card fee). Bali charges foreign tourists a one-off levy of IDR 150,000 (about £8): pay online through the Bali provincial government’s Love Bali site or on arrival. British visitors also need a visa: a 30-day visa on arrival (IDR 500,000) or a visa applied for online before you travel.
Ride scooters carefully and legally (licence and helmet); Ubud's roads and traffic catch out many visitors.
Central Ubud has the dance performances, restaurants and a low-key bar scene rather than a party one.
Ubud is calm and early compared with the southern beach towns — the evening is a dance, dinner and a jungle-view drink.
For nightlife proper, the coast (Seminyak, Canggu) is the place; Ubud stays gentle.
Ubud is a safe tourist destination. The main risks are: scooter accidents (the most common cause of tourist injury in Bali — roads are narrow and traffic is erratic; avoid scooters without experience); petty theft at crowded market areas; and tourist-targeted pricing that requires negotiation. Swimming is not a consideration in Ubud (highland location, no beaches); the Ayung River rafting operators are generally professional. Sun protection is essential at outdoor sites. Ground tremors from Bali's volcanic activity are not unusual but are rarely significant; Mount Agung's status should be checked if visiting the northeast.
Ubud is the spiritual and ceremonial centre of Balinese Hinduism — temple ceremonies (odalan) occur on most days of the week somewhere in the district, and visitors who encounter them should dress appropriately (a sarong and sash are required to enter temple compounds; many can be borrowed or purchased cheaply at the entrance). Do not point with your feet (considered the spiritually lowest part of the body) toward shrines, statues, or seated Balinese. The daily offerings (canang sari) placed at thresholds, shrines, and trees throughout the town should not be stepped on. Topless behaviour is not appropriate outside beach areas. Bargaining is expected at all markets except fixed-price restaurants.
£60–£120/day mid-range (budget: £30/day guesthouse + warung food; luxury: £250+/day villa resort)
Police: 110 | Ambulance: 118 | Fire: 113 | Bali Emergency Helpline: +62 361 724-124
Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) near Denpasar is the gateway, around 1–1.5 hours from Ubud by car (longer in traffic); private drivers and shuttles are the usual transfer.
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