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Travel Guide for visiting Ubud, Bali

ubud, bali

Ubud is one of the most visited places on the Indonesian island of Bali. It is known as a place of serenity and as a yoga capital. It is located amongst rice terraces and incredible attractions. While here you will be amazed by all this town has to offer. 

getting to ubud

You can fly into Bali via the Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar-DPS). The airport is located in southern Bali and is about 13 km south of Denpasar. You can also reach Bali via Jakarta via bus. The bus ride is approximately 23 hours long. Some people also visit Bali via cruising. Once in Bali you can take a bus or taxi to get to Ubud. Taxis are approximately 20 euros and take 40 minutes to 1 hour depending on traffic, while taking the bus costs less than 4 euros but takes around 100 minutes. 

getting around ubud

Most of the town is easily walkable to get from place to place. There are usually vendors lining the sidewalks. There are numerous taxi centered tours that list off the sites they include in the driving tour. These do not include a tour guide, entry to the sites, or lunch but it is a great way to get around to various places located outside of the town. Be aware that many drivers speak minimal English. 
You can also rent a motorbike to get around yourself. You should have an international drivers license to do this. 
Uber did exist while in Bali but they had to use caution because of conflicts with taxis. We had drivers ask us to sit in front or meet on side streets to avoid issues with taxis. 

things to do in ubud

Ubud Monkey Forest

This was one of my favorite things to do here. There are monkeys everywhere. You can pay a fee to feed monkeys or just enjoy from afar. I was lucky enough to sit down and just have one who already had food come take a break in my lap. This sanctuary is home to over 700 monkeys. It is open between 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM daily. 
 

Tagallanlang Rice Terrace 

This rice terrace is famous for its landscape but can get very crowded. You can also visit the rice terraces within the town for free and typically less crowded. 
 

yoga

Ubud is a yoga haven with so many options from beginners to more experienced yogis. Some of the top studios to check out include the Yoga Barn, Intuitive Flow,  Chakra Yoga Shala, Radiantly Alive, Ubud Yoga House and so many more. 

Ubud Royal Palace 

Puri Saren Agung is the royal palace of Ubud and was built between 1800-1823 
 

Goa Gajah 

Goa Gajah is known as the Elephant Cave and is considered one of the island’s best archeological sites. 
 

Taman Saraswati Temple 

This beautiful temple displays classic Balinese temple architecture with ponds filled with lily pads. 

candi tebing gunung kawi 

This 11th century temple and funerary complex is located northeast of Ubud. It comprises 10 candi that are carved into a sheer cliff face. 
 

Titra Empul Templ

Titra Empul Templ  is an important temple complex with holy water. Purification baths are lined with spouts for those devotees to use. 
 

Ubud Art Market 

Even if you aren’t big on souvenirs  you have to check out this market with so many goods. If you are planning to purchase items, remember to always haggle. 

my experience

I was somewhat surprised that I didn’t find this city as relaxing and peaceful as everyone raves about. It does have a ton to offer and it is stunningly beautiful but it is very touristy. You will be consistently asked to purchase things and you will have to pay small fees to do just about everything (from walking around rice terraces, temple visits, to tourist taxes for driving on the road). I think if I had known that or expected that I would be much happier with my experience. Also, it felt even more touristy after coming from Myanmar which is significantly more off the beaten path. That being said when asked about where I want to visit again, I always say Indonesia. First off I feel like I owe Bali a second chance and maybe now knowing what to expect I will be much more pleased. Also there are so many places outside of Bali that I want to visit.