Bali's cultural heart, set among emerald rice terraces, yoga retreats, art markets and jungle temples. It draws travelers chasing wellness and a calmer pace away from the coast.
8.51°S 115.26°E
The dry season from May to September is the sweet spot
3 nights
DPS
$18/night
Ubud sits in the green hills of central Bali, about an hour inland from the airport, and it has been the island's cultural and wellness hub for decades. This is where you come for rice terraces, yoga studios, temples, art markets, and long slow breakfasts with a jungle view. It draws a mix of yoga people, digital nomads, honeymooners, and curious first-timers, and it suits anyone who wants Bali without the beach-club party scene.
The honest catch is that central Ubud is no longer a quiet village. The main streets around Monkey Forest Road and the market get genuinely clogged with traffic and tour groups by mid-morning. The trick is to base yourself slightly outside the center, in Penestanan, Nyuh Kuning, or up toward Tegallalang, where you still get the calm that put Ubud on the map.
This is a free, flat 2km path along a grassy ridge with valleys on both sides, and it is the best thing to do in Ubud for zero rupiah. Go at sunrise (around 6am) before the heat and the crowds. By 8am it fills with people taking photos, so the early start really matters.
The famous tiered terraces are about 20 minutes north of town. Arrive before 8:30am to beat the tour buses, and bring small cash for the informal donation boxes the farmers set up along the paths. The Instagram swings here cost extra and are skippable unless you really want the photo.
A genuine forest temple complex full of long-tailed macaques right in town. Entry is around IDR 80,000. The monkeys are bold and will grab sunglasses, water bottles, and loose bags, so keep everything zipped away and do not bring food in.
Half-day classes usually start with a morning market tour, then you cook several dishes like lawar, sate lilit, and base genep spice paste. Places in the rice fields around Laplapan and Junjungan are calmer than the in-town options. Expect to pay roughly IDR 350,000 to 500,000 including the meal.
Tibumana, Kanto Lampo, and Tegenungan are all within 30 to 45 minutes by scooter or driver. Tibumana is the quietest and gentlest for a swim, while Tegenungan is the easiest to reach but the busiest. Each charges a small entry fee of around IDR 25,000.
Getting there
Almost everyone flies into Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) near Denpasar, which has direct connections across Asia and Australia plus easy hops from Jakarta. From there it is a 60 to 90 minute drive north to Ubud depending on traffic, and the simplest option is to prebook a private driver or use the Grab or Gojek apps (roughly IDR 300,000 to 400,000 for a private car). There is no train or fast public transport, so budget extra time for the notoriously slow road in the afternoons.
Best time to visit
The dry season from May to September is the sweet spot, with green terraces and fewer downpours, though July and August bring the biggest crowds and higher prices. Avoid January and February if you can, as that is the wettest stretch.
Where to stay
Stay in Penestanan or Nyuh Kuning for walkable calm near the center, or out toward Tegallalang and Ubud's northern villages for full rice-field seclusion with a scooter or driver. Simple guesthouses run around USD 25 to 45 a night, while the boutique jungle pool villas Ubud is known for sit closer to USD 100 to 250.
Yes. All foreign visitors pay a one-time IDR 150,000 (about USD 10) levy, ideally online before arrival at lovebali.baliprov.go.id, which gives you a QR code. You can also pay at the airport, but the online route is faster.
Absolutely. Plenty of visitors come purely for the rice terraces, temples, food, waterfalls, and art, with no downward dog required. Yoga is easy to find but never compulsory.
Yes, the town center is walkable and you can use Grab or Gojek plus prebooked drivers for day trips. Scooters are cheap but Ubud's narrow, busy roads are not the easiest place to learn to ride.
Build a route across Indonesia in minutes. We work out the travel time and cost between every stop, then a local turns it into a trip.
Build your tripTraditional dance shows run most evenings at Ubud Palace and other venues around town, starting around 7:30pm. Tickets are roughly IDR 100,000 and sold by sellers near the palace during the day. The Kecak fire dance, with its chanting circle of men, is the most dramatic option.
This water temple about 30 minutes north has a holy spring where Balinese and visitors bathe under a row of fountains. You will need a sarong (provided or rented) and a respectful attitude, since this is an active place of worship, not a photo backdrop. Go early and follow the queue order through the pools.
The sights worth building a day around. Open any one for a full guide.
viewpointFree open-grass ridge trail near central Ubud, best walked at sunrise before the heat.
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templeAncient carved cave-temple and bathing pools southeast of Ubud, compact and quick to see.
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wildlifeForested temple reserve in central Ubud with hundreds of free-roaming long-tailed macaques.
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natureSteep, carved paddy valley north of Ubud, photogenic at dawn and packed with swings by 9am.
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waterfallWide, easy-access waterfall southeast of Ubud with a swimmable pool and a busy viewpoint.
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templeHoly-spring temple north of Ubud where Balinese perform the melukat purification ritual.
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