This Ubud travel guide is the culmination of our many years spent exploring the artistic and cultural center of Bali island. No trip to Indonesia would be complete without a visit to Ubud!
This town and tourist hotspot is full of interesting markets, palaces, jungles, and temples to see, and of course lots of great cafes, restaurants, and comfy luxury hotels. It has all the sights and charms of Balinese culture.
After you’ve exhausted all of the top things to do in Ubud, there are even more waterfalls and rice terraces to see in the nearby areas of Tegalalang, Gianyar, and Bangli, which can be reached in 15-30 minutes.
Here’s my travel guide for the best things to do in Ubud!
1. Ubud Monkey Forest
Seeing the cheeky Bali monkeys should be somewhere near the top of your Ubud to do list, and the Sacred Monkey Forest is the most popular place to do it.
Swing by the famous Ubud Monkey Forest for a funny experience getting your pic taken with the Balinese macaques.
There are hundreds of them living in the jungle here, and they’re (mostly) friendly to outsiders.
2. Ubud Market
Just up the street from the monkey forest, you’ll find the Ubud art market.
It’s full of interesting handmade Balinese souvenirs and trinkets for sale, including wood carvings, coconut bowls, rattan hats and bags, and paintings of rural life, with scenes similar to what you can witness in the Ubud area.
You can also find the usual tourist items like shirts and fridge magnets here. Feel free to haggle for lower prices, because some of the sellers start a bit on the high side. Haggling is expected, and it’s part of the fun.
3. Ubud Restaurants
Ubud has great restaurants and cafes everywhere you look.
A lot of places serve familiar Western foods and fresh fruit juices (including smoothie bowls), but don’t forget to try the local Indonesian dishes too, like chicken satay and nasi goreng.
This is far from a complete list, but here are some great restaurants to check out in Ubud:
Of course, Ubud also has plenty of cheap and authentic Indonesian ‘warungs’ (little family owned restaurants) if you look in the side alleys and outside of the main town center. Bali is pretty much a foodie paradise for any kind of budget.
We plan to cover food and restaurants in more detail with another Ubud travel guide later on, so remember to bookmark this blog and check back later!
4. Balinese Massage
Practically every third building in Ubud is a massage shop.
It’s the perfect way to unwind after a full day of hiking or touring.
5. Ubud Royal Palace
On the corner of the Ubud town center is this fancy palace from the 1800s, with amazing Balinese stone carvings and courtyards. It’s a quick stop (15 minutes) but very worthwhile!
6. Tegalalang Rice Terraces
Bali’s most famous rice terraces are at Tegalalang, just a 15 minute drive north of Ubud.
Here, you can see layered rice paddies with bright green colors. The water flows through the terraces in steps, irrigating the rice for the farmers while creating a beautiful landscape.
There are foot paths to walk through the whole valley and see the terraces up close. It’s one of Bali’s most iconic sights!
7. Bali Elephant Sanctuary
Mason Elephant Park is a rescue park opened in 1997, and they do a lot of great conservation work for the Sumatran elephants, which are critically endangered on their home island of Sumatra in Indonesia.
We had a great experience here, and I have to say every aspect of the park is very well managed and nicely maintained. The elephants are happy and healthy, and you can tell they love the attention from humans.
The park is a 30 minute drive from Ubud.
8. Saraswati Temple
The Saraswati water temple is in central Ubud and it has some of the coolest wall patterns and carvings you’ll see in Bali. The doors are insanely detailed and elaborate. Flowers, dragons, demon figures, and more.
9. Pura Dalem Temple
This is another temple in central Ubud and it’s known for having some of the most bizarre and intricate statues of any of the Bali temples. Creepy demon goddesses, lions, and other creatures stare back at you here.
10. Goa Gajah Elephant Cave
This is one of the oldest temples you can visit in Ubud, and also one of the weirdest. Goa Gajah dates back to the 9th century. The doorway to the cave is really bizarre and unique, and it feels like you’re walking into the belly of some rock monster!
The inside of the cave has a narrow path that goes about 15 meters deep, where you’ll find some Hindu incense baskets burning, and the outside of the cave has a photogenic banyan tree with giant roots.
Overall, Goa Gajah one of the most peculiar temples in the Ubud area.
The best time to visit Ubud depends on what you’re looking for:
Bali’s rainy season runs from November to April. The weather during the day can be hot and humid, at 32 to 35 °C (90 to 95 °F), but it’s less crowded during this time, and the rain is normally in the evening or at night.
From May to August, the temps are cooler, and it’s more breezy and sunny. This is the windy season and it’s the nicest weather. It’s also the high season for tourists, so it’s generally more crowded.
In any case, it’s generally possible to experience the sights in this Ubud travel guide all year round!
