Ubud is culture, yes. It’s also home to good restaurants, cafes and streets of shops, many selling goods from the region’s artisans. There are private villas with private pools that are a must when in Ubud. Mesmerising nature, that will make you forget you are in a touristic place. Above all it has a vibe that will make you want to stay forever. Ubud’s popularity continues to grow but it fortunately adapts and a stroll away from the intersection of Jl Raya Ubud and Monkey Forest Rd, through the nearby verdant rice fields, can quickly make all right with the world.
Spend a few days in Ubud to appreciate it properly. It’s one of those places where days can become weeks and weeks become months, as the noticeable expat community demonstrates. And visit the surroundings gems of Central Bali. or head more south to the wonderful Canggu area.
Rent a scooter and explore Ubud area
After a few days doing yoga, eating well and walking around urban Ubud area, you will want to see the surroundings. If you want to do it right, do it like a local and rent a scooter. It’s the best way to avoid the traffic and get to the places that are unreachable by a car. I will guide you through some dreamy spots, the rest is for you to discover. Ubud is full of surprises, so get lost on purpose!
Pura Taman Saraswati
Balinese people call this temple Pura Saraswati, and its known as the goddess of education. Bali has over 6,000 temples and this one is actually my favorite as it is surrounded by lotus flowers and despite it’s located in central Ubud, not many know about it. So I got to take these pictures at 5pm not a soul photobombing it. Every Monday Balinese dance is performed in the center of the temple and I got to see young dancers do their training. Magical experience.
Purana Boutique Resort in Ubud
Before I take you to any other beautiful spot – you need a place to call a home in Ubud. When we arrived to this beautiful private villa the staff greeted us with ‘Welcome home’. And they made us feel like it. Easy to say it was the best stay we ever had. The staff was super responsive, nice and turned every question or request into an adventure. The breakfast at the private pool were dreamy, we were keep ordering fruits and all other food. And ate it all. Ask for a flower bath and a fresh coconut every morning. The villa was so comfy my boyfriend didn’t want to leave it so we skipped some short trips. Well, some rest time while traveling is well needed. Oh, and it’s surrounded by rice fields. Enjoy!
Tibumana Waterfall
We found this waterfall while looking for another one and street signs mislead us to this one. Fortunately. It is a lot more than just a waterfall but an oasis. It took us app. 20 minutes on a scooter from the villa to get here. Bring some food, a blanket and a coconut and have a picnic cause this place is still a well kept secret.
Do yoga and meditate
Ubud is a yogi dream. If you’ve been doing yoga before, go to some studios with views over the rice fields, endless palm trees listening to little jungle creatures that will sing to you. Pure magic. If you haven’t done yoga before, well do it for the above mentioned reasons. You will fall in love. I promise. Oh, and meditate. I have had most out of this world experience while meditating in Ubud. Contact me for details.
Campuhan Ridge Walk
If you are looking for an escape from the noise of Ubud center, try a quiet sunrise or sunset hike along the Campuhan Ridge Walk! It is still pretty close to the urban area, so you can make it an one hour trip.
Elephant cave
The name is misleading as no elephants are walking around there. Hope you didn’t cross it off your itinerary right now as it’s well worth a visit. Beautiful temple where the water cleansing ceremony is performed (I didn’t get to see it) and has the most amazing entrance to the cave temple. Oh, and don’t buy a sarong at the parking area, you get one free with your entrance ticket.
