Top 7 Things To Do in Ubud, Bali

If it’s your first time to Ubud, we have you covered with our Top 7 Things to Do in Ubud Bali.

Our journey in Indonesia started off with what is perhaps the TOP DESTINATION in Indonesia. Welcome to Ubud in Bali! I’ve been dreaming of coming to Ubud ever since I first heard of Bali so naturally made this a priority during our year of travel.

Why You Should Go?

Ubud has so much to offer in addition to the picturesque scenery that you see on Instagram. You will undoubtedly find lush green rice fields set on top of hills overlooking a river. Walk through the city center and become memorized by the intricate stone sculptures surrounding entryways of the many temples and perhaps even your own homestay. Ubud is a center for arts and culture. While the city can be busy, you won’t have any trouble feeling a sense of Balinese tradition while walking around town.

READ: THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE GOING TO UBUD

1 – Campuhan Ridge Walk

This is probably our favorite places to catch the sunset in Ubud. We can easily see why this place is one of the most photographed locations in Ubud. The path is set on a ridge of a hill overlooking lush green fields and a river. You can easily walk from the city center (15 – 20 min). See map here.

2 – Monkey Forest

After seeing a video of a monkey climb up a man’s body to grab a banana I instantly knew we had to go to the Monkey Forest. A snuck a banana in my handbag and asked Pierre to aim the camera at me while I executed my plan. It was a massive fail. I was too slow and the monkey ran off with my only banana before I could even say “M O N K eee …….”. I started to run around and ask anyone for another banana, desperate to experience a monkey climb onto of me! Luckily one of the guards helped us out after I explained (for a voluntary tip of course). The result is below: one of the happiest moments of my trip to Ubud.

3 – Visit a Waterfall

One of the best things that you can do while in Ubud is to get out of Ubud. The surrounding countryside full of lush green hills and waterfalls is absolutely stunning. Our favorite waterfall by far was Timbuna Falls which is around a 30 min drive outside of the city. Our advice is to make it a waterfall day and also visit Tukad Cepung Waterfall which is 30 min from Timbuna. You will not be the only one who wants to catch a glimpse of these falls so remember to go early! We went at 7 a.m. to get the below shots.

4 – Stroll through the Rice Terraces

You’ll find rice terraces everywhere in Ubud, inside and outside of the city center. Many cafes around the city center will have back terraces that overlook rice fields. These are great places to chill, grab a coffee, and catch up on some good reading. We recommend checking out Yellow Flower Cafe which our friend Nelly from Nelly’s Life recommends.

Outside of the city center, you really don’t have to look far. You’ll find rice fields along almost every road you take. The most instagrammable of all these rice fields is Tegallalang Rice Terrace which is 20 min north of the city center.

5 – Balinese Traditional Dance Performance

If you like preforming arts and want to witness live Balinese tradition, you should definitely catch a Dance Performance at the Palace. We weren’t able to attend a show due to time constraints, but I will definitely put this on the list for our next visit. You’ll find vendors selling tickets on the street but you can easily go to the palace 1-2 hours before the show and purchase your tickets there (80,000 IDR).

6 – Do some Yoga

Whether you’re a novice or seasoned practitioner, you’ll find a class and studio for you. During my time in Ubud, I tried two classes at Radiantly Alive & one at the Yoga Barn. A word to the wise, these classes usually fill up with 60-70 students so be warned if you are looking for an intimate setting. Despite this, I felt like I had plenty of space to move and the studio at the Yoga Barn is simply gorgeous; think two-story glass windows looking out into a lush green garden.

7 – Grab some Vegetarian and Vegan Bites

If you have a thing for vegetarian or vegan food, then Ubud should be more or less of a food haven for you! There are so many choices and you won’t have any difficulty find a place to grab a good bite to eat. Here is our short-list:

• Tukie’s Coconut Shop – You must come here. Just trust us. The best coconut ice cream in town!
• Sawobali Cake & Cofee Shop – If you’re looking for a vegan buffet, look no further. Just go. Buffet 50,000 IDR ~ $3.60 USD
• Warung Sharaswhaty – We liked this place so much that we went back 3 times! Delicious Indian cuisine. THE DISH to try is the Bengan Tamatar – eggplant cooked in tomatoes and India Spices! Main dishes cost around 40,000 IDR ~ $2.90 USD.
• Warong Sopa – This place definitely stacks up against the trendy set of restaurants in Ubud with great service, ingredients, and competitive prices. Main dishes cost between 30,000 – 35,000 IDR ~ $2-3 USD).
• Atman Kafe – This place doesn’t sit on the top of our recommendations. The food is good but not exceptional, and the price is a bit high for our standards. Curry 57,000 IDR ~ $4.17 (yes we’re on a budget!) Come for the view and instagrammable food shots, not more.

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Where to Stay in Ubud

We had a taste of both budget and luxury during our trip to Ubud.

Budget: Rama Homestay

Located in the city center this place was immaculate for the price that we paid. Bonus, we also had the best banana pancakes that we had in all of Indonesia here. The breakfast is really really good. Easy to see why this place has a 9.6 rating on booking.com. Check it out here!

Budget: Tude’s Homestay

Rama’s was booked out for the last days of our trip so we moved to Tude’s which worked out well since we wanted to see the Monkey Forest. The location was great as it’s only a 10-min walk to the forest from the homestay. You’ll also find plenty of restaurants and cafe’s within walking distance. Check it out here!

Luxury: Kupu Kupu Barong Villas & Spa

This place is set amongst the lush green valleys surrounding Ubud. It was so nice to wake up to an amazing view. Bonus, we also had our own pool villa. Learn more about Kupu Kupu Barong here.