Ubud guide: rice terraces, temples and the cultural heart of Bali
Campuhan Ridge at dawn, a purification bath at Tirta Empul, sunrise on Batur and legendary babi guling.
Ubud is where Bali’s painters, dancers and craftsmen gathered from the early twentieth century, and it is still the island’s cultural centre. Around it the Ayung and Wos river valleys wind between jungle and terraced rice fields. The villas of Sayan and Kedewatan perch on the edge of these valleys, close to town yet a world away.
What to do
- Campuhan Ridge Walk at dawn — a ridge path of around 2 km between two valleys; go before 7 am while it is cool.
- Tegallalang rice terraces — terraces watered by the UNESCO-recognised subak system, best in the morning.
- Purification at Tirta Empul — the melukat ritual in the holy spring pools; sarongs are provided.
- Sunrise on Mount Batur — a two-hour trek with pick-up around 2 am, then sunrise over the caldera.
- Legong dance at Ubud Palace — traditional dance in the palace courtyard most evenings.
- Rafting the Ayung River — class II–III rapids past carved cliffs, fine for families too.
What to eat
- Babi guling at Ibu Oka — one of Bali’s best-known spit-roast pork houses, near Ubud Palace; go before 1 pm.
- Crispy duck & bebek betutu — Ubud’s famous fried duck, or betutu slow-cooked for hours in spice paste.
- A Balinese cooking class — a morning market visit, then base genep, sate lilit and lawar.
- Healthy & raw-food cafés — Ubud is where Bali’s healthy-eating scene began.
Arts & culture
- Dance at Ubud Palace — Legong, Barong and Kecak are performed almost every night in the palace courtyard and village pavilions around Ubud.
- Art museums — Puri Lukisan, Neka and ARMA hold Ubud- and Batuan-style painting and work by the foreign painters who lived here.
- Craft villages — Mas for woodcarving, Celuk for silver, Batuan for traditional painting — visit the workshops, not just the shops.
- Gamelan & offering classes — many Ubud families teach guests to make canang offerings or play gamelan.
Best time & tips
The dry season (April–October) is best for trekking; the wet season makes the terraces greenest but brings afternoon rain. Central Ubud jams up at midday, so visit the famous spots early. Cover shoulders and knees at temples.
Getting there
Ubud is about 1–1.5 hours from Ngurah Rai Airport, and about the same from Canggu or Jimbaran.
