The Cultural Treat of Ubud BaliIf I have to describe Ubud Bali in one word I would say "idyllic". Despite the large numbers of tourists visiting this little village with streets that are too narrow for touring cars, Ubud has been able to maintain its traditional life. Here Balinese men and women still place offerings gracefully on the side of the road and every day you will see them riding beautifully dressed on motor scooters to temples and ceremonies while holding colourful woven baskets. Flowers, big banyan trees, temples, bright coloured decorations, stone-paved alleys, gates to courtyards where Balinese people still live as many years before are the things that make the idyllic picture. Here I like to give you some information on how you can spend your time in Ubud including its close neighbouring hamlets (clockwise) Sambahan, Kutuh, Peliatan, Tebesaya, Padang Tegal, Peliatan, Pengosekan, Nyukuning, Campuhan, Penestanan, Sayan and Sanggingan.
This is not a village were you should be up and running. It is more a place where you'll want to stroll around or just sit with a book and watch the colourful and delightful pictures pass by. If you can’t resist some action though, there is the Monkey Forest where you’ll be greeted by the many macaque monkeys or visit Ubud Market. This market is a maze of shops that sell everything a traveler in Bali can imagine…
In the past the rice fields and ideal irrigation systems have provided the people with a surplus in rice yields. With time to spare the king of Sukawati ordered the rice farmers to dedicate their time on paintings for temples and palaces. From here an unique place has emerged into a painter’s village that has attracted many people, including foreigners who have played their part in forming various painting styles. It is not surprising to see that many artists feel at home in this village considering the mystical and inspiring setting. Today painting still plays an important role in Ubud and around. There are many galleries where painters sell their work. Additionally there are several important art museums that show unique paintings that will create even more appreciation for this form of art.
This is a great way to end your cultural day experience in Ubud Bali followed by a good glass of wine in one of the flower garden restaurants… Getting around Ubud BaliUbud is an ideal place to walk around, especially if you check out the small streets and alleys on the side of every road. They lead you to amazing places such as rice fields, river valleys, temples and Balinese
living court yards.
Ubud Bali has three big main roads which are all one way-streets. So you will definitely drive through them regularly if you are finding your way through Ubud by car or motor scooter. The busiest and one of the longest is the Monkey Forest Road. This road starts in the south when you come into Ubud and ends all the way in the north at the crowded Ubud Market. This street is overdeveloped with shops, restaurants and places to stay. I think they should have stopped building their commercial outlets a long time ago... Monkey Forest road already looks cramped, but there is even more behind the many buildings along this road. The many alleys (gang) on both sides of the road are passages to tucked away hotels (where you shouldn't stay), spas and restaurants. Jalan Raya is a road that crosses Monkey Forest Road in the center of Ubud Bali. To the left, this road leads you to the Campuhan area. Within these sacred grounds you can start a rice field walk that goes on further north of Ubud and passed the ancient-looking villa complex Ibah.
Another road that you’ll certainly come across is Jalan Hanoman. Like Monkey Forest Road, this street is long and it has many shops, restaurants, hotels and homestays. The street goes on passing the ARMA museum, one of the many things you should go to when you are in Ubud Bali.
Ubud is small so if you have the time you can easily walk around and see a lot. The streets and footpaths are very well maintained for Indonesian standards but occassionally you might find a hole or two. However look out for the colourful offerings which are placed along the streets and in front of shops. You will easily crush them with your feet while window shopping... Every time I’m in Ubud I'm always surprised to see some travellers moving around on bicycles considering Ubud is situated in the hilly parts of Bali. However, if you are thinking about staying in the center for a while and are not planning to go anywhere far it's a good and healthy way to move around. Along Monkey Forest Road there are many bicycle rentals. It’s only Rp25.000 a day to rent a bicycle; much cheaper if you want to rent it for a couple of days. Usually right next to the bicycle rental or near the tourist information center there are motor scooters for rent too. Just like the bicycles, you can get a better deal if you rent it for more than one day. Before you hop on, check if the profile of the tires is still good. It can get really slippery when it rains. An accident is the last thing you need during your well-deserved holidays...
If you are planning to travel out of town, you can find the bemos mini-busses waiting at Ubud Market. They have different colours indicating their different destinations. It’s cheap, a bit uncomfortable but an adventurous way to travel around because unlike in Europe there are no maps showing their time tables and routes. Just ask around and you will find somebody who will help you or is heading the same way as you. Don't worry, you will eventually get where you want to go ;-)
Everywhere in town you will find many private drivers sitting in the shade of a tree only to jump up when you come in sight. Instantly they will make this driving movement with their hands and at the same time wiggle a little with their body. ‘Transportation...?’ is the first thing they say. If you reply with: ‘No thank you...’ you can immediately expect the next question ‘How about tomorrow...yes?’ They are harmless but can get on your nerves after passing dozen of them within minutes. But if you are considering touring around for a day then a private driver is what you need. Check out if you like their car and then bargain for a price that suits you. Usually it is around Rp.350.000 per day including a chatty driver and fuel. Important Addresses and Handy Phone NumbersThe Post Office is located on Jalan Jembawan on the east-side of Jalan Raya. If you don't feel like walking all the way you can always leave your postcards with the hotels' concierge service.The Ubud Clinic, 24H (0361-974911) can be found on the west-side of Jalan Raya before the Campuhan bridge and here bilingual staff is also available. If you need the Police (0361-975316) you can find them on Jalan Raya Andong in the north-eastern part of Ubud. Turn left at the traffic lights at the end of Jalan Raya near the huge statue. The Tourist Office is open from 8am-8pm daily and located on the crossing of Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Raya, just across the Ubud Palace. Here they can offer you some maps, brochures and the monthly issue of Ubud Community with useful articles and a calendar of events. Things to do in Ubud BaliIn Ubud and its surrounding hamlets cultural influences and artifacts are still found. Besides absorbing the cultural beauty of Ubud there are many other things to do which always seem to be intertwined with the daily village life.For instance the nearby temples show you the historical and religious influences that are still present today while the many museums offer you the opportunity to learn about their Bali paintings, drawings, carvings and statues. Besides this you can also actively learn about the village's culture by participating in dance, paint, mask-making and cooking classes, for which you will do some shopping at the local market. These courses are pretty exceptional for Bali and the tourism foundation of Ubud Bali encourages this as this is one of the ways to create a balance between tourism and the locals. Only through this balance can the natural and cultural beauty of the village be preserved. The stunning location of the village also provides enough opportunity to explore the rice terraces or the river valleys that are found in and around the village. When walking through these panoramic sceneries you will find yourself up close with the local people who are working in the fields throughout the day. But remember once you are there, take your time and just experience it...
Restaurants in Ubud BaliUbud Bali is full with all types of restaurants. After just a couple of meters you will bump into one again. So no chance of getting hungry here...There is a mixed choice of restaurants such as the classy modern looking restaurants, restaurants that only serve organic food and drinks or restaurants that have a gorgeous garden where you can sit on a big pillow on the floor. But there are also the basic ones (but always with some nice decoration) that just offer you what you're looking for: good food. At the end of every stay in Ubud I am always surprised though how much more money I spend on food than in other places in Bali. Most restaurants in Ubud look so appealing that it makes me want to go in and taste their delicious
food right away. We've been to many restaurants and here are out favorites...
Hotels in Ubud BaliThere are many hotels and private luxury villas in Ubud Bali that are just beautiful to the eye. Many hotels and villas have been able to use the mystical atmosphere of Ubud into their design.Their ingredients are fine details of statues, paintings, flowers and impeccable service in a breathtaking environment. Many of these hotels will leave you speechless, that's for sure ;-) Here are our favorites, all on the outskirts of Ubud with views to die for...
Cheap Ubud Accommodation in Ubud Bali
Luckily the budget traveler and backpacker can find surprising good places to stay in Ubud Bali and this often includes first class views over rice fields or river gorges.
|
The village is surrounded by fertile land which
has resulted in the beautiful rice field terraces you always find in
travel and photo books on Bali. This is also an ideal location to
explore the terraces yourself and make beautiful pictures while standing
in the middle of the fields.
You
can continue your cultural adventure in the evening where you can
choose from many Balinese performances such as the graceful Legong
dance, the cool-looking Kecak-trance dance and the funny Wayang Kulit
shadow puppet plays. 
Cultural
Performances in Ubud Bali:
Every evening there are many performances in and around Ubud. Often, a
specific location has another program each day. The tickets are
Rp50.000 each but some performances can cost slightly more. The
performances start at 7pm and 8pm at the latest. You can choose
between 
Shopping:
Along Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanoman you can find strings of
shops where they sell beautiful Balinese things. The shops display
their goods in an eye-catching way making it an even nicer treat to do
some shopping here.
Sura’s
Warung: This restaurant is located on Jalan Kajeng. They serve delicious
Balinese dishes with the best selection of Jazz (as mentioned on their
sign)for a very good price. I am always pretty full after my main
course, but I can never resist their pancake for dessert. I guess a
comfortable place with some good music increases my appetite...
Tutmak
Warung Kopi:
This restaurant is located on Jalan Dewi Sita. I won’t even begin to
tell you what kind of food they have. From every corner of the world
they have a dish, all of them professionally displayed on my plate and
yummy. They also brew their coffee like no other and they have free
Wifi access and reading material. A nice place to just hang out a little
longer...
Ubud Jazz Café is the place to spend the evening listening to excellent life music. We were there on Wednesday: the Latin Grooves night. People were dancing to the great music while enjoying drinks and Mediterranean food. Every night there are different styles of Jazz music such as Latin Grooves, Acoustic, Funk & Acid Jazz, Modern etc…
With
its beautiful green setting, it’s narrow ancient looking alleys and the
surrounding rice fields it's not surprising that some good hostels are
found in amazing locations. 