The Cultural Treat of UbudIf I have to describe Ubud 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 this picturesque little town…
It is more a place were you will 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 traveller in Bali can imagine… 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.
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 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 followed by a good glass of wine in one of the flower garden restaurants… Getting aroundUbud 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 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.
Monkey Forest road already looks as it is fully built, 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 that stand in the middle of the rice fields. Walking through these alleys I have been surprised many times to find huge remarkable gardens or a scenic river. So as you can tell, Ubud provides nice hidden spots for the explorers among us… Jalan Raya is a road that crosses Monkey Forest Road in the centre of Ubud. To the left, this road leads you to the Campuan area. Within these sacred grounds you can start the rice field walk that goes on further north of Ubud or find the ancient-looking villa complex Ibah. In the same direction are also small side streets on the left and right. If you are looking for a cheaper place to stay overlooking the rice fields, the little streets on this road such as Jl. Kajeng are the places to find good affordable homestays...
Another road that you’ll certainly come across is Jalan Hanoman. Like Monkey Forest Street, this street is long and it has many shops, restaurants, hotels and home stays. However in this street there seems to be more trees and space between the buildings, making it look less crowded. The street goes on passing the ARMA museum, one of the many things you should go to when you are in Ubud. 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 good maintained, so no fear for tripping. However look out for the colourful offerings that 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 am always quite surprised to see some people on bicycles considering Ubud is situated in the hilly parts of Bali. However, if you are thinking about staying there for a while and are not planning to go anywhere far it is a good and healthy way to move around. Along Monkey Forest Street there are many bike rentals. It’s only Rp25.000 a day to rent a bike; much cheaper if you want to rent it longer. Usually right next to the bike rental or near the tourist information centre there are motor scooters for rent. Just like the bikes, 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 are still good. It can get really slippery when it rains. An accident is the last thing you need on your holidays...
If you are planning to travel out of town, you can find the bemos waiting at Ubud Market. They have different colours indicating their different destination. It’s a cheap and adventurous way to travel because unlike in Europe there are no maps showing their routes. Just ask around and you will find somebody who will help you or is also heading the same way as you...You will eventually get where you want to go.
Everywhere in town you will find many private drivers sitting in the shade 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 the drivers is what you need. Check out if you like their car and than bargain for a price that suits you. Usually it is around Rp.350.000 per day inclusive 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 bilingual staff is 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. 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 articles and a calendar of events. Things to doIn Ubud influences and artefacts from the cultural history is still found in and around the village. Besides absorbing the cultural beauty of Ubud there are many other things to do which seem to be always intertwined with the village life.For instance the nearby temples show you the historical influences that are still present while the many museums offer the opportunity to learn about the Bali paintings, drawings and statues that are still of importance today. 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 shopping at the local market. These courses are pretty exceptional for Bali and the tourism foundation of Ubud encourage 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, just experience it... So don’t do too much in one day. Just relax and enjoy the beautiful lifestyle that is only found there...
RestaurantsUbud is full with all types of restaurants. After just a couple of buildings 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 are 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. It seems like that Ubud has more expensive restaurants but maybe it is also my own mistake... Most restaurants in Ubud are just so amazingly
decorated which just makes me want to go in and taste their delicious
food.
HotelsThere are many hotels and villas in Ubud that are just beautiful to the eye. Many hotels have been able to put the mystical atmosphere of Ubud into their interior design.With fine details of statues, flowers and the whole setting, many hotels will just leave you speechless.
Cheap Ubud Accommodation With
its beautiful green setting, it’s narrow ancient looking alleys and the
surrounding rice fields it is not surprising that some good hostels are
found in amazing locations.
The budget traveller and backpacker can find surprising good places to stay at including first class views over the rice fields or river gorges. Return from Ubud to the Bali Travel Life Homepage |
In
the past the rice fields and ideal irrigation systems has 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. 
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 play. 
The
busiest and one of the longest is the Monkey Forest Road. This road
starts when you come into Ubud and ends all the way in the North at the
crowded Ubud Market. This street is covered with shops, restaurants and
places to stay. 
Cultural
Performances:
Every evening there are many performances in and around Ubud. Often, a
specific location has another programme each day. The tickets are
Rp50.000 each but some performances can be slightly more expensive. The
performance start at 19.00 and 20.00 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 there. An other option is going to the art market where
you can get almost anything you can imagine.
Sura’s
Warung:
This restaurant is located in 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 a pancake for dessert. I guess a
comfortable place to eat with some good music increases my appetite...
Tutmak
Warung Kopi:
This restaurant is located at 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 a little
longer...
