Indonesia · Bali
Ubud
Walk the Campuhan Ridge at dawn, see the Monkey Forest and Ubud Palace in town, and drive out to the Tegalalang terraces, Tirta Empul and the UNESCO Jatiluwih paddies, with time for a spa or yoga.
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsOverview
Ubud is the cultural and spiritual heart of Bali: a green highland town of temples, palaces, rice terraces and an art scene that has drawn painters and dancers for a century. It is where the island’s Hindu ceremonies, the subak-irrigated paddies and a modern wellness culture of yoga and healthy cafés all overlap, a short drive from the Tegalalang terraces and the holy springs of Tirta Empul.
If you only take one thing from this guide: Ubud rewards early risers. The ridge walk, the terraces and the temples are all transformed by getting there before the tour buses and the midday heat. Do the sights early, then retreat to a valley pool or a spa in the afternoon.
Best for
Couples · Wellness travelers · Culture and temples · Rice-terrace scenery · Slow travel
Daily itinerary
3 to 4 days
Unlike Bali’s beach towns, Ubud is inland, cooler and green, built around a living culture rather than surf and sunsets. You get temple ceremonies, traditional dance, and paddy walks instead of a beach at your door.
Best time to visit
Ubud sits inland at altitude, so it is a little cooler and greener than the coast, with more cloud and rain. The dry season, roughly April to October, is the reliable window; May, June and September pair good weather with softer crowds.
- April to June: Green from the rains, sunny mornings, comfortable for walking.
- July to August: Peak season: busy sights and roads; book hotels and drivers early.
- September to October: Still dry and quieter; often the best value in the good-weather window.
- November to March: Wet season: warm with heavy afternoon downpours and higher humidity.
Things worth knowing
- Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, falls on Monday 8 March 2027; Ubud stays completely still for 24 hours after the Ogoh-Ogoh parades the night before.
- Galungan and Kuningan: a major Hindu festival cycle when Ubud’s streets fill with tall decorated penjor poles (dates move with the Balinese calendar).
Where to stay
Central Ubud
The walkable core around Jalan Raya Ubud, the Ubud Palace, the art market and the Monkey Forest. Everything is close, but this is also where the traffic and crowds concentrate.
Best for: First-time visitors · No car · Shopping and dance
Congested and noisy on the main streets; narrow lanes with little footpath.
Campuhan and Sanggingan
The ridge and gallery road northwest of the centre: the Campuhan Ridge walk, Blanco museum, valley-view hotels and restaurants along Jalan Raya Sanggingan.
Best for: Couples · Valley views · Walking
A short taxi from the very centre; hilly walking along the main road.
Penestanan
A quieter hillside village of artist studios, boutique villas and rice-field paths just above Campuhan, reached by a famous flight of steps. Calmer and greener than the centre.
Best for: Couples · Quiet · Longer stays
Steps and lanes rather than roads; you walk or scooter to the centre.
Nyuh Kuning and the south
A leafy traditional village on the far side of the Monkey Forest: woodcarvers, homestays and small villas, with an easy walk into town through the forest.
Best for: Quiet base · Value · Village feel
The walk into town runs through the Monkey Forest, which charges entry and closes at night.
Tegalalang and the northern terraces
The rice-terrace belt north of town toward Tegalalang: dramatic paddy views, swing cafés and jungle villas, but a drive from Ubud’s restaurants and dance.
Best for: Rice-terrace views · Seclusion · Photography
Removed from central Ubud; you need a driver or scooter for everything.
Where to sleep
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
luxury · Sayan
Best for: Honeymoons · River-valley calm · Design lovers
- Iconic rice-bowl bridge and Ayung River valley setting
- Immersive jungle-and-river immersion
- Renowned spa and service
- Very expensive
- The deep valley means many steps and buggy transfers
- A drive from central Ubud’s sights
COMO Uma Ubud
luxury · Sanggingan
Best for: Couples · Wellness · Valley views
- Private-pool villas over the valley
- Strong yoga and wellness program
- Five minutes from central Ubud
- Premium rates
- Sloping grounds with steps between levels
- No beach, fully inland
Bisma Eight
boutique · Jalan Bisma, central Ubud
Best for: Couples · Design · Walkable base
- Contemporary design in a jungle-edge setting
- Rooftop Copper bar and pool with valley views
- Walk to central Ubud
- Compact grounds rather than a sprawling resort
- Some rooms face the road
- No direct rice-terrace or beach access
Alaya Resort Ubud
boutique · Central Ubud
Best for: Couples · Walkable Ubud base · Value
- Walking distance to the Monkey Forest and Ubud Palace
- Rice-paddy-framed pool and good spa
- Better value than the valley resorts
- On a busy central street with traffic
- Rooms are comfortable rather than lavish
- No sweeping valley view
Ubud Aura Retreat
value · Nyuh Kuning / south Ubud
Best for: Couples on a budget · Wellness on a budget · Quiet stay
- Good value with a wellness and yoga focus
- Quiet village setting near the Monkey Forest
- Vegetarian-friendly breakfast
- Small, simple property, not luxurious
- No full-service resort facilities
- You walk or scooter into the centre
Essential experiences
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
A forested nature reserve and temple complex in the heart of Ubud, home to hundreds of long-tailed macaques and three moss-covered temples.
Campuhan Ridge Walk
An easy paved ridge trail between two river valleys on the edge of town; the classic Ubud walk, best at sunrise.
Tegalalang Rice Terrace
The photogenic tiered paddies north of Ubud, carved into a steep valley and worked by the subak system; donations are collected per section.
Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung)
The historic royal palace on the main street, free to enter by day and a nightly stage for traditional Balinese dance performances.
Tirta Empul temple
A sacred spring temple near Tampaksiring where Balinese Hindus perform the melukat purification ritual in the bathing pools; sarong required.
Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)
A 9th-century cave sanctuary and bathing-pool complex just southeast of Ubud, with a carved cave mouth and shaded gardens; sarong required.
Jatiluwih rice terraces (UNESCO)
The sweeping UNESCO-listed subak terraces on Mount Batukaru’s slopes, part of the Cultural Landscape of Bali; greener and quieter than Tegalalang.
Food & drink
- Babi guling: Balinese spit-roast suckling pig stuffed with spice paste; Ubud has famous specialist warungs, often a lunchtime dish.
- Bebek betutu: Duck rubbed in a rich spice paste and slow-cooked for hours until it falls apart; an Ubud specialty.
- Nasi campur: A plate of rice with small portions of many dishes; the everyday Balinese meal and a good way to sample widely.
- Sate lilit: Minced fish or meat mixed with grated coconut and spices, pressed onto lemongrass skewers and grilled.
- Jamu: Traditional herbal tonics of turmeric, ginger and tamarind, sold across Ubud’s wellness cafés.
Warungs are the local, best-value eateries; babi guling often sells out by early afternoon. Ubud also has Bali’s strongest cluster of vegetarian and vegan cafés.
Where to eat
Locavore NXT
fine-diningThe relocated flagship of Bali’s best-known fine-dining kitchen, built on Indonesian ingredients and fermentation. Book well ahead.
Last researched 2026-07-15
Ibu Oka style babi guling warung
institutionUbud is known for its babi guling warungs near the palace; go at lunch, as the roast pork often sells out by mid-afternoon.
Last researched 2026-07-15
Ubud wellness and vegan cafés
cafeUbud has Bali’s densest cluster of plant-based and raw cafés; the Jalan Gootama and Penestanan areas are the heart of it.
Last researched 2026-07-15
Sunrises
Campuhan Ridge Walk
The paved ridge catches first light over two green valleys; the classic early-morning Ubud walk before heat and crowds.
Year-round · Soft light on the tall grasses and valley; go before the paths fill.
Mount Batur summit
A pre-dawn trek up an active volcano northeast of Ubud for sunrise over Lake Batur and distant peaks.
April to October (dry season)
Sunsets
Tegalalang terrace cafés
The tiered paddies north of town glow in the late afternoon; a terrace café or swing catches the light over the valley.
Year-round
Sanggingan valley-view restaurants
The restaurants along the Sanggingan gallery road look west over the Campuhan valley, a relaxed spot for a sundowner.
Year-round
Day trips
Tirta Empul and Tampaksiring
The holy-spring purification temple northeast of Ubud, an easy inland loop that pairs well with the Tegalalang terraces.
About 45 minutes from Ubud · Half day
Jatiluwih rice terraces (UNESCO)
The vast UNESCO-listed subak terraces on Mount Batukaru, greener and far quieter than Tegalalang, with paddy walking trails.
About 1.5 to 2 hours from Ubud · Half to full day
Tegenungan Waterfall
A wide jungle waterfall south of Ubud with a swimming plunge pool and viewpoints, popular for a half-day cool-off.
About 30 to 40 minutes from Ubud · Half day
Daily itinerary
Four days in Ubud: temples, terraces and the ridge
Base in or near central Ubud, do the sights early, and use a driver for the two inland day trips.
- 1
Arrive and central Ubud
relaxedArrive and settle; a first walk on the main street and the art market.Babi guling at a warung near the palace.The Sacred Monkey Forest and the Ubud Palace.A valley-view café at the edge of town.Casual Balinese dinner.A Legong dance at the Ubud Palace.Walkable in the centre; short taxi for the Monkey Forest.Estimate: Swap the dance for an evening yoga class.
- 2
Ridge walk and wellness
relaxedSunrise Campuhan Ridge walk before the heat.A vegan or wellness café in Penestanan.A spa treatment or a paddy-side pool afternoon.Sundowner on the Sanggingan road.Dinner in central Ubud.Quiet night.Mostly on foot and short taxis.Estimate: Add the Blanco museum in Campuhan.
- 3
Tegalalang and Tirta Empul
moderateEarly to the Tegalalang rice terrace before the buses.A valley-view café at Tegalalang.Tirta Empul purification temple at Tampaksiring.Back in Ubud.Warung dinner.Early night before the longer trip.Hire a driver for the day for this inland loop.Estimate: Add Goa Gajah on the way back.
- 4
Jatiluwih or a waterfall
fullDrive west to the UNESCO Jatiluwih terraces, or south to Tegenungan Waterfall.Lunch overlooking the paddies or near the falls.A paddy walk at Jatiluwih, then return.A last Ubud sunset.A memorable last dinner.Pack.Full driver day for Jatiluwih; the waterfall is a shorter half-day.Estimate: Swap Jatiluwih for a Mount Batur sunrise trek earlier the same day.
Getting around
- Ubud is inland in central Bali, about 35 to 40km and 1.5 to 2.5 hours by road from Ngurah Rai (DPS) airport, depending on traffic.
- Most visitors arrive by private transfer or a pre-booked driver from the airport or the south coast.
- A private driver by the day is the standard way to reach the terraces, temples and waterfalls.
- Grab and Gojek work in parts of Ubud but pickups are restricted in some central areas.
- Scooters are cheap and flexible for the confident; central traffic and narrow lanes make walking slow but doable.
Things worth knowing
- · Arriving in mid-afternoon traffic and losing hours on the road from the coast.
- · Reaching Tegalalang or the Monkey Forest at midday with the tour buses instead of early.
- · Forgetting a sarong and sash, which are required at the temples.
Budget
| Low | Expected | Comfortable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation style / per night | IDR 350,000 | IDR 1,300,000 | IDR 6,000,000 |
| Food style / per day | IDR 100,000 | IDR 350,000 | IDR 900,000 |
| Local transport / per day | IDR 70,000 | IDR 500,000 | IDR 1,000,000 |
| Estimate / per day | IDR 80,000 | IDR 200,000 | IDR 450,000 |
Estimate · IDR · 2026-07-15. Accommodation is per room per night (two sharing). Local transport "expected" assumes a shared private driver for the day trips. Dry-season figures; July, August and the December holidays run higher.
Things worth knowing
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Ubud?
Three to four days is ideal. That covers the ridge walk, the Monkey Forest and palace in town, plus day trips to the Tegalalang terraces, Tirta Empul and Jatiluwih, with time for a spa or yoga.
Where is the best area to stay in Ubud?
Central Ubud for walkability and dance, Campuhan or Sanggingan for valley views, or Penestanan and Nyuh Kuning for a quieter, greener base a short walk from town.
When is the best time to visit Ubud?
The dry season, roughly April to October, is best. May, June and September give good weather with fewer crowds than the July to August peak.
Do you need a car or driver in Ubud?
For the town centre, no. To reach the rice terraces, temples and waterfalls, a private driver for a day or two is the easiest and most common choice.
What is the best rice terrace near Ubud?
Tegalalang is the closest and most photogenic but busy; the UNESCO-listed Jatiluwih terraces are larger, greener and far quieter, about two hours away.
Sources (3)
- Top experiences in and around Ubud · tourism-board · 2026-07-15
- Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary official information · official · 2026-07-15
- Jatiluwih is part of the UNESCO Cultural Landscape of Bali (Subak System) · unesco · 2026-07-15
