Ubud
Cultural Capital of Bali
There are so many great places to visit in Ubud which is also known as the cultural capital of Bali. It’s a very laid-back town and popular with the yoga loving young health conscious traveller. This healthy lifestyle must have rubbed off on us as we spent our time here ‘dry’, choosing to drink lemon & ginger tea rather than booze. We also ate some super healthy food concoctions from an amazing array of cafes and restaurants.
We spent 5 nights in Ubud, staying at The Gran Sunti Hotel, but could have so easily spent another few weeks. Alas, we had to get to Australia but we will go back. We spent our time visiting many of the top recommended sights but also simply relaxed and enjoyed this beautiful part of the island.
Check out some great Hotel And Hostel Prices in Ubud via our booking website.
Here are some of the places we think you should visit in Ubud
Ubud Art Market
We headed into town where we found the wonderful Ubud Art Market which is certainly worth a visit. Inside the market you can spend your time meandering through the displays of local arts and crafts made in the neighbouring villages. The market has some great Balinese items as well as a tonne of other products that should suit every taste. Whether you’re looking for a new silk scarf or hand-crafted woven bag or maybe simply fancy buying some of the bohemian skirts, you’ll find it here. This is also the same Ubud Art Market that was featured in the movie Eat Pray Love, with Julia Roberts. Your free fact of the day!
The Puri Saren Royal Palace
Just a stone’s throw from the market is one of the most prominent tourist sites in Ubud, The Puri Saren Royal palace. The Palace was built in the early 1800’s and is visited by 1000s of tourists each year. Every afternoon tickets are sold for the renowned and dramatic Dance Performance which takes place in the evening. Whilst we were there we came across several large groups of people, each wearing exotic national costume. Chatting to some of these beautifully dressed groups we discovered we had stumbled upon the ‘International Folk Dance Festival 2016’. The festival was being hosted in Bali this year, how lucky for us.
Pura Taman Saraswati Temple
Next door to the palace is the Pura Taman Saraswati Temple which is home to a magnificent lotus filled pond. Entry to the temple is free, however you must wear a sarong to cover your knees and ankles. A top that covers your shoulders and midriff is also a must. Set in stunning water gardens this temple is also referred to as the ‘water temple‘. Take your time and spend a few hours to enjoy the tranquillity and beauty of the ponds filled with the pretty pink lotus blossoms.
Situated very close to a river and near to the temple is a beautiful restaurant. From here you can enjoy the views which backs onto the Café Lotus. Book a table for the evening so that you can watch the dance performance which normally starts at 7.30pm.
Check out our blog about getting around Bali by moped.
Sweet Orange Cafe
Just between the palace and museum we noticed a narrow pathway and a small sign simply saying ‘coffee shop’. We followed this path and soon found ourselves in the vast open space of the Rice Terraces. This path eventually led us to the delightful Sweet Orange Cafe in the middle of the rice fields where they serve amazing food. The pleasure of just kicking back and drinking our tea in the peace and quiet of the paddy fields made this a perfect spot to rest.
Monkey Forest
The Ubud Monkey Forest is vast and will take you 3 or 4 hours to get around. It lies within the village of Padangtegal, which also owns the forest. It is seen as a spiritual, economic, educational, and conservation center for the people living in the village. With over 600 monkeys in the forest you’re bound to see lots of small families, each with their own hierarchy. There”s a large pond in the centre of the park where you will hopefully get to see the monkeys diving from the trees and splashing around.
Take precautions though and be warned! DON’T allow a cute baby monkey to climb onto your shoulder whilst the Big Mama Monkey is close by. With fangs for teeth she will chase you down the road – as I personally discovered. Although it is mainly about the monkeys, there are also 3 temples in the forest which are definitely worth a visit too.
