Ubud Travel Guide
Ubud is what most people envision when they think of Bali. With lush jungles, green rice terraces, temples and monkeys, Ubud is the cultural capital of Bali. In Ubud town itself, you will find plenty of artisan handicrafts, tons of yoga spots, and vegan cafe’s.
There is a huge art market located opposite the Ubud Royal Palace, which is open everyday. Here you will find plenty of artwork and handmade gifts made locally to buy here.
If you are looking to feed your soul, the food scene in Ubud is delicious! They have plenty of vegan and artisian options that are sure to please everyone. Our favourite café’s in Ubud are:
Full Circle by Expat Coffee Roasters – the coffee here is really really good and they have all day breakfast. For dinner, we recommend the salmon sushi bowl and the lamb leg panini.
Kafe- this is a cute breakfast and lunch café, with plenty of healthy options like smoothie bowls and vegan wr aps.
Taco Casa Ubud- this is a chain restaurant but we swear its some of the best Mexican food we have had. We love getting the carne nachos and the wet burrito.
Nostimo Greek Ubud- authentic Greek food. Here you will find delicious kofte, kebabs, and Greek fries.
Mudra Café- another cute, vegetarian café. They have delicious smoothie bowls and poached egg sandwiches.
Warung Komang- This is a Indonesian warung, meaning it serves mostly local food but also has a great selection of western dishes. Our absolute favourite thing to get here are the tempe and tofu satays in peanut sauce. They are some of the best we have had in Bali and are so cheap- it costs about $2 for a full plate with rice!
Looking for accommodation options in Ubud? Click here.
Things to Do Around Ubud
Most of the activities to do in Ubud are located outside of town, and the best way to get to them is either by hiring a driver for a day or by renting a scooter and exploring on your own. Some of the most popular activities to do are the Sacred Monkey Forest, Tegallalang Rice Terraces, Campuhan Ridgewalk, Pura Tirta Empul water temple and exploring waterfalls.
Sacred Monkey Forest
This is right in the heart of Ubud, and you will see monkeys on the road before you arrive at the Sacred Monkey Forest. The monkeys are not enclosed at all and are free to leave at any time (you will see them sometimes wandering on the streets in town). The entrance fee costs 50,000 IDR ($4 USD) and it is a large park where you can walk around and look at the monkeys. Please don’t forget that these monkeys are wild animals, and if you taunt them with food, they will bite.
Do not take anything with you that you do not need. If you have a backpack, put a lock on it because the monkeys will unzip it and steal whatever is in it. We were there for about an hour and saw 5 different people have their backpacks opened by monkeys and their belongings stolen. Hold on tight to your phones and cameras as well. We noticed a monkey even stealing an earring out of a woman’s ear- they are very brave and super difficult to shake off!
Tegallalang Rice Terraces
These iconic rice terraces are located 15 minutes north of Ubud. You can see them from the viewpoints above, or by trekking through them. If you are looking for a guide to the most instagrammable spots in the rice terraces, click here.
Campuhan Ridgewalk
This is a popular walk to do in Ubud and is a lovely workout. Here you will see plenty of people running and walking, and the occasional Chinese tour group. Due to the heat, it is best to do at sunrise, and that is when you will get the best photos.
Puri Tirta Empul Temple
This is a beautiful Balinese Hindu temple. The focal point of this temple is the holy water that serves as a bathing pool where people can go in and bless themselves. Before entering the temple, you will be given sarongs to cover up with before you go into the pools. This is an incredible experience- juts don’t forget you’re in a place of worship so be mindful and respectful.
Ubud’s Waterfalls
Leke Leke Waterfall
Leke Leke is an hour drive north west of Ubud. It is not as busy as the other waterfalls and not many tour groups make it out this way. When we went around noon, there was only two other people there. It is a 15 minute hike down from the parking lot, and you will be crossing a few bamboo bridges, so prepare for a glute workout.
Tibumana
This is one of our favourite waterfalls as the water is very powerful and goes down fast. It is fun to shoot at as there are many angles to capture it, with loads of framing opportunities. It is deep enough to splash in but you are not allowed to go swim directly under the falls. Tibumana does get busy and is usually full of groups by 10am.
Tukad Cepung
This waterfall is unique since it is in a cave. It takes about 10 minutes to walk down the stairs to the waterfall. The start of the cave is on the left after the foot of the stairs. Water shoes are handy to navigate the cave-like entrance as it often floods. This is one of the more popular waterfalls in Bali so be sure to arrive before 9 am to beat the crowds and take an awesome photo. There is a ladder propped up against an epic rock that is another really cool photo opportunity.
On the right side of stairs you will find a smaller waterfall that is nice to check out. It tends to be less busy and is surrounded by lush green jungle, making it another great photo opportunity.
Tegenungan Waterfall
This is one of the busiest waterfalls in Bali, and is heavily frequented by visitors on overcrowded buses. Tegenungan is very touristy and gets so busy, that if you have limited time, we recommend skipping it. There are many prettier waterfalls in the area that don’t make you feel like you’re at an overcrowded waterpark.
Dedari Waterfall
Dedari is located about 30 minutes north of Tegenungan and is less visited then the former. Here you will find two smaller waterfalls and very little people. While it is not as impressive as Leke Leke, Tibumana, or Tukad Cepung, if you are looking for peace and quiet, you will find it here.