If you are going to Bali, then it does not hurt to get to know its resorts in advance. Of particular interest is the cultural capital of the island. Ubud has no sea and beaches, but there are other interesting objects. It will be discussed about him in our article.
A bit about the city ...
Ubud is a city in Bali located in the center of the island. The distance from Ngurah Rai Airport to it does not exceed forty kilometers. There is no sea in the city, so you can not dream of a beach holiday, although no one will bother you to go to the nearest coast of the resorts of Kuta, Sanur and Legian.
Ubud in Bali (Indonesia) is of interest to tourists due to the natural and man-made beauties. Tourists come here for several days on excursions, but sometimes they stay for a long time. Ubud is a recognized cultural center of Bali. Here live poets, sculptors and artists. On each street you will find several cultural salons and art galleries.
It is worth noting that Ubud can hardly be called a city in the full sense of the word. The fact is that on its territory you will not find any high-rise buildings, there are very few vehicles on the streets, and there are not many people. The city leads a quiet and measured life. Time flows slowly. After only 10-15 minutes from the central part, you will find yourself in rice fields. In Ubud there is no clear distinction between the city and the village. During the walk you can make sure that the city streets are quickly replaced by village streets.
After sunset, Ubud (Bali, Indonesia) quickly becomes drowsy. After nine o'clock in the evening everything around subsides. Relative revival can be observed only in the central streets, near the market.
History of the city
The city of Ubud in Bali is ancient, it is more than ten centuries old. According to legend, in the eighth century a priest from the island of Java meditated at the confluence of two rivers. At this point he founded the temple, which to this day is a revered center of pilgrimage.
Initially, the city was known as the most important source of medicinal plants and herbs. He even got the name from the Balinese word "ubad", which translates as "medicine". The period of the greatest prosperity of the city fell on the reign of King Paradise Batur, who was a representative of the noble Sukaviti family. The ruler favored culture and art, which could not but affect the development of Ubud.
The modern period of the history of the city begins around 1926. Then the artists Rudolf Bonnet and Walter Spies arrived in Ubud. Thanks to these people, the city has become incredibly bohemian. Very famous people began to come to him, among whom was Charlie Chaplin, anthropologist Margaret Mead, and actress Dorothy Lamur. Another surge in creativity occurred in the sixties of the last century. This period is closely connected with the Dutch artist Ari Smith, who founded his school of young artists.
Currently, Ubud in Bali (Indonesia) is a popular tourist destination, but at the same time it has retained its unique charm and old traditions. Therefore, he deservedly bears the name of the cultural capital.
What is the charm of the city?
Experienced travelers find Ubud (Bali, Indonesia) impossible to see in one day. to explore all the interesting places you need to allocate a few days. Here you will not be bored if you decide to spend even a few weeks. Most often, tourists are brought to the city during a sightseeing tour of the island. In this case, the guests have only a couple of hours to see the main street, visit the Ubud Palace, stare at the monkeys and national dances. Of course, in such a short time you will not get a complete picture of the city. For this reason, it is necessary to spend the night here and independently visit all the most interesting places. The beauty of the city is that you don’t need guides in it.
If you don’t know what to see in Ubud in Bali, take a stroll through the local streets. On them you will find a cluster of craft workshops, which produce a variety of art objects. The city can be called an endless source of inspiration for creative people. A couple of centuries ago, representatives of art began to gather in Ubud, over the years this tradition did not disappear, but acquired a new dimension. There are a lot of shops and shops in the city that sell fine crafts. And in the surrounding villages, craftsmen make quality products. Each such village specializes in the manufacture of goods from a certain material: wood, stone, etc. Sometimes the shops of local craftsmen are along the road. You will be pleasantly impressed by the number and variety of handmade items.
Yoga and healthy lifestyle
Hinduism flourished in Java in the Middle Ages. And Ubud at that time was the medical center of the Majapahit empire. Probably, for this reason, there are so many various centers of alternative medicine in the city. People come here for yoga seminars and other events. Only in Ubud can you meet a person walking with a yoga mat on the street. At every intersection you will find shops that sell natural cosmetics. Equally diverse is the choice of cafes with vegan or vegetarian dishes. Experienced travelers say that Ubud is an ideal place where you can search for yourself, meditate, try your hand at yoga, improve your health and reconsider your view of the world and your values.
A feature of local organic cafes is the fact that the food in such establishments is not only healthy, but also tasty, which is very important. In Ubud, it is always quiet and calm. Here you will not find glamorous parties and noisy parties.
How to navigate in the city?
Ubud is not an ordinary city. It consists of a dozen villages that are located very close to each other. The center of the city is three streets: Jalan Raya Ubud, Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanoman. On one of them is the Ubud Palace and the Art Market. This is the most tourist part of the town. It is she who is usually offered to see those guests who are here for just a couple of hours.
All the most interesting in Ubud (Bali) and attractions are located outside the center. A huge advantage of the city is the fact that you can safely walk on it or ride a bike. Side streets perpendicularly depart from the main street. It is impossible to get confused in Ubud. On the main street you will find many interesting cafes and shops with clothes, accessories and souvenirs.
Palace of painting
The Palace of Painting is one of the attractions of Ubud (Bali). It is an ethnographic and craft center of the island, and is also an art museum. It contains many works of art. The Palace of Painting was opened in 1956 under the direction of Rudolf Bonnet (Dutch artist). The museum consists of three pavilions, which are surrounded by picturesque ponds with blooming lotuses. In the first pavilion, traditional Balinese paintings are on display, in the second - paintings by young artists, and the third is used to organize temporary exhibitions. The museum introduces guests to traditional Bali music and dancing.
Monkey forest
If you want to make bright and exotic photos, go to Ubud in the Monkey Forest.
Tourists really like the local flocks of monkeys. In the depths of the territory is the temple of the dead, which is considered the habitat of evil spirits.
Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati Temple
The attractions of Ubud (Bali) include the Hindu temple in honor of the goddess of wisdom and knowledge, which is considered one of the most beautiful in the city. People call it the Palace of Water. The building is of interest from the point of view that is a classic example of Balinese architecture. The temple is decorated with figures of gods, bas-reliefs and intricate carvings. Around it is a pond with blooming lotuses. In the temple you can see the barong dance.
Lempad House
Among the attractions of Ubud (Bali) a special place is occupied by the house of Lempad. This is the home of the most famous Balinese artist and sculptor, who became a real inspirer of the national Renaissance. The museum houses the most famous works of the artist. His family still lives here. Therefore, the institution is more like an ordinary residential building than a museum. Many of Lempad's works are also kept in other museums on the island. Family members of the artist willingly conduct tours and talk about the paintings.
Gallery of female art
In Ubud there is another interesting place called the Gallery of female art "Seniwati". Works of not only local masters, but also foreign artists are exhibited here. An interesting fact is that only women’s works are exhibited in the gallery. In other institutions of the city there are paintings of only men. The situation of Balinese women is rather complicated. Literally 20 years ago, local schools did not even accept girls. The same thing happened in art schools. The gallery sells paintings, calendars, t-shirts and other items made by women.
Ubud Waterfalls
There are a lot of waterfalls in Bali, six of them are located near the city itself. Rang-Reng Waterfall has recently been opened for tourists. It is a delta of a mountain river flowing from a cave. A simple trail leads to the waterfall, which can be easily overcome independently. Nearby are gazebos where you can relax and enjoy the water element.
Kanto Lampo is a beautiful stepped waterfall located near the city. You can not only swim in it, but also take beautiful photos. There is a waterfall in the gorge, if you want to get high-quality pictures, you must visit it from 11.00 to 14.00. Lighting was perfect at this time.
Also near Ubud are the Tebumana and Tukad Chepung waterfalls. The latter is located in a very picturesque place - in the middle of the rocks, covered with ferns and vines.
Tengenuan is the most modest, but incredibly popular waterfall. Tourists are brought here by bus. There is a lagoon for swimming. It is best to come here in the early morning, in the rays of the sun, the water sparkles as if.
Dasun Kooning is named after a nearby village. The waterfall is strong and powerful.
"Hanging Gardens"
A real attraction can be called the "Hanging Gardens" of Ubud, which are a luxurious complex of villas. They are located on slopes overgrown with tropical greenery. Stunning landscapes, figured pools, wooden houses, exotic flowers and plants - all these are hanging gardens. Creating a complex, talented landscape designers were able to save the surrounding nature and build houses. The prototype of this amazing place was the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon, considered one of the wonders of the world.
The hotel offers guests 38 luxurious rooms, each of which is designed as a separate villa. All apartments are equipped with swimming pools, so necessary in a hot climate. Ponds are built in such a way that while swimming you can admire the tropical thickets, flowers and orchids. Hanging gardens are interesting because they harmoniously fit into the surrounding landscape. Birds and butterflies regularly fly into them and nimble squirrels drop by.
The hotel has a status of five stars. According to guest reviews, tourists are welcome here with special hospitality. All employees sincerely smile at their guests. Funicular cabins are equipped for moving around the territory, since different objects are located at different levels of the hill. There are also two suspension roads. The hotel is not only a villa complex, but also a wellness center, as it has its own spa center.
Accommodation in Ubud
We already told you where Ubud is and what it is. If you are interested in the town and you want to visit it, you should think about the place of residence in advance. There are a lot of housing options in Ubud. There are modest private hotels, decent hotels and even hostels. If you intend to spend enough time in the city, then the owners willingly make discounts for a long stay. Most accommodations are private hotels, so you have the opportunity to bargain. Choose the central streets for renting rooms, this will allow you to quickly get to any place. If you want silence, we recommend choosing a hotel on the outskirts. Although the center of the city is quite quiet. Ubud is not much like a resort.
Santa Mandala is one of the most unusual hotels in Ubud. The hotel is chosen by those people who come to Bali in search of spiritual practices. If you want to spend a couple of days in the city, you should book a hotel room in advance so as not to waste time looking for housing.
Beaches
There are no beaches in Ubud, since the city is located in the depths of the island. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to get to the coast from here. It would be illogical to come to Ubud and not swim in the sea. The nearest coast from the city must be reached by car for at least an hour. Tourists can go to the beach "Lovina". He is not very crowded and handsome. True, it will take two hours to get to it. Its feature is black sand.
In addition, you can visit one of the island's resorts - Sanur or Seminyak. On their coast you can find many wonderful places to relax. The resort of Seminyak generally offers tourists a vacation in fashionable beach villas. Therefore, looking at the beauty of Ubud, you can safely move to coastal resorts.
You can also recommend visiting the Bukit Peninsula, Chaeggu with black sand and Kutu.
Travel to Bali
What is the price of a tour in Bali (for two)? The cost of tickets depends on many factors, including the level of the hotel, as well as food. If you want to save, you can recommend buying last-minute packages. The price of a tour in Bali for two in this case will average 50,000 rubles. True, you will be staying in a three-star hotel. If you want to get more comfortable conditions, you will have to purchase a more expensive ticket.
What to do on vacation?
What to do in Ubud? The city is an amazingly interesting place. His silence and calm literally amaze the imagination. Tourists who are accustomed to the city noise and bustle, it is immediately difficult to reorganize in a new way. Experienced travelers recommend walking around the city on foot, this will allow you to feel its beauty and atmosphere. A path for walks has been laid along the Champuan River. It starts near the Ibah Hotel and leads to the hills by the river. This place can be safely called the most picturesque in the city. Walking in leisurely steps takes 1.5-2 hours. But during this time you will get a lot of pleasure.
Rice fields of the city can be safely called another of its attractions. Walking along them, you can visit the bamboo cafe. It appeared in the city one of the first. It is built only of bamboo and has an open terrace with stunning views. Organic cafe is incredibly popular among tourists.
There are a lot of spas in Ubud where you can enjoy massages. If you want to improve your health or just relax, visit one of these places. Relax and pleasure are guaranteed.
Tourists should visit the botanical garden, which is located a kilometer from the city. This place will certainly appeal to all lovers of natural beauty. In the garden you can see many exotic plants. But the most attractive is the Orchid Garden.
Another interesting place of Ubud is a bird park. View its territory quickly does not work, because it is large. In the park you will see more than 250 species of birds.
Instead of an afterword
Ubud is worth a visit to those tourists who are interested in the culture and history of the island. An amazing city created for measured relaxation and contemplation of beauty. No wonder yoga fans from all over the world come here. If you always wanted to join the practice, but did not do it, be sure to visit one of the yoga schools in the city. Here you can learn a lot of new and interesting things. Ubud is a place to which it is impossible to remain indifferent. The city should not be considered as a beach resort; rather, it should be attributed to the cultural center.