20 Best Things to Do in Ubud, Bali: Temples, Rice Terraces, Food

Ubud is Bali’s cultural and wellness centre: a jungle town in the hills of central Bali known for its temples, rice terraces, yoga studios and some of the island’s best food. The best things to do in Ubud are cultural and green rather than coastal, from water temples and royal tombs to ridge walks, waterfalls and cooking classes. It isn’t a beach base, as the nearest sand is about an hour away, so it suits travellers who want culture, food and wellness first.

We first came to Bali in 2015 and kept coming back, including six weeks in Ubud in early 2025 while Oksana completed her yoga teacher training. Since February 2026, Ubud has been a second home: Oksana now teaches yoga at The IN Movement, and this guide is the list we give friends when they visit.

Is Ubud Worth Visiting?

Yes. Ubud is where most of Bali’s traditional arts, temples and rice-field landscapes come together, and the town has grown a wellness and food scene to match. The name comes from the Balinese word “ubad”, meaning medicine, and healing still runs through the place, from its many yoga studios to its spas and plant-based cafes.

It has downsides. Central Ubud gets heavy traffic, the most famous sights are busy by mid-morning, and the town is inland, so you’ll want a few nights on the coast too. Our guide to where to stay in Bali compares Ubud with the beach areas, and a week split between Ubud and the coast is the classic combination.

Best Time to Visit Ubud

Ubud is warm all year, so the choice is really dry season or wet season. From April to October the weather is drier and sunnier, which makes it the easiest time for trekking, waterfalls and day trips. July and August are the busiest months, with higher prices and heavier traffic.

From November to March, the rainy season brings short, heavy showers most afternoons, fewer visitors outside Christmas and New Year, and the greenest rice fields of the year. Most activities still run, though waterfall trails get slippery.

How to Get to Ubud, Bali

Ubud is in central Bali. The closest international airport is Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), about 40 km (25 miles) away. That sounds close, but in Bali traffic the drive to Ubud usually takes 1.5 to 2.5 hours.

Before you arrive, pay Bali’s tourist levy of IDR 150,000 (about US$8) per person through the official Love Bali portal; spot checks happen at the airport and busy sights such as Tegallalang. There are three main ways to get from the airport to Ubud.

By Private Transfer

The most convenient way to get from the airport to central Ubud is to book a private transfer in advance. It’s comfortable and punctual, the driver meets you in arrivals, and it takes you straight to your accommodation, which matters in Ubud, where many villas sit down narrow lanes.

If you’re staying at a hotel or guesthouse, you can also ask your host to arrange a pickup; many accept cash on arrival.

By Taxi

The official taxi counter inside the arrivals hall sells fixed-price vouchers, typically IDR 350,000 to 500,000 (about US$20 to 28) to central Ubud, and more to villas north of town. Stick to the official counter so you know the price before you get in.

Grab and Gojek, the local ride-hailing apps, can’t pick up at the kerb, but Grab runs a pickup point inside the terminal, with fares similar to a taxi.

By Airport Shuttle

Kura-Kura Bus runs private airport transfers to the Ubud area from IDR 460,000 per car, for up to three adults and a child, with an English-speaking driver.

Getting Around Ubud

If you stay in central Ubud, you can walk to most cafes, restaurants, shops and the Monkey Forest. Many sights and some of the best restaurants are 5 to 10 km (3 to 6 miles) out of town, though, so you’ll want wheels for day trips. We use a mix of the options below.

Rent a Scooter

Scooters are the fastest way around, but only rent one if you’re a confident rider: Ubud’s traffic is chaotic and the roads are narrow. Expect to pay around IDR 50,000 to 80,000 (about US$3 to 4.50) a day.

You legally need an international driving permit with a motorcycle endorsement, and helmets are compulsory. Scooter accidents are common in Bali, so make sure your travel insurance covers riding before you get on one.

Use Grab or Gojek

If you’d rather not ride yourself, order a scooter taxi on Grab or Gojek. Local drivers know the lanes, and a trip within Ubud usually costs a dollar or two. Many cafes are down scooter-only paths, which is why we rarely take cars around town.

Download a local eSIM before you land so the apps work from the airport; we use Airalo.

Hire a Car and Driver

For day trips to Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi or the waterfalls, hire a car and driver for the day through your hotel or one of the many agencies in town. It’s the most comfortable way to link several sights, and drivers wait while you explore.

Best Things to Do in Ubud, Bali

These are the best things to do in Ubud, from the temples and rice terraces every visitor sees to the yoga studios, spas and gyms we use as residents. The table gives the time and cost of each.

1. Visit Ubud Palace and the Water Palace

Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung) sits in the middle of town and was the home of Ubud’s royal family. It’s free to walk into the courtyards, and most evenings at 7:30pm the palace hosts traditional dance performances. A few minutes’ walk away, Pura Taman Saraswati, the Ubud Water Palace, is dedicated to the goddess of learning and is known for its carved red-brick gates and lotus pond. Both are free and make an easy first afternoon.

2. Bathe at the Water Temples: Tirta Empul and Sebatu

Pura Tirta Empul, about 40 minutes’ drive north of Ubud, is one of Bali’s holiest temples, built around a spring whose water is believed to purify those who bathe in it. As of 2026, entry is IDR 75,000 (about US$4) and includes a sarong; you rent a separate bathing sarong if you join the melukat purification ritual. Go at opening time, as it gets very busy.

For a quieter alternative, Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu is a spring-fed water temple with lotus ponds and carp pools, dedicated to Vishnu, and sees a fraction of Tirta Empul’s crowds. Photography isn’t allowed in the bathing area.

3. See the Royal Tombs at Gunung Kawi

Close to Tirta Empul in Tampaksiring, Gunung Kawi is an 11th-century complex of shrines carved into the cliffs of a river valley, thought to honour a Balinese king and his family. You reach it down a few hundred steps through rice terraces, so it’s a workout on the way back up. Entry is IDR 75,000 (about US$4), including a sarong, and it pairs naturally with Tirta Empul on the same morning.

4. Explore Goa Gajah, the Elephant Cave

Despite the name, there were never elephants at Goa Gajah. The cave’s entrance is carved as a demon’s face, and the courtyard has bathing pools and carvings dating back about a thousand years. Below it, a path leads down through the forest to a stream with more carvings. Entry is IDR 50,000 (about US$3), including a sarong, and it’s about 10 minutes’ drive from central Ubud.

5. Walk the Tegallalang Rice Terraces

The Tegallalang Rice Terraces, about 20 minutes north of Ubud, are the classic view of Bali: steep, palm-lined terraces watered by the centuries-old subak irrigation system. Go at sunrise, before the tour buses arrive. There’s no single ticket; expect small fees of IDR 15,000 to 25,000 at the entry points, plus extra for the swings and photo platforms.

If you’d rather skip the crowds, the terraces at Jatiluwih, about 1.5 hours west of Ubud, are part of Bali’s UNESCO-listed subak landscape and far quieter. We walked there on our 2025 trip around the island’s quieter corners, which our off-the-beaten-path Bali guide covers.

6. Visit the Sacred Monkey Forest

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, at the southern end of central Ubud, is a forest temple complex home to hundreds of long-tailed macaques. It opens 9am to 6pm (last entry 5pm), and adult tickets are IDR 80,000 on weekdays and IDR 100,000 at weekends (about US$4.50 to 5.50). Our honest verdict: go right at opening, when it’s cool and quiet, or skip it on a busy afternoon.

Are the monkeys dangerous? They can bite and scratch, usually when they spot food or feel cornered. Don’t carry snacks, zip away sunglasses, phones and hats, avoid eye contact and never touch them. Bali has rabies, so if you’re bitten or scratched, see a doctor the same day.

7. Take a Sunset Walk on the Campuhan Ridge

The Campuhan Ridge Walk is a free, paved trail that starts about 10 minutes’ walk west of central Ubud, next to the Pura Gunung Lebah temple where two rivers meet. It follows a grassy ridge between two river valleys, then continues past rice fields and cafes such as Karsa Kafe. The first stretch takes about an hour there and back; you can make it as long as you like.

Go early in the morning or an hour before sunset. By late morning there’s no shade and the heat is intense. It’s one of our favourite easy walks in Ubud.

8. Chase Waterfalls Around Ubud

Some of Bali’s best waterfalls are a short drive from Ubud. Tegenungan is the closest and busiest, about 20 minutes south; Tibumana is quieter, with a pool you can swim in; Kanto Lampo tumbles down stepped rock; and Tukad Cepung falls inside a cave, with beams of light on sunny mornings. Our guide to the best Ubud waterfalls covers each one.

9. Watch a Kecak or Legong Dance

Ubud is the home of Balinese dance, and there’s a performance somewhere in town most nights. The Kecak and fire dance at Pura Dalem Ubud, a temple dedicated to the demon queen Rangda, starts at 7:30pm on scheduled nights, with tickets of about IDR 100,000 (about US$5.50) at the gate. The graceful Legong is performed at Ubud Palace.

10. Raft the Ayung River

The Ayung River runs through a jungle gorge just west of Ubud, and its class II to III rapids make for a fun half day rather than extreme white water. Tours include a lunch and pickups from Ubud; this Ayung River rafting tour is rated 4.7 from more than 2,500 reviews.

11. Join a Balinese Cooking Class

A cooking class is one of the best ways to understand Balinese food. This village cooking class starts at a local market, where you pick the ingredients, walks you through the rice fields and finishes in an open-air village kitchen, where you cook and eat several Balinese dishes.

12. Practise Yoga

Yoga is part of daily life in Ubud, and ours too. Our pick is The IN Movement in Nyuh Kuning, our favourite of the newer studios in town. It was founded by teachers Byron de Marse, Paul Teodo and Leah Santa Cruz with the Yoga Barn family, and Oksana teaches there. Alongside the classes, its recovery centre has a Finnish sauna, cold plunges and a warm mineral pool, and there’s a restaurant on site.

The Yoga Barn is one of the best-known studios in Ubud, with a huge schedule of classes, workshops and trainings. Radiantly Alive offers a varied range of classes plus sound healing and kirtan, and Intuitive Flow in Penestanan is a smaller, calmer studio above the rice fields, with mostly Indonesian teachers.

13. Try Sound Healing at the Pyramids of Chi

The Pyramids of Chi, just outside Ubud, run sound healing sessions inside two large pyramids, using gongs, bowls and other ancient instruments. There are also meditation, breathwork and cacao ceremonies. It’s unusual, and we left more relaxed than we arrived.

14. Work Up a Sweat at Titi Batu

Titi Batu is our favourite fitness club in Ubud, with a well-equipped gym, classes, a lap pool and a relaxation pool, sports courts, a sauna, a skate park, and a kids’ park and family pool. There’s a cafe and restaurant on site, and day passes if you’re only visiting.

15. Book a Spa Day

Ubud has spas for every budget. Lumeria has a traditional herbal steam room, a sauna and a cold plunge, with yoga on site. Taksu Spa is known for its facials and specialised massages, and has group packages if you’re with friends. Fresh! Beauty Lounge is a fun, retro-styled spa for massages, facials and nails, and StarChild Spa 2 is our go-to for a relaxing Balinese massage that doesn’t break the bank.

16. Treat Yourself at Bambu Indah

Bambu Indah, in Sayan above the Ayung River, is a boutique eco-resort of bamboo houses and antique teak homes set around a natural swimming pond and organic gardens. We haven’t stayed, but we go regularly for sunset drinks, dinner and spa days, and it’s where we take friends when we want a special evening.

17. Get a Traditional Tattoo at Karma House

Tattooing has deep roots in Balinese culture, and Karma House specialises in traditional bamboo and hand-poke tattoos by local artists. It’s also a specialty coffee shop, so friends can wait in comfort.

18. Learn About Sustainability at the Green School

The Green School, about 30 minutes south of Ubud, is an international school built almost entirely from bamboo, with a curriculum centred on sustainability. Public tours show you the campus and how it works.

19. Go Shopping

The Ubud Art Market, opposite the palace, is the place for woven bags, sarongs, carvings and other Balinese handicrafts; bargain politely. Around town, Blue Stone Botanicals sells cruelty-free essential oils, soaps and candles, ARTcycleBALI makes jewellery and bags from upcycled tyres, and Eco Ego sells bamboo sunglasses and accessories.

20. Time Your Trip for a Festival

Ubud’s calendar is full of events. The BaliSpirit Festival of yoga, dance and music usually runs in April, the Ubud Food Festival in late May, and the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, one of Southeast Asia’s leading literary festivals, in October. Temple ceremonies happen year-round, so keep an eye out for processions.

Where to Eat in Ubud

Eating out is one of our favourite things to do in Ubud, and the town has far more good restaurants than its size suggests, with plenty of plant-based choices. These are the places we go back to.

Malam

Malam is probably our favourite restaurant in Ubud: a wood-fire Asian grill on Jalan Raya Pengosekan, open for dinner from 5pm. Everything passes over wood or charcoal; order the Thai salmon sashimi with som tam dressing and the smoked eggplant with miso, and book at weekends.

Sapa by MeVui

Sapa by MeVui is our favourite Vietnamese in Ubud, also on Jalan Raya Pengosekan, and one of the more affordable sit-down meals in town. The pho, banh mi and fresh spring rolls taste like the real thing.

Mudra

Mudra is our favourite brunch spot in Ubud, and our go-to for matcha. Try the seaweed tacos, dragon bowls or roti with a coffee.

Plant Bistro

Plant Bistro is our favourite vegan restaurant in Ubud, with a French bistro feel and a menu that runs from bruschetta and pizza to sushi. Save room for the pastries and gelato.

Alchemy

Alchemy is 100% raw, vegan and organic. We usually order the tempeh and tofu, a colourful salad and a cold-pressed juice, and finish with vegan ice cream.

Flourish

Flourish serves healthy, homemade food that’s entirely gluten-free. We’re big fans of the bowls: build your own, or order the Morocco or Buddha bowl.

Sayuri Healing Food

Sayuri Healing Food is a garden cafe serving plant-based and raw food. The pumpkin soup, tempeh burger and vegan salmon on onion bread are the ones to try.

KAFE

KAFE has been serving healthy comfort food in Ubud since 2004, from big breakfasts and smoothies to the mezze plate and red-rice nasi goreng.

Honey and Smoke

Honey and Smoke is a speakeasy-style restaurant where the chargrill is the star. Order the tempura zucchini flowers, the lamb skewers and a steak, with one of the cocktails.

Batubara

Batubara is where we go for steak in Ubud: premium cuts cooked over wood fire, shared plates and great fries, served in a garden.

Nostimo

Nostimo is a Greek grill that satisfies any craving for gyros, souvlaki and mixed grills, with a relaxed island feel.

Locavore To Go

Locavore To Go is the casual offshoot of the famous Locavore team, with burgers, sandwiches and charcuterie made from local produce.

Sawobali

Sawobali is a relaxed spot for Balinese and Indonesian dishes, where we’ve had some of our best local meals in town.

Searching for La Pacha Mama? The Latin-inspired restaurant we used to recommend here has closed permanently.

Where to Stay in Ubud

Where you stay shapes your time in Ubud. Central Ubud, around Jalan Monkey Forest, Jalan Hanoman and Jalan Bisma, puts restaurants, the market and the palace within walking distance. Penestanan and Sayan, to the west, are quieter, with rice-field and river-valley views. Pengosekan and Nyuh Kuning, to the south, are close to the Monkey Forest and home to Malam, Sapa and The IN Movement, while the resorts further out trade walkability for space.

Artini Bisma Ubud Hotel

Artini Bisma Ubud Hotel was our go-to on earlier trips: a clean, affordable hotel on Jalan Bisma within walking distance of restaurants, the Art Market and the Monkey Forest. Rooms are spacious, with garden or pool views, and the staff are lovely.

Bisma Eight

Bisma Eight is a boutique hotel on the same street, known for its rooftop infinity pool over the jungle. It’s rated 9.3 from more than 1,500 reviews on Booking.com.

Desa Visesa Ubud

Desa Visesa Ubud is built like a Balinese village across 5.2 hectares of rice terraces about 3 km (2 miles) from the centre. We stayed in March 2025, and guests can join the farm, learn to make offerings or take yoga and dance classes, with four restaurants on site.

Maya Ubud Resort and Spa

Maya Ubud Resort and Spa sits between rice fields and the Petanu River in Peliatan, with an infinity pool and a spa right on the riverbank. It’s rated 9.1 on Booking.com.

Hoshinoya Bali

Hoshinoya Bali is a Japanese-run luxury resort above the Pakerisan river valley, with villas set along long canal pools. It’s rated 9.5 on Booking.com and priced accordingly.

How Many Days Do You Need in Ubud?

Three days covers Ubud’s main sights: the palace and market, the Monkey Forest, Tegallalang and a water temple. Give it five or more if you want yoga, a cooking class and day trips to the waterfalls and Gunung Kawi. Ubud is the kind of place people plan to stay a few days and stay for weeks; we came for six weeks and ended up moving here.

Shuttles link Ubud with the beach areas, and fast boats run to the Gili Islands and Lombok; both can be booked through Bookaway.

From Ubud, many travellers continue to the Gili Islands or dive the coast (see our Bali diving guide), and for a longer trip our two-week Indonesia itinerary adds Yogyakarta in Java, the Ijen crater, Komodo and Raja Ampat.

Map of Things to Do in Ubud

This map links the main sights from central Ubud to the temples in the north: the Monkey Forest, Goa Gajah, Tegallalang and Tirta Empul.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ubud worth visiting?

Yes, for temples, rice terraces, yoga, food and Balinese culture. Skip it if you want a beach holiday, since Ubud is inland and about an hour from the nearest beach.

How many days do you need in Ubud?

Three days covers the main sights; five or more lets you add yoga, a cooking class and day trips to waterfalls and Gunung Kawi.

Is Ubud safe?

Ubud is generally safe, including at night in the centre. The main risks are scooter accidents, bag snatching from passing scooters, and the Monkey Forest macaques grabbing loose items.

Are the Ubud monkeys dangerous?

They can bite and scratch if provoked or if they spot food. Don’t carry snacks, keep sunglasses and phones zipped away, don’t touch them, and see a doctor the same day if you’re bitten, as Bali has rabies.

How far is Ubud from Bali airport?

About 40 km (25 miles), which takes 1.5 to 2.5 hours in traffic. A pre-booked private transfer is the easiest option.

Can you visit Ubud as a day trip?

Yes, from Seminyak, Canggu or Sanur, but you’ll spend three to four hours in traffic and miss the early mornings, which are the best time at Tegallalang and the Monkey Forest.

When is the best time to visit Ubud?

April to October, Bali’s dry season. July and August are busiest; April, May and September give dry weather with fewer crowds.

What is the best area to stay in Ubud for a couple without a scooter who want to walk to restaurants?

Central Ubud, around Jalan Monkey Forest, Jalan Hanoman and Jalan Bisma, where most restaurants, the market and the palace are within a 15-minute walk.

Final Thoughts

Ubud gets called touristy, and at midday at Tegallalang it is. But get up early, eat where the locals and long-stayers eat, and leave room in your days, and it’s easy to see why so many people, us included, come for a week and stay much longer. Start with the temples and rice terraces, then give yourself time for a yoga class, a long lunch and a sunset on the Campuhan Ridge.

Curious about Balinese life beyond the sights? Our piece on why Indonesian cats have stubby tails is a fun place to start.

Which of these would you put first on your Ubud list?

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