Ubud, Bali: Everything You Need to Know Before Your Vacation

Ubud has much to offer, from its stunning panorama of the Ayung River valley and the terraced rice fields, its most talented artist, its typical traditional market, and a myriad of shops that line the road is a heaven for shopping, its undying culture, its serene environment, plenty of nice small hotels and restaurants, and many more.

Ubud has no great beaches to speak of, no mountain lakes, and no grand hotels. Yet it has the richness of soil, and it is the center of Bali's art and culture. A visit is worth it because it will offer you a memorable stay in Bali.

Driving out of bustling Denpasar, the tranquil green of rice paddies contrasts sharply with the boisterous sounds of the city. Palm-leaf carvings of Dewi Sri (the Rice Goddess) guard over the crops, and small thatch huts dot the rice fields, giving shade to those who work them. Temples and small shrines can be seen along the way. Women lay out offerings of flowers, rice, incense, and holy water to placate evil spirits and please the good ones. Even with the great influx of tourism, village life basically goes on the same. Almost every village on the way up to Ubud specializes in some kind of art form. You can stop off and see the artisans at work in their studios.

Many places near Ubud make beautiful side trips. Morning walk through the villages leads to out-of-the-way retreats. The route to Tegalalang offers beautiful views of terraces rice fields and a myriad of art studios, Mas, Penestanan, and Peliatan, the centers of wood carving and painting. Sayan offers a stunning panorama of the Ayung River valley and is still home to spectacular views of gorges and palms, and rice fields. Campuhan, the place where three rivers meet a sacred site. There is a very beautiful temple called Pura Gunung Lebah is worth a visit.

Rafting in Ayung River

To the north is Petulu village is known for many things, but the most spectacular is the kokokan or white herons. Every morning at dawn and the afternoon around three or four oíclock, you can see them circling the trees in droves.

To the south, a short walk will take you to Monkey Forest. To visit it, one must buy a ticket. There are hundreds of tame monkeys, and a temple stands in the middle of the forest. In the center of town, the interesting places to see are the Puri (the court of the palace of former kings), where every Sunday morning at 10 oíclock dozen young girls study traditional Balinese dance. Ubud's main market, just opposite the Puri, offers a variety of merchandise: Produce, dry goods, linens, T-shirts, paintings, wood carvings, and even traveling medicine men appear here. Close to the market, you can visit Puri Lukisan (Museum of Paintings). Established in 1954, it is dedicated to showing the works of local painters. It is an excellent place to get an overview of the stylistic differences between artists.

Monkey Forest

Ubud is a picturesque township, and visitors have been attracted by its charm and beauty for decades. If shopping is your interest, Ubud has a myriad of shops which line the road to Monkey Forest and the Museum Puri Lukisan. Donít forget to bargain!!! If art is your interest, in Ubud, Mas, and Peliatan, one can study dance, music, painting, or a number of other art forms. The best way to meet a teacher is to find a style that appeals to you (by going to galleries and watching performances) and then approach the artist directly about lessons.

While you are in Ubud and need more complete information, you can visit Bina Wisata, a local Tourism Bureau. It prepares a map of Bali and Ubud. There is a massage board, a small bookstore, and a printing press on the premises. It's about 500 m past the market.

So Ubud has many attractive objects that can be seen for your Bali Vacation. And do not hesitate to choose beautiful Bali for your holiday. Bali is a small, beautiful island in Indonesia, the ultimate tourist destination in Asia.

The quickest and easiest way to find Bali hotels at your destination is to go online and visit a hotel reservation website. Do a search for Bali you are traveling to, and you will be presented with a list of available hotels in Bali. Choose your preferred Bali Hotels.