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Ubud Attractions
As you explore Ubud and make friends with the locals and expats, you will hear different stories about the legends and histories of local temples from guides, scholars, and professors alike. There really isn't one correct answer here.
Art Galleries
Don't pass up the free galleries around town, especially on Jalan Raya Sanggingan going north toward the more high-end resorts.
A Rare Treat -- The Bali Purnati Center for the Arts, Jl. Gunung Abang, Banjar Penataran, Negara Batuan (tel. 0361/294590; fax 0361/294591; www.balipurnati.com), has interesting cultural exchanges and events that include performing and visual arts, music, and film. The only way to find out what is on is to call up and see if you get lucky. Opportunities to view live performances don't happen often but if they do you might catch a Wadaiko drum troupe from Japan, a stage performance of I La Galigo by renowned theater direct Robert Wilson, or the Kronos Quartet. Accommodations (eight units; year-round US$80; AE, MC, V) here are normally reserved for exchange programs and theater groups, but if you are interested in staying here just call ahead and see if there's space available.
Cooking Classes
Classes typically include a morning at the local market and an afternoon in the kitchen. Casa Luna Cooking School, Jl. Raya Ubud (tel. 0361/971257; www.casalunabali.com; Rp300,000-Rp400,000), is run by expat Australian Janet de Neefe and her Balinese husband Ketut Suardana. Classes are held at Janet's Casa Luna Honeymoon Guesthouse. Ubud Hanging Gardens, Desa Buahan (tel. 0361/982700; www.ubudhanginggardens.com; US$45 minimum two persons, includes lunch), also offers classes with a market and village visit.
Chris Salans, the renowned chef who has made Mozaic one of the finest restaurants in Southeast Asia, shares his prowess with the lucky few who book ahead for his remarkable cooking classes (tel. 0361/975768; www.mozaic-bali.com; half-day class US$90, full day US$130, professional class full day US$130; minimum four participants). Each student gets their own recipe book and apron. Even if you don't quite get it right at home you can at least look the part.
Spas
All of the high-end resorts have good spa services and there are some mom-and-pop-type operations that will really surprise your purse strings as well as your body. Today it isn't just flower baths and foot scrubs, you will also find alternative and independent wellness centers and detox spas. Spas are open daily.
The Mother Earth of spas, COMO Shambhala's wellness retreat (single treatment US$80-US$150; AE, DC, MC, V; 10am-7pm) has tailor-made programs prescribed after consultation with a team of professionals, including ayurvedic doctors, nutritionists, and psychologists. Colonic hydrotherapy and herbal cleansers are popular here. Your specialists will prescribe daily yoga or martial arts, which help balance your doshas -- Sanskrit for "fault" or "imbalance." Not that you would have any of those, but just in case, this is your place. Take advantage of the chlorine-free pool, with massage jets. The raw food menu is thankfully as tasty as it is nutritious.
The spa at Kayumanis, Sayan (tel. 0361/9727777; single treatment US$35-US$300; package US$230-US$435; AE, DC, MC, V; 8am-6pm) is all about some serious pampering. A signature is "Sensory Surrender": a 6-hour treatment that begins with a brief yoga session and refreshing walk followed by a warm tea tree oil body scrub then a tea tree oil -- infused bath before being wrapped in a concoction of frangipani and coconut. This is followed by a warm volcanic stone massage and then a simultaneous foot massage and facial.
The Kirana Spa, in the Royal Pita Maha (Kedewatan; tel. 0361/976333; www.kiranaspa.com; 1-hr. treatments US$100, 2 hr. US$180, 3 hr. US$320, half-day US$400, 1-day US$490; AE, DC, MC, V; 9am-9pm) is a joint production between Japan's leading cosmetics company Shishedo (the first such spa outside Japan) and Ubud's royal family. The menu has just five polished and perfect treatments. You can have a spa treatment only or combine the spa time with relaxing in the gardens and swimming pool.
The Mango Tree Spa at Kupu Kupu Barong (single treatment US$60-US$90, specials US$70-US$125; AE, DC, MC, V; 9am-9pm), sits in a mango tree and uses L'Occitane products. You literally have to climb a tree to reach the spa villas but fortunately stairs are provided for the tender footed.
The award-winning spa in the Maya Ubud Resort (single treatment US$60-US$75, package US$121-US$175; AE, DC, MC, V; 8am-8pm) is suspended down a gravity-defying cliff. Blending effortlessly with the colors of nature, the spa pavilions all are made with local materials and include outdoor bathtubs that sit with the waters of the Petanu River.
Spa Alila, in Alila Ubud (single treatment US$45-US$65, package US$78-US$170; AE, DC, MC, V; 9am-9pm), has excellent therapists who warm up with a daily yoga session for themselves to get in the right frame of mind for working on you. The local treatments made from green tea, bamboo, and virgin coconut oil proved so popular that they have started to sell them to guests. The Alila Recovery signature massage includes techniques from Thai, Swedish, and Balinese massage.
At Spa Hati, Jl. Raya Andong 14 (tel. 0361/977578; www.spahati.com; single treatment Rp70,000-Rp185,000, package Rp530,000; MC, V; 9am-9pm), you can feel good as well as do good since all of the proceeds go to support the expansion and upkeep of the Bali Hati School for children in Mas. Of the nine treatments on offer, guests can choose from a 60-minute Blissful Journey massage or Rapture, a 90-minute treatment that includes a rejuvenating body scrub and two well-trained masseuses who will massage away any remnants of jet lag.
The spa at Four Seasons Sayan (massage US$55-US$190, body treatment US$55-US$270, package US$145-US$450; AE, DC, MC, V; 9am-9pm), universally accepted as one of the best spas in Bali, has a permanent expatriate spa director, which shows how serious they are about pampering. The Suci Dara Ayurvedic experience is delivered with Indian aromatic herbal oils that will have you seeing out of your third eye. Take advantage of the new watsu pool and have a "rebirthing experience," which gets to your inner child with skillfully guided water stretches and movements.
26 Results
Agung Rai Gallery
Agung Rai chooses his painting based on taksu, which is a theory of "honesty between the artist and the viewer. An artist will follow his heart or instinct. A painting that has a certain special magic does not need to be elaborated upon, the painting alone speaks." Anticipate finding…- Museum
Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA)
This museum goes beyond what its name suggests, serving as a full-on Balinese culture and arts center. Its picturesque rice field setting and landscaped gardens splattered with water features are attractions in themselves. South of central Ubud, a series of palatial pavilions …$Ubud, Gianyar
- Park/Garden
Botanic Garden Ubud
These gardens, spread over 4.9 hectares (12 acres), provide an excellent look at the variety of lush island plant life. Highlights include the orchid greenhouse, a Muslim garden with a symmetrical tiled path, and the fruit tree area. A labyrinth, purportedly the first in Bali, is a… - Zoo/Aquarium
Elephant Safari Park Lodge
The Elephant Safari Park, run by Bali Adventure Tours, is less of a safari and more of an elephant ride. These native Sumatra elephants are well cared for and live in large, lush enclosures. The owners have worked carefully with locals from Taro village, previously one of Bali's most… Gaya Fusion of Senses
Gaya has a strong reputation for developing contemporary art on the island. A constant stream of exhibitions show modern art by locals and foreigners in high regard, such as German Peter Dittmar, Swiss Stephan Spicher, New Yorker Pablo Gentile, and Indonesian artists Alfi, Murni,…Genta Gallery
This gallery, related to the Museum Rudana, has a well-documented collection that originates from mostly Indonesian artists. Each different pavilion displays a vast range of work from landscapes of daily Balinese life or traditional objects such as barong to very contemporary pieces.…- Natural Attraction
Goa Gajah
One of Bali’s most visited tourist sites is a grotto of elaborate stone carvings from the 9th century. The main attraction is the impressive entranceway, made of what appears to be menacing creatures and demons. Legend has it that the main protagonist was an elephant and since the… Gusti Lempad's Gallery
Opposite the market is the former home of I Gusti Lempad, which has been in the family for well over a century. The paintings for sale are by his family but his are not for sale here (the best place to see them is at Museum Puri Lukisan and Neka Art Museum). I Gusti Nyoman Lempad,…Han Snel Gallery
The small gallery of Dutch artist Han Snel is on Jalan Kajeng, a pleasant side road off Jalan Raya Ubud. Snel painted in a number of styles, but the most notable was geometric figures of Balinese landscapes and people with a slightly cubist bent. Several stunning portraits of…Komaneka Fine Art Gallery
This is one of the few galleries in Bali that has ample space to show off large-scale contemporary works. The prerequisite for any foreign artist displayed here is kontemporer, a strong connection to the island. One of the top-selling artists here is the masterfully superior I Made…- Museum
Neka Art Museum
Art collector Suteja Neka launched his eponymous museum in 1982, thankfully showing the foresight to preserve and document Bali's artistic legacy. He's done a pretty good job, too, housing one of the island's finest collections of art, which presents a vividly illustrated…$Ubud - Religious Site
Pura Gunung Kawi
This temple was made by King Marakata Near as an altar for King Udayana; an inscription dates the temple to A.D. 945. In the Balinese Hindu faith, death consists of three phases. The first is the cremation of the body, the second is setting free the holy spirit from the spiritual… - Religious Site
Pura Gunung Lebah
Located at Campuhan, in the gorge just 1.5km (1 mile) west of Ubud, this temple is an easy walk from the Ubud market and makes a very pleasant early morning stroll. Legend has it that in the 8th century the high priest Rsi Markandya, a holy sage who came from Java to build Besakih… - Religious Site
Pura Kebo Edan
Pura Kebo Edan, or "crazy buffalo temple," is in the east Ubud suburbs near Goa Gajah. It is said that it was built in the 12th century and while it isn't a fantastic structure it is famous for the nearly 4m (12-ft.) statue known as the Giant of Pejeng. Temple history facts are… - Religious Site
Pura Penataran Sasih
This temple is about 4km (2 1/2 miles) east of the center of Ubud and is best known for the hourglass-shaped drum more than 2m (6 1/2 ft.) long, the largest single piece cast drum in the world. It is difficult to see as it is in the inner courtyard high up in a pavilion. The drum's… - Religious Site
Pura Pusering Jagat
Literally translated as the "Temple of the Navel of the World," this temple is 100m (328 ft.) south from the main road of Pura Penataran Sasih. The point of interest here is the meter-high elaborately carved holy water vessel whose exterior is sculpted with a detailed relief thought… - Religious Site
Pura Saraswati
The royal family commissioned this temple and water garden, dedicated to the Hindu goddess of art and learning, at the end of the 19th century. The main shrine is covered in fine carvings and the bale houses and giant barong masks are interesting. The restaurant Cafe Lotus is… - Landmark
Puri Saren Agung (Royal Palace)
From the late 19th century to the mid-1940s, this was the seat for the local ruler. It's a series of elegant and well-preserved pavilions, many decorated incongruously with colonial-era European furniture. Visitors are welcome to stroll around, though no signs explain what you are… Rio Helmi Photo Gallery
Rio Helmi's Gallery in Ubud sells his work that celebrates the region's people and places, contemporary lifestyles, and Mahayana Buddhism. A man on a mission, Rio is quietly accomplishing the goal of photographing most of the indigenous peoples of Indonesia. His photography has been…- Zoo/Aquarium
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
Yes, there is a monkey forest at the southern end of Monkey Forest Road. The towering tree clusters here are home to a troop of bad-tempered but photogenic primates that swing from branches, cannonball into pools, and do everything short of putting on suits and paying taxes, all to… Seniwati Gallery
In traditional Balinese society, activities are divided by gender and historically painting and sculpture were male territory. Of course, there have always been women painters but it was difficult for them to be shown and get their deserved recognition. In 1991 British-born Mary…- Museum
Setia Darma House of Mask and Puppets
This museum's astounding treasure trove of more than 1,200 masks and 4,700 puppets from across the Indonesian archipelago and beyond is Bali's largest collection, beautifully showcasing two of the island's most prominent forms of cultural expression. This unique collection was…$Sukawati, Gianyar Sika Contemporary Art Gallery
The owner here abhors commercial art, calling it "too sweet like candy." Instead he and his colleagues are keen on multimedia that identify with the spirit of Balinese art and culture in a nontraditional way.Symon Studios
Symon Studios used to be called the Art Zoo and the first thing you will notice is the sign outside that says "DANGER ART!" This weird and wonderful gallery has been a Campuhan landmark for over a quarter of century. The artist Symon hails from America's Midwest, which is a bit of an…- Museum
The Blanco Renaissance Museum
Arguably the most famous foreign artist to call Bali home, Anthony Blanco built his private home and artist's studio on a hilltop overlooking Ubud's Campuan River in the 1950s, residing there with his celebrated Balinese dancer wife Ni Rondji until his death in 1999. It was Blanco's…$Ubud, Gianyar - Religious Site
Tirta Empul
The word tirta (derived from the Sanskrit) means "water" and empul is a Balinese word that means "spring." Balinese regard these springs as sacred and people come from miles around to bath in these waters. The temple has rice fields to the north, the Pakerisan river to the east, a…
Ubud Shopping
As the artistic and cultural center of Bali, Ubud is a great base from which to source antiques and artifacts, jewelry and silver, textiles, baskets and bamboo, art, and stone and wood carvings. While most things in Ubud are within walking distance, it is worth hiring a car if you are going to hit the outer villages described above. Larger shops take credit cards but the smaller ones often are cash only. Credit card transactions normally incur a 3% commission. Most shops open daily by 9am and close by 9pm, though you'll find places that stay open as late as 10pm.
Jalan Raya Ubud, beginning at about Antonia Blanco's Museum and ending at around the Bamboo Gallery, has several great antiques and artifacts stores, art galleries, as well as the highly recommended Neka Art Museum. Monkey Forest Road is lined with outlets selling beads, silver jewelry, cotton and casual apparel, paintings, fabrics, handicrafts, faux designer goods, and some tribal arts and antiques.
The Ubud Market, southeast corner of Monkey Forest Road and Jalan Raya Ubud, is open daylight hours. Booths sell handicrafts, fans, batik bags, fabrics, baskets, and jewelry. Everything is affordable but be sure and bargain. The big market is held every 3 days or so when women come in from nearby and mountain villages to sell and buy livestock, hardware, fruits, vegetables, and many other goods.
Getting the Real Deal -- When in Batubulan, make sure you are buying a carved stone piece not a cheaper mass produced artwork that is molded rather than carved from lava-stone "concrete." Unless you have a trained eye, you may not be able to tell. Always ask and look for lines that are the tell-tale signs of mold work.
Some unscrupulous carvers in Mas sell cheaper woods as sandalwood (cenana), which is an extremely expensive material mainly from East Timor. The tricks include rubbing oil on the carvings or packing them in sandalwood chips. It is hard to tell the real deal so either go to a trusted source or assume the worst and alter your price accordingly.
Furniture & Housewares
Murni's Warung is filled to the brim with Indonesian artifacts, antiques, sculptures, masks, memorabilia, and the odd remnant of the Dutch colonial area.
Take a Jewelry Tour
Visit the John Hardy workshop in Mumbul near Ubud (Banjar Baturning, Mambul, Abiansemal, Badung; tel. 0361/469888; www.johnhardy.com; by appointment only) and watch the production of the John Hardy jewelry brand. An organic lunch is followed by a trip to their showroom where jewelry is 50% off retail prices back home. The quality of craftsmanship here is mesmerizing.
The Threads of Life
The handmade, unique textiles at Threads of Life, Jl. Kajeng 24 (tel. 0361/972187; www.threadsoflife.com) are dyed and woven by local women thanks to the support of a nonprofit organization intent on revitalizing and sustaining this traditional Balinese art form. All proceeds support the organization's research, work, and communities.
Ubud Nightlife
Ubud's nightlife scene is growing, but it's still rather sedate. Jazz Café, Jl. Sukma 2, east of Monkey Forest Road (tel. 0361/976594), has good live jazz. Monkey Forest Road has lots of little laid-back places that are more than happy to stay open late. Upscale Lamak (tel. 0361/974668; www.lamakbali.com) stays up, but its scene is mostly calm. For a night of drinking and fun, hit Naughty Nuri's, where most dinners turn into a romp. Next door is Ozigo (tel. 0812367973) where if you have had enough of Nuri's martinis you will most likely love the live music and nightly DJ entertainment. Café Exiles, Jl. Pengosekan (tel. 0361/974812) is where the disenfranchised come to fraternize, particularly on Saturday night; it's just to the southeast of central Ubud.
Dance & Cultural Performances
Every night in Ubud and the surrounding villages features several dance, music, and shadow-puppet performances. A barong performance at the Royal Palace is the best and most stimulating choice; even the kids will like it. Many of the hotels do small evening shows, inquire with your concierge.
Listings below followed by *** mean that free transport is provided from the Ubud Tourist Information (tel. 0361/973285) kiosk, on Jalan Raya Ubud near the intersection of Monkey Forest Road. Get tickets and information at Ubud Tourist Information, ticket sellers on the street, or the place of the performances. The price is the same wherever you buy it.
Agung Rai Museum of Art***
Kecak Dance Full/New Moons 7pm 100,000 (150,000 including Balinese dinner)
Mepantigan Arts Thurs 6:30pm 100,000
Barong & Kris Dance Fri (except Full/New Moons) 6pm 75,000 (135,000 including Balinese dinner)
Wayang Wong Sat 7pm 75,000 (135,000 including Balinese dinner)
Legong Classic Sun 7:30pm 75,000 (135,000 including Balinese dinner)
Bale Banjar
Women Gamelan & Dance Group Mon & Fri 7:30pm 65,000
Narita Dewi Gamelan & Dance Tues 7:30pm 75,000
Chandra Wira Buana Wed 7:30pm 75,000
Balerung Mandera***
Legong & Barong Dance Tues & Fri 7:30pm 100,000
Legong Dance Fri 7:30pm 100,000
Dancers & Musician of Peliatan Sun 7:30pm 100,000
Bentuyung Village***
Jegog (Bamboo Gamelan) Sun & Fri 7pm 80,000
Kertha Accomodation
Wayang Kulit Tues & Sat 8pm 75,000
Lotus Pond Open Stage
Women Gamelan with Children Dancers Tues 7:30pm 80,000
Janger Dance Sun 7:30pm 80,000
Monkey Forest
Wayang Kulit Tues & Sat 8pm 65,000
Oka Kartini's
Wayang Kulit Wed, Fri, Sun 8pm 75,000
Padang Tegal
Kecak Fire & Trance Dance Wed, Sat, Sun 7pm 75,000
Pondok Bamboo
Wayang Kulit Mon & Thurs 8pm 75,000
Pondok Pekak
Frog Dance Sat 7:30pm 75,000
Gamelan & Dance Sun 7:30pm 75,000
Pura Dalem, Taman Kaja
Kecak Ramayana & Fire Dance Mon & Fri 7:30pm 75,000
Legong Dance Tues & Sat 7:30pm 65,000
Kecak Fire & Trance Dance Wed & Sat 7:30pm 75,000
Jegog (Bamboo Gamelan) Wed 7pm 80,000
Barong & Keris Dance Thurs 7:30pm 75,000
Pura Desa Kutuh
Spirit of Bali Tues 7:30pm 75,000
Legong Dance Thurs 7:30pm 75,000
Pura Padang Kertha
Kecak & Fire Dance Fri 7pm 75,000
Pura Taman Sari
Kecak Fire & Trance Dance Thurs 7:30pm 75,000
Puri Agung, Peliatan***
Kecak (Monkey Chant Dance) Thurs 7:30pm 80,000
Legong Dance Sat 7:30pm 80,000
Ubud Palace
Legong Dance Mon & Sat 7:30pm 80,000
Ramayana Ballet Tues 7:30pm 80,000
Legong & Barong Dance Wed 7:30pm 80,000
Legong Trance & Paradise Dance Thurs 7:30pm 80,000
Barong & Rangda Dance Fri 7pm 80,000
Legong of Mahabarata Sun 7:30pm 80,000
Ubud Water Palace
Barong & Keris Dance with Children Dancers Thurs 7:30pm 80,000
Legong Dance Sat 7:30pm 80,000
Wantilan
Barong & Kris Dance Mon 7pm 80,000
Yamasari Stage***
Legong Dance Wed 7:30pm 75,000
