Tips & Info

See

Ubud is so crammed with attractions it can almost seem like a visual assault at times. Try to make sure you allocate at least a week for your visit here, and take your time to explore properly. Visitors who jump up to Ubud for just two or three days of their Bali holiday, stand little chance of understanding much of what is going on around them.

The key historical sites are located out of town, some as far as 20 km away, and you might find it worthwhile joining a tour to visit these. If you do visit attractions such as Goa Gajah, Gunung Kawi, Pura Kehen and Tirta Empul under your own steam, try to find a knowledgeable guide when you get there. Whilst you will certainly appreciate the beauty of these places, their cultural and spiritual significance may be lost without a guide.

Museums and Galleries
 

• Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA), Jl Pengosekan, ☎ +62 361 975742 (info@armamuseum.com). 9AM-5PM. Showcases works by well known Balinese artists, as well as international artists who made Bali their home such as Walter Spies, Adrian Jean Le Mayeur, Rudolph Bonnet and Arie Smit. The only painting in Bali by renowned Javanese artist Radan Saleh is exhibited here. They also run workshops for thirteen different aspects of Balinese art and culture. Cafe with tea and coffee Rp 40,000.
   
• Blanco Renaissance Museum, Jl Raya Campuhan, ☎ +62 361 975502 9AM-6PM daily. Before he passed away in 1999, Spanish artist Antonio Blanco was an absolute fixture on the Ubud art scene. His former home is now a museum showcasing his sometimes bizarre but always interesting work. Think Salvador Dali transplanted to Asia. In the garden you can take pictures of the exotic birds flying around. Rp 50,000.
   
• Museum Puri Lukisan (Museum of Fine Arts), Jl Raya Ubud (on the main road just west of the market), (info@mpl-ubud.com), 8AM-4PM daily. When it opened in 1954, this was the first private museum in Bali. Three buildings showcase traditional and modern Balinese art. The displays are a little musty and English labeling is spotty, but some of the works, particularly the carvings, are quite amazing. Exhibits by noted artists I Gusti Nyoman Lempad and Rudolph Bonnet, amongst others. Rp 20,000.
   
• Museum Rudana, Jl Cok Rai Pudak 44 (on the road to Mas, about a 10 min drive south of Ubud town centre), ☎ +62 361 975779 (rudana@senatorrudana.com). M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. A wide range of Balinese paintings is exhibited here, both traditional and modern. Run by its owner, artist Nyoman Rudana, who is often present. Rp 20,000, under 12yo is free.
   
• Neka Art Museum, Jl Raya Sanggingan, Kedewatan, ☎ +62 361 975074 (info@museumneka.com). M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. This museum houses perhaps the most important art collection in the whole of Bali. Six pavilions house the various collections which include dedicated rooms for artists Arie Smit and I Gusti Nyoman Lempad. Rp 40,000.
   
• Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women, Jl Sriwedari 2B, ☎ +62 361 975485 .Tu-Su 9AM-5PM. This gallery features art only by women; "Seni" is Indonesian for art and "Wati" means women.
   

Landscape

The area around Ubud is characterised by gently rolling rice paddies, and these create an impression of greenness which can be quite startlingly beautiful. This is especially true to the south and southeast of the town. Any visitor approaching from the south will appreciate this and it is worth a stop just to absorb the gentle beauty of it all.

Northeast of Ubud town centre the land starts to become more undulating, and this is a good place to view Bali's classic rice terraces. The village of Tegallalang is very much a tourist trap, but it is worth braving the hordes of trinket peddlers to view the stunning terraces there. From the town centre, take Jl Raya as far east as you can go, and then turn north and continue about nine km until you reach Tegallalang. Look for the picture postcard rice terraces on you right-hand side. For those moving on north to the Kintamani area, this is on route and makes for an easy stop.

On the opposite side of town in the Campuhaun, Sanggingan, and Kedewatan areas, the landscape changes dramatically as great gorges have been carved out of the limestone land base by the Ayung and Wos rivers. It's no surprise that so many five star hotels have made their home in these lush, dramatic valleys. Opportunities for viewing these gorges are many. You can just find your own way and explore by motorbike (it is very hard work by bicycle as the hills are steep). Head west out of town over the Campuhan Bridge and just start exploring. The main road here is Jl Raya Sanggingan, and if you continue heading away from town you will reach the junction with Jl Raya Kedewatan. From that point you can turn in either direction and just keep exploring. Alternatively, you can stop into a hotel or restaurant, have a drink or lunch, and gaze out in very civilised surroundings.

Others
 

• Bali Bird Park, Jl Serma Cok Ngurah Gambir, Singapadu, ☎ +62 361 299352 (sales@bali-bird-park.com). 9:30AM-5:30PM daily. A splendid 2 hectare aviary park with more than 250 species of birds in well thought out, attractive enclosures. The park has an enlightened, modern attitude to exhibiting animals, and this is obvious from the very open, walk-in aviaries, and the number of free range birds throughout the park. Also has a notably good cafe. One of Bali's best formal attractions. Adults US$21, children US$10.
   
• Botanic Garden, Kutuh Kaja (on the road to Kutuh Kaja village which runs north from Jl Raya Ubud close to BCA Bank). 8AM-6PM daily. The recently opened Botanic Garden is a wonderful way to spend a few hours walking around and exploring the valley that it fills. It is best to go in the morning and avoid the afternoon heat. Rp 50,000.
   
• Monkey Forest, Jl Monkey Forest, Ubud, ☎ +62 361 971304 (info@monkeyforestubud.com). A sacred forest full of ravenous monkeys, so don't bring any food or you will risk bites and a need for rabies injections. Stroll through to find Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, a temple of the dead. A visit to the very informative website beforehand is highly recommended.
   
• The White Herons of Petulu, Petulu. Every evening between 15,000 and 20,000 cattle egrets, known colloquially as white herons and in Balinese, kokokan, roost in the village of Petulu just ten minutes north of Ubud. It is quite a spectacle as these large, elegant white and rusty orange birds arrive in countless groups and tussle for the prime roosting spots. Each morning at dawn they leave en-masse to find feeding spots around the island. Some also breed in the area and nests can be seen in the roadside trees. The cattle egrets are joined by smaller numbers of little egrets and Javan pond herons. According to local legend, the egrets first appeared here in such large numbers after one of the worst massacres of suspected communists during the troubles of 1965. This led local villagers to believe that these birds are the souls of the slaughtered, and ceremonies to that effect are still held today. The village of Petulu is reached by heading east from Ubud town centre on Jl Raya Ubud until you meet the obvious junction with Jl Raya Andong. Turn left, and go up the hill for about 2 km until you see the signposted left turning to Petulu village. Go into the village and you will see signs and warungs set up in the best places to view the spectacle. Get there by 5:30PM.
   

Ubud Market

Located at the corner of Jl Monkey Forest and Jl Raya Ubud, this is a double storey warren of stalls bursting at the seams with wood carvings, batik shirts, sarongs, and all manner of other souvenirs aimed specifically at tourists. The merchants here haggle with tourists for a living, and think nothing of asking for ten times the going price, so try to establish a baseline before you go in to buy. Most of the merchants downstairs will lose interest if you try to get a reasonable price. It is better to try the shops upstairs where you will find the same products often for sell at lower prices. You will still need to use your best bargaining skills of course.

Stay safe

Ubud is a safe town to visit and few problems will ever be encountered. If you are unlucky though the police station is on Jl Raya Andong, just east of the town centre. Follow Jl Raya Ubud east to the end, turn north and the police station is on your right hand side. ☎+62 361 975316.

Be wary around the monkeys that occupy the Monkey Forest. They are experts at stealing possessions like glasses, cameras and even handbags, and have been known to attack people carrying food. Bali is currently battling a rabies outbreak, and the likelihood is that these monkeys could carry the disease. No matter how cute they look, feeding them is just asking for trouble.

Stay healthy

Ubud does not have a fully fledged hospital and the nearest is about 20 km to the south in Denpasar. There are a number of reasonable clinics though which are used to treating typical traveller ailments.

Internet

Most dedicated internet cafes provide computers with fairly low speed access at a low price, Rp 6,000 per hour being the current standard. There is only one truly high speed location, Highway on Ubud Main Road, but be prepared to pay a lot more than in other places.

In cafes and restaurants free wifi for customers is increasingly widespread. If you have your own laptop and don't need high speeds that's probably the best way to go, but beware of the hours internet is available can be fewer than the hours a restaurant is open.

Post

There is a refreshingly old-fashioned main post office at the Jl Raya Ubud end of Jl Jembawan. If you are staying in Ubud for any length of time, you can use this as a poste-restante office. Make sure you have your passport with you when you want to collect any mail or parcels.

• Kantor Pos (Post Office), Jl Jembawan, Ubud 80571, Bali, Indonesia. M-Sa 8AM-4PM.
   

Telephone

The area code for Ubud is 0361. +62 361 XXXXXX for international callers.

All of the major Indonesian mobile telephone networks have full coverage of the Ubud area. If you need to make an international landline call, there are many public phone shops (wartels) in the town.