Ubud

Ubud Is the Bali Most People Mean

When people describe the Bali they want, rice terraces in the morning mist, a temple ceremony on the walk to lunch, a pool hanging over a jungle river, they are describing Ubud. It sits in the green middle of the island, an hour or more from the beaches, and it is where Balinese culture is most visible: the dance, the painting, the offerings set out on every doorstep each morning. The town itself has become busy. The valleys around it have not, and that is where the best hotels are.

Know before you go

• Fly into Ngurah Rai International, code DPS, in the south of the island. There are no direct flights from the United States, so most routes connect through a major Asian hub.
• The drive from the airport to Ubud is often an hour and a half and can be longer in traffic. A private driver meeting you at arrivals is the only sensible way to do it, and we arrange it as standard.
• Trip length three or four nights in Ubud, then move to the coast. Ubud first and the beach second is the order that works, so the trip ends with rest rather than a long drive.
• Best months the dry season, roughly April to October. May, June and September are the sweet spot, drier than the wet months and quieter than July and August.
• Wet season November to March brings heavy afternoon rain, green landscapes and lower rates. It is still very travelable if you plan mornings outdoors.
• Nyepi the Balinese Day of Silence, usually in March, shuts the whole island for 24 hours, including the airport. Guests stay inside their hotel. It is a remarkable experience if you know it is coming and a real problem if you do not, so check the date before you book.
• Entry rules United States passport holders can get a visa on arrival or apply for an electronic visa before travel. Bali also charges foreign visitors a tourist levy. Rules here change often, and we confirm the current requirements when we book.
• Getting around with a private driver. Traffic is slow and roads are narrow. Within town, walking works in the early morning before the heat and the scooters build.

Town or valley, and why it matters

Central Ubud is crowded now: cafes, yoga studios, shops and traffic on the main roads most of the day. It is fun for an afternoon. To stay, the right answer is almost always the Ayung River valley or the ridges just outside town, where the best resorts sit above the gorge with views of jungle, rice fields and nothing else. You get the quiet, and the town is a short drive away when you want it.

What to do

Go early for everything. The Tegallalang rice terraces are beautiful at seven and a crowded photo stop by ten. The Campuhan Ridge walk is best at sunrise. Tirta Empul, the water temple where Balinese come to bathe in the holy springs, is moving when you arrive before the coaches. For the larger and quieter terraces, Jatiluwih, protected as part of Bali's UNESCO listed subak irrigation system, is worth the longer drive. A Kecak or Legong dance performance in the evening, a cooking class with a local family, and a sunrise climb of Mount Batur for the active round out a good stay.

Where to stay

The Ayung valley has one of the strongest collections of resorts in Asia, from long established classics to newer, more theatrical properties, and private villas with their own staff. The right choice depends on who is traveling. Couples often want the most secluded villa with a plunge pool. Families need space, connecting rooms and a resort that welcomes children. We know which properties deliver which, and which villas are worth what they charge.

Planning brief

• Best suited to: couples and honeymoons; families with children old enough to enjoy temples and walks; wellness trips; anyone who wants culture with their beach.
• Decisions to settle early: resort or private villa; how many nights inland before the coast; whether your dates fall near Nyepi or a major ceremony.
• Arrival and routing: straight from the airport to Ubud with a driver, then on to the coast at Bali's beaches for the second half.

Inland first. The beach second.

Plan Ubud as the first half of a Bali trip and the rest falls into place. Read how to plan Bali for the full route, and see our Bali guide for the coast. We build Bali trips under luxury leisure travel planning.

From the journal

More on Ubud: How to Plan Bali: Ubud, the Coast, and the Space Between.