Ubud is located 35 km northeast of Bali's International Airport, about one and a half hours drive depending on traffic. Famous for its painter's community, Ubud is special in more ways than one. It has its own magic, and its particularly beautiful surroundings and gracious way of life have drawn celebrities and artists from all over the world in recent decades; some have even adopted Ubud as their own home. If I have to describe Ubud Bali in one word I would say "idyllic".
Despite the large numbers of tourists visiting this little village with streets that are too narrow for touring buses, Ubud has been able to maintain its traditional life. It is the meditation capital of Bali, many people come here purely to recharge their batteries from the past paced western life, here you just surrender to the energies and let go.
Ubud has been voted the top city in SE Asia in January 2010 by the Condé Nast Traveler, plus in April 2016, it has been voted on Tripadvisor as the 5th most popular island in the world...it is not hard to see why; everywhere you look is paradise with dense green jungles, myriads of rice fields and beautiful tropical gardens. Here Balinese men and women still place offerings gracefully on the side of the road and on temples; every day you will see them riding beautifully dressed on motor scooters to temples and ceremonies while holding colourful woven baskets, sometimes you can witness even up to four on a bike.
This is not a village were you should be up and running...the order of the day is to RELAX and live in the NOW. It is more a place where you'll want to stroll around or just sit with a book and watch the colourful and delightful pictures pass by. If you can’t resist some action though, there is the Monkey Forest where you’ll be greeted by the many Macaque monkeys, they are quite friendly but please do not touch them or visit Ubud Market. This market is a maze of shops that sell everything a traveller in Bali can imagine…and more.
The village is surrounded by fertile land which has resulted in the beautiful rice field terraces you always find in travel and photo books on Bali. This is also an ideal location to explore the terraces yourself and take beautiful pictures while standing in the middle of the fields. In the past the rice fields and ideal irrigation systems have provided the people with a surplus in rice yields. With time to spare the king of Sukawati ordered the rice farmers to dedicate their time on paintings for temples and palaces.
From here an unique place has emerged into a painter’s village that has attracted many people, including foreigners who have played their part in forming various painting styles. It is not surprising to see that many artists feel at home in this village considering the mystical and inspiring setting. Today painting still plays an important role in Ubud and around. There are many galleries where painters sell their work. Additionally there are several important art museums that show unique paintings that will create even more appreciation for this form of art.
You can continue your cultural adventure in the evening where you can choose from many Balinese performances such as the graceful Legong dance, the cool-looking Kecak-trance dance and the funny Wayang Kulit shadow puppet plays. This is a great way to end your cultural day experience in Ubud Bali followed by a good glass of wine or a local Bintang in one of the many flower garden restaurants.
Despite the large numbers of tourists visiting this little village with streets that are too narrow for touring buses, Ubud has been able to maintain its traditional life. It is the meditation capital of Bali, many people come here purely to recharge their batteries from the past paced western life, here you just surrender to the energies and let go.
Ubud has been voted the top city in SE Asia in January 2010 by the Condé Nast Traveler, plus in April 2016, it has been voted on Tripadvisor as the 5th most popular island in the world...it is not hard to see why; everywhere you look is paradise with dense green jungles, myriads of rice fields and beautiful tropical gardens. Here Balinese men and women still place offerings gracefully on the side of the road and on temples; every day you will see them riding beautifully dressed on motor scooters to temples and ceremonies while holding colourful woven baskets, sometimes you can witness even up to four on a bike.
This is not a village were you should be up and running...the order of the day is to RELAX and live in the NOW. It is more a place where you'll want to stroll around or just sit with a book and watch the colourful and delightful pictures pass by. If you can’t resist some action though, there is the Monkey Forest where you’ll be greeted by the many Macaque monkeys, they are quite friendly but please do not touch them or visit Ubud Market. This market is a maze of shops that sell everything a traveller in Bali can imagine…and more.
The village is surrounded by fertile land which has resulted in the beautiful rice field terraces you always find in travel and photo books on Bali. This is also an ideal location to explore the terraces yourself and take beautiful pictures while standing in the middle of the fields. In the past the rice fields and ideal irrigation systems have provided the people with a surplus in rice yields. With time to spare the king of Sukawati ordered the rice farmers to dedicate their time on paintings for temples and palaces.
From here an unique place has emerged into a painter’s village that has attracted many people, including foreigners who have played their part in forming various painting styles. It is not surprising to see that many artists feel at home in this village considering the mystical and inspiring setting. Today painting still plays an important role in Ubud and around. There are many galleries where painters sell their work. Additionally there are several important art museums that show unique paintings that will create even more appreciation for this form of art.
You can continue your cultural adventure in the evening where you can choose from many Balinese performances such as the graceful Legong dance, the cool-looking Kecak-trance dance and the funny Wayang Kulit shadow puppet plays. This is a great way to end your cultural day experience in Ubud Bali followed by a good glass of wine or a local Bintang in one of the many flower garden restaurants.