Joanna James
With its rice terraces, temple, shops and eateries, Ubud grabs the attention of travellers. The town manages to maintain a peaceful and religious atmosphere despite its speedy urbanisation.
When compared to other parts of Bali, Ubud offers a holistic experience. Before you set off for your sightseeing tour, you can make use of the many health-improving options the town offers. If this is your first time in Ubud, you must visit the Monkey Forest. You can see many resident macaques roaming freely; they are a bit cheeky and like to pull pranks on visitors. There is a very good chance that they'll steal your things, so, take good care of your belongings. Watching a traditional dance performance is a must as well, it is easy to find these performances and many talented dancers star in them. The Elephant Cave temple, the rice terraces and 11th-century temples are other must-visits. You also find Bali homes for sale here, and Ubud is home to Anantara Ubud Bali Villas.
Ubud is known to have a tranquil reputation, but it is not true when it comes to getting around in Ubud. The roads are usually packed with vehicles and pedestrians, and no one seems to care for road rules. Ubud roads aren't well maintained; they are usually cracked and caved in. Motorbikes are the real danger here; they zig zag through the crowd of vehicles, which makes walking a challenge. Whether you are crossing the road or walking on the sidewalk, you need to be extremely vigilant when you are out and about.
Ubud has a staggering number of eateries, cafes, restaurants and juice shops. There's not the slightest chance of you going hungry while in Ubud. Finding healthy food is not difficult either, but you'll find that the prices are a bit higher. However, a cheap Indonesian meal is a possibility in Ubud; you can get yourself a plate of rice with vegetables, chicken and a boiled egg for less than $2. Restaurants in Ubud serve up Western food, Balinese food and vegetarian dishes.
Ubud isn't exactly a party spot; however, you can find a few options here. Restaurants in Ubud feature happy hours in the evening with a selection of drinks and food. Things start to get interesting after dinner time; bars and clubs located around the Monkey Forest offer live entertainment, hookah pipes, open-air hangouts and pool tables. If you feel like dancing, you can easily find a club with a good DJ.
You need to have your haggling skills ready if you want to shop in Ubud. The town is packed with galleries and stores selling almost everything; however, you don't see the price tags on them. When asked for the price, you will be quoted a higher price than the actual price. Unreasonable pricing is a common occurrence in Ubud, so, don't ever agree to the first price you are offered. The Ubud Market is all chaos, but you find almost anything here. If you want to avoid having to haggle too much, arrive early in the morning, the markets are less crowded in the morning, and the vendors are more inclined to offer you a reasonable price.
Price discrepancies are usual in Ubud. For example, if you buy a drink at one shop for $2, the same drink can be sold at $6 at another shop. So, to get the best possible price, you need to shop around. Staying at a guesthouse is another way of saving money, Ubud has many guesthouses, and some of them offer free breakfast too.
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