Joanna James
Situated in the uplands of Bali, Ubud is considered the cultural capital of the island. Discover temples, galleries, museums, traditional Balinese performances and the lifestyle of the Balinese people.
To take in the best of the local landscape, try the Campuhan Ridge Walk located a little away from the town centre.
The pleasant walk will lead you through a verdant region of stunning hills that oversee an enchanting valley. You can continue to wander the mounds up to the Gunung Lebah Temple, a charming temple located along the hills. It is one of the best ways to engage in the rural areas in Ubud.
Ubud is the cultural hub of the island and has the greatest number of art galleries in Bali.
One of the finest galleries to visit is the modern art in Ubud is Puri Lukisan. Here you can discover an expansive scope of artwork with detailed English language descriptions of the chronology of art in this region of the world.
The museum was an idea of Walter Spies, Rudolf Bonnet, and regional artist Cokorda Gede Agung Sukawati. The latter was a prince and part of the Royal Family of Ubud.
If you value art and want to know all about Balinese modern, secular and religious works of art, don't forget to visit!
This charming temple is devoted to the Hindu goddess of learning and art named Dewi Saraswati.
You can find beautiful carvings of the goddess throughout the building premises. The temple grounds are beautiful as well, with fountains and a large pond along the temple facade.
The pond is swathed with pretty lotus flowers, and it is a tradition to wash or sip the waters to harness the spiritual powers of the goddess.
Dance recitals are held towards the evenings as the temple descends into twilight, making it a magical performance!
Goa Gajah implies Elephant Cave in Indonesian and is a top attraction in Bali.
It sits a bit further away from Ubud in Bedulu Village and is an outstanding archaeological site, consisting of an extensive temple complex.
To enter the cave, you have to stroll down a flight of stairs which will lead you into a charming courtyard, from which you can enter the cave. The cave dates back to the 11th century CE.
Inside the cave, you can encounter many cave paintings and a small shrine utilised for meditation. The exterior of the site is a Hindu temple with a bathing pool and pouring fountains.
Bali is renowned for its food, so if you want to try your hand at Balinese cooking take a class at the Casa Luna Cooking School in Ubud.
You will get to learn all their cooking techniques and understand the history, religious significance and cultural aspects associated with the food of Bali.
All of the traditional food components will be demonstrated to you, and participants are provided with recipe cards and class notes to take back with them.
The types of dishes change daily, following the cooking session, you get to sit down, relax and eat with your fellow chefs. Some of the best villas in Ubud can be found in places such as Anantara Ubud Bali Villas.
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