Destination Report: Ubud (Bali): What to do, see, eat and avoid

Since our trip to Ubud in 2020 ended abruptly as we had to leave the country due to Covid19 becoming a global pandemic, we decided to come back to enjoy one of the most relaxing destinations we’ve been to date. Let’s also address the big elephant in the room here, why did not we write about our previous experience in Ubud! Well, let’s fix that and explore what this amazing island and city has two offers and  unveil in this two-part article what we did, ate, saw, and what we recommend people to avoid.

We rated Ubud 4.2 out of 5 stars based on our rating system (see our rating legend below). The accommodations are comfortable and offer luxurious amenities such as swimming pools, outdoor showers, and breathtaking views of the Ubud scenery. The location in Penestanan is ideal as it’s away from the hustle and bustle of the central area, but still convenient with its own restaurant, yoga studio, and farmers market, all within walking distance. While we found excellent organic markets and supermarkets to purchase groceries, the local vegan and raw food scene was so impressive that we indulged often. Keep in mind that public transportation is limited, but hiring a taxi or renting a scooter is affordable. The only downside may be the rainy season, but even this did not significantly impact our experience during our visit.

Our five stars rating system:

• 1 star: We hated this place and definitely do not plan to come back.
• 2 stars: We did not like this place and do not plan to come back.
• 3 stars: We liked this place but do not plan to come back.
• 4 stars: We really liked this place & we might consider coming back.
• 5 stars: We loved this place and are actually considering coming back. This is a place we could call home someday. 

With that being said, let’s look into what we liked the most and what we recommend doing in Penang! 

Where We Traveled Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Number of Days 29 days (from Nov 21, 2022, to Dec 20, 2022)

Type of Travel Married Couple, Slow Travel/Nomadic, Price Conscious

Note: Unless specified otherwise, prices are in USD and were converted from the local currency (IRD or Indonesian Rupee) to USD with the following exchange rate: 15,500 IDR = 1 USD. 

Introduction

Ubud is considered Bali’s paradise. It’s a destination where visitors can unwind, explore their spirituality, indulge in delicious food, and experience the warmth and hospitality of the locals. As previously mentioned, Ubud met all of our expectations for a peaceful getaway. Furthermore, it’s surprisingly affordable, as you’ll discover in the second half of this post.

Despite Bali being an island, the beach is not easily accessible from Ubud. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to visit the beach during our stay. However, we were not disappointed as there was an abundance of activities to experience in Ubud, such as practicing yoga, taking cooking classes, and much more.

Our Favorite Sights/Activities

Here are the experiences we recommend to try out in Ubud:

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Intuitive Flow Yoga – Our favorite yoga studio in Ubud was the intimate studio located in Penestanan. With up to five classes offered daily, the studio was a highlight of our visit. The yoga room itself boasts an incredible view and accommodates no more than 20 people, creating a uniquely intimate atmosphere for each class. During my one-month stay in Ubud in 2022, I attended 26 classes and thoroughly enjoyed each one. All of the teachers were highly skilled and knowledgeable in their practice. Our personal favorite was Nina, although we also found classes from Sandi and Purnama to be excellent depending on the type of class I was seeking. If you’re searching for an upbeat, intimidating studio, Intuitive Flow Yoga may not be for you. However, if you value community and good vibes, this studio is an ideal choice. We look forward to returning during our next visit to Ubud!
  Cost: 110 IDR for a drop-in class, 650K IDR for 10 classes, 900K IDR for 15 classes.

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Campuhan Ridge Walk – This is the best known Ubud hike for its beauty. You walk along a nice ridge away from the cars and the noise. Super relaxing walk. A must do if you get to visit Ubud. 

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rice Paddy Walk – Hard to miss the rice paddy fields in Ubud. Definitely pack water, your camera, and enjoy the lush and really scenic photo opportunities along the few paths you can find around the city.

Here are the sights we recommend to check outside of Bali for a day:

1 – Scuba Dive with Manta Ray

Bali is a year-round destination for Manta Ray sightings, making it an excellent spot to catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures. While visibility may not be exceptional (maxing out at around 15-20m rather than 40m+), good visibility does mean there is an abundance of plankton for the fish to feed on, which is exactly what Manta Rays prefer.

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Geko Dive Bali – We would highly recommend Geko Dive Bali, a five-star dive center located in Padangbai, which is just a 45-minute speed boat ride from Nusa Penida. Established in 1997, Geko Dive Bali was the first to discover Manta Point, the top spot for seeing Manta Rays. The staff is incredibly friendly and accommodating – I forgot my underwater camera case, but they were able to offer me another at a very reasonable price. For my three dives, I was on a small speed boat with just one other couple, which made for a wonderful experience. While they currently have up to four people per dive master, they are still ramping up operations following their post-COVID reopening in June 2022, and they can cater to up to 30 people across two to three boats. Be sure to ask about party sizes when booking.
  Cost: 2.3M IDR for a three-dive package that included everything: the dives, the instructor, full equipment set, snacks, lunch, hot beverages, and insurance. If you’re in Ubud, you’ll need to arrange for transportation separately – the dive center offered round-trip transportation for 700K IDR, but I found it more affordable to book my own transportation for 500K IDR. Please note that fuel prices have increased, and as such, the cost of the experience is expected to rise in 2023.

2 – Driving around the island 

To get the most out of your Bali tour, it’s recommended to hire a driver for the day, which typically costs no more than 600K IDR. However, you can enhance your tour experience by replacing the 2-star Tegalalang Rice Terrace stop with better stops.

• ⭐️⭐️ Tegalalang Rice Terrace – Instead of stopping at this tourist location, continue walking along the road to explore other rice fields. These options are significantly cheaper and less crowded than the Tegalalang Rice Terrace.
  Cost: 10K IDR pp for the first half of the rice field and you will have to pay another 10K IDR to cross on the other side. 
• ⭐️⭐️ Kintamani Lookout – This is a great spot to take a photo of the volcano and nearby lake. However, be aware that there is a toll on the road leading to the site that costs 50K IDR for tourists. We’re not sure why this is, but we paid the toll and continued on our way.
  Cost: FREE
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Besakih Great Temple – The temple complex, known as the mother temple, is comprised of three main temples devoted to the Hindu trinity. Pura Penataran Agung is located at the center and features white banners for Shiva, the destroyer; Pura Kiduling Kreteg is situated to the right and showcases red banners for Brahma, the creator; and Pura Batu Madeg represents Vishnu, the preserver, with its black banners. Although partially destroyed during an earthquake in 1960, the temple has been restored. To gain access to the complex, a guide is required and visitors must wear a saree, which is included in the entrance fee.
  Cost: 60K IDR pp entrance fee ( include a saree) + expect to give a donation to the guide that is require to accompany you inside the temple 
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Warung Makan Penglipuran – We stumbled upon this fantastic restaurant after our driver brought us to a crowded and overpriced tourist spot. Owned by locals who speak fluent English, the restaurant boasts a lovely ambiance and serves authentic Balinese cuisine at a reasonable price.
  Cost: 5-15K IDR per dish! 
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Penglipuran Village – This is one of three villages of its kind in Bali, where visitors can explore beautifully decorated homes that are meticulously maintained.
  Cost: $50K IDR per person
• ⭐️⭐️ Ceking Sari Luwak Coffee – A coffee plantation that offer free coffee / tea tasting and explain to you the process to make
  Cost: FREE for the tasting though they will encourage you to buy some of the local produce from their shop, which is overpriced but a good way to give them something back for the tour and tasting experience. 

Our Favorite Restaurants

Here are our top recommendations:

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Bamboo Spirit – Every Sunday from 12-3pm, you can indulge in a delectable buffet at this place, and the best part is that the price is based on your own donation. We’ve become regulars because we truly enjoy the food and can sense that it’s prepared with care. They offer a variety of mains, soups, and even lemongrass tea, all of which you can have as much as you want.
  Cost: Donation based.

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Alchemy Ubud – Alchemy is a top competitor to Moksa and our preferred choice. The restaurant specializes in mostly raw dishes and boasts an extensive array of desserts, including raw cakes, energy balls, and vegan ice cream. Additionally, it operates as a yoga studio, workshop space, and popular hangout for digital nomads. The restaurant’s vibrant atmosphere attracts more visitors than Moksa. While the interior is stunningly decorated, you can sense the vibe and energy of the place. If you’re searching for a place to work for the day and enjoy fantastic food, Alchemy is a great option.
  Cost: 220K IDR (~ 14 USD) for 2 main dishes and a dessert.

• ⭐⭐️⭐️ Teratai Buffet – Located adjacent to the Bingtan Supermarket, this cozy eatery provides a scrumptious vegetarian buffet at a fixed price. Additionally, they serve a delectable selection of kombucha and offer a limited a la carte menu consisting mostly of breakfast items and smoothies.
  Cost: 50K IDR.

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Yellow Flower Restaurant – This restaurant offers a fantastic menu with vegetarian and gluten-free options, situated in a beautiful location with stunning views. Although we visited on Thanksgiving and did not order turkey, we had a delightful feast nonetheless. They have two seating areas, so it’s worth checking out both before selecting your seat. However, during our visit, we did encounter a few flies that were drawn to our giant coconut.
  Cost: 289K IDR (~ 18 USD) for a feast for two people including a giant coconut, two appetizers and two mains dishes.

• ⭐️⭐️ Green Lotus Fusion Cuisine – We discovered another gem in our neighborhood, where it’s evident that their food is prepared with care and attention. Their laksa and wraps are especially delicious. Although it’s a bit pricey, we felt it was worth the indulgence. We give it 2 stars only because it’s more expensive than places like Moksa and Alchemy, where you can get bigger portions for less.
  Cost: 165 IDR for two main dishes.

• ⭐️⭐️ Seed of Life – During our first visit to Ubud in 2020, we loved this place. However, after exploring more dining options in Ubud, we have updated our rating from 3 to 2 stars. The seating area is nice, especially upstairs where you can watch people-watch. Their menu is quite extensive with smoothies, juices, elixirs, salads, bowls, raw pizzas, burgers, and even pasta. While this may seem like a typical menu at a chain restaurant, the unique aspect is that all of their food is raw, made with uncooked ingredients (with a few exceptions).
  Cost: 270K IDR for 3 main dishes + 2 desserts.

• ⭐️⭐️ Moksa Ubud – Mrs NN considers this restaurant as one of her favorites, along with Alchemy. The majority of the food is raw, but it will make you reconsider how delicious raw food can be. Their menu offers raw pizza, raw quesadilla, and raw cakes that are sure to blow your mind. Furthermore, the location is superb, situated outside and providing a stunning view of a farm.
  Cost: 250K IDR for 2 main dishes + 1 desert + 1 coconut drink.

• ⭐️⭐️ Sawobali – This establishment provides a vegan and gluten-free all-you-can-eat buffet with a time limit of 60 minutes. It’s a convenient option if you’re closer to downtown and a good alternative to Teratai or Bamboo Spirit. The buffet includes local desserts, and you can purchase additional cake slices for $25K.
  Cost: $50K per person with a 60 minutes time limit.
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sayuri Healing Food – What sets Sayuri apart, are their fermentation and cooking classes. These classes invite guests to learn about the art of fermentation and cooking with plant-based ingredients. The best part is that the students’ creations are then served as a delicious feast for everyone to enjoy! Check their Facebook page for details!
  Cost: 50K IDR per person.

Our Favorite Sweets Spots

Here are our top recommendations:

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Tygr Ubud – This sushi restaurant serves some of the most exceptional vegan ice cream in Bali, and even in the world, according to our experience! The ice cream stand is located on the side of the restaurant, so there’s no need to enter the restaurant to order. They make fresh batches of ice cream daily, and during our visit, we enjoyed a wide selection of flavors, including coconut pandan, salted caramel, matcha, passion fruit, and turmeric ginger cookie.
  Cost: 35K IDR for one generous scoop, 60K IDR for two generous scoops.

• ⭐️⭐️ Tukies Coconut Shop – This establishment is dedicated to coconut-based products. Their specialty is coconut ice cream, but they also offer a variety of coconut cookies, snacks, and cakes.
  Cost: 30K IDR for one scoop, 56 IDR for two scoops.

Our Favorite Grocery Stores/Markets

Here are our top recommendations:

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Moksa Saturday Organic Market – Adjacent to this restaurant/yoga studio, you can find a wonderful organic produce market every Saturday morning. In comparison to the main farmers market in Ubud that we used to go to during our previous stay, this place offers better quality produce at a great price, without any premium charged for organic items.

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Green Habit – If you’re looking for healthy and organic products, this small store has plenty to offer. It’s a great place to stock up on higher quality items than what you’ll find at Bintang, and the staff is super friendly. Best of all, the prices are quite affordable.
• ⭐️⭐️ Bintang Supermarket – If you are looking for a supermarket in Ubud, this is the only one you need. It has all the expected offerings of a supermarket, and it is conveniently located next to ATMs and a few restaurants, making it a great one-stop-shop for all your needs.

Our Favorite place to take care of ourselves

Here are our top recommendation:

• ⭐️ Made Body Relaxation – This Balinese massage place in the Penestanan neighborhood of Ubud is simple but effective and offers a good experience. We found it convenient as it was located right around the corner from our Airbnb.
  Cost: 100K IDR (~7 USD) for a one hour balinese massage
• ⭐️⭐️ Sari Laba Traditional Massage & SPA (see map) – We had a great experience at this yoga place. Although the room was pretty basic, the masseuse’s technique was really good.
  Cost: 100K IDR (~7 USD) for a one hour balinese massage
• ⭐️⭐️ Nata Spa – While the environment of this massage place was great, our experience with the masseuses only warranted a two-star rating, as we found them to be less skilled than those at Sari Laba. We may have needed to request a masseuse who could apply more pressure, but even when we did, the treatment still didn’t match up to our experience at Sari Laba. If not for this issue, we would have given this place a three-star rating.
  Cost: 220K IDR for a 2hr package including a 90 minutes massage + a 30 minute body scrub (we negotiated down to 180 which seems a better value). 
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Starchild Spa 2 – This is the most luxurious massage place we’ve tried in Ubud, albeit also the priciest – though still reasonable in the context of Ubud’s cost of living. We booked a couple’s massage for $260K, which includes a one-hour treatment in a beautifully appointed room with a shower/bathtub. To top it off, we were served a refreshing tea and fruit before we left.
  Cost: 130K for a one hour balinese massage per person.  

• ⭐️⭐⭐️ Bali Sacred Journey: Kadek Sutarna Balinese healer – If you are interested in spirituality and seeking a healer, Mrs. NN suggests visiting this place. As a couple, we had a positive experience and found the healer to be very welcoming.
  Cost: Donation based.
• ⭐️⭐⭐️ Cacao / Kirtan Ceremony @ Radiantly Alive – The two-hour ceremony was a remarkable celebration of spirituality, highlighted by singing and dancing.
  Cost: 150K IDR Early bird pricing, 200K IDR Regular pricing

What to avoid

While it’s great to call out what to check out, we think it is as important to also include what NOT to do. These are things/activities/places we stayed away from. Of course, the taste is personal and so your preference might vary.

• Avoid exploring in the middle of the day. We suggest avoiding exploring during the middle of the day, as it can get extremely hot in Ubud when the sun is out, even during the rainy season. It’s best to wake up early around 6am to enjoy a refreshing morning, take a break during midday, and return in the evening for more outdoor activities. Additionally, if your villa has a pool, that can be a great way to relax when the weather is too hot. However, during our stay in November, the weather was lovely with cool nights that were perfect for sleeping in.  
• Be careful when taking money at ATMs. When using ATMs, exercise caution as scammers may try to obtain your card information and PIN. While the scam is less common post-pandemic, it’s still wise to double-check the ATM and be aware of your surroundings. Watch this video for more details.
• Skip the beach. We recommend skipping the beach, as it may not be worth the trip. If you’re determined to see it, consider taking a day trip, but otherwise, we don’t think you’ll miss out on much.
• Using Grab in Ubud – The use of transportation mobile apps such as Grab, Go Car, Uber, and others is not allowed in Ubud, as indicated by several warning signs in the area. Although these services can still pick you up from Ubud, be aware that there is a “Taxi mafia” that may confront you if they witness you being picked up by one of these services. If you insist on using them, it is recommended to request pick-up outside of Ubud downtown and get the Line number of your driver to arrange a “safer” pick-up. Use these services at your own risk 🙂

Our Slow Travelers Tips

Slow travel is part of our philosophy. It gives us the opportunity to really connect with a place by not having to experience FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and getting unnecessarily stressed for being on a schedule. With slow travel, we can see all the iconic sights and have time to spare to find the more offbeat spots that most tourists miss. Most of the time, those are the absolute gems. And as this blog post explains, we spend much less by leveraging “local” pricing and being able to get long-stay discounts.

Here are some tips to make the most of your stay in Ubud:

• Relax – Ubud is best enjoyed by taking it slow and not overexerting yourself. Embrace the laid-back lifestyle by reading a book, meditating, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.
• Take a yoga class – There are yoga studios all over Ubud that cater to all skill levels. Give it a shot and see how it makes you feel. If you’re not convinced, we’d love to hear why!
• Practice meditation and gratitude – Meditation and gratitude are easy to practice in Ubud, whether it’s during a yoga class or in the comfort of your villa. Let go of your worries and embrace this life-changing practice.
• Explore Balinese cuisine – Whether you dine at a local restaurant or take a cooking class, don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience the unique flavors of Balinese cuisine.
• Visit the markets – While not all stalls are created equal, don’t be afraid to try the local produce, especially the exotic fruits like dragon fruit, papaya, rambutan, and bananas. You’re in for a delicious treat!

What about the cost? 

To make our destination reports more manageable, we’ve split them into two parts. In part one (this post), we covered what to do, see, eat, and avoid. In part two, we’ll delve into the costs and reveal all the juicy details about our budget and how much we spent during our stay. If the post isn’t linked yet at the bottom of this article, be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you can receive our cost of living post (and any future ones) as soon as they’re published. In the meantime, if you’re interested in numbers, feel free to check out our past destination reports.

Would you be interested in going to Ubud? Do you know of a more peaceful and relaxing destination to spend an entire month at? Feel free to share your experience and ask questions by leaving a comment below.

Would you be interested in going to Ubud? Do you know of a more peaceful and relaxing destination to spend an entire month at? Feel free to share your experience and ask questions by leaving a comment below.