Ubud · What to do
Best things to do in Ubud
Ubud is Bali's culture-and-nature heart: rice terraces, temples, the Monkey Forest, art and a deep wellness scene, all in cooler, greener hills. Go early for the big sights — mornings beat both the heat and the tour buses.
Walk the Campuhan Ridge
Central Ubud
A free, easy ridge walk on a paved path between two river valleys, with open grass hills on either side. Go at sunrise or late afternoon — there's little shade, so the middle of the day is hot.
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
Central Ubud (Padangtegal)
A forest temple complex in the middle of town, home to hundreds of long-tailed macaques among ancient banyans and moss-covered shrines. Keep bags zipped and don't carry loose food — the monkeys are bold.
Tegallalang Rice Terraces
North of Ubud (~30 min)
The famous stepped rice valley carved along the traditional Balinese subak irrigation system. Go early to beat the crowds and the heat; expect small donation gates and swings on the way down into the terraces.
Ubud Palace & a Balinese dance performance
Central Ubud
Puri Saren Agung, the royal palace, sits at the town's main crossroads and hosts nightly traditional dance performances (Legong, Barong and others) in its courtyard. Tickets are sold at the gate in the afternoon.
Saraswati Temple (Pura Taman Saraswati)
Central Ubud
A small, photogenic water temple with a lotus-pond approach, tucked just off the main street behind a café. Free to view from the walkway; dance performances are also held here some evenings.
Browse Ubud Art Market
Central Ubud (opposite the palace)
Pasar Seni Ubud sells crafts, textiles, baskets and souvenirs across two floors, busiest in the morning. Prices are negotiable — bargaining is expected.
Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)
East of Ubud (~15 min)
A 9th–11th-century archaeological site with a carved cave mouth, bathing pools and a temple set in green grounds. A sarong is required and provided at the entrance.
Chase a waterfall — Tegenungan or Tibumana
South/east of Ubud (~30–45 min)
Tegenungan is the closest and most accessible falls (busier, with a steep stair down); Tibumana is smaller and calmer. Both are day-trip distance from central Ubud.
See Balinese art at a museum
Central Ubud & Peliatan
Ubud is Bali's art heartland. Museum Puri Lukisan (in town), ARMA (Agung Rai Museum of Art, Peliatan) and the Blanco Renaissance Museum each hold strong collections of Balinese and Indonesian painting.
Take a yoga class or a cooking class
Central Ubud & Penestanan
Ubud is Bali's wellness capital, with daily drop-in yoga and meditation, plus traditional Balinese cooking classes that usually start with a market visit. See our yoga & wellness guide for the studios.
The short version
One full day: a sunrise Campuhan Ridge walk, breakfast in town, the Monkey Forest and Saraswati Temple, a rice-terrace afternoon, and an evening dance performance at the palace. Two or three days: add a waterfall, an art museum, and a yoga or cooking class. Ubud rewards a slower pace — don't try to cram it.
Good to know
What is Ubud best known for?
Culture and nature: rice terraces, temples, the Monkey Forest, Balinese art and dance, waterfalls, and a deep yoga-and-wellness scene — all in cooler, greener hills inland from the coast.
How many days do you need in Ubud?
Two or three days covers the highlights comfortably — a ridge walk, the Monkey Forest and a temple, a rice-terrace morning, a waterfall, and an evening dance performance, with time to rest.
Is there a beach in Ubud?
No — Ubud is inland, about an hour from the coast. Most travellers pair it with a beach area like Canggu or Sanur.
What's the best free thing to do in Ubud?
The Campuhan Ridge Walk — an easy, scenic paved path between two river valleys, best at sunrise or late afternoon when it's cooler.