10 Must Do’s in Ubud, Bali (Save this article right now for your Bali trip) Last Updated: October 3, 2022

Ubud is one of my favourite places in Bali. Out of the 16 days that I was in Bali, I spent 7 days in Ubud only because I loved it so much.

At the beginning of my trip, I was there for 4 days and went back during the last 3 days of my trip because I just HAD to. 

There are quite a few things to do in Ubud so I am dedicating this entire article to this one place in Bali. 

I would recommend at least 3 to 4 days in Ubud if you want to explore this destination well. 

Scooters are the fastest and most economical option for exploring Ubud. If you can ride one, then rent one! If you can’t, then book a Gojek. This is a taxi app locally used in Bali. I have mentioned more about commuting in Bali in this article. 

While there are more than 10 things to do in Ubud, I am sharing the ones that top my list:

1. Sacred Monkey Forest

The Sacred Monkey Forest is a natural habitat for more than 700 long-tailed macaques (a breed of monkey). You will find several ancient temples here including Pura Beji, Pura Prajapati and Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal

Open: All days from 8:30 am to 5:30 am

Price: 50,000 IDR (Rs 270 approx.) for adults and 40,000 IDR (Rs 215 approx.) for children

2. Tegallalang Rice Terrace

One thing that you cannot leave Ubud without is the rice terrace field. Tegallalang Rice Terrace is an agricultural hotspot for travellers. It is slightly off the Ubud Center and about a 30 to 45-minute drive from there and the most popular rice field that exists in Ubud.

I booked a Gojek scooter to get there from Ubud Centre but while coming back, it was challenging to find a ride back. After sunset, it can be a struggle to find local transport in this area if you haven’t rented your own vehicle.

Thankfully, I watched the sunset from a cafe having a view of the rice fields and the staff offered me a ride back to Ubud Centre on his scooter at the same cost as the Gojek.

Open: All days from 8 am to 6 pm

Price: 15,000 IDR ( Rs 80 approx.)  and 5,000 IDR ( Rs 27 approx.) for parking, if you have a vehicle

After visiting the rice terrace field, you can have a cup of coffee and watch the sunset from Tis Cafe or any of the sunset cafes by the rice field. They are all next to each other. 

The food and drinks may be overpriced at these cafes but it is still worth the view, especially if you choose to ONLY visit the cafe and skip the rice field visit.

3. Campuhan Ridge Walk

Campuhan Ridge Walk is a scenic hiking trail offering views of the Wos River, Rice Fields and mesmerizing hilltop. 

It is less of a trek and more of a nature walk in my opinion. 

Try going here in the mornings to avoid the afternoon heat. The walk takes about an hour in total to complete. 

On this trail, you will find an iconic gate and a Bali Swing popularly called the ‘Love Swing’ which costs 100k IDR (Rs 540 approx.) for 15 pushes on the swing. While it may seem very tempting to get on this swing, I recommend you skip this one and instead try a better one. Keep reading this article to know more about this. 

You will also find local handicraft stores and some really cute rice terrace field cafes. You definitely must stop at one of the cafes on this trail!!

Open: All days, 24/7 (but better to go early morning for less crowd and less heat)

Price: FREE

4. Ubud Art Market

This is one of my favourite things to do in Ubud! When I was in Ubud at the beginning of my trip, I didn’t have enough time to explore the Ubud Art Market so, during my last 3 days in Bali, I decided to pick accommodation minutes away from the Ubud Art Market. It was the best decision I made as I had plenty of time to walk around and was left thoroughly satisfied by the end of it.

The market is considered the centre of Ubud. A lot of other attractions are also within walking distance from the market. It is a shopper’s paradise in Bali. 

Right from scarves, clothes, and woven bags, to baskets, hats and other handcrafted items, you will find it all in this market. After being to other markets in Canggu and Kuta, I can safely say that Ubud Market prices are the cheapest. Don’t waste your time shopping in other locations in Bali. Make sure to spare some time shopping in Ubud. 

Open: All days from 8 am to 6 pm

Price: FREE

5. Tegenungan Waterfall

Besides the rice terrace fields and market shopping, Ubud is also well known for its waterfalls. There are several waterfalls to explore in and around Ubud. 

Most of the popular ones are at least 30 to 60 minutes away from Ubud but if you don’t have the bandwidth to travel so much then you must check out Tegenungan Waterfall which is located in Ubud itself. It is a 20-minute drive from the Ubud centre but so worth it!

If you ask the locals for waterfall recommendations in Bali, they would also suggest the same. 

You can take a dip in the waterfalls, or check out Omma Bali which is a day club adjacent to the waterfalls. You can choose to spend the entire day relaxing there. Or you can indulge in some shopping as there are several local vendors selling handicrafts and clothes near the entrance. 

If you are hungry, you have some cafes serving local Indonesian food. (vegetarian options are easily available). 

Open: All days from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm (try to go in the morning to avoid the crowd)

Price: 15,000 IDR (Rs 80 approx.)

6. Cretya Ubud

Now, I have already spoken about Tegallalang Rice Fields earlier in this article. But I specifically want to recommend you Cretya Ubud separately because, in my books, it is MUST DO.

Cretya is a day club with a view of the Tegallalang Rice Field offering a mix of luxury, fun and adventure. 

I spent about 4 to 5 hours here which was not enough at all. The beauty of this day club is nothing like I have seen before. The rice field view, the party vibe, plunge pool, Bali swing and multiple other photo spots – this is what are unique and exciting at the same time. 

Try to go there by 1 PM. Indulge in some high-quality food at their restaurant, do the Bali swing here, explore the photo points, and swim in their plunge pool till post sunset followed by drinks. 

If you have an extra day or two in Bali, then Cretya is definitely a place that is not to be missed. 

Open: All days from 9 am to 9 pm

Price: 50,000 IDR (Rs 270 approx.)

7. Kecak Dance & Fire Show

This is a traditional dance form that is a Balinese take on Hindu mythology. One of the best places to witness this is at the Uluwatu temple in Uluwatu. But in case you don’t get a chance to catch it there, you can experience it in Ubud. 

You will find many people on the streets outside Saraswati Temple and in the Ubud Market area selling tickets for it. It is a one-hour performance and is almost always houseful. 

Open: All days from 7 pm to 8 pm

Price: 80,000 IDR (Rs 430 approx.)

8. Bali Swing

This one is mainly for girls and couples, as I haven’t noticed a lot of men indulge in this activity. 

I have already mentioned the Love Swing at Campuhan Ridge Walk and the Bali Swing at Cretya Ubud.

I would recommend checking out Aloha Ubud: this is apparently the best Bali Swing in Ubud.

You can check out this article to learn more about other Bali Swings that may be worth checking out too.

Open: All days from 8 am to 5 pm

Price: Know more about the packages here

9. Flower Bath & Balinese Massage

While there are several places in Bali offering a variety of massage services, there is one place that offers a combination of Flower Bath & Balinese Massage along with a chocolate scrub. This experience lasts 120-minutes and is definitely a must-do if you are NOT on a tight budget. You can do it at Kaveri Spa at The Udaya. 

They keep having promotional offers up to 50% so if you are lucky, you can avail of those when you are in Bali. 

Open: All days from 9 am to 5 pm

Price: 150,00.000 IDR (Rs 8000) for a 120-minute spa experience but keep checking for offers on their website 

I have shared my entire Flower Bath experience on my YouTube channel. You can check it out:

10. Tirta Empul Temple

This temple was big on my Ubud Bucket List but unfortunately, I had to skip this one since I ran out of time. It is a 30-45 minute drive from Ubud centre.

Popularly known as the Hindu Balinese Water Temple, it consists of a bathing area with holy spring water where Hindus can take a dip for purification. Now there are travellers from around the world experiencing the bath. 

If you have not been to a single temple in Bali, then this is worth the visit for sure. 

Ubud is big on 4 main things: Waterfalls, Rice Terraces, Swings & Temples. You can do a combined tour of these here.

Open: All days from 8 am to 6 pm

Price: 50,000 IDR (Rs 270 approx.) for adults and 25,000 IDR (Rs 135 approx.) for children

With this, you will have made most of Ubud. 

Hope you find this article useful.

Got any questions? Feel free to comment below or email me at theveggietravels@gmail.com.

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