Things to Do in Ubud: A Local's Guide

Ubud has a way of grabbing you by the collar and refusing to let go. One morning you are wandering through a forest of long-tailed macaques, by afternoon you are standing at the edge of a rice terrace that looks like it was painted rather than grown, and by evening you are wondering how a single town managed to pack in this much beauty. If you are figuring out how to fill your days in Bali’s cultural heartland, here is a grounded guide to the things to do in Ubud that are genuinely worth your time.

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

Few places in Bali blend the spiritual and the wild as naturally as the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. More than 700 long-tailed macaques roam freely through a dense grove of ancient trees, sharing the space with three Hindu temples that locals still use for active worship. Walk the shaded paths slowly, keep your sunglasses on your face and your snacks out of sight, and you will be rewarded with close encounters that no wildlife documentary quite prepares you for. The temples within the forest — particularly Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal — are genuinely old and genuinely sacred, so dress respectfully and read the posted guidelines before you enter.

Tegallalang Rice Terrace

North of town, the Tegallalang Rice Terrace is one of those sights that earns every photograph taken of it. The stepped paddies descend into a river valley in long, sweeping curves, and the shade of green shifts with the season and the time of day. Get there in the early morning to avoid the midday heat and the crowds that come with it. Walk the narrow earthen paths between the terraces rather than just shooting from the road — that is where the view opens up and the scale of the place actually registers.

Tirta Empul Temple

For a window into living Balinese Hinduism, Tirta Empul is among the most meaningful stops you can make. Worshippers come here to purify themselves in the spring-fed pools, a ritual that has been performed at this site for over a thousand years. As a visitor you can observe, and in some pools participate, though always follow the guidance of staff and local worshippers. The temple complex is large, layered, and worth a slow walk through its full extent.

Ubud Palace

Right in the centre of town, the Ubud Royal Palace — locally known as Puri Saren Agung — is easy to miss if you are not looking for it, and impossible to forget once you have found it. The carved stone gates and the courtyard gardens are open to walk through during the day. In the evenings, the palace hosts traditional Balinese dance performances, including Legong and Kecak. These are not tourist recreations — they are part of an unbroken performing tradition, and they are worth staying in town for.

Campuhan Ridge Walk

Not every worthwhile thing to do in Ubud involves a temple or a ticket booth. The Campuhan Ridge Walk is a free trail that winds along a narrow ridge above the Campuhan River, with open views of green hills on both sides and the sounds of the town fading behind you within a few minutes. The path is well-maintained and manageable for most fitness levels. Set out before 8 a.m. to catch the light and avoid the heat.

Ubud Art Market

The Ubud Art Market sits opposite the palace and fills two floors with Balinese handicrafts — hand-carved wooden figures, batik cloth, woven rattan bags, silver jewellery, and paintings in styles ranging from traditional wayang to modern Balinese expressionism. Bargaining is expected and part of the experience. Come without a specific agenda, handle things, ask questions, and you will likely leave with something you genuinely want to own.

A Day Trip Worth Knowing About

Ubud rewards slow travel, but if you are based elsewhere in Bali and treating it as a day trip, that works too. Most visitors staying in Canggu or Seminyak make the drive north to explore the sights above, then return to the south coast in the evening. If that is your pattern, you will be back on the coast right around the time Tikibus Bali starts its nightly departures from Berawa, Canggu.

The Tikibus is a mobile cocktail bar built into a bus. An onboard mixologist serves craft cocktails and mocktails while guests take in the Canggu area scenery on a roughly 90-minute ride. Departures run at 18:00, 20:00, 22:00, midnight, and 02:00. The All-Inclusive package is $34 and covers unlimited drinks, snacks, sound system, and WiFi. The A La Carte option is $10 admission with drinks ordered individually. It is a good way to wrap an active day of sightseeing with something that does not require further effort on your part.

For more on what Ubud has to offer beyond the main circuit, see our guide to Ubud’s hidden gem attractions and our dedicated post on discovering the Ubud Monkey Forest in more depth.

Practical Notes

• Getting around Ubud: The town centre is walkable, but attractions like Tegallalang and Tirta Empul require a scooter hire or a driver. Drivers can be arranged through most guesthouses for a half-day rate.
• What to wear at temples: Bring a sarong or rent one at the gate. Both shoulders and knees should be covered. Many temples provide sarongs if you forget.
• Best time of day: Early morning visits to rice terraces and the ridge walk beat the heat and the tour buses. Temple light is beautiful in the late afternoon.
• Booking Tikibus: Reserve via WhatsApp. Payment is on the spot, cash or Visa accepted.

Finishing the Day Right

Ubud by day, Canggu by night — it is a solid formula. You come back from the rice terraces and the temples with a full camera roll and a real sense of the island, then you step onto the Tikibus and let someone else do the driving while you drink something cold and watch Bali go by from the windows. That is a good day in Bali. Book your seat on the Tikibus before the slot fills up.