EmUbud is the thriving cultural heart of Bali, but knowing what to do in Ubud can be overwhelming. Very different to the beach-focused south, a trip to Ubud gives you the opportunity to get out into a more authentic Bali.
Luckily, I’ve done the work for you and designed my own perfect tour of things to do in Ubud and northern Bali! You can do this in three ways:
- Rent scooters and drive yourself, although be aware that there is a lot driving involved
- Rent a car, with the same caveat as above
- Do what I did and organise a private driver/guide for the day. I did this through Bali Tours 4U and it cost 650k/£32/38e/$43 for the day (not including entrance fees).
For me, the benefit of having a driver to act as a guide was immense. My driver Budi was great! His local knowledge meant that he knew when sites were likely to be busy, and took me to lesser-known alternatives. He also knew all the best photo angles, as you’ll see from some of the photos below.
In this guide I will lay out what to do in Ubud to have the perfect day exploring some of the cultural sites. It’s a long day, but an absolutely amazing one!
Arriving in Bali from Java? Check out my guide 2 Perfect Days in Yogyakarta – including everything you need to know to visit Borobudur and Prambanan
What to do in Ubud to have the perfect day
Stop 1: Loewak Coffee!
As a dedicated coffee lover, I was keen to understand more about Balinese coffee. And I was even more thrilled to find out this would be our first stop. Budi took me to Satria Coffee, a beautiful cafe near Ubud.
They offered me an extensive tasting platter of the different teas and coffees they produce. This included coconut, avocado, vanilla and black Balinese coffees, and lemongrass, rosella, ginger and other fruit teas. There was even local hot chocolate. Just beware of the ginger tea, it really packs a punch!
They also offer the chance to learn about and try civet coffee, with some civets snoozing on site. While this came with an extra cost, it’s highly recommended.
Stop 2: Tegenungan Waterfall
Fully fueled by copious amounts of coffee, we head to our next thing to do in Ubud. Tegenungan Waterfall is one of the tallest in Bali, and one of the most beautiful. It crashes into a small pool where you can swim, and there are plenty of perfect photo spots. You can take photos at both the bottom and the top of the waterfall.
While it is a touristy waterfall, by heading there so early in the day it was still relatively uncrowded. As a well known tourist destination, it has bathrooms, cafes etc. and the steps down are well-maintained (even if they are very steep). There’s also a beautiful day club there if you fancy spending time chilling out by the waterfall another day.
Stop 3: Water temple
Taking part in a Hindu water ceremony is one of the most amazing things to do in Ubud. This ceremony is an integral part of Balinese life, with locals flocking to the temples to take part on holy days.
There are a number of water temples around Ubud, and the most famous is Tirta Empul. If you’ve seen social media posts of people doing a water ceremony, it’s likely to be at Tirta Empul. However, it gets very busy very quickly, with long queues to participate if you arrive after 8am. There are even queues in the water itself for each fountain!
Having spoken to my guide, he suggested we try a different temple nearby, which is less well known and therefore less crowded. I was more than happy to agree, and it really paid off. We headed to Pura Mengening, which has two beautiful pools to take part in the ceremony.
Like many temples in Bali, sarongs were provided at the entrance, and there was then an extra fee for the orange water sarong and locker at the pools. Budi talked me through how to take part in the ceremony respectfully, and in what order to do things. He also acted as an excellent photographer!
I was so glad that we went to Pura Mengening. There were very few other tourists there, and I was in the pools on my own. If you are keen to take part in the ceremony, rather than just viewing the temple, I would highly recommend talking to your guide about alternatives to Tirta Empul.
Worried about cultural appropriation and respect?
Me too. I talked to Budi, my guide, about this, and gave some examples of cultural appropriation in other cultures to help the conversation. His response was that people in Bali are very happy for others to participate in their ceremonies as long as it’s done with respect.
It can also provide vital income for local people. At other times during the day, I took part in blessings at temples. Local villagers provided these, with donation money going straight to them.
Stop 3: Rice terraces
After the water ceremony, it was time to head to Bali’s famous rice fields. Recognised by Unesco for their cultural impact, the rice terraces in Bali date back to the 8th century. Their innovative irrigation system has allowed them to thrive, and they are now one of the country’s top tourist destinations.
We headed to Tegallalang, the most famous. These rice terraces are incredible, with the view stretching out into the distance. I spoke to my driver about the local people who farm the land. He told me that they receive a small percentage of the profit from tourists coming to the site and see this as a bonus above and beyond the rice farming they would be doing anyway. Not ideal, but better than nothing.
This is also one of the spots where you can try the famous Bali swings, as well as ziplines and bicycle ziplines across the terraces. You can also rent a dress to give you that epic Bali picture while on the swing. If you are planning on doing these, I would buy your tickets as soon as you arrive – there can be quite a wait, especially for the swings.
Tegalalang is famous for a reason – the incredible views. But it is also one of the most touristy sites in northern Bali. If this isn’t your thing, speak to your driver about alternatives, as there are other rice terraces nearby that will be less busy.
Stop 4: Tanah Lot Temple
Ok, technically this is stop 5, as we headed for lunch after our visit to the rice terraces. But the real Stop 4 was the stunning Tanah Lot, about an hour and a half drive from the rice terraces on the west coast of Bali.
Tanah Lot has three different temple structures, built out into the water on the coast. Budi, my guide, explained that Hindu temples in Bali normally have these three elements in one place. However, they split up the three elements due to the unique location.
Built in the 16th century, Tanah Lot is still used today and the main temple structures are only open to locals wanting to pray. However, there is still plenty to see there to make the trip worthwhile, and there is the option to partially ascend the biggest structure once you’ve made a small donation and received a blessing from a local.
Many people head to Tanah Lot for sunset, and I can see why. But that wasn’t possible as part of my one day experience (it would make for an extremely long day!) and the benefit of going to Tanah Lot mid afternoon was that it was much less crowded. We could already see crowds starting to arrive as we were leaving. If you are set on going to Tanah Lot for sunset, I would suggest doing this as a separate half day trip.
Stop 5: Taman Ayun Temple
My final stop of the day was a bonus stop – not top of my priority list, but a great option if time permitted. And I’m so glad that we were able to fit it in! As with many temples in Bali, the temple provides sarongs as part of the entrance fee.
Taman Ayun is a temple complex between Ubud and Tanah Lot, which also helped to split up the drive home. Built in the 17th century, it’s a beautiful complex which, like Tanah Lot, is also partially closed off to the public, and reserved for ceremonies only.
However, there is still plenty to see, with a walkway around the closed part allowing you to view it from the side. The temple is beautiful, with towers and buildings surrounded by a water-lily filled moat. The evening was a beautiful time to visit, with very few visitors and amazing light. Learning about this temple, including restoration efforts during the 20th century, was a perfect way to finish my day.
What to do in Ubud in the evening
Not tired after your busy day Ubud is the thriving cultural heart of Bali, but knowing what to do in Ubud can be overwhelming. Very different to the beach-focused south, a trip to Ubud gives you the opportunity to get out into a more authentic Bali. in Ubud’s cultural highlights? There are lots of things to do in Ubud in the evening, with a huge variety of restaurants and bars for you to try out. But if you’re keen to continue the theme of your cultural day out, the best thing to do is see a traditional Balinese dance performance.
There are two spots to do this in central Ubud – the Ubud Palace and the Water Palace. Both offer shows most evenings, in absolutely spectacular settings. Each has their own benefits.
As shows start at 7.30pm, one way to see a performance is to combine it with dinner at Cafe Lotus. This cafe backs onto the Water Palace, providing a stunning view of the dancing. However, this gets booked up very quickly! I wasn’t quick enough to get these tickets, so just went to Cafe Lotus during the day to take in the beauty of the Water Palace while having a delicious coffee.
Tickets for the show at the Water Palace itself are also available on the door/during the evening. This option means that you’ll get seats (hopefully) within the palace itself.
I chose to go to a show at Ubud Palace, as tickets were available online via Get Your Guide. This took the stress out of it for me, and the show was excellent.
Top Tip: People start arriving very early! As I was alone, I was lucky enough to sneak in at 7pm and get a solo seat, but it was pretty much the last one. After that, people were crowded around the sides or at the back. If you want a good view, I suggest arriving at least an hour early. There are ladies there selling beer and soft drinks so that you don’t get too hot.
Alternative things to do in Ubud
My perfect day exploring the areas around Ubud in north Bali lasted from 8.30am-6pm, and was crammed full of amazing experiences. However, there are other great things to do in Ubud!
The one Ubud highlight I didn’t do is visit the Sacred Monkey Forest. To be honest, I’ve had enough of macaques stealing my stuff at this point! But if you’re keen to see the monkeys. this could be substituted into your trip. You could take away the coffee experience and Taman Ayun, and therefore have time to go to the Sacred Monkey Forest. If you’re keen to do this, talk to your driver/guide in advance.
Hopefully this has helped you to plan your perfect day in Ubud! If you are heading to other parts of Indonesia, try my guide Visit Sumatra – An Amazing off the beaten track destination in Indonesia.
