Overview
Take a trip to Ubud on your Indonesia Vacation
Ubud is centrally located on the island of Bali and is one of Bali’s major arts and cultural centres.
Comprised of 14 villages, each run by its own Banjar (village committee), and all within 5 km of the city centre, Ubud is a fairly straightforward, small town situated amongst scenic rice paddies and steep ravines in central foothills of the Gianyar regency.
In the 8th century, Javanese priest, Rsi Markendya, meditated at the confluence of two rivers at the Ubud locality of Campuan. Here he founded the Gunung Lebah Temple on the valley floor, the site of which remains a pilgrim destination. A centre for natural medicine and healing, Ubud got its name from the Balinese word, ‘ubad’- meaning medicine.
Although remaining the centre of artistic pursuit, tourism has flourished in Ubud since the 1960s, and mainly focuses on culture, yoga, and nature. Surrounded by forests and rivers, Ubud is home to the Ubud Monkey Forest, a nature reserve housing crab-eating macaque monkeys.
A trek up Ubud’s mountains followed by a relaxing spa treatment, along with ancient temples, artist galleries and workshops, cafes, and a pleasant climate, all make Ubud an ideal destination when visiting Indonesia.
A trek up Ubud’s mountains followed by a relaxing spa treatment, along with ancient temples, artist galleries and workshops, cafes, and a pleasant climate, all make Ubud an ideal destination when visiting Indonesia.
At a Glance
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Offerings are placed everywhere, including sidewalks, entrances, and shrines. Never step on or disturb them.
Ubud is all about jungle, rice terraces, and spirituality—no beaches here. Munduk’s cooler climate and coffee plantations, meanwhile, offer a peaceful escape, while the Bali Swing remains a favourite for photos.
Bali isn’t just beautiful, it’s also deeply spiritual, generous, and rooted in community
Yogyakarta’s Borobudur temple is as awe-inspiring as Angkor Wat, but far less crowded.
Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands, with incredible natural beauty, from waterfalls, caves, and rice terraces to truly stunning beaches
Terrace rice fields in morning sunrise
Conical hats for sale in a Ubud market
The beautiful Gunung Kawi
Rice fields surround Ubud
A Balinese girl performs a welcome dance
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