Top Things to do in Ubud

This was my third visit to Ubud and it’s easily one of my favourite places in Asia, despite not being close to a beach. There’s a soulful kind of feeling to Ubud and it’s easy to linger here, enjoying the friendly people, great food and beautiful scenery.

Ubud is one of those places where you go to be, rather than to jam pack your schedule filled with things. It is the perfect retreat after a long flight or a few too many Bitangs in Kuta.

I really enjoyed my time in Ubud and here’s my list of top things to do in Ubud:

Monkey Forest:

Monkey forest is a bit crazy… as the name suggests it’s a forest that’s completely overrun with monkeys. While it’s a great place to visit, it’s a bit chaotic. These monkeys are a bit aggressive, so I suggest you leave any food that you don’t want them to steal in your hotel. When I was just walking by Monkey Forest a few years ago, a monkey stole my croissant! It’s an amazing place to visit.

Go for a Swim:
Despite being a cooler part of Bali, Ubud still gets pretty hot. The best way to beat the heat? In a pool! Where we stayed in Ubud the Rijasa Agung had one of the nicest infinity pools I’ve ever seen, over looking the lush forest and some rice paddy fields. It was the perfect way to start each day and very relaxing. It was really nice to have a pool with such incredible views and felt very special.

Do Some Yoga:
There’s a large following of Yogis that flock to Ubud to perfect their practice and enjoy the relaxed vibe Ubud has to offer. There’s quite a few different places to try yoga, but the most popular seems to be Yoga Barn. It is a really beautiful setting and there are a range of classes so you can find something that suits your level.

Eat, Eat, Eat!
In my experience, Ubud has some of the best food on offer in Bali and also boosts some very competitive prices. While there I tried the most incredible Sushi at Torro Sushi. My other favourites are Clear Cafe which boasts a really beautiful setting and Soma. Both Clear Cafe and Soma offer vegetarian and raw options, if you’re looking to cleanse or detox.

Visit Some Rice Paddy Fields:
Although tourism has swept over the small island of Bali, there are still parts that are a testament to how things used to be. The rice paddy fields are quickly being replaced by villas and restaurants. In Ubud it is possible to wander down random streets and find yourself looking out to large rice paddy fields, but I don’t know how long this will remain true with the rapid development. We headed to Tegallalang rice terrace, which is absolutely stunning. It’s just slightly north of Ubud and definitely worth the visit.

As always, I loved my visit to Ubud and I am even tempted to return again while on this trip.

If you’ve been to Ubud before I’d love to hear what you really enjoyed, let me know in the comments below.