Ubud activities, you won't have time to be bored...

There are many Ubud activities besides absorbing the cultural beauty. Most activities always seem to be intertwined with the daily village life.
Not a surprise considering cultural influences and artifacts are still found in Ubud and its surrounding hamlets.
For instance the nearby temples show you the historical and religious influences that are still present today while the many museums offer you the opportunity to learn about their Bali paintings, drawings, carvings and statues.

The Campuhan temple in Ubud

Besides this there are Ubud activities that actively teach you about the village's culture by participating in dance, paint, mask-making and cooking classes, for which you will do some shopping at the local market.
The stunning location of the village also provides enough opportunity to explore the rice terraces or the river valleys that are found in and around the village.
When walking through these panoramic sceneries you will find yourself up close with the local people who are working in the fields throughout the day.

Ceking Rice terrace, Unesco heritage just outside Ubud

Besides all the Ubud activities you can do in the village itself, there are many wonderful things to see and do around Ubud as well.
As you can tell there is just a lot to do. But remember once you are in this little town try out the Ubud activities but most importantly take your time and just experience it...

Bali courses:
These Ubud activities are pretty exceptional and the Ubud tourism foundation encourages these courses as this is one of the ways to create a balance between tourism and the locals.
Only through this balance can the natural and cultural beauty of the village be preserved. Bali courses range from cooking classes, to painting, dancing, etc...



ARMA museum:
If you want to create an understanding of the history and the many styles of the Balinese paintings than this museum is the place to be.

I must admit, museums have never been on the top of my things-to-do list but after visiting the museums in Ubud Bali I was glad that I went...



The Neka Museum:
The Neka Museum is one of the best museums I’ve been to in Ubud Bali.
It’s founded by the former school teacher turned into an art collector, Suteja Neka in 1982.
The museum shows many artworks by Balinese, other Indonesian and foreign-born artists...



Antonio Blanco's House:
When I arrived at the Antonio Blanco house there was this funny looking tunnel entrance.
Once I had gone through it I stood eye to eye with a hornbill from Borneo and several white kakatoos.

It was a hot tropical afternoon so the welcome drink came at the right time...



Puri Lukisan Museum:
The Puri Lukisan museum has an exceptional selection of modern paintings, drawings and statues dating from the 1930s till the present day.
These works of art are displayed in chronological order so you can follow all of the changes in different styles throughout the years...



Symon's Studio:
Hard to miss his huge studio is located in Penestanan between Antonio Blanco's House and the Neka Museum on Jalan Raya Campuan.
Here you can find colourful paintings about the usual nude females, the unusual nude males, pop art, Balinese scenes, sculptures and lots of other eccentric stuff...


 
Cultural Performances in Ubud Bali:
Every evening there are many performances in and around Ubud. Often, a specific location has another program each day.
The tickets are Rp50.000 each but some performances can cost slightly more.
The performances start at 7pm and 8pm at the latest. You can choose between various Balinese dances or the Kecak fire dance.



Monkey Forest:
Right in the middle of town there is a densely patch of forest which is inhabited by 300 macaques.
You can stroll around the cool forest and meet the monkeys up close. Watch out for your belongings though!
Don't forget to check out the temples where you can find the scary-looking statues of Rangda, the goddess of death...



 Walks around the area:
Blessed with a beautiful location, Ubud Bali has magnificent walking paths along scenic rice-fields and stunning river valleys.
Most walks start around the Campuan ridge, an area known for its mystical and inspirational powers. This is probably one of my favorite Ubud activities because everytime I do a walk, there are so many different things to see...



Ubud Spa:
This is one of the most relaxing Ubud activities. There are too many spas to choose from in Ubud Bali. I found some really good and nice ones at Jalan Monkey Forest.
Along this road, you are likely to receive a great spa treatment with rice field or garden view. Surprisingly I did not find any good spas along the popular Jalan Hanoman. Other beautiful set spas are located north of the village..



Ubud art market:
This is the place to do some serious shopping if you are looking for nice Balinese clothing, decorations, paintings, masks etc.
But if you just want to stroll around than this is an amazing experience to catch colorful market scenes.

The best time to check the hustle and bustle of the local market is really early in the morning...


 
Shopping:
Along Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanoman you can find strings of shops where they sell beautiful Balinese things.
The shops display their goods in an eye-catching way making it an even nicer treat to do some shopping here.
Another option is going to the art market where you can get almost anything you can imagine.



Cycling:
Cycling in the Ubud area takes you off the beaten track and along scenic rice paddies,river gorges and ancient temples. It's an ideal activity for the old and the young as most parts of the route are down-hill. Breakfast and lunch are often included on this memorable tour...



Birdwatching:
Birdwatching with the eccentric Victor Mason and keen birdwatcher Pink should be on anybody's things to do list when they travel to the Ubud area. It is very likely you are going to see species of birds such as the Java Kingfisher, the Black-Winged Starlet, Scarlet Headed Flower Pecker, Bar-Winged Prinia and many more...