Ubud Travel Guide
We spent 3 days in Ubud on our last stop in Bali. We heard it was one of the most relaxing spots, so we figured we would save it for the last after visiting Seminyak and Uluwatu. It’s one of Bali’s jungle towns, away from the beaches, beach clubs, and party scene. If you’re looking for the ultimate Instagram picture on the Bali Swing OR just any picture with an insane background of greenery, Ubud is the place. There is a variety of things to add to your Ubud travel guide.
*Be sure to also check out my Bali travel guide post for more tips on traveling to Bali.
Where To Stay:
Splurge
Four Seasons ($600 USD/night): Arguably one of the most amazing hotels in the world, the Four Seasons Ubud is absolutely gorgeous. It's in the middle of the rainforest with views of the Ayung River. There is also a spa, infinity pool, and great restaurants on the property.
Viceroy Bali ($500 USD/night): The Viceroy Bali is luxurious and private hotel with gorgeous views of the valley. The hotel has a spa, gourmet dining, and even a helipad for helicopter transfers.
Save
Bisma Eight ($120 USD/night): Located in the serene Campuhan River valley, Bisma Eight offers stylish rooms at an affordable price. The hotel also has a rooftop bar with gorgeous views, a pool, and a restaurant.
Alaya Resort Ubud ($100 USD/night): In the heart of Ubud, Alaya is a boutique hotel with a spa, yoga classes, and a nice pool.
Bhuwana Hotel ($80 USD/night): Bhuwana Hotel is reasonably priced in a decent location.
My 3 Days In Ubud Travel Guide:
Day 1
Bhuwana Hotel
This is where we stayed in Ubud. It was reasonably priced and central to what we wanted to do during our trip to Ubud.
Klear Cafe
After checking in, we headed to lunch at Klear Café. This is one of those spots where you take your shoes off before entering and eat on the floor. We even had a view of koi fish. From there, we walked around the different shops in the area.
Drinks @ the Four Seasons
We heard the Four Seasons hotel was breathtaking, so we headed the for a drink before dinner. It's definitely one of the top hotels in the world, so do whatever you can to make it here and walk around. It was amazing. This is one of the top things I would add to my Ubud travel guide.
Dinner @ Sayan House
After checking out the Four Seasons, we headed to one of my favorite restaurants of the trip- Sayan House. It has kind of a backyard vibe…if your backyard overlooks the jungle and has delicious food. We got Sushi, Fish Tacos Prawns and Korean Tacos. I also added some house made Kombucha to my vodka and it was delicious. Be sure to make reservations before you go. This is the top restaurant I would add to my Ubud travel guide.
Day 2
Mt Batur
Our second day in Ubud started with a 2am wake up call to hike Mt Batur, an active volcano. Even though I wasn’t the most excited to get up that early to hike 2 hours UP an active volcano, watching the sunrise from the top was pretty rewarding and made for some great pics. That being said, a few of my friends have done the climb (separately) and they didn't have the best experience. I would definitely recommend doing your research to decide if it's something you want to prioritize on your trip to Ubud! If you don't have more than 3 days in Ubud, I might skip this, primarily because you probably won't want to do too much the remainder of your day.
Dinner @ Jungle Fish
By the time we got back to the hotel, we were exhausted- unfortunately after a 2am wake up call + hiking 5 hours, I just couldn't power through. We managed to head to another dinner in the jungle at Jungle Fish – eating at the upstairs bar and the pool restaurant. It happened to be raining which honestly made this dinner even better (insert heart eye emoji). It literally feels like you're eating dinner in the jungle.
Day 3
Bali Swing
Before getting to the Bali Swing, I didn’t realize there are a number of other swings + activities to do. You pay for entry and have access for however long you want. If you’re trying to take a ton of pictures, I would recommend getting there right when it opens to avoid a rush. We went on a Thursday and it was PACKED with everyone trying to get the best picture.
Yoga Barn
One of my travel bucket list items was to do Yoga in Bali, specifically Ubud. We found Yoga Barn and took a beginners class. This was one of my top most relaxing moments ever – I even fell asleep in a yoga pose for what was probably two minutes, but felt like a deep sleep. Oops. After, we got a few juices from the smoothie bar and the most delicious chocolate chip cookie.
Monkey Forest
Even though I objected this a few times, we still made it to the Monkey Forest. These infamous monkeys are no joke. Proceed with caution! Even though we didn’t have any negative encounters, we saw a few climb up and steal things from other people.
Kafe
If you have some downtime and want to relax/read a book/eat/drink wine, this is the perfect little spot. We got the local Wine + Crispy Tacos + Miso Tempeh Burger + Vegan Burger with Coconut Bacon.
Tirta Empul
This is a water temple where people go for a holy water cleanse. If you plan on getting into the water (which you should for the full experience), make sure to bring a towel. For girls, I recommend bringing bikini bottoms + a change of clothes. It’s a unique experience and a great way to end your 3 days in Ubud.
Other Places To Add To Your Ubud Travel Guide:
If you have more than 3 days in Ubud, be sure to include these on your Ubud travel guide:
Rice Terrace: One of the most iconic things to do in Bali is to go to the rice terrace (or rice paddies). We had planned to do this our second day, but were too exhausted from hiking Mt Batur. You can walk through the fields, taking pictures and learning about Bali's traditional agricultural practices.
Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave): Goa Gajah is an ancient archaeological site with a super cool cave entrance, intricate carvings, and a tranquil temple.
Ubud Art Market: Here you can shop for handmade items, artwork, and souvenirs.
*This post is not affiliated with any of the mentioned establishments.