Most tourists who visit islands are usually attracted by the beautiful beaches, to see the Indian Ocean coast and enjoy its sunsets, however Ubud is an exception millions of tourists travel to Bali to discover the natural, historical and cultural beauties of this city. It is in the interior and only two or three days will be enough for you to know its waterfalls, temples and emblematic places.
Located between mountains in the center of Bali, in the 30’s European artists settled here and its fame as a tourist destination began to impose itself. Since then the village is center of inspiration of painters and sculptors, both local and foreign.there is an art gallery in almost every corner ready to show the best of old and post modern native and international art. It also attracts many tourists for its dances and music, its climate, warm but not too hot and its impressive rice paddies.
Ubud in Bali
The airport located in the capital of Bali opened to Ubud as one of the most famous locations of the island, forgetting the riotous beach parties on the coast. Ubud is the most famous city of the interior of Bali, known as the city of the artists and craftsmen of Bali is a place of peace and calm, far from the chaos, from its main street Jalan Raya Ubud are emerging buildings with restaurants, bars, hotels and craft shops between parked taxis and motorcycles circulating everywhere, definitely the perfect place for discovering the interior of Bali, its volcano Mount Agungy the rice and coffee fields of the center of the island.
what to see and do in Ubud
Due to its calm daily life one of the attractions of Ubud is to walk through its streets, Jalan Raya, Jalan Goutama, Jalan Dewi Sita all full of beautiful temples very small, nice restaurants, craft shops, cafes with much charm. I suggest long walks, slow, with lots of hydration and rest sessions in the shade.
The market of Ubud is another place to visit; located in the center of the city I recommend you to visit it in the mornings to appreciate all the shops open with their varied merchandise.», ‘ Part of the Asian customs is the «haggling», that is to say, asking each merchant to lower the original prices, they are used to it and always have in mind the minimum price of each piece, enjoy this custom and you will be surprised how much you can save.
The temples in Ubud
Ubud has two very significant the Pura Dalem Puri and Pura Taman Saraswati, both temples located on the main street Jalan Raya with free admission and endless guides waiting to delight you with real and mythological stories.
Another place to see in Ubud are the rice fields of Campuhan, west of Ubud you will see them with their but also are nice to see with their beautiful natural landscapes and their daily scenes of cultivation. To get to these rice fields you have to walk all the way along Jalan Raya street towards the west until you reach a bridge, from there the entrance to the rice fields road begins.
The bridge of the rice fields is also the way to access the Penestanen neighborhood where is the «Antonio Blanco Museum» and the Clear Cafe with a viewpoint to get good photos of the temple Pura Gunung Lebah.everyone who visits Ubud must make a small stop the so-called forest of the monkeys, a wild space where various species of primates play with visitors and live freely.
For your rest and relaxation in Ubud you will find an endless number of places where enjoy good massages and treatments at a good price.
If you rent a motorbike you can visit several destinations in one day you can go to see the Ulun Danu temple and then continue to the Gitgit waterfalls, a good place to refresh yourself and enjoy nature in its purest form.
Best tours and excursions in Ubud
Ubud , the cultural heart of Bali, its situation surrounded by green with rice fields and coconut palms, likes because its people are more rooted to the traditions that in other places of the island and likes by its artists and artisan works. It is a destination that has been growing by leaps and bounds, that is why almost every tour or excursion to Ubud includes its surroundings as Campuhan, Penestatan, Peliatan or Batuan.
A day trip to Ubud should include the visit to temples to learn about rituals and traditions, the typical tour of rice paddies and heavenly places, the gastronomic tasting and you can not forget the art and culture bali.the transport can be car or motorcycle always taking into account the weather, sun or rain, and the places you will visit, steep mountains, swampy rice paddies, or temples of intricate entry.
One of the tours I recommend is the tour to the Tegenungan Waterfalls , also known as Blangsinga.the visit is advisable to do early in the morning before the arrival of the large number of visitors who pass through its waters daily.Water is a fundamental element in Indonesian culture, all cultures and all religions, it is considered a vital principle that generates and constitutes all things «the mother of all beings» In Eastern culture water is considered a raw material: «everything is water», say the Hindu texts.
☝ Hindu traditions and rituals
In the Hindu tradition of Bali, water is one of the most important elements in rituals. Water is used for purification being the most important part of all religious ceremonies. north of Ubud , is Sebatu (Genah Melukat sebatu) where you will surely meet several people performing the Melukat ritual which is nothing more than a symbolic cleansing of the body and soul used to prevent misfortune and bad luck, diseases or bad moments of daily life. In the place you will find guides who will explain the ritual in your native language and invite you to participate in it.
Rice in Bali is not only a matter of food, according to legend, the Balinese had only the juice of sugar cane as food and after a struggle between gods Mother Earth fertilized and gave birth to rice, so the rice is thought to be the product of the cosmic union of the divine male and female creative forces represented in the earth and water, is the main source of life and a gift of the gods.
Because it is their main food the man builds his body and soul from it, this is the reason why around this product the Balinese have created a series of rituals and cults, so that the rice grows big and strong, or so that the water does not lack, or to avoid the contamination of the land and the loss of seeds. From sowing time to harvest, the growth of the rice is observed with as much anxiety as the life of a child.
The tours in Ubud include visit to the rice fields with long conversations with the natives who tell you about their sowing, waiting and harvesting ceremonies. At the end of the tour you will sit in a simple dining room with a view of the rice fields and taste a Nasi Campur a typical Indonesian dish.