Situated near the islands centre and midway between Kuta and Kintamani peaks, Ubud is by many considered way more cool than Kuta; and this not so jut because if its generally milder climate. Apart from being home to a gazillion chic art galleries, craft shop and studios, this charming conglomerate of villages is also the “royal centre” of Bali with numerous palaces and temples to be visited. It also offers some of Bali’s best dining experiences. If you’re more of an outdoors type, try biking, walking, trekking, bird watching, herb gathering, kayaking, and/or rafting amid the phosphorescent rice paddies, lush tropical gorges and palm waving rivers so characteristic of Ubud.
See the full range of Balinese handicrafts, and watch traditional Balinese dances. Walk through deep valleys and rice paddies among the birds and ducks or go water rafting in the Ayung River. The air is fresh, mixed with the heady scent of flowers and the incense of offerings. There are o many ways to spend your day here, visiting galleries, artists studio and museums, or enjoying long strolls through the countryside. For a memorable evening dinner, you can choose restaurants which serve international cuisine, Asian cuisine or Balinese cuisine.
Ubud has over the centuries been influenced by numerous waves of invading armies. In 1343, the East Java Hindu Majapahit dynasty conquered Bali; their descendants still inhabit the palaces of Ubud today. After the fall of the Majapahit Empire in the 16th century, many scholars, artists, intellectuals and priests migrated to Bali, and more specifically to the small kingdoms in and around Ubud. At the end of the 19th century, the Dutch occupation sparked an interest in Bali by Western artists and intellectuals (e.g. Walter Spies, Colin McPhee and Rudolf Bonnet), many whom visited Bali and settled here during the 1930s. From the 1970s and onwards backpacker and artists started to arrive, many of whom fell in love with this hilly Shangri-la and still live in Ubud today.
Ubud is overflowing with arts and crafts, including oils, inks, pastels; ceramics, castings and sculpture; basket making, rattan work and weaving; stone, wood, bone and coconut carving. Check out the up-market art galleries and museums for a guide to higher accomplishment.
