Ubud (Bali, Indonesia): history, attractions, photos

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

If you are going to Bali, it does not hurt to get acquainted with its resorts in advance. Of particular interest is the cultural capital of the island. In the city of Ubud there is no sea and beaches, but there are other interesting objects. It is about him that will be discussed in our article.

A little about the city…

Ubud is a city in Bali, located in the center of the island. The distance from Ngurah Rai Airport to it does not exceed forty kilometers. There is no sea in the city, so you can not dream of a beach holiday, although no one will stop you from going to the nearest coast of the resorts of Kuta, Sanur and Legian.

Ubud in Bali (Indonesia) is of interest to tourists due to its natural and man-made beauties. Tourists come here for a few days on excursions, but sometimes they stay for a long time. Ubud is the recognized cultural center of Bali. Poets, sculptors and painters live here. On each street you will find several cultural salons and art galleries.

It is worth noting that Ubud can hardly be called a city in the full sense of the word. The fact is that on its territory you are notyou will find no high-rise buildings, there are very few vehicles on the streets, and there are not many people. The city leads a quiet and measured life. Time flows slowly here. After walking only 10-15 minutes from the central part, you will find yourself in the rice fields. In Ubud, there is no clear demarcation between city and town. During the walk, you can make sure that the city streets are quickly replaced by village ones.

After sunset, Ubud (Bali, Indonesia) quickly falls into a sleepy state. After nine o'clock in the evening everything calms down. Relative revival can be observed only on the central streets, near the market.

History of the city

The city of Ubud in Bali is ancient, over ten centuries old. According to legend, in the eighth century, a priest from the island of Java meditated at the confluence of two rivers. At this place he founded a temple, which to this day is a revered center of pilgrimage.

Initially, the city was known as the most important source of medicinal plants and herbs. It even got its name from the Balinese word "ubad", which translates as "medicine". The period of the greatest prosperity of the city fell on the years of the reign of King Rai Batur, who was a representative of the noble family of Sukaviti. The ruler favored culture and art, which could not but affect the development of Ubud.

The modern period of the city's history begins around 1926. Then artists Rudolf Bonnet and W alter Spies arrived in Ubud. Thanks to these people, the city has become incredibly bohemian. Very famous people began to come to him, among whom was Charlie Chaplin,anthropologist Margaret Mead, actress Dorothy Lamour. Another surge of creativity came in the sixties of the last century. This period is closely associated with the Dutch artist Ari Smith, who founded his school of young artists.

Today, Ubud in Bali, Indonesia is a popular tourist destination, but it has retained its unique charm and long tradition. Therefore, it deservedly bears the name of the cultural capital.

What is the charm of the city?

Experienced travelers believe that it is impossible to see Ubud (Bali, Indonesia) in one day. It is necessary to allocate several days to explore all the interesting places. Here you will not be bored if you decide to spend even a few weeks. Most often, tourists are brought to the city during a sightseeing tour of the island. In this case, guests have only a couple of hours to see the main street, visit the Ubud Palace, stare at the monkeys and national dances. Of course, in such a short time you will not get a complete picture of the city. It is for this reason that it is necessary to spend the night here and visit all the most interesting places on your own. The beauty of the city is that you don't need any guides in it.

If you don't know what to see in Ubud in Bali, take a walk along the local streets. On them you will find a cluster of craft workshops that produce a variety of art objects. The city can be called an endless source of inspiration for creative people. A couple morecenturies ago, representatives of art began to gather in Ubud, over the years this tradition has not disappeared, but acquired a new dimension. There are a lot of shops and shops in the city that sell beautiful handicrafts. And in the surrounding villages, craftsmen make high-quality products. Each such village specializes in the manufacture of goods from a certain material: wood, stone, etc. Sometimes the shops of local craftsmen are located along the road. You will be pleasantly surprised by the number and variety of handmade items.

Yoga and a he althy lifestyle

In the Middle Ages, Hinduism flourished in Java. And Ubud at that time was the medical center of the Majapahit empire. Probably, it is for this reason that there are so many different centers of alternative medicine in the city. People come here for yoga seminars and other events. Only in Ubud you can meet a person walking with a yoga mat on the street. At every intersection you will find shops that sell natural cosmetics. No less diverse is the choice of cafes with vegan or vegetarian dishes. Experienced travelers say that Ubud is the perfect place to find yourself, meditate, try your hand at yoga, improve your he alth and redefine your outlook on the world and your values.

A feature of local organic cafes is the fact that the food in such establishments is not only he althy, but also tasty, which is very important. Ubud is always quiet and peaceful. Here you will not find glamorous hangouts and noisy parties.

How to navigate the city?

Ubud is not an ordinary city. It consists of tenvillages that are very close to each other. Three streets form the center of the city: Jalan Raya Ubud, Jalan Manki Forest and Jalan Hanoman. On one of them is the Ubud Palace and Art Market. This is the most touristy part of the town. It is she who is usually offered to see those guests who find themselves here only for a couple of hours.

All the fun in Ubud (Bali) and attractions are outside the center. A huge advantage of the city is the fact that you can safely walk around it on foot or ride a bike. Side streets run perpendicular to the main street. It is impossible to get lost in Ubud. On the main street you will find many interesting cafes and shops with clothes, accessories and souvenirs.

Palace of Painting

Palace of Painting - one of the attractions of Ubud (Bali). It is the ethnographic and craft center of the island, and is also an art museum. It contains many works of art. The Palace of Painting was opened in 1956 under the direction of Rudolf Bonnet (a Dutch artist). The museum consists of three pavilions, which are surrounded by picturesque ponds with blooming lotuses. The first pavilion exhibits traditional Balinese paintings, the second - paintings by young artists, and the third is used to organize temporary exhibitions. The museum introduces guests to the traditional music and dances of Bali.

Monkey Forest

If you want to take bright and exotic photos, go to Ubud Monkey Forest.

Tourists really like the local flocks of monkeys. In the depths of the territory is the temple of the dead, which is considered the habitat of evil spirits.

Temple Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati

The sights of Ubud (Bali) include a Hindu temple in honor of the goddess of wisdom and knowledge, which is considered one of the most beautiful in the city. People call it the Palace of Water. The building is of interest from the point of view that it is a classic example of Balinese architecture. The temple is decorated with figures of gods, bas-reliefs and intricate carvings. Around it is a pond with blooming lotuses. In the temple you can see the barong dance.

Lempada House

Among the sights of Ubud (Bali), the Lempad house occupies a special place. This is the home of the most famous Balinese painter and sculptor, who became the real mastermind behind the National Revival. The most famous works of the artist are exhibited in the house-museum. His family still lives here. Therefore, the institution is more like an ordinary residential building than a museum. Many of Lempad's works are kept in other museums on the island. Members of the artist's family willingly give tours and talk about the paintings.

Female Art Gallery

There is another interesting place in Ubud called Senivati Women's Art Gallery. Works of not only local masters, but also foreign artists are exhibited here. An interesting fact is that only women's works are exhibited in the gallery. In other institutions of the city there are paintings only of men. The situation of Balinese women is enoughcomplex. Literally 20 years ago, local schools did not even accept girls. The same thing happened in art schools. The gallery sells paintings, calendars, T-shirts and other items made by women.

Ubud Waterfalls

There are a lot of waterfalls in Bali, six of them are located near the city itself. Rang Reng Waterfall has recently been opened to tourists. It is a drop of a mountain river flowing out of a cave. A simple path leads to the waterfall, which you can easily overcome on your own. And nearby there are gazebos where you can relax and admire the water element.

Kanto Lampo is a beautiful stepped waterfall located near the city. You can not only swim in it, but also take beautiful photos. There is a waterfall in the gorge, if you want to get high-quality pictures, you need to visit it from 11.00 to 14.00. At this time, the lighting is perfect.

Also not far from Ubud are Tebumana and Tukad Cepung waterfalls. The latter is located in a very picturesque place - among the rocks, overgrown with ferns and lianas.

Tengenuan is the most modest but incredibly popular waterfall. Tourists are brought here by bus. There is a swimming lagoon here. It is best to come here early in the morning, in the rays of the sun the water seems to sparkle.

Dasun Kuning is named after a nearby village. The waterfall is strong and powerful.

Hanging Gardens

The real attraction is the "Hanging Gardens" of Ubud, which representa luxurious complex of villas. They are located on the slopes, overgrown with tropical greenery. Stunning landscapes, figured pools, wooden houses, exotic flowers and plants - all these are hanging gardens. By creating the complex, talented landscape designers managed to preserve the surrounding nature and build houses. The famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon, considered one of the wonders of the world, became the prototype of this amazing place.

The hotel offers guests 38 luxurious rooms, each of which is designed as a separate villa. All apartments are equipped with swimming pools, so necessary in a hot climate. The reservoirs are built in such a way that while swimming you can admire tropical thickets, flowers and orchids. Hanging gardens are interesting because they harmoniously fit into the surrounding landscape. Birds, butterflies regularly fly into them and nimble squirrels drop in for a visit.

The hotel has a status of five stars. According to guest reviews, tourists are received here with special cordiality. All employees sincerely smile at their guests. Funicular cabins are equipped to move around the territory, since different objects are located at different levels of the hill. There are also two cableways. The hotel is not only a complex of villas, but also a wellness base, since it has its own spa center.

Ubud Accommodation

We have already told you where Ubud is and what it is. If you are interested in the town and you want to visit it, you should consider the place of residence in advance. housing options inLose a lot. There are modest private hotels, decent hotels and even hostels. If you are going to spend enough time in the city, the hosts are willing to give discounts for long stays. Most of the accommodation is private hotels, so you have the opportunity to bargain. Choose the central streets for renting rooms, this will allow you to quickly get to any place. If you want silence, we recommend choosing a hotel on the outskirts. Although the city center is quite quiet. Ubud is not much like a resort.

Santa Mandala is one of the most unusual hotels in Ubud. The hotel is chosen by those people who come to Bali in search of spiritual practices. If you want to spend only a couple of days in the city, it is worth booking a hotel room in advance so as not to waste time looking for accommodation.

Beaches

There are no beaches in Ubud, because the city is located inland. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to get to the coast from here. It would be illogical to come to Ubud and not swim in the sea. It takes at least an hour to drive to the nearest coast from the city. Tourists can go to Lovina Beach. He is small and handsome. True, it will take two hours to get there. Its feature is black sand.

In addition, you can visit one of the resorts of the island - Sanur or Seminyak. On their coast you can find many beautiful places to relax. The Seminyak resort generally offers tourists a vacation in luxurious beach villas. Therefore, after seeing the beauty of Ubud, you can safely move to the coastalresorts.

You can also recommend visiting the Bukit Peninsula, Chaeggu with black sand and Kutu.

Travel to Bali

What is the price of a tour to Bali (for two)? The cost of tours depends on many factors, including the level of the hotel, as well as food. If you want to save money, you can recommend buying last-minute tours. The price of a tour to Bali for two in this case will average 50,000 rubles. True, you will live in a three-star hotel. If you want to get more comfortable conditions, you will have to purchase a more expensive ticket.

What to do on vacation?

What to do in Ubud? The city is an amazingly interesting place. Its silence and tranquility literally amaze the imagination. Tourists accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the city, it is immediately difficult to rebuild in a new way. Experienced travelers recommend walking around the city on foot, this will allow you to feel its beauty and atmosphere. There is a walking path along the Champuan River. It starts near the Ibach Hotel and leads to the hills by the river. This place can safely be called the most picturesque in the city. Walking at a leisurely pace takes 1.5-2 hours. But during this time, you will have a lot of fun.

Rice fields of the city can safely be called another of its attractions. Walking along them, you can visit the bamboo cafe. It appeared in the city one of the first. It is built entirely from bamboo and features an outdoor terrace with stunning views. The organic cafe is incredibly popular with tourists.

Ubud has a lotspas where you can enjoy massages. If you want to improve your he alth or just relax, visit one of these establishments. Relaxation and pleasure are guaranteed.

Tourists should also visit the botanical garden, which is located a kilometer from the city. This place will certainly appeal to all lovers of natural beauty. On the territory of the garden you can see many exotic plants. But the Orchid Garden is the most attractive.

Another interesting place in Ubud is the bird park. You won’t be able to quickly see its territory, because it is large. In the park you will see more than 250 varieties of birds.

Instead of afterword

Ubud is worth visiting for those tourists who are interested in the culture and history of the island. The amazing city was created for measured rest and contemplation of beauties. No wonder yoga fans from all over the world come here. If you have always dreamed of joining the practice, but never did, be sure to visit one of the yoga schools in the city. Here you can learn a lot of new and interesting things for yourself. Ubud is the place to which it is impossible to remain indifferent. The city should not be considered as a beach resort, but rather as a cultural center.