Ubud

Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali, a town of royal history, temples, dance and art surrounded by jungle valleys and rice fields.

History

Ubud grew around the royal family of Puri Saren Agung, the Ubud Palace, whose present buildings date from the reign of Tjokorda Putu Kandel (1800 to 1823). From the 1930s European artists such as Walter Spies settled here and worked with Balinese painters and dancers, and Ubud became known as the island’s centre of the arts.

Nearby, the holy spring temple of Tirta Empul was founded in 962 AD under the Warmadewa dynasty and is still one of Bali’s most important places of purification.

Meaning and culture

At Tirta Empul, Balinese Hindus take part in melukat, a purification ritual in which they pray and bathe under the spouts of the spring-fed pools. Visitors may join respectfully with a sarong and guidance.

The Sacred Monkey Forest, Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, is owned by the village of Padangtegal and follows Tri Hita Karana. It protects about 10 hectares of forest, three 14th-century temples and more than a thousand long-tailed macaques.

What to see

• The Sacred Monkey Forest and its mossy temples
• Tirta Empul and the purification pools
• Ubud Palace and the traditional dance shows held there in the evening
• Ubud art market and the galleries of Jalan Hanoman
• Tegallalang rice terraces 20 minutes to the north

Good to know

• At the Monkey Forest, do not bring food and keep sunglasses and phones secured.
• For Tirta Empul, arrive before 10:00 to avoid queues; purification takes 1.5 to 2 hours.
• Wear a sarong and sash at temples; they are provided at the entrance.
• Ubud traffic is slow at midday, so plan an early start.