I didn’t have the best time in Ubud to be honest. Its just not my vibe. Waayyy too touristy for me, missing just about all of its authenticity and generally not pleasant. If you are headed that way though, here are 4 free things to do in Ubud Bali that might be of interest.
Campuhan Ridge Walk
I spent most of my time, trying to find things to do that were outside of the town. The Campuhan Ridge Walk is one of those activities and worth the hike.
Only a 30 minute walk and you will find yourself at the beginning of the trail. One might think you would have good views, being up on a high ridge, however the vegetation is so lush and thick on either side of the trail that you will rarely see through. When you do see a small break, take advantage and click a photo for there are not many opportunities.
There is a sweet village to pass through though with souvenirs and drinks, lots of flowers to see and it’s a really peaceful place to get a long walk in, without having to dodge motorcycles and traffic.
Royal Palace
The island of Bali still has a royal family although they are not officially recognized as such any more. Visitors are allowed into a small area of the Royal Palace in Ubud, located smack dab in the centre of town.
It is completely free and one can walk around and explore quite a good section of the grounds. The intricate carvings, stunning doorways and lush gardens are absolutely beautiful to see. If you walk around all sides of the stages, you might get a glimpse of ceremonial musical instruments and such, a fascinating addition. I have heard them playing on several occasions too.
Batu Karu Temple
There are so many temples around Ubud, its actually incredible. I never found a single one that I was allowed to enter all the way. The best I found was being able to get inside the door at the street and exploring the front entrance area.
Batu Karu Temple was for me, the most fascinating of these discoveries. Finding myself the only visitor there, with the exception of one couple who I met exiting as I was going in, was a treat for sure. I had the place to myself and was in awe at the beauty of this Hindu temple surrounding me.
I happened to have arrived a few days after a ceremony, perhaps a full moon, and many of the straw decorations were will standing and absolutely gorgeous to see.
Kajeng Rice Fields
In this mountainous area of Bali, one would be remiss if they did not visit terraced rice paddies. Do not fear, there is a beautiful area, withing walking distance of the town, called the Kajeng Rice Fields.
Here visitors can walk a small path through the middle of the fields, basking in the majestic beauty of lush tropical plants, fields of rice, farmers with their cows, ducks and chickens and beautiful pastoral views.
I cannot recommend this walk enough; it was a beautiful escape from the hectic town.
I’m afraid to say, I just didn’t find much of anything else authentically true in Ubud. The tourists have been here in droves, are still arriving in droves and everything about the town is geared for them (and me…cringe). Some people are going to love this area, but I just found it sad.
