PLACES TO SEE IN UBUD

 Ubud is Bali's favorite destination. When I first came to Bali in 2005, I would agree, too: it was truly Bali's most authentic, most profound and therapeutic place. After tons of Instagram posts and the worldwide explosion of the book & movie Eat, Pray, Love set in Ubud, 13 years later, a cramped, exhausted, urbanized, commercialized and westernized Ubud awaited me when I came back. Its streets now had more smoothie bars, venues followed by tens of thousands, and yoga shops popping up from Sydney than local businesses. Most of them were already foreigners.

Yet despite this heavy cultural and commercial invasion of the West, Ubud remains Bali's cultural center and is home to many things worth seeing. Below, we have briefly mentioned the experiences and attractions unique to Ubud.

Ubud is the World Famous Place in Bali

Bali owes its world fame to the art scene in Ubud. Since Bali is an isolated island, far from all kinds of influences, they have developed a unique aesthetic and artistic understanding on the island over the centuries. In the 19th century, Ubud became an art center when some Balinese rulers gathered all the craftsmen and artists on the island in Ubud. But the real event begins with the discovery of this treasure by western artists.

The spread of Bali's fame in the world is generally attributed to the German artist and art teacher Walter Spies. When he, Willem Hofker and Rudolf Bonnet start to bring giant artists, including names like Charlie Chaplin, to Ubud to study the language of art here, Bali falls like a bombshell into the world. The art community flocks to Ubud for inspiration from this original place.

Later, this interest flared up in the 1960s when Flemish painter Arie Smith started a new art movement here called Young Artist. The demand for Bali is constantly increasing, but the absence of international flights to the island prevents people from crowding into the island. When Ngurah Rai Airport opened, Bali began to transform very quickly.

Today, it has turned into Ubud, which we told you at the entrance.

How to Plan a Bali Trip

Ubud is in the middle of Bali in terms of location. We recommend that you plan your trips to northern and eastern Bali by centered on Ubud. For our Bali travel planning suggestions: All About Bali – (Honeymoon & Route & Budget)

In Bali, rice is called "gift of god". Rice is considered the cornerstone of Balinese culture because for centuries it has been the most important food source that has fed and moved this society forward. Today, Balinese still spend most of their days in rice fields. When you come here, it is possible to see the reflections of the value attributed to rice in culture, religion and daily life.

Since the Balinese diet has been dependent on rice for centuries, Balinese have developed various technologies and methods in order to obtain the most efficiency. In the 9th century, they developed an irrigation system called subak. With this system, they managed to transport the water coming from the mountains to the farthest rice fields through water temples. Subaks have been sustained for centuries with a collective effort.

There are rice fields all over Bali, but the most famous are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Tegalallang and Jatiluwih rice terraces in Ubud. You should get there early in the morning, preferably before 10 am, to avoid the extreme heat and crowds of tourists. Let's also remind you that the best photos are taken at sunrise.

-Tegalallang Rice Terraces Click for location. Number 1 on the map.

-Jatiluwih Rice Terraces Click for location. Number 2 on the map.

Hiking in the Rice Fields

The pleasure of visiting these places with a local guide is completely different. The guide explains very well the Balinese culture and the place of rice in this culture. Some tours also stop by coffee farms for a short tasting experience.