Ubud is amazing town surrounded by paddy fields and also well known as a center of art and culture in Bali. You can find painting, sculpture, handy-craft, and traditional dances perform nearly every night.
In Ubud you can also find many interesting places and unique things to do. And below, I share with you list of things that you can do in Ubud.
1. River Rafting
There is only one place for river rafting in Ubud, but I would like to share with you another place for river rafting even the location is not in Ubud anymore.
The one that in Ubud is at Ayung River, and the other one is at Telaga Waja River.
Ayung River
This is for beginner and fun to do with family or friends.
The location of Ayung River is only 20 minutes from the center of Ubud. Once you arrive at the location, you will find many River Rafting operators with different prices and different lengths of rafting activity.
Telaga Waja River
This river is more challenging compare to Ayung River and the water is cleaner with more dense jungle views to see along the stream.
It takes 1 hour drive from Ubud to the river. You can book a rafting operator online, and the price is usually already with pick up and drop off service.
2. Hiking
Ubud is close to three mountains, and all is accessible to hike; Mount Batur, Mount Abang, and Mount Agung.
Mount Agung is the highest mountain with 3031 meters above the sea level. It has a view that will make you feel as though you’re sitting on the roof of the world, overlooking the whole of Bali and the neighboring island of Lombok.
The track to get the top of Mount Agung is quite tricky and dangerous. It is tricky because if you choose the wrong track it will lead you to a cliff-jump. Some of the path on the track is sandy and slippery. Honestly, you need a guide if you want to hike this mountain.
If Mount Agung is too challenging for you, you can hike Mount Batur or Mount Abang. Both are located closely and separately by the lake.
If it takes 6 hours to reach the top of Mount Agung, to get to the top of Mount Batur and Mount Abang, you only need 1 hour and half walked.
3. Cycling
Cycling could be another interesting way to explore Ubud. You could rent a bike, then pick a route away from the touristy center to enjoy the beauty of Ubud and to see directly how is the Balinese daily routine life.
4. Trekking
Trekking is also another good idea to do in Ubud. There two trekking routes in Ubud; Subak Sok Wayan trekking route and Cempuhan Ridge Walk trekking route.
Those two routes have different view. Cempuhan Ridge Walk is like a scenic paved jungle view and Subak Sok Wayan is like a rice terrace view.
Cempuhan Ridge-walk route is a long one way path with views of dense jungle on both side.
To get to Cempuhan, you need to go to the North-west end of Jalan Ubud Raya and find the Warwick IBAH Hotel sign on the right of the street before the bridge.
5 meters away before the bridge you need to walk to a small parking lot under the big tree, then find a narrow downhill stone path and a sign leading to the stairs up the ridge.
Subak Sok Wayan trekking route is a challenging to find, there is no sign that leads to the location.
There are two ways to get there; through Kajeng Street, and through road that located in front of Lazy Cat Cafe.
After you find Kajeng Street, you need to follow the street to the end. On the end of the road, you will find a pathway with paddies on both sides and that is the route.
The other way to get to the trekking route is you need to go to Jalan Ubud Raya and find a Lazy Cat Cafe.
Right in front of Lazy Cat Cafe, there is an uphill road, if you follow up the road you will find right turn to a small road that only fit with one motorbike, and that small road will lead you to the Subak Sok Wayan trekking route.
5. Open Mic – Music
There are less options for nightlife in Ubud, and there is only one place that has DJ music till 2 AM.
But, Ubud is riches of live music and open mic till midnight. Nearly every night there are cafes perform live music and open mic that invites musicians with many kinds of music backgrounds to jam together.
6. Yoga
Ubud is yogis heaven. You can find yoga studios everywhere in Ubud, there are dozens of classes everyday with styles that fit you from spiritual practices to fast paced Vinyasa and power flows.
7. Social Dancing or Salsa Dance
This is probably another unique thing that Ubud has compared to other areas in Bali, its social dancing.
Many cafes held dances on specific nights and there is a dance community in Ubud, and they perform and dance together nearly every night.
8. Traditional Dance Class
Since the early 1900s, Ubud has hosted traditional and Gamelan dance performances nearly every night.
Dance teachers and experienced dancers are attracted to come to Ubud because of its unique cultural influence and history.
In Ubud you can easily find a place or family that offers how to learn traditional Balinese dances.
9. Silver or Gold Making Class
Bali’s clans of gold and silversmiths have been creating intricate objects for temple heirlooms, rituals and fine jewellery for centuries. Their designs continuously evolve, as do the crafting techniques.
There are silver and gold maker communities that live in Celuk village and Mas village about 15 minutes from Ubud center.
At this village you will find many studios, workshops and a showroom of the jewelry. And some of the studios also offer you to learn how to work with silver and gold into jewelry.
10. Cooking Class
Have you try the famous Indonesian Nasi Goreng yet? or Gado-gado? or even the original Sambal Matah from Bali?
There are many places that offer cooking classes around Ubud, even some restaurants around Monkey Forest Street besides offering their best and tasty food they also offer a cooking class.
