Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Books by
Usha Alexander

Books by
Namit Arora

Ubud and Central Bali, Indonesia

“Ubud is Bali’s cultural hub, a seductive town set amid terraced rice paddies and known for its talented classical dancers and musicians, and for its prolific painters and craftspeople. Tradition is particularly important here and temple festivals happen almost daily. However, although it’s fashionable to characterize Ubud as the real Bali ... it’s a major tourist destination and bears little resemblance to a typical Balinese town. Arty, high-minded Ubud has the best art museums and commercial galleries on the island and is also a recognized centre for spiritual tourism ... Organic cafés, riverside bungalows and craft shops crowd its central marketplace, while the surrounding countryside is ideal for walks and cycle rides, and there’s easy access to the northern volcanoes.” —The Rough Guide to Indonesia

Ubud Town

A sampling of our many delicious vegetarian Balinese meals. :-)

Intersection / Ubud palace

A street in Ubud

A street in Ubud (more)

Our traditional homestay

Traditional doorway

Traditional entrance

Traditional building

Sculpture outside home

Ubud architecture

Ornate gateway

Ubud home

Ubud home courtyard

Traditional facade

Balinese architecture

Ubud building

Ubud street scene

Street market (more)

Street market w/ sexy toys

Restaurant

Rama at Ubud intersection

Ubud palace

Royal family residence

Courtyard (more)

Traditional spaces

Main courtyard

Hindu goddess

Gateway

Sculpture

A palace gateway (more)

Ornate facade

Ornace facade (more)

Sculpture

Gateway (more)

Gateway

Courtyard (more)

Gateway (more)

Kecak performance

Balinese dance & drama

Developed in the 1930s

Based on the Ramayana

(1, 2, 3)

Women are recent addition

(more)

Museum Puri Lukisan

"This museum displays fine examples of all schools of Balinese art. Just look at the lush composition of 'Balinese Market' by Anak Agung Gde Sobrat to see the vibrancy of local painting. The collection is well curated and labelled in English. The lush, garden-like grounds alone are worth a visit. It was in Ubud that the modern Balinese art movement started, when artists first began to abandon purely religious themes and court subjects for scenes of everyday life." —Lonely Planet Bali & Lombok.

Museum Puri Lukisan,
or Museum of Fine Art

Wayang painting titled
"Ramayana "(info)

Wayang painting titled
"Bharatayuda War" (info)

Museum grounds

"The priest frees the
monkey, snake and tiger
from the well" (info)

"The stupid king is tricked
by a monkey" (info)

"Dagger dance" (info)

"The dream of
Dharmawangsa" (info)

"Bima at the market"
(info)

"Temple festival" (info)

"Jayaprana ceremony"
(info)

"Jauk Dance" (info)

"Fishermen returning with
the day's catch and a
ceremony by the sea" (info)

"Raksasa Kalarau" (info)

"Atomic war in Indira's
heaven" (info)

"Balinese stone-craftsmen
working" (info)

"Just punishments in
hell" (info)

"Dancing Leyak" (info)

"Bima searches for the
Kamandalu holy water" (info)

"Barong dance in the
village" (info)

"Balinese market" (info)

"Ceremony by the sea"
(info)

"Raja Pala" (info)

"Rama & Sita" (more, info)

"Reflecting" (info)

"Imagination Love" (info)

Roots of a musuem tree

Museum cafe

Sacred Monkey Forest

"This cool and dense swathe of jungle, officially called Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana, houses three holy temples. The sanctuary is inhabited by a band of grey-haired and greedy long-tailed Balinese macaques who are nothing like the innocent looking doe-eyed monkeys on the brochures. Nestled in the forest, the interesting Pura Dalem Agung has a real Indiana Jones feel to it with the entrance to the inner temple featuring Rangda figures devouring children." —Lonely Planet Bali & Lombok

Heart-to-heart (1, 2)

Balinese long tail monkey

Mother and baby (1, 2, 3)

A small tropical forest

Pura Dalem Agung (more)

Temple complex (1, 2)

Countryard buildings

Temples in the forest

Mandala Wisata Wanara
Wana (1, 2)

Mother and baby (1, 2)

North and West of Ubud

On a hike

Rice paddies (1, 2)

A neglected village temple

Ritual offering (more)

Homes on a hill

Refreshing break

Pura Gunung Lebah

Outer temple wall

Temple structure (hike path)

Village vista

Someone's ritual offering

Village path

Modern apartments

Field with village home

Village path

Cafe

Village vista

Village home

Village path

Threshing rice

Laborers

Photo break

Threshing rice

Fields

Cafe break

Village path (more)

Village vista

Village vista (more)

Village vista

Village shrine

Decked out bike

Hiker

Cafe by rice paddies

Hiker

East and South of Ubud

A few km southeast of Ubud lie Goa Gajah, or elephant cave, and Yeh Pulu, a hermitage from the 14th century with a 25 m long carved cliff face. A little north is the town of Pejeng and its temples: Pura Samuan Tiga, Pura Kebo Edan, Pura Pusering Jagat, and Pura Pentaran Sasih. Pejeng was once a major seat of power as the capital of the Pejeng kingdom, until Majapahit invaders took over in 1343 CE.

Goa Gajah complex