Ubud has a special place in my heart. It’s the rainforest town in Bali bustling with culture, art, traditional food and nature. 🌿 Sure, it’s pretty touristy these days – but that’s inevitable unless people like you and me choose to never travel again! 😂
I’ve been to Ubud a few times now, so during our last Bali trip, we decided not to stay there and went for a day trip instead. But if it’s your first time to Ubud, you should definitely stay 2-3 nights to maximise on a variety of activities.
Check out my Reel or TikTok for a quick recap vlog on my day adventure to Ubud or read on for full deets.
Getting there
It takes about 1+ hour to get to Ubud from Canggu by motorbike – even longer if the roads are busy or if you’re travelling by car.
We left our villa around 8am, but if possible, it’s best to go even earlier like 6-7am to beat the heat of the sun.
If you plan on doing outdoor activities like hiking or exploring the rice fields, getting to Ubud extra early is great so you get the morning sun and there probably aren’t as many people around.
One hour on the motorbike is a long time, but there’s so much to see along the ride. You’ll see less touristy spots, more local neighbourhoods, industrial areas where stores specialise in wood, crafts, rattan etc., lots of gorgeous temples and beautiful fields.
You know you’re in Ubud when you start noticing more trees and your surroundings feel like one big luscious rainforest.
First stop, coffee!
When we arrived, we headed for our favourite cafe in Ubud Centre, Clear Cafe, for a quick coffee and fresh fruit. Their entrance is so beautiful – it’s like a hidden space with a giant round door.
This is the original Clear Cafe (before they opened up in Canggu) and I could easily spend the day here working over brunch/lunch and multiple smoothies!
Campuhan Ridge Walk
Once we were fully awake from the coffee, we headed for the Campuhan Ridge Walk just on the border of Ubud Central. It was around 10am when we started our walk and even though it’s a short walk (approx. 30 minutes each way), the sun was already a scorcher!
PS. We realised we did the same walk around the exact same time, but 4 years apart. Here’s us in 2023 vs. 2019… I think my face got a bit rounder! 😳
On this walk you’ll come across temples, river streams, valley views, rice terraces and then you’ll reach the end with a few shops and cafes. At the end, we dropped by Karsa Cafe for a little rest – the walk itself is easy but I needed a break from the sun and heat. Nothing beats sipping on a coconut with pretty garden views.
Impromptu massage at Karsa Spa
When you google “day spas in Ubud” you tend to get a lot of big, fancy resorts pop up first and if that’s your thing, then go for it. But those day spas cost the same, if not more, than back home in Sydney.
Right next to Karsa Cafe is Karsa Spa – this day spa is highly underrated and deceivingly stunning! 😍
We thought it would be a few simple rooms next to the cafe, but if you’re doing a body massage, you literally walk down a path to your own private garden room with a fountain!
My boyfriend did a 30-minute body massage and I did a 30-minute foot massage. The total cost was around AU$30. It felt way longer too. There’s a natural breeze, all you hear is the fountain and birds – absolute bliss. 😌
We didn’t need to book but if you’re looking for a full pamper sesh, here’s Karsa Spa’s website.
Tegalalang Rice Terrace
Did you even go to Ubud if you didn’t see the rice fields? 🌾 After the Campuhan Ridge Walk, we rode for another 30 minutes to Tegalalang – home of Bali’s iconic rice fields. They weren’t looking as green and lush as previous years, but it was still nice to see them again.
You can walk through the rice terrace, but you might need to bring along some small cash as some locals have set up ‘donation stations’ throughout the paths. This time around, we just enjoyed the view and stopped for lunch at Tis Cafe.
The food itself at Tis Cafe is OK, nothing amazing – I had fish tacos and they filled me up but the fish was basic. But the place itself is great for the view and overall experience. It’s a massive space featuring pools, bar and cafe areas – so bring your swimmers if you plan on staying a while.
The best coconut ice cream in Bali
After lunch, we rode back to Ubud Central and checked out the traditional market in their new building, but I’m not really a souvenir kind of person anymore and I hate bargaining. It was too hot to go home, so we dropped by Tukies Coconut Shop for their amazing coconut ice cream and affogato. I never leave Ubud without having Tukies at least once.
Like its name, Tukies Coconut Shop is all about coconuts. 🥥
This might look like a standard scoop of ice cream, but it’s creamy coconut ice cream topped with fresh coconut flesh, coconut sugar and toasted coconut flakes.
It tastes INCREDIBLE.
The sun was still hot when we rode home, but it’s deceiving because of the breeze when you’re on a motorbike. Make sure you’ve got sunscreen and cover your arms and chest! I only realised my chest was sunburnt when I got back to the villa. 😓
There are loads of other things to do in Ubud and surrounds, like watching traditional dance performances or exploring waterfalls. But we didn’t want to pack too much in one day, and for someone like me who goes to Bali at least once a year, at least I can save it for next time. 😊
A BIT OFF TOPIC 
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