5 days in Ubud

Day by day

1. Day 1: Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary and Tegallalang Rice Terraces

   Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Tegallalang Rice Terraces and Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung), then Kecak and Legong performances in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

      Leave sunglasses, hats, food and loose bags in your room; the macaques grab anything that looks edible or shiny and will open zips. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Tegallalang Rice Terraces

      Arrive before 8am for soft light and empty paths; by mid-morning the rim car parks fill with tour minivans. (1.5–2 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Babi guling

      Long-established warungs around Jalan Suweta and Jalan Tegal Sari in central Ubud; go at lunchtime.

   4. Afternoon

      Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung)

      Buy a dance ticket from the sellers outside earlier in the day and arrive 20 minutes early for a seat with a clear view of the gate. (30 minutes; 1.5 hours with a show, free).

   5. Evening

      Kecak and Legong performances

      Kecak shows often end with a trance dancer kicking through burning coconut husks; sit to the side rather than in the front row.

2. Day 2: Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi

   Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi and Pura Taman Saraswati, then Sunrise on the Campuhan Ridge in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Tirta Empul

      Go at opening or late afternoon; skip the spouts reserved for funeral rites, which staff will point out. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Gunung Kawi

      Combine with Tirta Empul on the same morning; the steps are steep and slippery after rain. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Crispy duck

      Rice-field restaurants along Jalan Hanoman and the main road towards Pengosekan.

   4. Afternoon

      Pura Taman Saraswati

      Lotus flowers are at their fullest in the morning; come before the cafés along Jalan Raya fill up. (30 minutes, free).

   5. Evening

      Sunrise on the Campuhan Ridge

      Walk the ridge as mist lifts from the valleys either side, then share breakfast at a café in Bangkiang Sidem.

3. Day 3: Campuhan Ridge Walk and Blanco Renaissance Museum

   Campuhan Ridge Walk, Blanco Renaissance Museum and Subak Sok Wayah rice-field walk, then Villa over the Ayung gorge in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Campuhan Ridge Walk

      Start at sunrise to avoid the heat; continue to Karsa Kafe in Bangkiang Sidem for breakfast before walking back. (1.5–2 hours return, free).

   2. Late morning

      Blanco Renaissance Museum

      Pair it with the Campuhan Ridge Walk, which starts a few hundred metres away. (1 hour, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Bebek betutu

      Balinese restaurants in central Ubud; ask your guesthouse which ones cook it to order.

   4. Afternoon

      Subak Sok Wayah rice-field walk

      The path is a raised concrete strip with ditches either side; wear proper shoes and carry a torch if you return after dusk. (1–2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Villa over the Ayung gorge

      Stay a night or two in Sayan or Kedewatan, where private pools look straight down into the river valley.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Mount Batur sunrise trek

   About 1 hour by car, plus a 2-hour climb each way. Getting there: Organised trek with early-morning hotel pick-up.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Mount Batur sunrise trek

      About 1 hour by car, plus a 2-hour climb (Organised trek with early-morning hotel pick-up); about 35 km.

   2. Day

      Mount Batur sunrise trek

      Treks to the 1,717-metre summit of this active volcano start in the dark from the villages around Lake Batur so that walkers reach the crater rim for sunrise over Mount Agung and Mount Rinjani on Lombok. Best for first-timers, solo travellers and couples.

   3. Evening

      Back in Ubud

      Dinner: try Nasi campur Bali.

5. Day 5: Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) and Neka Art Museum

   Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave), Neka Art Museum and ARMA (Agung Rai Museum of Art), then Legong at the palace in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)

      Sarongs are lent at the entrance; walk the steps down to the stream, which most groups skip. (1 hour, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Neka Art Museum

      Start in the Balinese Painting Hall to understand the styles, then you will recognise them in the galleries in town. (1.5–2 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Nasi campur Bali

      Warungs on Jalan Goutama, Jalan Kajeng and around Ubud Market; vegetarian versions are easy to find.

   4. Afternoon

      ARMA (Agung Rai Museum of Art)

      Check the noticeboard at the entrance for workshops; a hands-on offering-making class suits children too. (1.5 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Legong at the palace

      Watch the slow, precise Legong dance by lamplight in the courtyard of Ubud Palace.

Before you go

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Central Ubud keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Monkey Forest Road and Padangtegal ($$) suits first-timers, shopping and families. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 16–20 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.6 hours in June to 12.6 hours in January.

More or fewer days

• One day in Ubud
• 2 days in Ubud
• 3 days in Ubud

Questions travellers ask