One day in Ubud

Day by day

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

   Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Tegallalang Rice Terraces, Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung) and Tirta Empul, 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. Allow 1–1.5 hours.

   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. Allow 1.5–2 hours.

   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. Allow 30 minutes; 1.5 hours with a show.

   5. Late afternoon

      Tirta Empul

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

   6. 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.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Neka Art Museum (Sanggingan): Start in the Balinese Painting Hall to understand the styles, then you will recognise them in the galleries in town.
• Swap in ARMA (Agung Rai Museum of Art) (Pengosekan): Check the noticeboard at the entrance for workshops; a hands-on offering-making class suits children too.
• Swap in Museum Puri Lukisan (Central Ubud): It is a five-minute walk from the palace, so it fits neatly into a rainy afternoon in the centre.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 7–8 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.6 hours in June to 12.6 hours in January.

Getting between stops: Walking. The palace, market, Monkey Forest, Jalan Hanoman and the Campuhan Ridge are all within about 20–30 minutes on foot of each other, and rice-field paths lead out of town in several directions.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Ubud
• 3 days in Ubud
• 5 days in Ubud

Questions travellers ask