Ubud
Bali's cultural capital has quietly become its culinary one, from warungs serving proper babi guling — spit-roasted suckling pig — to a cooking-class scene that starts with a dawn market tour.
- Best forFoodies · Wellness & slow travel · Couples
- In April29°C · 22 rainy days · sea 30°C
- Ideal stay3–4 nights
- Approx. flying time~17h 05m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyIDRIndonesian rupiah
- LanguageIndonesian
- Local time19:117h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType C / FBring an adapter
- Drive on theLeftSame as the UK
- Dialling code+62
Why go
Inland Bali is green and humid, and this town sits where the rice terraces meet the foothills, on a grid of lanes above two river gorges. Temples, family compounds and craft villages run into one another, and the centre is congested in a way that surprises first-timers. Walk fifteen minutes out in almost any direction and it is paddy, ducks and irrigation channels again.
Three or four nights suits most people, usually as the first half of a trip that finishes on the coast at Sanur, Amed or the Bukit peninsula. The dry season runs roughly April to October; the wet months are still warm but the afternoons flood. Come for food, walking, art and yoga rather than beaches, and expect prices above the rest of the island.
- Ideal stay
- 3–4 nights
- The vibe
- Green, ceremonial, busier than expected
From our guides
Between meals there are rice terraces, temples and enough herons at Petulu to fill a memory card. Book a class with a family compound rather than a hotel; you'll cook in their kitchen and eat sitting on their floor.
Featured in Ten tropical escapes where the food is half the point
Things to do
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Campuhan Ridge Walk
An easy paved path along a grass ridge between two rivers, best walked at first light before the heat and the tour groups arrive.
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Tegallalang rice terraces
The steep carved terraces north of town are the postcard and need a very early start. The Jatiluwih terraces further west are larger and much calmer.
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Goa Gajah and Gunung Kawi
Two ancient sites near town, a carved cave mouth and a set of shrines cut into a river gorge, both reached down long stone stairways.
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Palace and morning market
The royal compound hosts nightly legong and kecak dance, and the market beside it is at its most local well before the souvenir stalls open.
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Monkey Forest
A temple complex in a patch of jungle full of long-tailed macaques, entertaining and genuinely light-fingered, so carry nothing loose or shiny.
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Mount Batur at sunrise
A two-hour pre-dawn climb up an active volcano ninety minutes north, with a caldera lake below and hot springs to sit in afterwards.
Getting there
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Fly to
Kuta, Badung (DPS)
Nearest airport to Ubud, about 27km away as the crow flies.
-
Then
To Ubud
About an hour and a half by car north from Denpasar (DPS) in normal traffic, and longer at peak times. Fixed-price airport transfers are the straightforward option.
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On the ground
Getting around
Central Ubud is walkable, if narrow of pavement. Scooters, ride hailing apps and drivers hired by the day cover the rice terraces and temples further out.
Public transport: Minimal. There is no useful bus network, so it is drivers, scooters and ride hailing.
Flights
Los Angeles Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
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Roughly 17h 05m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
When to go
Daytime highs run from about 27°C in July to 29°C in March. Driest in July and August; wettest in March, with rain on about 30 days. The sea is warmest in November at around 30°C, coolest at 27°C.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
April29° · rain 22 days · sea 30°Warm and often wet.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Family-run homestays inside walled compounds, boutique guesthouses and jungle-edge villas with private pools. Big chain hotels are rare, and beachfront is an hour away.
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Best base overall
Central Ubud
Around Jalan Hanoman and the palace, with warungs, classes and the market on foot. Traffic on the main streets is relentless, so look for rooms set back down the lanes.
Find stays in Central Ubud -
Best value
Penestanan
Up the steps west of the centre, where guesthouses look over rice terraces for a fraction of the resort rate. The climb home after dinner is real.
Find stays in Penestanan -
Best for couples
Sayan
The Ayung river ridge, where the villas and their infinity pools hang over the gorge. Beautiful, expensive, and you will be shuttling in for meals.
Find stays in Sayan -
Quietest
Nyuh Kuning
A traditional village just south of the Monkey Forest, ten minutes' walk from town but quiet enough to hear frogs. Very little in the way of restaurants.
Find stays in Nyuh Kuning
Worth knowing before you book: July, August and the Christmas weeks book up months ahead, and cooking classes with the better family compounds fill days in advance. Ask how far the room is from the main road.
Search everything else in Ubud by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Traffic
- The central lanes jam from mid-morning. Plan temple and terrace visits for dawn and keep the middle of the day close to base.
- Etiquette
- Temples require a sarong and sash, usually lent at the entrance, and shoulders covered. Never walk in front of someone praying.
- Cash or card
- Cards work in larger places, but warungs, markets and drivers want rupiah. Use machines attached to banks rather than standalone ones.
- Health
- Stick to bottled or filtered water. Rabies is present in Bali, so any bite or scratch from a monkey or dog needs immediate medical attention.
- Book ahead
- Cooking classes, dance performances and popular walks fill through July and August, and the island shuts entirely for a day at Nyepi.
Similar places
Nearby destinations
Batu Bolong
Canggu, Bali, Indonesia · 21km away →
Uluwatu
Bali, Indonesia · 32km away →
Bali
Indonesia · 33km away →
Sunrise trek up Mount Batur
Bali · 34km away →
Nusa Penida
Indonesia · 40km away →
Amed
Bali, Indonesia · 47km away →Elsewhere in Indonesia
Related articles
Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Ubud?
Daytime highs run from about 27°C in July to 29°C in March. Driest in July and August; wettest in March, with rain on about 30 days. The sea is warmest in November at around 30°C, coolest at 27°C.
How long should I spend in Ubud?
Our suggestion: 3–4 nights.
How do I get to Ubud?
About an hour and a half by car north from Denpasar (DPS) in normal traffic, and longer at peak times. Fixed-price airport transfers are the straightforward option.
Do I need a car in Ubud?
No. There is no useful bus network, so it is drivers, scooters and ride hailing.
What currency and language are used in Ubud?
Currency: Indonesian rupiah (IDR). Language: Indonesian. Plugs: type C and F.
Who is Ubud best for?
Best for foodies, wellness & slow travel and couples. In a phrase: green, ceremonial, busier than expected.