What to Do and Eat in Ubud, Bali
Our all-inclusive Luxury Escapes package at AnandaDara Ubud Resort & Spa is just half of the fun. With so much to see and taste in Ubud, Bali’s spiritual and artistic haven, here are the places we think you shouldn’t miss.
Our Favourite Restaurants in Ubud
My wife and I are foodies at heart. Ubud doesn’t disappoint. Most main courses at these establishments will set you back around A$10 each – high-ish by local standards, but worth it for delicious and well-rated Balinese cuisine.
1. Bebek Tepi Sawah
‘Bebek’ means duck and it’s a word you’ll see all over Ubud. Bebik Tepi Sawah’s grilled duck is the best I’ve had – succulent, bursting with flavour and very generously sized (a half duck per plate). Their chicken satay is served over smouldering coals. This is our top meal in Ubud.
2. Milk & Madu
This Australian-run café serves up delicious brunch and dinner in equal measure. With the Kris+ app, we take advantage of a ‘Privilege’ (voucher) that offers 20% off with a 500,000+ IDR spend.
The fresh fish and chips beat many I’ve had in Perth. Don’t forego the pastries – the carrot cake and warm cinnamon bun gets full marks from us both as well.
New to Kris+? Download the app and use my referral code L000072 on sign up to get A$5 in credit after you spend A$5.
3. Tini Kitchen & Coconut Juice Bar
This roadside warung is only a few minutes walk from AnandaDara Ubud Resort & Spa. All the Balinese dishes are worth a try (especially the fried duck), but also stay for the coconuts and banana fritters.
Sit by the rice paddies for a relaxing lunch.
4. Tino’s East West Kitchen
Yes, it’s another warung (sense a pattern here?). Located in the heart of Ubud town, this one delivers exceptional nasi campur and for a bit of fusion, fall-off-the-bone grilled pork ribs, all at a reasonable price.
What we got up to in Ubud
1. Mount Batur Sunrise Hike
For my wife’s 30th birthday, she decides to get up at 2am and tackle the hike up Mount Batur for stunning sunrise vistas. We book a guided hike through Singapore Airlines’ experience platform, Pelago.
After the private transfer, we revive at a ‘base café’ with complimentary coffee, tea and biscuits while we get paired up with a guide.
The hike itself is moderately demanding – you’ll need a decent level of fitness. We struggle uphill for about 90 minutes, but the view is truly incredible. Remember to pack light layers and bring plenty of water.
If you get fatigued, there are motocross riders who can take you up and down the mountain for a hefty fee (someone in our group pays 400,000 IDR, about A$40 one-way). There may be room to bargain and yes, they do take card.
For the tour, we pay around A$57pp including return hotel transfers. A well-timed 21% cashback on Shopback brings it down to around A$45pp.
2. Tegalalang Rice Terrace
A staff member at the resort suggests we go early to the Tegalalang Rice Terrace to practice flying my new drone, the DJI Mini 4 Pro.
We take his advice and order a Grab to arrive there around 7am. The sun’s still slowly rising, casting a weak glow over the rice terraces. There are many entrances to the fields, so we pick one and start wandering around.
In my opinion, this is the best time to visit as the crowds are thin, the temperature is still cool, and the photo opportunities are excellent.
Bali is so drone friendly. You don’t need to register one and there are just basic rules to follow (essentially, don’t be an idiot and fly close to people or near airports). The peaceful rice terraces in the morning are the perfect time for me to get to know the DJI Mini 4 Pro better.
3. Pottery Experience at Setungku Ceramics
My wife’s taken an interest in learning more crafts and Ubud is the ideal spot in Bali to pick up some new skills. Setungku Ceramics is one of a few high-rated, burgeoning pottery studios in Ubud.
For 450,000 IDR (~A$44) per person, we take part in a 2.5-hour experience with wheel-throwing, hand making and painting. Our guide, the talented Mitsu, gives us plenty of advice and practical help as well.
To finish things off, they fire our favourite pieces to potentially ship or bring back on a future visit. It takes a few weeks for the pieces to be fired, so you won’t be able to take it with you straight away.
4. Silver Ring Experience at Ubud SilverSmith
What’s the best way to celebrate our first wedding anniversary in Ubud? Making a ring for each other, of course!
At Ubud Silversmith, we go for the Couple’s Package for 700,000 IDR (~A$68) in total, which gives us 7g of silver each and the assistance of experienced silversmiths. It’s an immersive guided experience, starting from choosing the design we want from a wide range of samples, smelting the silver balls, hammering out a thin wire, and then shaping it.
To be fair, the silversmiths can do most of the heavy lifting, especially for those as untalented as myself. Just know that whatever your skill level, you will leave with a handcrafted ring that matches what you have in mind, while still having a great time doing as much (or as little) hands-on work as you can manage.
Shopping and Massages in Ubud
Shopping in Ubud offers a vibrant and eclectic experience. The colours of the Ubud Art market are mesmerising with beautiful batik dresses, handcrafted straw bags and wooden crockery on offer.
Most of the local stallholders expect you to haggle. While you’ll get by fine with English and a calculator, it turns out we have an ace up our sleeve. My wife knows basic Malay, as do some of the stallholders, so it’s easier for them to chat.
Most of the items we buy start at around 250K IDR (~A$25), but we’re usually able to agree on 100K (A$10) for gifts and trinkets such as paper kites and wooden bird chimes, to clothes such as kimonos and dresses.
Need cash? With the NAB Debit card that previous Citi Plus cardholders were migrated to, BNI ATMs at the airport and in town don’t charge a fee to withdraw. If you brought Australian Dollars to exchange, walk around the area to compare the best rates as they vary a bit. Most shops offer no commissions. Count and check what you get!
As the day heats up and the humidity gets too much for us, we duck into one of the many local massage shops offering a 60-minute full body massage for 100,000 IDR (~A$9.7). Don’t expect a luxurious day spa – it’s cheap and cheerful.
Our favourite place in this price range is Golden Hands Ubud Spa. Massages start from 110,000 IDR (~A$10.7) for an hour and we appreciate the firm pressure with the revitalising deep tissue massage.
It’s the perfect antidote to ‘shop till you drop’!
