Ubud attractions

While travelers flock to more celebrated Balinese peaks such as Mt. Batur and Mt. Agung (when volcanic activity permits), it’s likely you’ll have the wild and unspoiled slopes of Mt. Batukaru to yourself. Even if you don’t choose to summit this 7,467-foot-high (2,276-meter-high) peak, admire majestic views from Pura Luhur Batukaru temple below.

Bali’s second city, Singaraja (which means “Lion King”), is the epicenter of north Bali. Singaraja features winged lion statues, a scenic waterfront, and the chance to enjoy Chinese-Indonesian food. Other highlights include a covered market, a Chinese temple, and the Gedong Kirtya museum of palm manuscripts.

Packed to the rafters with artisan items, Ubud Art Market is the place to come for Balinese souvenirs. This colorful cornucopia sells everything from silk scarves and flowing skirts to carved Hindu and Buddhist statues, traditional Balinese masks, and exotic fruit—and shot to fame when Julia Roberts visited in the Eat, Pray, Love movie.

There are over 18,000 islands in Indonesia by some counts, and Bali’s Taman Nusa cultural park pays tribute to the nation’s many different ethnic groups. Enjoy over 60 indigenous Indonesian houses and a scale model of Borobudur temple, plus traditional arts, crafts, dance, and music. Restaurants and a theater share the gorge-side setting.

Famous for the scaly-skinned fruit known as salak, or snake fruit, Sibetan Village sits in the shadow of the active volcano Mt. Agung, in east Bali. Locals grow at least 14 different varieties of salak, which they transform into a sweet fruit wine. Walks through the orchards and nearby forests are popular, as is sampling and buying wine.

An unremarkable village outside Ubud, Petulu hosts a daily phenomenon that’s a must for bird-watchers and sunset lovers alike: thousands upon thousands of herons and egrets returning from the rice fields and roosting in the trees like so many cotton wool fruit. They’ve been coming since 1965, and nobody knows why.

Bali’s Museum Gedung Arca, also known as Museum Arkeologi or the Pejeng Archaeological Museum, stands in the village of Pejeng, not far from Ubud. Established in the mid-20th century and renovated in 2016, the museum boasts an eclectic collection that covers archaeological finds from millennia of human occupation on Bali.

Established by cookbook author and Ubud Food Festival founder, Janet DeNeefe, Casa Luna Cooking School teaches the art of authentic Balinese cuisine. These Ubud cooking classes often begin with an introduction to Balinese ingredients and end with a feast of homemade local fare. They’re held on the grounds of her Ubud hotel.

Sea turtles have balanced marine ecosystems for around 100 million years, but humans threaten their continued existence. Bali’s Turtle Conservation and Education Center has been a hospital, hatchery, and information source since 2006. In season, travelers can pay to “adopt” a baby turtle and release it into the ocean.