Ubud is a destination that seamlessly blends tradition with modern serenity, providing an unforgettable taste of Bali’s rich culture. This area is known for its spiritual and artistic charm, offering temples, waterfalls, rice paddies, walking trails, artisan markets and an abundance of great warungs. Our 1 week Ubud itinerary gives enough time to experience these iconic spots, indulge in the delicious cuisine, and unwind in a place with a reputation for relaxation and rejuvenation.
QUICK LINKS
DAY ONE
ARRIVE IN UBUD
Depending on your whereabouts prior to Ubud, a large portion of the first day will be taken up with travelling to the area. From the international airport in Denpasar, it is a 1.5-hour drive to Ubud, or more if the traffic is heavy.
We usually don’t plan much on our first day in a new location. This way, we can avoid any stress or financial impact if our plans need to change due to unforeseen circumstances like flight delays and cancellations, or traffic incidents.
Once you arrive and check in to your accommodation, head to the main street Jl. Raya to get a feel for the local area. Maybe check out some shops, wander the Art Market and then pick a restaurant where you can enjoy a long dinner and soak up the energy of Ubud.
We recommend you try Murni’s Warung on your first night. It is a wonderful introduction to the local cuisine. For a list of all our favourite restaurants, check out our guide, Where To Eat in Ubud.
DAY TWO
SACRED MONKEY FOREST SANCTUARY
The early mornings are usually the quietest and coolest parts of the day in Bali. Take full advantage of this each morning by walking, signing up for yoga or meditation classes, finding a peaceful café to sip on cups of coffee or enjoying an Indonesian breakfast at your hotel.
After a relaxing start to the day, head out to one of the most popular sites in Ubud; the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. It can get busy inside the forest, so arriving just after opening at 9 am is ideal. With 12.5 hectares of forest to explore, you’ll be occupied here at least until lunchtime.
For more information, check out our Know Before You Go Guide on the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.
There are cafes, restaurants and convenience stores in the streets around the forest, perfect for lunch. After a morning walking around in the tropical heat, you’ll be eager to get back to your hotel pool, where you can spend the afternoon with a good book before heading back out for dinner.
DAY THREE
CAMPUHAN RIDGE WALK & SWEET ORANGE TRAIL
Strap on your walking shoes and lather on the sunscreen for a day of exploring the best walking trails in the heart of Ubud.
Start with sunrise at the famous Campuhan Ridge Walk. The start of this trail is just off the main street on the east side of town. Cross the bridge and begin the short ascent to the ridge line. Here, you get incredible 360-degree views of the lush surroundings. Afterwards, you can return to town for breakfast.
Once you’re refuelled, continue your day at the next trail, which is made up of two paths; the Sari Organic Walk and the Sweet Orange Trail. These paths run through the rice fields just behind the main hub of the town, and despite their proximity to the busy streets, they are incredibly peaceful. You can find the start of the trail at the sign “Subak Juwuk Manis – Magical Rice Field in Ubud” on Jl Raya. The other end of the trail comes out at Jalan Kajeng, where you walk back to the main street through the Ubud Art Markets. Inside the rice fields, look out for Sweet Orange Warung. This is a perfect spot for lunch.
You’ll deserve another evening by the pool since you’ve spent so much of the day walking. Then, find a nearby restaurant to pop over for dinner and perhaps a refreshing cocktail.
DAY FOUR
SARASWATI TEMPLE, UBUD PALACE & ART MARKET
By day four, you will have walked along the main street many times, but you probably haven’t had the chance to check out all the sites along the way.
Start at the Saraswati Temple in the morning, before the crowds of photographers arrive to capture the famous lotus pond that leads to the impressive entrance gateway. Then, head over to Ubud Palace to explore the beautiful architecture and gardens. Give yourself time to pop in and out of shops, stop by the museums, take another stroll through the Art Market and treat yourself to at least one gelato or juice.
DAY FIVE
TEGALLALANG RICE TERRACE
An unmissable day trip from Ubud is the Tegallalang Rice Terrace. You can book a tour that will take you out to the terraces and perhaps other nearby sights for the day, or you can arrange transport to see this destination at your own speed.
We pre-booked our transport to and from the Tegallalang Rice Terrace through Booking.com. However, this does mean you need to stick to the arranged time, so you may prefer to hail a taxi instead.
If you aren’t on a tour, start your visit at Tis Café. Here, you can enjoy a delicious breakfast overlooking the rice paddies from their café or from their pools. They also have one of the famous Bali swings, if that is something you want to tick off. Access to the paddies from the café is free, and this area is much quieter than other major entry points. Remember to take some cash to tip the farmers of the land you are entering.
DAY SIX
GOA GAJAH & WATERFALLS
Another must-do day trip from Ubud is to see the incredible waterfalls. Again, this is an activity you can book a tour for, or you can arrange your own transport.
We booked a driver for half a day. We had a list of places we wanted to see and took his recommendations on the best order to visit them. You can book a similar experience through Get Your Guide.
On your way out to the waterfalls, it is worth stopping by Goa Gajah first. This is a Hindu archaeological site also known as “Elephant Cave”, and it’s only a short drive from the main street of Ubud. There are gardens, temples and ancient artifacts to see, as well as the cave itself.
After Goa Gajah, drive out to Kanto Lampo Waterfall. This is one of the more popular waterfalls in the area and can get quite busy, so heading here first could help avoid those large crowds. Besides the waterfall, you can also explore the Goa Tan Hana Cave. The entry fee for Kanto Lampo is 20K IDR.
After Kanto Lampo, head over to Tibumana Waterfall. This site not only has a tall, thundering, very picturesque waterfall but also a big plunge pool to swim in. The entry fee for Tibumana is 20K IDR.
Make your final stop at Suwat Waterfall. This spot is lesser known than the others but growing in popularity. It’s a smaller waterfall but much more serene than the first two, especially if you manage to get the place to yourself. The entry fee for Suwat is 25K IDR.
When visiting the waterfalls, don't forget to pack good walking shoes for the hike down to each site, sunscreen, insect repellent, cash for the entry fees and obviously your swimmers, towel and camera.
DAY SEVEN
DEPART UBUD
Your movements after Ubud will determine how much you can fit in on the final day. You may like to head back to the Campuhan Ridge Walk to enjoy another peaceful sunrise or take one final yoga class to wrap up a week of relaxation and rejuvenation. You could pop by your favourite café or restaurant and get one more refreshing juice or plate of delicious Indonesian food for lunch before departing. After the last two days of adventure, you may just want to chill by the pool before hopping on a plane later that day, or if you dealt with unfortunate weather during the week, you may want to fit in any activities that had to be cancelled or postponed.
To get back to the airport in Denpasar, or on to your next destination, we recommend pre-booking your transport to make life easy. We booked all our pre-arranged transport in Bali through Booking.com.
WHERE WE STAYED
During our stay in 2022, this hotel was still partially under renovation. While this made it incredibly cheap, it did come with a few minor kinks that may have been ironed out by now. It is in a great location on Jalan Bisma, within walking distance to the main street of Ubud and many major attractions. Our stay included breakfast, which was delicious every morning and the infinity pool overlooking a rice field was a huge drawcard. The rooms were basic, with a modern design. However, our bathroom was incredibly mouldy, and the hot water only lasted for one minute each day. Again, these issues may have been resolved now, and for the price we paid, we really couldn’t complain.
OUR GOOGLE MAPS
When planning our travel destinations, we pin our bucket list of sites to see and recommended places to eat and drink on Google Maps. We are then never lost for ideas when travelling, and can easily share these lists for our friends and family to use as well.
Click here to see our Google Maps for 1 Week Ubud Itinerary.
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