Villa Puri Tupai

Far removed from the drunken bikini scene in Kuta, Ubud can be described as a magical, wonderful, cultural centre — if you’re generous about coping with the burgeoning chaos in the centre, and the spread of workshops along the main roads in and out of town. Above all famous as a center of arts and crafts. Half (if not more) of the town and nearby villages seem to consist of artists’ workshops and galleries, mostly retailing cheap reproductions for tourists. There are some remarkable architectural sights, artistic gems to be found, and a general feeling of wellbeing to be enjoyed thanks to the spirit, surroundings and climate.

While Ubud seems to outsiders like one small town, it is in fact 14 villages, each run by its own banjar (the land-owning married men’s association; in effect the local government). It’s clear that Ubud has been growing rapidly and some central parts are coping less well with the influx of tourists than in previous years (although the drop in visitors following 9/11 and the Kuta bombings slowed development). That said, most developments are sympathetic to the zeitgeist, if not designed specifically in the style of Balinese architecture. Growth is continuing due to the popularity of the Ubud area, but there are still terraced rice fields along the rivers and regular, quiet village life carries on relatively undisturbed just a stone’s throw away. However, the encroachment of hotel rooms onto paddyfields, particularly near Monkey Forest and and along the Agung river is noticeable. Many hotels will promote themselves as being “in Ubud” when they are more likely to actually be located in one of the surrounding villages that make up the greater Ubud.

Due to its location 600 meters above sea level Ubud enjoys somewhat cooler temperatures than the coast (bring a pullover for the evening), although the midday sun can still be scorching.

Orientation

Orienting yourself in Ubud is fairly straightforward. The town sprawls around for several kilometers in all directions, wth all of the small villages within a 5km radius of the central market being loosely refered to as “Ubud.” If you choose a reasonably central place to stay it’s easy enough to walk about on foot. Central Ubud has three main streets, Jl. Raya Ubud (the “Main Road” of Ubud), Jl. Monkey Forest and Jl. Hanoman. At the intersection of Jl. Raya and Jl. Monkey Forest is the Ubud Market, the Ubud Palace and the main bemo stop. Jl. Monkey Forest, from the market, south to the Monkey Forest itself is the most built up in the area, and home to a wide array of accommodation, art galleries, cafes, restaurants and cafes, and essential services (schools, sports field, pharmacies, travel agents, etc). Jl. Hanoman, which runs parallel to Jl. Monkey Forest, is a bit quieter and makes for more pleasant walking. To the immediate west and northwest are the villages of Campuhan and Kedewatan, home to some of the most upmarket hotels in the area with views over the Agung River valley. Directly to the south, past Monkey Forest and still within a half hour walk of the central market is Padang Tegal, which then morphs into the southern villages of Nyuh Kuning, and Pengosek (about 3kms from central Ubud). Directly to the east is the village of Peliatan, and then Teges, home of the Goa Gajah elephant cave.

Getting Around

By Car - contact the villa manager to arrange usage of Villa Puri Tupai car and driver to drive you around.

Local Public Transport (bemo) - The Bemos are the local minibus transport that the Balinese primarily use; the Bule (foreigners) are welcome, too, and should expect to pay about twice what the locals do (Rp 2,000 instead of Rp 1,000 - but you may be asked for more). The Bemos are rented by the driver for the day and he gets a cut, so do treat your drivers well, and expect the same in return.

By Taxi - While many drivers would be happy to do so, metered taxis from down south are officially not allowed to pick up passengers in Ubud and local drivers might have their say about this, perhaps even trying to prevent you from getting in. In practice metered “Taksis” are only seen dropping tourists off from the airport.

Private Drivers - Most local transport comes in the form of Kijang SUVs or minivans that can be hired (with driver) for specific trips. Look for the circular yellow “E” logo on the windshield certifying them as Ubud Transport Association members. You can (and should) haggle a bit over the price and you should be able to pay less than with metered taxis . A short trip is about Rp 10,000 and drivers will be glad to wait for you for a return fare. Also, any guy with a motorbike is implicitly in the transport business and bike rides are about half the price of a passenger vehicle.

Push Bike - You can also rent a push bike - a regular bicycle, for about Rp 20,000 a day. There’s a large selection available at the corner of the football field. You can arrange a half-day trip involving a gentle downhill cruise from the top of the island back to Ubud on rented bikes. Apart from a very few short, sharp uphill sections, the ride is very relaxed and is well worth the time if you want to see the surrounding country in a less “touristy” way.

Places of Interest

Ubud Market - corner of Monkey Forest Rd and Jl. Raya Ubud. A two-story warren of stalls bursting at the seams with wood carvings, batik shirts, sarongs and anything else a tourist could possibly want as souvenirs. The merchants here haggle with tourists for a living and think nothing of asking for ten times the going price, so try to establish a baseline before you go in and buy. Try to avoid busy lunchtimes when the tour bus hordes arrive.

Museum Rudana, Jl. Cok Rai Pudak 44, Peliatan, Ubud, Bali 8057. Rudana Art Museum was built in Ubud, Bali, under the idealism of its founder, Nyoman Rudana, where art is universal, and as the result, contributed to the harmonious process between men and God, men and their fellow human beings (pawongan), and men with nature (palemahan). It is reflected in the concept of Bali philosophy Tri Hita Karana, where art has a great contribution in spreading world peace, prosperity and brotherhood amongst mankind. Humanism concept of Rudana Art Museum is the main philosophy of Nyoman Rudana in collecting paintings in the museum.

Museum Puri Lukisan (Museum of Fine Arts), Jl. Raya Ubud (spot the sign and cross the bridge to enter). Three buildings showcasing traditional and modern Balinese art. The displays are musty and English labeling is a little spotty, but some of the works, particularly the carvings, are quite amazing. Entrance Rp 20,000.

Monkey Forest, south end of Jl. Monkey Forest;  A forest full of ravenous monkeys, so don’t bring any food or risk bites and rabies injections. Stroll through to find Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, a Temple of the Dead.

Botanic Garden, Kutuh Kaja. The recently opened Botanic Garden is a wonderful way to spend a few hours walking around and exploring the valley that it fills. It is best to go in the morning and avoid the afternoon heat.

Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women, Jalan Sriwedari 2B, Banjar Taman, Ubud. The Seniwati Gallery features art by women; “Seni” is Indonesian for “art” and “Wati” means “women”.

Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave), 3 km east from Ubud. A popular little excursion from Ubud, the centerpiece here is a cave, whose entrance is an ornately carved demon’s mouth. Inside are some fragmentary lingam and yoni (phallus and vagina) statues, as well as a statue of Ganesha. Statues stand guard around pools near the entrance and a little path leads to a waterfall, rice fields and some Buddhist stupa fragments.

Gunung Kawi (Poet Mountain), Tampaksiring, 18 km northeast from Ubud. Entrance fee is 6000 IDR, sarong is rented for free. Dating from the 11th century, this is presumed to be the burial complex of King Anak Wungsu and his many wives. Reached by climbing down 371 steps, the location at the bottom of a steep valley lined with paddy fields is stunning. The smaller complex on the south side of the river is presumed to be for the king’s wives, while the larger complex is thought to be for the King himself and perhaps his concubines. You must take off your shoes before entering into the central pura complex. About one km downstream there are further tomb cloisters.

Tirta Empul, Tampaksiring, 20 km northeast from Ubud. One of the holiest temples on Bali, built around hot springs that now bubble eerily in the central courtyard. Balinese themselves come here to bathe and purify themselves physically and spiritually, and during Galungan the sacred barong masks are bathed here. The complex dates to 960, but the present buildings are all modern reconstructions.

Between Sanur and Ubud - The road to Ubud from the south passes a series of small towns which specialize in the production of particular arts and crafts, including Batubulan (stone carving), Celuk (jewelry), Batuan (painting), and Mas (wood carving). The area has many large showrooms where arts and crafts in the Balinese style are offered for sale. Nearly all organized day-tours of central Bali stop at one or more of these showrooms (and the tour operators usually have a financial tie-up with the places where they stop, collecting a commission on purchases.) Even individual taxi drivers have their preferred stops. The area is sometimes referred to as the “craft villages” of Bali, though the area is a bit more built-up and congested than one might infer from the term “village.” The whole scene has become rather commercialized. But still it’s the best area to see a wide variety of the best Balinese craftwork in a short period of time.

Source: WikiTravel