A Day in Ubud, Bali

My memory about Ubud is kinda blurry. I remember I was in a car with a local driver few years ago, telling me that Ubud was a place where the culture was still thick. The ambiance was not so crowded and the surrounding was not about the modern coffee like we knew in Seminyak or Kuta area. I happened to visit ubud on August 2018 and found that I knew nothing about this area. The beautiful cafes are everywhere, beautifully blending in Bali local culture. The shops are here and there, not to mention the happening area of Ubud Traditional Market. Wow I am really behind all of this.

One of the places I really wanted to visit was Tegalalang Rice Terrace. I saw the photos through social media and interested to set my feet there. I asked my friend whom happened to visit Tegalalang and said that the best time to visit was around 7-9 am, before the sun was too harshly shine. It was beautiful there, he said.

So I set my alarm in the morning, managed to come early to visit Ubud. I came around 9-10 am, because it was raining that morning. Luckily the sun was still shyly appear, and we got a nice weather after that (but it was kinda slippery!). We tried to climb the terrace for about 40 minutes, and got tired halfway through there. But we got a nice view from that spot.

The entrance was about IDR 20k, and you have to pay for local donation once you arrive at the photo spot. Some people said they have to pay donation for few times, but I only got asked once, so I guess it was okay.

I also got myself into a high swing, overlooking into a lovely rice paddies. Bargaining was important here! We got IDR 200k for 3 people to try the swing for few minutes. The safety belt was there and the people was kinda helpful. It was scary at first, but after few swings I started to enjoy myself with the breeze.

Things you have to remember before going to Tegalalang Rice Terrace, Ubud:

• check the weather forecast
• make sure to have some breakfast before you start to hike, I was starving in the middle of the hike!
• it's best to visit before 11 am.

Another place I visited in Ubud was Ubud Traditional Market. I was surprised to see that the road heading to the market was full of cute shops. Too bad I could not pay any visit because I could not find anywhere to park. I really recommend you guys to hire a local driver while you're going to visit the market because the jam was quite crazy. You can go shopping while the driver look for the parking area.

Tha market sells some traditional stuffs like Balinese ratan bag, wooden utensils, loose dresses, and traditional scrubs. The stuffs they sell is kinda the same, so make sure to get the best price. The art of bargaining could be an advantage here, but be ready because the seller was not so friendly.

Overall I found my trip to Ubud was satisfyling. I got the part where I could enjoy the beauty of Ubud nature and the traditional part at the market. My friend also recomment to spend a night in Ubud to chase the sunrise at Tjampuhan Ridge Walk, but I already had a hotel reservation at Seminyak.
Some photos are captured by @pebriansyah

How's your day in Ubud? I'd like to hear your experience!

Love,
Jessica Christy Limanjaya
@jechristy