Asia,  Indonesia,  TDM,  Travel Journal

Ubud Bali (Indonesia): Travel Diary

July 24, 2023 /

If I took a long time to write this article, it’s because I really didn’t like Ubud. It had nothing to do with the town, its landscapes, the locals… it’s just a purely personal feeling, linked to my intuition, my anxiety. Looking back, I realize that on the contrary, Ubud is a highly spiritual place, and if I didn’t feel well, it’s because something there was signaling thatwe were in danger.

Every day, I felt like we were in mortal danger. At first, I thought it was related to the narrow roads in Ubud, that we might have a traffic accident. That’s why we left Ubud and Bali earlier. In fact, a week after we left Bali, JB had emergency surgery in Vietnam, and if we hadn’t left Bali in time, it would have been very, very complicated. Moreover, it was in Ubud that I learned that my dear Rosalie passed away.

I’m sure I would have liked Ubud a bit more under normal circumstances.

Anyway, I think it’s not always necessary to attend yoga or meditation sessions to elevate spiritually. Despite the mass tourism side, Ubud remains a place strongly charged with spiritual energy, where you’ll find your answer, on your own.

Accommodation for digital nomads

Despite the abundance of options, it was very difficult for us to find accommodation with a large work desk or a dining table. As digital nomads, we need at least one place to work, and most accommodations are designed for vacationers, so they have a very low table (coffee table) or just one table… for makeup.

That’s why we decided to stay in a co-living (Outpost) right away. We were afraid of a hostel-like vibe, but that’s not the case. The people are super calm, and it’s quite expensive, so the co-living only attracts entrepreneurs successful.

There is another co-living more luxurious and spacious than this one, but we couldn’t book it because availability was even more limited.

Fortunately, right next to this co-living, we spotted a hotel/guesthouse (Booking link, 25€) where we have an entire villa for ourselves, in a super calm garden, in a lively and fairly central neighborhood (5 minutes from downtown by scooter). It’s the best accommodation we found for nomads, because the other villas of this type are a bit out of the way (not convenient for going out to eat at night by scooter, in the dark, while being chased by wild dogs).

Mean dogs

Offerings to the gods are placed in front of every house every morning. That makes a huge amount of food for wild dogs (rather abandoned dogs), rodents, and monkeys. In Ubud particularly, there are a lot of dogs. Most are friendly, but some are a bit territorial, and that’s a constant stress for me, because every time we see one, we don’t know if it’s friendly or if it’s going to chase us. We’re on a scooter so we feel somewhat protected, but if you’re on foot, especially with children, the safest bet would be to cross the street. Especially since rabies, although controlled on the island, is still present.

We took advantage of quiet weekends to test some hotels, but we twice stayed in hotels where the owner’s dog was aggressive towards us, even in the presence of the owner. So be careful!

Hotels for tourists

However, if you come as a tourist and don’t even need a desk, there are plenty of hotels. Here are two hotels in the city center, simple and clean, that we really, really liked. Promise, there are no wild dogs around, or if the owner has a dog, it’s totally friendly:

On the left: Sumantra House Ubud
On the right: Padma Ubud Retreat
The breakfasts aren’t great, but the price-quality ratio is unbeatable

And for more luxurious experiences, we stayed or had lunch at a few luxury hotels. They are a bit out of the way but have a shuttle to take you to the center.

Element by Westin is excellent value for money (YouTube video) for a 5-star hotel. But I’d be bored without a scooter.

Here are the photos of Four Seasons Bali. The drone shots are stunning, but I’m a bit disappointed by the tiny, very symbolic rice field and a pool as small as the one at my guesthouse. The food frankly isn’t amazing.

Whereas this one (Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve) appeals to me much more, and it’s worthy ofa hotel you see in movies, during honeymoons. It’s much more beautiful than in the photos, I swear! We only tried the restaurant (very well located with a breathtaking view of the river, where many kayaks passed by), its rice field stretching as far as the eye can see, it feels like the hotel has an entire valley. Everything is peaceful here; I was shown the spa near the river.

Downtown

We rented a scooter, so we got to experience Bali’s famous traffic jams, especially in Ubud. There’s only one main street, and the roads aren’t designed for taking alleys to escape the congestion. Some streets are incredibly long, and you can’t turn left or right for long minutes. Look at the city map, and you’ll see how badly it’s laid out.

On the other hand, if you’re staying not too far from this main road, everything becomes quite lovely. Walking towards the main street, you’ll discover villas whose exteriors almost resemble temples. When you enter the villa, you find several small houses, ancestral altars, and an open space where everyone can sit. We hesitate to go in even though there’s no door. We only enter if we’re convinced there’s either a massage parlor or a hotel inside.

Here and there, you can spot very pretty, very Instagram-worthy restaurants and cafes, shops opened by expats selling trinkets and feng shui/zen-style decor items. Everything is overpriced, of course (compared to local rates), because they cater to an international clientele.

In Ubud, the only visit worth any interest is this temple hidden behind Lotus Café (Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati). No need to buy anything (and pay a lot) at Lotus Café; just walk around the café, on the right side, there’s a man who seems to block the entrance, but he’s only selling tickets for the evening dance show. Access to the temple is free during the day.

If I didn’t visit the forest full of monkeys, it’s because we were told they steal. I’m afraid of those clever and capricious creatures, who negotiate a banana for the Ray-Bans they’ve just snatched from you. I don’t want to add more drama to my life. We only saw them from a distance, passing by the forest, but never went in.

Unfortunately, even the food doesn’t impress me much. We tried the best local restaurant in town and still can’t understand why they think it’s so good. If that’s the best restaurant, it’s clear I don’t like Balinese cuisine at all.

Terraces

We were told we absolutely had to see the rice terraces. There’s no specific spot to visit them; they’re massive, and we get so hassled by unofficial parking attendants that when we thought we’d found a quiet place to leave our scooter, we still got ripped off by a shady Indonesian for access… allegedly, to the terraces. Exhausted by the heat and not wanting to make a fuss, we paid. But the rice fields are already almost empty; I struggle to find the resemblance between the beautiful Instagram photos and what I see there. Many tourists stroll around happily, but don’t count on me to soak up pesticides.

A bit further, you see typical Instagram swings, with instagrammers in evening gowns, photographed by the swing owner who directs them like a Hollywood director. Prices vary a lot; it can be 200,000 IDR for the suckers, or 40,000 IDR for those who dare to negotiate. You can also pay extra for “drone.”

Swing Bali

It was while getting lost on the scooter that we found THE spot where everyone gets their photo taken on a swing. The prices are exorbitant, and it’s packed with people. It’s overpriced for just a few photos, I think.

On the way there, we took a wrong turn and found ourselves face to face with three dogs that seemed ready to jump on us. Trying to avoid them, JB drops his backpack. We judge the situation dire and hopeless. JB still manages to retrieve his bag without being attacked by the dogs. They just bark at him, protecting a temple that no one wants to visit anyway. Lesson learned: don’t wander too far from the center.

Viewpoints

Luckily, you don’t need to be in a 5-star hotel to get a great view. Not far from Four Seasons Bali, we discovered a restaurant/café (Sayan Point) with a magnificent view, even more beautiful than the hotel’s because you overlook the hotel and that unexpected sort of meander. Cherry on top: for a few bills, you can also enjoy the infinity pool.

After Ubud, we visited volcanoes and saw dolphins; I tell you all about it in my three articles below

Feel free to check out all our articles on Bali and Indonesia here, SIM card in Indonesia and Practical tips

Planning a trip to Bali? Our partner Get Your Guide offers entry tickets and guided tours with French-speaking guides at very reasonable rates. Click here to see what they offer and book online.

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  3. Sunrise at Mount Batur, hot springs, and waterfalls in Bali (Indonesia)
  4. Mixed First Impressions of Bali (Indonesia): Canggu, Ubud
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