Ubud was the first place I visited in Bali. The ride from the airport in Denpasar takes about an hour and thirty minutes—a little less if you’re living in Ubud town. I stayed in a gorgeous villa just outside of Ubud town called TANI Villa. I absolutely loved the location of the Villa just because it was a lot more peaceful living just outside of town. Plus the walk from my villa to Ubud town cuts through the Campuhan Ridge walk which was a dream.
I stayed in Ubud longer than I did in Seminyak, and I’m glad I did. While Seminyak is very young and vibey, Ubud had the opposite effect. Both places were definitely busy with tourists, but Ubud still takes the cake when it comes to serenity and peacefulness. Seminyak was very much a hip beach town—but more about that in a different post.
Ubud was beautiful just with all picturesque jungle scenery all around. Even my breakfast gazebo at the villa faced a massive jungle view and it was extremely calming and breathtaking.
I think being on a trip on my own, Ubud was perfect for me. I was looking for peace and quiet and that’s exactly what it gave me.
Ubud is also a lot closer to a lot of the half/full day excursions that Bali has to offer than Seminyak or Kuta was. I went on a sunrise hike to Mount Batur and the car ride from Ubud to Bangli, where Batur is located, took about an hour. Ubud is also only 30 minutes away from Tegalalang which is home to Bali’s infamous rice terrace as well as some beautiful coffee plantations.
I think overall, I’d highly recommend Ubud to anyone who is thinking of traveling to Bali alone. Seminyak was bumping and a place I would love to stay in again with friends, but Ubud still holds a special place in my heart for this solo trip.
Have you been to Bali? What was your favourite area to stay in?