Things to do in and around Ubud

Visit Temples! Many of Bali’s ancient temples are still active religious sites. Please plan on respecting and giving space to those whom have come to pray or carry out religious rites. Dress codes are enforced, women need to have shoulders and knees covered, and in some active sites men and women must wear sarongs. (Popular sites often have sarongs you can borrow while you walk through.)

Ubud’s top 3 Temples:

Goa Gajah, Pura Gunung Kawi and Pura Tirta Empul

Ubud Palace - The palace in its present form, was built in traditional Balinese style during the reign of Tjokorda Putu Kandel (1800–1823) and is within walking distance from the resort. The palace is open to the public and known for it’s shows featuring traditional Balinese dance. Tickets cost just a few bucks!

Tegalalang Rice Terraces - Iconic stunning rice terraces just 20 min north of central Ubud. Walk the rice terraces or hang out in a cafe, but be prepared for crowds.

Take a hike - The Camphun Ridge Walk is the most popular trek around Ubud, and for good reason! This 3 mile down and back hike takes you on a serene tour of lush hillsides and rice terraces.

“Tourist focused excursions” - ATV rides through the jungle, Instagramable “Bali Swings”, cooking, woodcarving or jewelry making classes are all optional tourist activities that can be booked through the hotel or through the many kiosks available around town.

Important Information about Elephant Rides and Attractions-

You will see advertisements for places to ride elephants, or elephant sanctuaries where you can feed or bathe elephants. Please, please, PLEASE do not consider attending any of these facilities, do not give them your money. There are no ethical elephant sanctuaries or rescues on Bali, elephants are not native to Bali, every one on the island was either imported from Sumatra, or captive bred solely for the purpose of entertaining tourists. There is a large elephant facility about 30-40 min from Ubud that bills itself as an ethical rescue and sanctuary, this is a false marketing tactic. This facility exists solely to make money and engages activities that actively causes harm to the elephants there. They have not “rescued” an elephant since 2004, and instead have been breeding their own babies that when the time comes will enter “the crush” so they can be exploited for the tourist trade. The reality of cruelty and abuse inside Balinese elephant facilities has been well documented for years, a simple google search will give you a plethora of evidence.

But I really want to see elephants, how do I know which sanctuaries are good and which are not?

There are two HUGE indicators on if a facility cares more about welfare or money -

#1 - Do they offer rides? Elephant rides are sold as an exotic one of a kind experience to the tourist crowds, but the spine of an elephant is not meant to bear weight from above. The reality is that riding causes damage to the elephants spinal column and leads to exceptionally painful medical conditions. You are not the only tourist riding the elephant that day, these animals will carry people over and over again for hours every single day, until their bodies break down and they are destroyed. To make it even more horrific the training process young elephants go through to make them tame enough for riding (and tolerating intense back pain) is truly cruel and terrible. It’s referred to as “the crush” for good reason, leaving physical and psychological scars for life, no tourist experience is worth inflicting or supporting that bullshit.

#2 - They offer bathing instead of rides - that’s better, right? Not quite, unfortunately! Bathing is certainly the lesser of two evils, but that does not reduce the damage it does. Again think about this fact- you are not the only tourist visiting that day, so anything you are doing with that elephant they are going to do over and over and over again all day every day, they have no choice. Elephants are forced into the water, and will be forced to stay there until the tourists have had their fun and snapped their pictures. Reports abound of volunteers behind the scenes in bathing focused facilities of elephants spending hours in rivers being scrubbed over and over again resulting in chronic painful skin conditions and infections, shredded ears and bleeding heads from mahouts using bullhooks to force animals to stay in the water for tourist amusement. The same cruel training to make elephants docile enough for riding is applied to bathing as well, teaching the elephant “You think your skin hurts now from scrubbing? Get out of the river and I will hurt you even worse”. Even when its a “rescue” from riding is it really rescue if they are still being made to suffer pain for other people’s amusement?

True rescues and sanctuaries will not force any interaction with animals, if animal interaction is allowed they give the animals freedom to choose if they want to interact and will never be forced to perform behaviors or tolerate unwanted touch.

Trust me, we understand the desire to be up close with these amazing animals, but if you claim to love and respect them you must abstain from engaging in things that cause them harm. If you do want to see these giants in person Thailand is one of the best places to do it! There are a small handful of ethical sanctuaries (real sanctuaries!) in Thailand should you choose to travel up that way after the wedding.

For more information the damages of rides/baths and tips for how to view elephants ethically check out

https://www.samuielephanthaven.org/elephant-rides-baths-and-other-activities-the-unethical-truth/

or

https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.au/our-work/animals-not-entertainers/rides/#venues

The Sacred Monkey Forest - An incredible way to see long-tailed Macaques up close and personal! The Monkey Forest is part temple complex, part nature reserve. Monkey forest is home to over 1200 monkeys that are free roaming, they can and will approach you! The monkeys there are considered sacred and the temples inside are actively in use for religious purposes. The location is stunningly beautiful, and the experience is a lot of fun! It’s very important to do a bit of research ahead of time and pay attention to signage and staff inside the park to keep you (and your belongings) safe from the monkeys!

Learn more or get tickets here:

https://monkeyforestubud.com/

Shopping - Ubud Art Market is located just up the road, situated around the palace. Browse through stalls containing all manner of goodies, haggling is expected to get the best price! There are also streets lined with traditional storefronts and boutique galleries, expect to pay higher prices in the storefronts and some may not be as open to haggling.

*A note on haggling prices - Through SE Asia haggling prices is not only common, its expected. Shop owners list their prices higher than what’s needed in the expectation that they will lower them for customers. Haggling is not rude, but there is some unspoken etiquette! #1 - Don’t get mad, upset or emotional when haggling, keep your conversation polite, and to the point. #2 - When making your first offer you can go as low as 40-50% less than the listed price, offering lower may come across as rude and cheap, don’t do it. #3 - If the shopkeeper does not have good english (and sometimes even if they do) haggling may be done on a calculator, if a shopkeeper hands you a calculator the number they’ve typed in is the asking price, you can clear the calculator and enter in your starting offer, then hand the calculator back, pass back and forth until you come to a number you both agree on. #4 - A good haggle is one where both parties have moved at least a little bit, always be willing to come up from your starting offer, and know when to stop! Understand the conversion rate enough to know when you are haggling over a minimal difference, there comes a point where it’s a waste of time to try and get another $1.50 lower. If you can’t come to a price you like, thank them and walk away. #5 Haggling is never done in restaurants or for food - don’t try it.