Staying in Central Ubud vs. the Rice-Field Outskirts

Stay in central Ubud if you want to walk to restaurants, the market and the Monkey Forest, and stay in the surrounding villages if you want rice-field views and quiet. The center is convenient and congested; the outskirts are peaceful and need a ride for most errands. For a first visit of three nights, our view is that the edge of the center gives the best of both.

What "Ubud" covers

Ubud looks like one town and is in fact fourteen villages, each with its own village committee. The center is built around three streets: Jalan Raya Ubud, Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanoman, which meet near the market and the palace. Everything else that carries the name Ubud on a booking site lies in the villages around that core.

The villages by direction

To the north and west of the center are Campuhan, Sanggingan and Penestanan. To the south are Nyuh Kuning and Pengosekan. To the east is Peliatan. Further out, to the northeast, are the Tegallalang rice terraces, about 6 miles from the center. A listing in any of these may be described as Ubud.

Staying in the center

Central Ubud puts the town's sights within walking distance. The market, the palace, the museums and the Sacred Monkey Forest are all on or near the three main streets, along with most of the restaurants and shops. A visitor staying here can do without a car for whole days at a time.

The drawback

The price of that convenience is traffic and crowds. Travel guides describe central Ubud as crowded with visitors and its traffic as very bad. The streets are narrow, and rooms that face them hear them. Ask whether a room looks onto the road or onto a garden behind; many central properties run back from the street into quiet courtyards.

Who the center suits

The center suits first-time visitors, short stays, travelers without a driver, and anyone who wants to eat out at a different place each night. It suits those who do not ride a scooter, since a motorbike in Indonesia requires a license matching the type of vehicle driven.

Staying in the outskirts

The villages around Ubud offer what most people picture when they imagine the town: a room looking over rice fields or a river valley, with birdsong in place of engines. Places here tend to have more space and gardens. The trade is distance from the restaurants and sights of the center.

The drawback

Distance in Ubud is measured in rides, not miles. A property two miles from the center can mean a ride every time you want dinner, along lanes that are dark at night and have no sidewalk. Ask whether the property runs a shuttle to town, how often, and how late.

Who the outskirts suit

The outskirts suit couples, honeymooners, longer stays, and anyone coming to Ubud for rest, yoga or writing. They suit travelers with a driver booked for their sightseeing days, since the car collects you wherever you are. They are a harder fit for a two-night stay with a long list of things to see.

The middle option

The edge of the center is a third choice, and often the best one. A place a ten-minute walk from the main streets, in a village such as Penestanan or Nyuh Kuning, can look over fields and still be reachable on foot. We name no properties. Look at the walking route on a map, not only the distance.

How to check a listing

These are our own suggestions for reading any Ubud listing.

• Find the exact location on a map and measure the walk to Jalan Raya Ubud.
• Check whether the route has a sidewalk and lighting.
• Ask about a shuttle, its hours, and whether it must be booked.
• Ask whether the room faces a road.

Getting around from either

Getting around Ubud depends on where you sleep. From the center, walking covers the town, and a ride app or a driver covers the surroundings. From the outskirts, every trip into town is a ride. We have no official source on ride-app coverage in the villages, so ask your accommodation how guests usually get about.

Day trips

For the sights outside town, the two locations are equal, since a driver collects you from either. From Ubud it is about 27 miles to Kintamani and about 22 to Sidemen. A driver booked for the day is the practical choice, with the route and price agreed in advance.

Evenings

Evenings are where the choice shows. In the center, dinner is a walk away and so is the way home. In the outskirts, dinner means the property's own restaurant, a shuttle, or a ride arranged in both directions. Travelers who like to wander after dark should lean toward the center.

Practical points for both

A few points apply wherever in Ubud you stay. Bali's rules require visitors to use licensed accommodation. Ubud is in Gianyar regency, where the local tax on hotel stays matches the 10% charged in the southern resorts, and a service charge may be added, so compare the final price.

Climate and insects

Ubud sits at about 200 meters and is cooler than the coast. Open-sided rooms and rice-field settings are part of the appeal of the outskirts, and they come with mosquitoes. The CDC advises sleeping in air-conditioned or screened rooms, or under a bed net where the sleeping area is open to the outdoors.

Monkeys

Properties near the Monkey Forest may receive visits from its residents. The CDC advises travelers in Indonesia to keep away from animals. Keep doors closed and food out of sight, and see a doctor promptly after any bite or scratch.

How long, and in what order

The length of your stay tips the choice. For two or three nights, convenience matters most, and the center or its edge wins. For five nights or more, the quiet of the outskirts is worth the rides. Where Ubud falls in the order of a trip, and how many nights it deserves, is set out in Bali, in Its Own Time.