5 Days in Ubud: The Ultimate Itinerary

Nestled in the heart of the island, the popular tourist town of Ubud is a fantastic place to base yourself for a good portion of your Bali vacation, with its fantastic offering of historic cultural attractions, stunning natural landscapes, classes and workshops, and thrilling adventure activities.

5 days in Ubud is the perfect amount of time to properly explore the region's highlights, uncover a few hidden gems, and even enjoy a day trip.

After getting to know Ubud pretty well over the last few years, we've used our extensive experience to put together the ultimate 5 day Ubud itinerary to help you make the most of your stay.

Where To Base Yourself in Ubud

It doesn't really matter where you base yourself in Ubud for this 5 day itinerary. You'll need transport to explore the wider region no matter where you stay.

Staying in Central Ubud will put you closer to the town's many markets, shops, and restaurants. It will also make day 1 of this itinerary walkable. Satya House is our go-to for an affordable stay in a lovely family home right in the center.

Most of Ubud's more luxury hotels and resorts sit on the outskirts of town. It's still possible to do this itinerary while staying a little further out. Many resorts offer free shuttles into the town center, while most activity providers we've included in this itinerary offer hotel pick-up and drop-off.

How To Get Around Ubud

There are three main ways to get around in Ubud; self-drive scooter, online taxi, or private driver.

Renting a Scooter – This is our preferred method as we enjoy the freedom it gives us. Plus it’s super affordable. Many hotels and homestays offer scooter rentals for guests. We've also rented from Arka Ubud Scooter Rental in Ubud before a had a good experience.

Private Driver – If you don't have your own transport, booking a private driver is a good idea for day 2, the afternoon of day 3, and day 5 of this itinerary. You can book a driver in advance using this booking form.

Online Taxis - Taxi services including Grab and Gojek are widely available in and around Ubud. It's a cheap and easy way to get from point A to point B, but not the most reliable option for longer day trips.

Day 1: Exploring Ubud Town

Morning

Ubud Story Walk

Start this 5 day Ubud itinerary by getting to know the region on a Past to Present walking tour with Ubud Story Walks.

This fantastic company offers unique small-group cultural tours led by passionate local guides. On a tour, you'll get to learn about Balinese history and culture as you explore some of Ubud's main landmarks.

The 3 hour morning tour even includes a visit to the Puri Lukistan Museum, Ubud's oldest art gallery filled with historic Balinese paintings and woodcarvings from across the centuries, and a short break to try some Balinese coffee and snacks.

Lunch at Zest

For lunch, walk to one of Ubud's best-known restaurants, the hippie and healthy-eating haven that is Zest.

Nestled in the forest in the west of central Ubud, Zest is a rustic, bohemian restaurant with cosy sofas, quirky decor, jungle views, free board games, and regular live music.

The cafe focuses on locally grown whole food and plant-based cuisine. You won’t find any animal products, refined sugar, or harmful oils in their dishes. Yet every single item is still delicious, from the all-day breakfast to plant pizzas and colourful medicine bowls.

Afternoon

Ubud Arts Market & Palaces

Take the afternoon to discover more of Ubud Town by yourself. The main town center is super walkable, with plenty of markets, palaces, and museums to explore.

Wander around Ubud's colourful craft markets, which sell everything from local handicrafts and artwork to t-shirts, sarongs, bags, and jewellery. The markets are a great place to pick up souvenirs for a bargain price – just remember to haggle!

The main sections of Ubud Art Market can be found along Jalan Arjuna and in a large new venue on the corner opposite Ubud Palace. But there are market stalls all over the town centre – they’re not difficult to find!

Pop into Ubud Palace, a grand palace that was once the official residence of the royal family of Ubud. Today it is a free historical landmark and a fantastic example of traditional Balinese architecture.

Just a few doors down, visit Ubud Water Palace, a picturesque temple surrounding a large lotus pond dedicated to the Hindu goddess of learning. You can pay a small fee to enter or admire it over a drink from Cafe Lotus next door.

And if you need an afternoon pick-me-up while you’re out shopping and sightseeing, grab some delicious coconut ice cream from Tukkies, one of our favorite spots in Ubud!

Visit the Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest

Complete your afternoon in Ubud with a visit to the Ubud Monkey Forest, which sits in the very south of the town center and is open until 6pm.

This beautiful nature reserve is filled with ancient temples, peaceful rivers, and over a thousand free-roaming long-tailed macaques. Here you can watch these cheeky monkeys play and interact in their natural habitat.

In recent years, however, the Monkey Forest has gained some negative attention, with the monkeys becoming increasingly over-friendly with humans and often snatching visitors’ belongings to barter for food.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether to include this spot on your Ubud itinerary. But if the thought of a monkey jumping on your shoulders makes you uneasy, it might be best to give it a miss.

Evening

Lelong Dance Show at Ubud Palace

End your day in Ubud with a traditional Legong dance performance at Ubud Palace, which takes place every evening at 7:30pm.

Legong is a traditional form of Balinese dance, characterised by intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and intense facial expressions. Many of the dances act out traditional Balinese stories and legends.

It’s best to arrive by at least 7pm to get a good seat for the show. The performance lasts around 1-1.5 hours.

Day 2: Temples, Terraces & Tarot Reading

Morning

Purification Ceremony at Pura Tirta Empul

Start your second day in Ubud bright and early at Pura Tirta Empul, a magnificent Hindu water temple around 15km north of the main town center.

This famous temple holds great historical and spiritual significance. Its natural spring water have long been used for a purification ritual called “Melukat”, which aims to cleanse your mind, body, and soul.

Pura Tirta Empul is the most popular place on the island for tourists to take part in this well-known water ceremony, which involves praying and bathing under a series of fountains.

However, the temple’s popularity means it can get extremely busy. This is why we’d recommend arriving as early as possible for a more peaceful experience. We last visited around 8am and had the springs entirely to ourselves.

To take part, you’ll need to bring your swimwear and hire a special Melukat sarong. There are changing rooms and lockers available. It’s also possible to hire a guide to walk you through the ceremony which we’d recommend doing.

You’ll need around 90 minutes in total to explore the temple and take part in Melukat. If you want to visit the temple but not get in the water, you can arrive a little later as you’ll only need around 30 minutes here.

See the ancient ruins at Pura Gunung Kawi

When you're finished at Pura Tirta Empul, head just across the road to Pura Gunung Kawi, one of Bali’s most ancient archaeological sites. This hidden gem offers a fascinating glimpse into ancient Balinese civilization.

The temple complex is home to a series of 11th-century royal tombs carved into the steep cliff face that surrounds it. The ten huge shrines sit over 7 meters (23 ft) high and are surrounded by dense jungle, giving the site a real tomb-raider feel.

The tombs are thought to have been built by King Anak Wungsu as a tribute to his father, the great Balinese ruler Udayana, and the Warmadewa Dynasty.

From the entrance, you need to walk down a steep winding staircase to reach the ancient ruins, so it's not ideal if you have limited mobility. You'll need at least an hour here.

Afternoon

Explore the Tegallalang Rice Terraces

In the afternoon, head to the famous Tegallalang Rice Terraces, which can also be found in the north of Ubud around a 20 minute drive from the morning temples.

Recognised by UNESCO as part of Bali’s culturally important subak irrigation system, the lush green rice terraces cascade down the rolling hills, embraced by dense jungle on all sides. The terraces have become somewhat of a symbol of Bali and are a must-see while in Ubud.

Take a peaceful walk among rice paddies from one of the several entrances (quieter spots here and here). You’ll need to pay a small fee of around 25,000 – 50,000 IDR in cash to enter.

Relax at a Jungle Club

Spend the rest of your afternoon grabbing a bite to eat and relaxing at one of Tegallalang's luxury jungle clubs overlooking the rice terraces.

Cretya Day Club is Ubud's most famous jungle club. It has three amazing layered pools, two jacuzzis, plenty of daybeds and netted hammocks, and a 360° DJ deck, all overlooking the vibrant green terraces below.

The pool club belongs to Alas Harum, which also has two restaurants, 8 hectares of private rice terrace with photo ops, multiple swings, and a flying bike. Just keep in mind that the whole site can get very busy!

Two other options are D Tukad Coffee Club and TIS Cafe. Both are stylish day clubs with modern restaurants and infinity pools overlooking the terraces. Using the daybeds and pools requires a minimum spend, but you'll easily meet this with lunch and a couple of drinks.

Evening

Dinner at Merlin's Magic

For dinner, head back in Central Ubud to discover one of Bali's most unique dining experiences.

Merlins in Ubud is an unusual magic-themed restaurant and the first in the world where “the food chooses you”. This means that you each receive a tarot reading as you first sit at your table. The three cards you pick not only represent your past, present, and future, but they also reveal your starter, main, and dessert.

You can either stick with the dishes chosen for you, or you can opt to swap any of them out for something else on the menu. There are plenty of delicious choices to pick from, but the steak was particularly good!

No matter what you order, Merlin’s is a fantastic magical experience from start to finish, with its mystical candle-lit tables, robed waiters, delicious and innovative dishes, and elaborate presentation (plenty of dry ice!).

Day 3: Cooking, Caves & Waterfalls

Morning

Enjoy a morning cooking class

Prepare for another early start as you're whisked away to a morning market to pick up your ingredients for a half-day Ubud cooking class.

Ubud is the best place in Bali to take a cooking class, thanks to the many local farms and agrotourismos in the region. We took a fantastic half-day cooking class with Bali Farm Cooking School and couldn’t recommend it any more highly!

With a morning cooking class, you'll start at an authentic local market before heading to an organic farm to start cooking. During our class, we learned how to make six authentic Balinese dishes, including satay, chicken curry, sweet and sour tempeh, and more. You then get to enjoy your homemade dishes for lunch.

Most cooking classes around Ubud include transfers to and from your hotel.

Afternoon

Visit the Goa Gajah Elephant Cave

In the afternoon, it's time to explore some of the attractions of southern Ubud, starting with the unusual Goa Gajah, or the Elephant Cave.

This 1,000-year-old Hindu shrine sits inside a small cave covered in carvings of mythological creatures. The origins of the ancient cave are uncertain, but many believe it was dug out by hand by Hindu priests as a place for spiritual meditation.

You can enter the cave through the gaping mouth of one of the creatures. Inside, you’ll be greeted with a cloud of white smoke from the burning incense.

Other than the main cave, there's an entire temple complex to explore, including historic bathing pools and an ancient Buddhist temple.

Soak in Sumampan Waterfall

Just to the south of the Elephant Cave, you'll find Sumampan Waterfall, one of our favorite waterfalls near Ubud. The peaceful falls remain somewhat of a hidden gem and don't attract the same huge crowds of others nearby.

Sumampan is located down a short but steep path from the main road. Once you arrive, you’ll need to paddle across the river using a rope to access the falls, so make sure to bring swimwear. There's plenty of room to swim in the river and enjoy the refreshing water.

Enjoy Tegenungan Waterfall & Omma Day Club

Finish your afternoon with one more waterfall, but this one is a little different to Sumampan. Tegenungan is a powerful waterfall where the water plummets over a 15m drop in the Petanu River. It’s one of the largest waterfalls in central Bali.

Tegenungan has become a tourist hotspot in recent years, with a spacious area to paddle in the splash pool beneath the falls and several restaurants and a luxury day club now overlooking the gorge.

Our favouite thing about Tegenungan has to be Omma, a luxury day club with an infinity pool overlooking the waterfall. The modern club has a lift that takes you most of the way down the cliffside. It's free to enter, so you can either stick around for dinner or just grab a drink and enjoy the pool.

Evening

Drinks and live music in Central Ubud

End your day back in Central Ubud and head into town for dinner, drinks, and an evening of live music.

CP Lounge in the town center has live bands most days of the week, focusing on lively Latin music. It's a fun place to get up on the dance floor. There's even a separate room for nightly karaoke.

Laughing Buddha Bar is another great option in Ubud, with a mix of Blues, Rock, and Latin bands depending on the night of the week.

Day 4: Adventure & Artisans

Morning

ATV Adventure & Rafting

Spend today exploring Ubud's stunning natural scenery on an exciting ATV adventure. On an ATV tour, you’ll race through the region’s dense jungles, discovering secret caves, valleys, and waterfalls.

Numerous companies offer ATV experiences around Ubud, with most taking similar routes. We went with Beji River Adventure (booked through Tours Travel Bali) which was reasonably priced and included the famous Gorilla Face cave.

You can also combine an ATV tour with white water rafting on the Ayung River. Many companies offer both activities together in a combined trip.

The Ayung River is a fantastic place to go rafting in Bali, with its many class II and III rapids. The river meanders through the stunning Ubud countryside, with plenty of exciting drops and turns along the way.

If you pick both activities, it will take up the majority of your day, so don't book anything else until late afternoon.

Afternoon

Jewellery making class

Ubud is famous for its numerous artisan craft workshops, with everything from silversmiths to woodworkers, many of which offer classes for visitors.

One of our favourite experiences in Ubud is a silver jewellery-making workshop with an experienced Balinese silversmith. It's a fun way to spend a couple of hours and come away with an amazing souvenir to take home with you.

In a session, you’ll learn how to melt, mold, and shape silver to produce your very own ring, bracelet, or earrings. Just be prepared to sweat - it’s a workout!

While there are plenty of classes to choose from, we recommend Ubud Silversmith as you’ll get to do the entire process yourself.

Evening

Sunset ridge walk

Finish your day with a peaceful walk along one of Ubud’s popular walking trails.

Campuhan Ridge Walk is a paved hiking trail starting from Campuhan Bridge in central Ubud. The walking route leads you through the surrounding rice paddies and forests.

The Sweet Orange Trail is another looping walk starting and ending at Ubud Main Road, passing by old abandoned houses covered in colorful graffiti, before winding through scenic rice terraces.

Both walks take under an hour in total and are best done late afternoon just before sunset when the heat isn’t too intense.

Day 5: Day Trip

For your final day in Ubud, take a day trip to discover another part of the island. Ubud is a fantastic base for exploring more of central and northern Bali.

While there are numerous day trips you can take from Ubud, below are a couple of our favorites.

For both of these day trips, you can either drive yourself or hire a private driver.

Option 1: Kintamani Day Trip

Kintamani is one of the most popular day trips from Ubud, drawing in visitors with mighty Mount Batur, Bali's second-largest volcano. Hiking to catch the sunrise from the volcano's summit is a must-do activity for most tourists, and it's easily accessible from Ubud.

However, while most people head back to town after the morning hike, we believe Kintamani deserves more attention. The region has many hidden gems and more to explore beyond just the volcano.

Make the most of your visit by spending the rest of your day relaxing in the hot springs, exploring serene lakeside temples, and enjoying lunch at one of Kintamani's cosy cafes overlooking the volcanic crater.

Option 2: East Bali Day Trip

Another great day trip option from Ubud is East Bali, a region full of majestic water palaces, hidden cultural gems, and picturesque views of Bali’s largest volcano.

On a day trip to East Bali, you can explore the well-known Tirta Gangga water palace and its famous koi ponds, learn how to write in the Balinese alphabet at the Lontar Museum, and enjoy the amazing views of Mount Agung from Lahangan Sweet.