5 days in Ubud - suggestions please
 

Myself and my girlfriend are heading to Bali for 3 weeks in July and plan to spend about 5 days in Ubud. I have been there once before but Kathrine has not.

ACCOMODATION?
Any suggestions for accomodation. I noticed on other posts that Ketut's in town was popular. They have traditional, standard and deluxe. Is it worth spending the extra on deluxe or is standard good enough?

We are also considering staying at honeymoon guesthouse in Jalan Raya. Any comments on this.

And finally there is Artini cottages 2. They also look good. Does anyone know about this place? Is it close to centre of town? The super deluxe rooms look really nice.

FOOD?
We will be trying Casaluna, but is there any other eating places and restaurants that people know of in Ubud that make great food at reasonable prices?

WHAT TO DO?
We will be going to monkey forest of course and a few dance performances. Can anyoone recommend the best dances to watch and also the best venues to watch them at. What about other activites and places to visit & things to do? Is there any surrounding areas that anyone can recommend that we simply must see or do?

There is a man at the Ubud Bodyworks Centre, Mr Ketut Arsana. He charges US$55 for 1 hr healing session. Has anyone experienced this man before or know of anyone who has. It is quite a lot of money to pay in Bali and I want to make sure that it will bw worth it.

This is Kathrine's first time overseas and I really want to make it special for her and go to all the good places and do all the good things to do

There is an old thread or two on reviews of dances in Bali. Try searching for "Bali dance performances" or something similar.

ARMA Open Stage has the Kecak Fire Dance on the New and Full Moon which I found amazing in that location and very dramatic. The Palace in Ubud is a nice venue with a different performance every evening. We saw the Legong Trance and Paradise Dance there. Always arrive early for the best seats and bring an effective mosquito repellant for evening performances.

For Ubud restaurants, Lemak and Warung Enak (same owners) are at the top of my list. Funky decor and atmosphere with great food. Moderate prices give good value for the high quality. Do an internet search for their websites to see menus. Terazo was recommended but haven't tried it.

Visit local festivals and celebrations, if you're very active, you can trek to the volcano top for dawn with the help of a good Balinese guide. I hiked through the Ubud hills which was a memorable experience. I would give the Monkey Forest a pass. Visit Uluwatu when in southern Bali instead.

We also saw one of the Barong dances at the Palace (they had several the night we went in one long program). That's an amazing costume and quite fun to watch. I wish we had seen one of the dances with Rangda, as I've seen it filmed and it looks extraordinary.
Rob, I would check out tripadvisor for reviews of restaurants -- there are tons and good ones for a variety of budgets and tastes. We did the tasting menu at Ary's Warung which we really enjoyed (great too as a bathroom stop when you're in town), if you make a reservation they'll lead you to your table with your name inscribed on a leaf -- might be a nice surprise for your girlfriend. The Lotus Pond is great for the view (right across the street) -- food is not expensive or special -- it's really about the view of the temple's lotus pond.

For a cheap meal, try Ibu Oka Babi Guling. It's Balinese roasted pig and it's delicious! I think it's located on Jalan Suweta but it's well know so just ask around. Lunch only.

We stayed at the Four Seasons-Sayan in Ubad in a deluxe room, not a suite, backing up on the stream. It was one of the nicest hotels we have stayed at in 39 years of travel in 3-5 star hotels. The food is very good bit it is worth going local for lunch and 2-3 dinners. A local guide ($50-$60/7-8 hr.day for English speaking guide and a non-English speaking driver in a comfortable A/C van, but not arranged through the hotel for it will be 50-75% more that way). A local travel agent in Ubad can handle for a $5-$7 fee.Going to the rice field and 30-40 km radius of Ubad will be quite rewarding.

We've been disappointed by Casa Luna more than once and wouldn't try it again now. Murni's is unique in decor and has nice food. For sunset, Indus (same owners as Casa Luna) has stunning views...make a reservation and sit outside to enjoy the views, but don't go after dark. Up near Indus is Naughty Nuri's which is cheap and has amazing grilled meats...simple fare but a fun place at a great price. Ibu Oka's, right in the center, is the place for pig roast...go early because it runs out...order and get your food and grab a seat anywhere you can...sharing tables is fine.

Bali Budaya and Bali Baik do similar bicycle trips from the Kintamani area to Ubud and both are supposed to be really good. You can find info about both and contact details in the tourist info station right in Ubud center across from the market/palace.

We did the Casa Luna's cooking course held in the Honeymoon Guesthouse grounds. I would not recommend the cooking class, as it's not hands on but instead a demonstration. There were 26 students in our class, in spite of being promised there was a limit of 20 (which is still way too big for their single cooking station).

Honeymoon Guesthouse is a lot of bungalows crammed into a small plot of land. The pool is above ground level and small. The whole place felt crowded to me, though the staff seemed friendly enough. There are more than enough nicer places around.

If you are interested in trying out for yourself things like crafts and music, take a look at Alam Sari's website www.alamsari.com. They can organize all sorts of classes for you that are really fun and a great way to get up close and personal. We did music class in a temple hall with a whole set of gamelan and other instrument to try, and had a women's group practice while we were there and could visit with them. We made our own batik...very fun...and more, but you can see on their website. Alam Sari is located about 15 minute by car from Ubud center...we loved the location and the hotel, but if you want to be in the middle of town it's not a good choice.

In town, the Ubud Village Hotel is nice (don't confuse with their new Resort which is expensive). For a stunning setting and views with a reasonable price and walkable to town (but a hot walk) is Ulun Ubud. Right in the middle of town on Monkey Forest road is the Komaneka...lovely oasis but right there in town. The Tjampuhan is very Balinese and a lovely place right on the edge of town...spend a bit extra here to get one of their better rooms as they are worth it for location, view and atmosphere.

robb, there are zillions of places to stay in Ubud and it's actually hard to find a bad one.

Ketut's is an oldtime favorite, mostly because Ketut is such a personality. His whole family gets involved in and staying there is a total cultural experience. I don't know the categories but I would definitely opt for one of the newer suites. Don't miss his special Bali dinner and try some of the other culture and nature activities. Ketut's is right in town so it's a convenient walk to all of Ubud's attractions.

Alam Sari is in the hills outside of Ubud but the ambience is similar to Ketut's, i.e. they offer a lot more than a place to stay.

Komeneka also has devoted followers.It is serene and well designed. The owners are well connected in Bali's artscene.They have another property outside of town that is also well recommended.

Basically, Balinese culture is so omnipresent and ingrained that you just can't escape it. People are always offering to take you to their homes, cook you meals, take you to religious events, tell you where to buy whatever tempts you.

I'm also not a fan of Casaluna and would avoid the Lotus altogether. I like Lemak, Terrazzo, the restaurant at the Alila, and for a special occasion (because it's quite pricy) Mosaic.

I'd give the Monkey Forest a miss and go for a trek instead. Sanputu at the Alila is a great guide. Rafting is a lot of fun too.

I've moved up the post on dance in Bali. The Kecak in Junganan is a don't miss.

I don't know that particular masseuse but for $55 you're either getting classy surroundings or a special healing massage.

I don't think I've had a really 'bad' meal in Ubud. One place not mentioned I would recommend is Batan Waru.

I also like Wayan's, especially for the cakes and desserts.

I've really enjoyed KaJane, right on Monkey Forest Road. Tegal Sari is more budget minded with lovely views of the rice fields, too. I've always had good meals at Cafe des Artistes, though it's easy to find good food in Ubud. I agree with the writer above, if you're into local color and suckling pig, Ibu Oka is great to try for lunch. On a totally different level for lunch would be Indus, as it has a really nice view. The walk across the ridge that Indus faces is a good trail to take too.

Have a great trip.

Yes, Artini 2 is a very nice mid-range place to stay in Ubud. It's on Jalan Hanoman (near where the Perama bus stop is).

The grounds and pool are really lovely. Rooms at the back had air con last time we stayed there - but by now maybe they all do?

The manager, Made (if he is still there) - has been know to hit the bottle every now and again - but I think he is harmless.

There are some great spots to visit outside of Ubud - but you will need transport - as there are no taxis in Ubud.

If you need a driver - we can highly recommend KETUT SUDIARTA. Ketut is very safe driver, has a good command of English and a very good sense of humour which kept us thoroughly entertained during the trip.

His rate is very reasonable and you can do either a 1/2 day or a full day. His phone number is 081 239 32604, and email [email protected].

We have recommended Ketut to many friends who have visited Bali, and they all raved about his service! A good guy!
Tell him 'Mr. Mark' says hello.

Check the positive comments on the Bali Forum.

Hope you have a great visit

Try Balitravelforum.com for heaps of info

Cafe Lotus has a nice ambience, lotus pond, temple in the background etc. The food's not bad. Go to their website and print a discount voucher.

http://www.lotus-restaurants.com/voucher.html

I second Mozaic (www.mozaic-bali.com), it is an absolute gastronomical delight!

The chef, Chris Salans, worked at French Laundry in Napa and that's what piqued our interest. And the meal and atmosphere did not disappoint!

My husband and I ate there during our trip last May and we cannot recommend this place enough! I opted for the chef's menu while my husband ordered from the menu. But the chef sent out several 'surprise' bites for both of us. I also remember this being extremely well priced, considering the quality of food/service. (I can't remember exactly, but our bill came to 50 or 100 dollars for 2 of us, including alcohol). They also served a glass of champagne while we were waiting in the lounge. During the meal, we were served foie gras so not sure if you have a stance against that. All in all, it was a truly memorable meal!

Also, we tried several guides during our trip and really liked one who goes by the nickname "Mr. Frog." We were paired up with him through a tour agency booking and ended up using him several times because he was extremely informative, had a good command of English, and truly seemed enthusiastic to share his knowledge of his home country and culture. He was also a government licensed guide, so he always came with a driver who focused on the driving/parking etc. If you'd like the info, I'd be happy to dig it out for you.

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I've been to Bali twice once with my husband - went to Mosiac and loved it.

The second time I went by myself and hired a guide, was picked up at 2 and drivin to the bottom of a volcano and hiked with the guide to the top to see the sun rise. I will never forget the thrill!!

Oh gosh, just noticed how long ago the original post was done. Oh, well....