One day in Ubud: Monkey Forest, Tegalalang and the art market

Ubud is the place most people picture when they think of Bali's quieter, greener side: temples hidden under banyan trees, carvers working in open shopfronts, and rice terraces spilling down valleys under the palms. It's only a drive from the beaches of the south, yet it feels like a different island, slower, more crafted and very much alive with daily ritual.

The trouble is that Ubud's best-known sights are spread between the town centre and the hills to the north, and the traffic in between can test anyone's patience. This guide follows the route of our Ubud day: the Monkey Forest, the royal palace and the art market in the centre, then north to the Tegalalang rice terraces and a coffee garden to finish. Here's what each stop is really like, how to pace it, and what to bring so the day feels easy rather than rushed.

Why Ubud works best as one full day

You could pop into Ubud for lunch and a wander, but you'd miss most of what makes it special. The three classic stops in the centre sit close together, and it's tempting to rush them. Then there's the short drive north to Tegalalang, which can take longer than it looks on the map when the roads are busy.

Giving it a whole day means you can linger where you like. Some people spend an hour in the Monkey Forest and ten minutes at the market; others do the opposite. With your own car and driver, that's easy to adjust as you go.

The route at a glance

This is the usual order of the day. It starts with the three stops in town, which are close enough to walk between, and saves the terraces and the coffee garden for later.

1. Ubud Monkey Forest: a sacred forest of mossy temples, giant banyan roots and long-tailed macaques.
2. Ubud Royal Palace: Puri Saren Agung, home of Ubud's royal family, behind carved stone gates.
3. Ubud Art Market: just across the road from the palace, full of woven bags, sarongs, carvings and paintings.
4. Tegalalang Rice Terrace: green steps carved down a valley under coconut palms.
5. Coffee plantation: a garden of coffee, cacao and spice plants, with a tasting of Balinese coffee and teas.

The order can shift with traffic and crowds, and you can swap a stop if something else in Ubud catches your eye.

Ubud Monkey Forest: temples, banyans and macaques

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary sits right on the southern edge of town, and stepping inside is like walking into a different century. Paved paths wind between towering trees, stone dragons curl along bridges, and moss softens every carved surface. The forest holds several temples, and it's still a sacred place for the surrounding village, not just a park.

Then there are the residents. Hundreds of long-tailed macaques live here, and they own the place. You'll see mothers grooming babies on the steps, young monkeys wrestling on the walls and older males sitting very still, watching everything. It's genuinely fun to watch, as long as you go in prepared.

How to get along with the monkeys

• Leave food and snacks in the car. The monkeys can smell them through a bag, and plastic bags rustle in a way they know well.
• Zip away sunglasses, hats, earrings and loose phone straps. Anything dangling is fair game.
• Don't feed or touch them, and don't stare them down or bare your teeth in a big grin, which they can read as a challenge.
• If a monkey climbs on you, stay calm and still and it will usually hop off. If one grabs something, let it go and ask a staff member for help rather than pulling back.

None of this is meant to put you off. Most visitors leave with nothing worse than a great photo and a story. A little caution just keeps it that way.

Visit the Monkey Forest first, before lunch. You won't be carrying food, and you'll have more energy for the steps and slopes inside.

Ubud Royal Palace: a quiet pause in the centre

A short walk or drive up the main road brings you to Puri Saren Agung, the Ubud Royal Palace. The royal family still lives here, so parts of the complex are private, but the outer courtyards are open to visitors. It's a calm, compact place: carved stone gates, red-brick walls, gilded doors and frangipani trees, all in the heart of a busy town.

The palace doesn't take long to see, and that's part of its charm. Walk slowly, look up at the detail on the gateways, and notice how the noise of the street seems to fade once you're inside. In the evenings, the courtyard is also known as a setting for traditional dance performances, if you happen to be staying in Ubud overnight.

Because this is a royal and sacred space, cover your shoulders and knees for the visit. A light sarong in your bag solves this in seconds.

Ubud Art Market: browsing and bargaining

Right across the road from the palace, the Ubud Art Market is a maze of stalls selling woven bags, sarongs, wood carvings, paintings, silver and souvenirs of every size. Early in the day, part of the wider market also serves locals with produce and the flowers used for daily offerings.

Bargaining with a smile

Prices at the art market are usually open to a bit of friendly negotiation. It's part of the experience, and nobody expects you to accept the first number. A few simple habits make it pleasant for everyone:

• Have a rough idea of what you'd be happy to pay before you ask the price.
• Start a little lower than that, and meet somewhere in the middle.
• Keep it light. A smile and a joke go a lot further than a hard line.
• Only start bargaining if you're genuinely interested, and if you can't agree, thank the seller and move on politely.
• Bring cash in small notes. It makes paying, and bargaining, much easier.

If you're short on time, decide on one or two things you'd really like, such as a sarong for the temples or a woven bag, and enjoy the rest as window shopping.

Tegalalang Rice Terrace: green steps under the palms

After the three stops in town, the day heads north. A short drive brings you to Tegalalang, where rice terraces step down both sides of a valley under tall coconut palms. On a bright day the greens are almost unreal, and the view from the top of the valley is one of Bali's most recognisable scenes.

The terraces are watered by subak, Bali's traditional way of sharing water between fields. It's a cooperative system tied closely to the island's temples and ceremonies, and it's recognised by UNESCO as part of Bali's cultural landscape. When you look at those neat, curving steps, you're looking at generations of shared work.

Walking down into the terraces

You can enjoy Tegalalang from the cafés and viewpoints along the road, but walking down into the valley is worth it if you're up for some steps. The paths are narrow and can be muddy after rain, so shoes with grip make a real difference. Along the way, you may be asked for a small donation at points on the path, which helps the farmers who look after the terraces.

You'll also see swings and photo platforms set up around the valley. Some people love them, others prefer to just walk and look. Either way, take your time, stay on the paths and avoid stepping on the edges of the paddies.

Coffee plantation: a slow, fragrant finish

The last stop is a coffee garden near Tegalalang. Paths lead between coffee bushes, cacao trees and spice plants, and it's a nice chance to see what your morning cup looks like before it reaches the roaster. Look out for cinnamon, vanilla and lemongrass along the way.

The walk usually ends with a tasting of Balinese coffee and teas, often with a view over the green valley. It's an easy, relaxing way to close the day after the steps at Tegalalang.

Many coffee gardens in Bali also offer kopi luwak, made from beans that have passed through a civet. It's a personal choice whether to try it, and some travellers prefer to skip it because of concerns about how the animals are kept.

How to pace the day

Ubud rewards a relaxed rhythm. Here's roughly how the day tends to flow:

• Morning: the Monkey Forest, while you're fresh and before the busiest hours.
• Late morning: the Royal Palace and the Art Market, which sit across the road from each other.
• Lunch: somewhere in town or on the way north, whatever suits your group.
• Afternoon: Tegalalang, then the coffee garden nearby.
• Late afternoon: the drive back to your hotel area.

This is a guide, not a timetable. If the market is too much fun to leave or you'd rather spend longer among the terraces, your driver follows your rhythm. You can also skip a stop altogether.

What to wear and bring

• Clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. You'll need them for the palace and the temples inside the Monkey Forest.
• A light sarong. Handy for temple visits, and easy to buy at the art market if you don't have one.
• Shoes with grip. Essential if you want to walk down into the terraces at Tegalalang.
• A bag that zips. For phones, sunglasses and anything the monkeys might fancy.
• Cash in small notes. For the art market, donations along the terrace paths and small purchases.
• Sun protection and water. The terraces are open and can feel hot in the middle of the day.

A few words on etiquette

Ubud is a town where daily ceremonies are everywhere, and a little awareness goes a long way:

• Watch your step around offerings, the small woven trays of flowers placed on pavements, steps and shop entrances.
• Cover up for temples and the palace, and don't climb on shrines, statues or walls.
• Give way to processions and people praying, and keep your voice low in sacred spaces.
• Ask before taking close-up photos of people, especially during ceremonies.
• Stay on the paths in the rice terraces. The fields are farmers' livelihoods, not just a backdrop.

When to go

Ubud is lovely all year. The drier months, roughly April to October, tend to bring brighter days and firmer paths at Tegalalang. In the wetter months, showers are more likely later in the day, and the hills can be even greener, but the terrace paths get slippery, so good shoes matter more.

The rice terraces also change with the farming cycle. Depending on when you visit, you might see freshly planted shoots, deep green fields or golden rice ready for harvest. All of them are beautiful in their own way.

Weekends and Indonesian public holidays bring more visitors to the town centre and the terraces. If your dates are flexible, a weekday is usually calmer.

Is this the right day for you?

An Ubud day suits almost everyone: first-time visitors who want a taste of Balinese culture, families with kids who'll love the monkeys, and anyone who enjoys a mix of temples, shopping and green landscapes without a long journey. It's also a gentle day physically, unless you choose to walk the terraces.

If you'd like to pair it with something more adventurous, a sunrise jeep tour on Mount Batur takes you into the volcanic highlands just north of Ubud. For grand temples and water palaces further afield, our guide to East Bali in a day covers Lempuyang, Tirta Gangga and Taman Ujung. You can compare every option on our packages page.

Planning it with a private car and driver

Our Ubud Tour follows this route with a private car and driver for your group alone, from your hotel area and back: the Monkey Forest, the Ubud Royal Palace, the Art Market, Tegalalang and a coffee plantation. The price is per car rather than per person, starting from IDR 850,000, so the more of you share the ride, the less each person pays. We confirm the final price for your date and group size, and exactly what it covers, before the trip.

Guiding is in English or Indonesian, and a Korean-speaking guide is available on request, so just mention it when you book. If you'd like to swap a stop or add somewhere else, tell us and we'll shape the day around it. To book, send your date, the number of guests and your hotel area through our contact page or on WhatsApp.