The Best of Balinese Culture in Ubud

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If you’re looking for a holiday destination with awe-inspiring culture, inexpensive accommodation, and food, consider a trip to Ubud, Bali. Read on to discover the best of Balinese culture in Ubud.
Ubud is awash in color. Pink and purple petals adorn daily offerings. Terraced rice paddies rest in open fields. And life-sized, gilded statues grace city streets and guard against danger. What’s so special about this city of 74,000 in central Bali? Ubud offers a window into a rich culture with locals who are humble and kind. I viewed Balinese religious practices, stunning architecture, and amazing art across Ubud for five days in January.
Religion in Ubud
The Balinese practice Hinduism, and also follow Animism, the idea that plants and other aspects of nature have souls. This vibrant religion pays tribute to Hindu deities and ancestors through village festivals, purification rites, and cremation practices. You’ll catch a Hindu celebration while passing one of the many community temples.
Children at religious ceremonies. Photo courtesy Polina Kuzovkova
Goa Gajah Temple (Elephant Cave Temple)
The Goa Gaja Temple is ten minutes east of the Ubud town center. At the entrance, visitors are greeted by a frightening face carved into the rock.
Elephant Temple in Ubud. Photo courtesy Christian
I was lucky to observe a procession to the Goa Gajah Temple. Men in white shirts and checkered sarongs took the lead. Women marched in pairs, in multi-colored kebayas (fitted shirts), balancing offerings on their heads.
Offering to gods. Photo courtesy Guillaume Flandre
Decorative bamboo poles lined the street. 
Decorative bamboo pole for Odalan celebrations. Photo courtesy Ruben Hutabarat
From my perch at the opening to the Temple, I saw adults chanting while children shot furtive glances my way.
Pura Tirta Empul (Water Temple)
Founded in 926 A.D., Pura Tirta Empul is one of the five most holy temples in Bali. It has two purification pools, with 30 spouts that feed the pools. The Temple is dedicated to Vishnu, the god of water. Locals line up for a shower. After the first spout, they line up for the next one.
The Water Temple in Ubud. Photo courtesy Florian Giorgio
Ubud Monkey Forest Temples
A visit to the Monkey Forest is a must when in Ubud. There are three temples—Dalem Agung Padangtegal Temple, Pura Beji Temple, and Pura Prajapati Temple. The Dalem Agung Padangtegal and Prajapati Temples are for worshiping gods. The Pura Beji Temple is for purification before religious ceremonies. About 700 long-tailed macaques are free-roaming.
Baby monkey and mother in Ubud Monkey Forest. Photo courtesy Mathis Jrdl
I was surprised by how close they will come to humans. But keep your distance. The monkeys form a tight line, turning their backs to visitors to protect their babies or if they don’t want to be photographed.





Pro Tip: Don’t look a monkey in the eye.

Ubud Architecture
In Bali, extended families live in compounds. Architectural rules determine the design of homes and temples and create harmony and balance. The basic unit of architecture is the ‘bale,’ a rectangular form with a thatched roof.
A bale is popular in Ubud architecture. Photo courtesy Michael Block
A family compound and temple will have several bales, one for each activity, such as eating, sleeping, and cooking. A wall surrounds compounds, and larger-than-life statues guard entranceways.
Bhuana Alit Villa
I stayed in a lovely family compound in Ubud called Bhuana Alit Villa. Bhuana Alit is in a residential neighborhood surrounded by rice paddies. The entranceway is massive, with intricate stone sculptures on the side posts and across the top and ornate wooden carvings on either side. A series of small paths lead to the different villas, each with a stone porch and comfortable chairs, perfect for reading. I enjoyed swimming in the lovely kidney-shaped pool with statues  spurting water.
Pool at Bhuana Alit Villa. Photo courtesy Beth O’Shaughnessy
Bhuana Alit is an excellent location to watch local children walking to school, women lighting incense as offerings, and workers weeding the rice paddies. I went for a run through a maze of alleyways to get a closer look.
Pro Tip: Check out local grocery stores to get food for breakfast and snacks. It’s worth asking at your hotel whether there is a fridge.
I saw a family gathering at a temple close to my lodging and was the only tourist watching. Women swayed to the chimes of the Gamelan (an orchestra of instruments made of metal plates that are hit with mallets). Children stared at me, wondering who I was and why I was there.
Pro Tip: Consider traveling off-season from January to March.
Ubud Art, Music, and Dance
The creation of handicrafts has a long history in Bali. Clans are named after their art specialty. Ubud artisans sell beautiful wood carvings, sculptures, silver jewelry, paintings, and textiles in markets and galleries throughout the town. You will also find art on display at places like the fascinating Arma Museum.
The Arma Museum has several excellent art galleries . My favorite paintings include vibrant scenes from everyday Balinese life—women bringing offerings to the gods and children playing with animals on the ground. Backgrounds feature rice fields and lush leaves.




The dance performance at the Arma Museum is worth seeing. Only a handful of other guests were watching when I was there, and it felt like a private performance. The dancers used dynamic head and arm movements to tell a story. I wondered how they could move in the gold brocade costumes.
Dancers at Arma Museum. Photo courtesy Mathis Jrdl
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If You Go to Ubud
If you’re looking for a holiday destination with awe-inspiring culture, inexpensive accommodation, and food, consider a Ubud trip. You can even take batik, silver jewelry-making, or wood carving classes and create a keepsake to take home. From Ubud, it’s easy to visit the stunning beaches in Seminyak and Gili Trawangan and take in breathtaking sunsets. Let Wander With Wonder be your guide to exploring more of Bali and other parts of Asia . 
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The Best of Balinese Culture in Ubud


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