According to a2z Government, Ubud is an ancient city in the central mountainous part of Bali, located 10 km north of Denpasar at an altitude of 600 m above sea level. Ubud considered the cultural center of the island. There are a large number of museums here. The most famous museum, the Puri Lukisan Art Museum, was founded in 1956. Its building is located in a garden and is surrounded by fountains and statues. The paintings are presented here in chronological order of their writing, so that you can trace the history of the development of painting on the island. In addition to paintings, there is a jewelry gallery and a batik gallery. Also of interest are the museums of Neka, the house-museum of the artist and sculptor Lempad and the Museum of Balinese Art in the east of Ubud in the village of Pengosekan. North of Ubud, in the village of Mas, there is a woodcarving center. In the numerous shops of Ubud, you can buy a variety of masks, statues and other wooden products.
Around Ubud it is worth visiting the local temples. 18 km northeast of the city in the valley is the Gunun Kawi complex. It was built in the 11th century as the tomb of King Anak Wangsu. A staircase with 371 steps leads to the complex. It consists of a small temple on one side of the river, which became the burial place of the king’s wives, and of the main temple, where the tomb of the king himself is located, on the other side of the river. The tombstones at Gunun Kawi are carved into the rock in the form of sanctuaries and are located four on each side of the river in 7-meter niches. The temple complex of Puoa Saraswati, which was built in honor of the local goddess Saraswati (goddess of water), as well as the ritual place “Elephant Cave” are of interest. Apparently, it served as a place for prayers, meditations and ascetic practices. The entrance is made in the form of a demon’s head, who should guard the sanctuary, and his mouth serves as a passage. On the inside, the walls are decorated with stone ornaments depicting animals, human figures and plants. Both Hindu and Buddhist sculptures were found inside, and there is a small park around the cave.
Ubud ‘s most popular attraction is the Monkey Forest. It is located on the southern outskirts of the city. This is a small nature reserve, which is a park with concrete paths. During a walk in the park, you will see more than 200 monkeys, long-tailed Balinese macaques. Usually visitors feed the monkeys, but care must be taken that they do not become aggressive because they think you have food. In addition to monkeys, there are 3 temples here. It is believed that they are the accumulation of magical power and the refuge of evil spirits.
North of Ubud Elephant Park is located in the jungle of Taro. Here, visitors can hand-feed the elephants, touch them, watch them swim in the pond, and go on elephant safaris. Moreover, all conditions have been created for children to ride these large animals.
There are many places in Bali suitable for ecotourism. For example, another Monkey Forest Bukit Sari. It is located 20 km north of Denpasar. Tradition says that it is he who is described in the ancient sacred epic Ramayana. Tourists come here to watch the monkeys, who easily make contact with the audience. Bedugul mountain reserve is located 18 km north of Denpasar.. Its height above sea level is 850 m. Botanical gardens are located on the territory of the reserve. They occupy 120 hectares, on which a wide variety of trees and hundreds of species of orchids grow.
In the western part of Bali is the Bali Barat National Park, whose office is located in the nearby town of Chekik. In order to get into the park, you must obtain a permit, buy a ticket and hire a local guide. The park was founded in 1983. It covers an area of 760 sq. km, this is about one tenth of Bali. Initially, the park was created as a reserve for the protection of an endangered bird species – the Balinese starling (now there are about 200 of them left). Among tourists, Bali Barat is known as one of the best places on Bali, where you can watch birds. Now, in addition to 160 species of birds, various monkeys and other animals, a rare Javanese deer lives here. In the park you can see wet forests, mangroves and savannahs. It is better to go here from July to September, when the probability of rain is minimal. On the peninsula of Parat Agung, the mountain of the same name rises, in the foothills of which trails have been laid that will appeal to lovers of hiking. The National Park also includes Menjangan Island, which is located off the northwestern coast of Bali and is known as one of the best diving spots on the island.
On the way from Denpasar to Ubud (about 30 minutes drive from Kuta), the Bird Park is located one after the other.and Reptile Park. The 2-hectare Bird Park is a rainforest with aviaries featuring over 250 species of birds, while the Reptile Park features a variety of reptiles, including pythons and the Komodo dragon. The island of Bali has received the greatest popularity due to its resorts with beautiful sandy beaches. The main resorts are considered to be Kuta, Sanur and Nusa Dua, which are located on the southern tip of the island. These beaches are dominated by fine yellow sand, on the beaches of the northern coast (Lovina, Amed) – black volcanic. Sanur resort is located near Denpasar. It is more suitable for a relaxing family holiday, as the nightlife here is represented by only a few nightclubs. The local beach stretches along the coastline for 5 km. Coastal waters are calm because they are protected by coral reefs, and the depth here is shallow. So Sanur is a great place to swim, especially with kids. But you need to remember that at low tide, the water here goes far from the coast. Kuta resort – the largest of the resorts in Bali, it is located on the southwestern coast of the island, 10 km from Denpasar. Kuta, together with the areas of Legian and Seminyak located a little to the north, forms an extensive resort area stretching along the coast for 8 km. This place is known as the noisiest and most crowded in all of Bali. Young people will like Kuta more, because life is always in full swing here, day and night. Along the main street Jalan Legian are hotels, shops, bars, restaurants and discos. Kuta – a great place for shopping, they sell all kinds of goods at fairly low prices, sales are held periodically. The coastal waters of the resort are restless – strong sea currents and big waves interfere with swimming, this can only be done in places marked with yellow-red flags. But for surfers it is a paradise. You can almost always catch a good wave close to the shore, and the abundance of board rentals and surfer shops makes this place ideal for learning to surf. For swimming, the southern part of the beach, protected by coral reefs, is more suitable. Beach vendors scurry almost everywhere, so it’s never quiet. Legian and Seminyak are considered to be calmer beaches in this sense.
Nusa Dua is located on the Bukit Peninsula in southern Bali.. This is the most fashionable and expensive coast. Rest here is calm, without beach vendors and numerous local stalls, there are practically no local residents. Coastal waters in Nusa Duaare clear. Holidays on Tangung Beach are cheaper than in other areas of the resort, and if you decide to go to the central Nusa Dua beach, then the best places are located in its southern part. From Nusa Dua, you can go on a trip to the Bukit Peninsula. Its hinterland is nothing like the rest of Bali.. Bukit is a limestone plateau with dryland vegetation – cacti, cassava and kapok trees. However, during the rainy months (October to March) the landscape changes and becomes green.
The coastal waters of Bali are known for their colorful underwater world. The best dive sites are located on the east coast of the island, as well as in the Majagan Island area, which is part of the Bali Barak National Park and is located north of the westernmost point of Bali. Be sure to go to Amed , where a large sunken ship and a coral wall are interesting, Padangbai , where coral reefs start 5 m from the shore.
The west coast of Bali is suitable for surfing. This sport is best practiced from March to July. Kuta is a real mecca for surfers. The resort is the best place to learn to surf in Balibecause there are practically no underwater rocks nearby. You can also surf on the coast of Jimbaran (the western coast of the Bukit Peninsula), which is considered one of the best places for surfing in the world, because the wave length sometimes reaches 300m, but this place is suitable only for experienced surfers.
