Ubud, in Bali's highlands, trades Kuta and Seminyak's beach-club energy for a slower, more culturally rooted pace — rice terraces, a genuinely serious arts scene, and a food culture with deeper roots than the tourist-facing restaurants of the south coast. Ubud has hosted travellers for long enough that its dining scene is genuinely developed, not a recent add-on for visitors.

Balinese food worth seeking out

Ubud's long tourism history means its food scene runs deeper than most of the island's other hubs, and a few dishes are worth specifically looking for rather than defaulting to a generic Indonesian menu.

Lawar is Ubud's most distinctly Balinese dish — a mix of minced meat (traditionally pork, though chicken, duck and beef versions are common too), grated coconut, and a blend of aromatic spices. Worth knowing before you order: traditional lawar sometimes includes fresh blood as an ingredient, a detail some visitors find surprising, so it's worth asking if you'd rather have a version without it.

Sate lilit (satay) is Bali's answer to a street food staple found across Indonesia — minced meat (fish versions are common in Bali specifically) pressed onto flat skewers rather than cubed meat on a stick, and available everywhere from street carts to proper restaurants.

Bebek betutu, a whole duck or chicken stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, peppercorns, coriander and kaffir lime, then wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked over coconut husk coals, is traditionally a ceremonial dish — it's become popular with visitors too, and a few Ubud restaurants specialise in it specifically.

Gado-gado, a well-known dish across Indonesia rather than uniquely Balinese, is a solid vegetarian option if you want a break from meat-heavy dishes — vegetables, boiled potato and rice in a peanut sauce. Nasi sela, rice blended with cassava, is a more traditional Balinese staple worth trying alongside the more commonly served plain rice.

Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)

Despite its name, Goa Gajah has no historical connection to actual elephants — the name likely comes from the carved face at its entrance, sometimes read as elephant-like. Believed to date to around the 11th century, the site combines a cave carved with meditation niches and religious carvings with a bathing pool and fountains, excavated by archaeologists in 1954. It remains an active site of worship as well as a historical one, with a Hindu temple on the grounds alongside the cave itself.

Museum Rudana

Opened in 1995 by collector Nyoman Rudana and his wife Ni Wayan Olasthini, Museum Rudana overlooks Ubud's rice fields from three levels, with several hundred pieces spanning classic Balinese and Indonesian art alongside historical curiosities. It's a quieter, less crowded alternative to Ubud's more famous museums if you want a slower art-focused stop.

Monkey Forest and the Royal Palace, briefly

Ubud's Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary and Puri Saren Agung, the royal family's palace in the town centre, are both genuinely worth visiting — we've covered them in more depth in our guide to Bali's must-see places, worth reading alongside this one for the fuller Ubud picture.

Shopping

Ubud's art market sits at the centre of the town and draws on the surrounding villages' craft traditions — clothing, jewellery, bags and woodcarving all represented, with gentle bargaining the norm rather than fixed pricing.

Ready to plan a trip through Ubud? Take a look at Quintrip's Bali holiday packages to build it into a wider itinerary.

A few practical questions

Is Ubud walkable? The central area is, though sights like Goa Gajah and Museum Rudana are a short drive away rather than walking distance.

How many days should I spend in Ubud? 2-3 days covers the main sights and food scene comfortably without rushing.

Is Lawar safe for visitors to eat? Yes, when prepared fresh at a reputable restaurant — if the inclusion of blood in traditional recipes concerns you, most restaurants can make or point you to a version without it.

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