Best day trips from Ubud: how to get there and what to see

Distances below are road distances from central Ubud and assume a car or scooter, not walking. Times are door to door and do not include time at the site. Prices are 2026 estimates for a private car, not per person.

If you have only one free day, take the Jatiluwih and Tabanan loop: it is the least crowded of the big landscape trips and works in both seasons. If you have two, add the Batur sunrise and keep the third day for the temples and Monkey Forest on foot.

Tegallalang is the closest terrace stop and the busiest. Arrive before 08:00 and you get the light and the space; by 10:00 the roadside is full of cars and the swing and photo platforms charge separately. Tirta Empul, 15 km northeast, is a working temple with bathing pools fed by springs. Visitors wear a sarong and sash, both usually lent at the entrance, and should follow the local order of the pools rather than jumping in anywhere.

The Monkey Forest sits at the south end of Jalan Monkey Forest, walkable from most of central Ubud. Keep bags closed, do not feed the macaques and do not carry food in your hand. It is a 1.5–2 hour visit, best in the early morning or late afternoon.

Mount Batur is the standard sunrise trip: a pre-dawn drive to the trailhead near Kintamani, a 1.5–2 hour climb with a guide, sunrise at the rim and back in Ubud by late morning. It is a real hike on loose volcanic ground, cold at the top before dawn, and the trail is guided only. Check volcanic activity levels the day before; the mountain closes when the alert level rises.

Jatiluwih, in the Tabanan regency, is the largest and quietest of the terrace landscapes, a UNESCO-listed subak irrigation system with a walking loop through the paddies. Pair it with a stop at Tabanan town or a coffee plantation on the way back. This is the trip that most rewards a private driver, because the road is long and the light is best in the late afternoon.

Uluwatu temple on the Bukit peninsula is a full day from Ubud because of the traffic. Go for the late afternoon, walk the clifftop path, watch the kecak dance at sunset and eat seafood at Jimbaran or Padang Padang on the way home. Do not try to combine it with a morning Ubud activity; you will spend the day in the car.

For a beach day without the Bukit traffic, Sanur is the closest coast, calm water and a paved promenade. Nusa Penida is possible as a day trip via Sanur, but it means an early start, a fast boat and a long day; two nights on the island is a better plan than a rushed day trip.

A private car with driver for a full day in Bali is commonly quoted at IDR 600,000–900,000 (about USD 40–55) for up to four people, fuel and parking usually included, entry tickets not. Half-day rates are lower but not half. Agree the route, the pickup time and whether entry fees are included before you get in.

Scooter rental runs IDR 70,000–120,000 per day, plus petrol. You need a valid licence with a motorcycle category and an International Driving Permit; without them, insurance is void and police checks on the Ubud–Kintamani road are common. Ride-hailing apps are cheap for short hops inside Ubud but restricted in some zones, so you may be asked to walk to a pickup point.

Temple and terrace entry fees are charged per person at the gate and vary by site; sarong rental is usually included or a small extra. Sunrise treks, cooking classes and boat trips are priced separately and should be booked a day ahead in high season.

Start early. Almost every Ubud day trip is better before 09:00: cooler, quieter and faster on the road. The return leg in the afternoon is when the traffic and the rain arrive.

Carry cash in small notes for entry fees, parking and warung lunches; not every ticket booth takes cards. Bring a light rain jacket from November to March, and a sarong or a scarf for temple visits. Download an offline map before you leave, because signal drops in the rice terrace valleys.

If you are prone to motion sickness, the winding roads to Kintamani and Jatiluwih are the ones to prepare for. And keep one day in Ubud with no driver at all: the town itself, the market and the evening dance performances are the reason most people came.