Ubud

Ubud sits inland in the hills of central Bali and is the island's cultural capital — the centre of Balinese painting, dance, carving and, since Eat Pray Love, of wellness tourism.

The town has changed enormously. Central Ubud is now congested, expensive by Balinese standards, and its main street can take twenty minutes to drive along at the wrong hour. But walk fifteen minutes in almost any direction and you are in rice fields. The Campuhan Ridge Walk is the easiest example: a paved path along a ridge between two rivers, best at sunrise, and free.

The main sights cluster tightly. The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is in town, home to several hundred long-tailed macaques and three temples; the monkeys are bold, so keep sunglasses, water bottles and loose bags away. Saraswati Temple with its lotus pond sits in the centre. Goa Gajah, the 11th-century Elephant Cave, and the royal tombs at Gunung Kawi are a short drive out, as are the Tegallalang rice terraces and the holy springs at Tirta Empul.

Ubud is also the base for Bali's waterfall country to the north and east, and for a Mount Batur sunrise trek that starts at around 2am.

Stay slightly outside the centre — Penestanan, Nyuh Kuning or Sayan — for rice-field quiet within walking distance of town.

Is Ubud worth visiting? Yes for culture, rice terraces, temples and food, provided you accept that central Ubud is congested and stay slightly outside the centre.

What is there to do in Ubud? The Monkey Forest, Saraswati Temple, the Campuhan Ridge Walk, Goa Gajah and Gunung Kawi, plus the Tegallalang terraces, Tirta Empul and the waterfalls nearby.

How far is Ubud from the airport? Roughly 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic, though the distance is only about 35 km.

Are the monkeys in Ubud dangerous? They are habituated and bold rather than aggressive, but they will snatch sunglasses, bottles and bags, and a bite means a rabies vaccination course.

Where should you stay in Ubud? Penestanan, Nyuh Kuning or Sayan give rice-field surroundings within walking distance of the centre, without the main-street noise and traffic.