Exploring Ubud

This morning Jamie and I woke up to a beautiful breakfast prepared by Made and his wife, Putu. After our simple but decadent meal we got ready and headed out for our full day of exploring Ubud. 

For those who are interested in visiting Ubud, I would highly recommend a private tour guide. You can find something like that online or at a hotel/hostel (whichever one you’re staying at). If you’re on a budget and feel confident on a scooter, that’s the way to go. It’s roughly $5USD to rent a scooter and you can map it anywhere. Jamie and I however did not feel comfortable venturing towards that option. Plus Made has an eldest son named Wayan who’s occupation is a chauffeur. So we hired him for the whole day to take us to each place we wanted to visit.

Our first stop was at Mount Kawi Gunung Kawi is an 11th century temple complex in Tampaksiring north east of Ubud in Bali, Indonesia. There are ten shrines cut out in the face of the cliffs within the temple. The was a half mile walk to get to the temple, and we passed fields and venders along the way. 


It was very humid at the bottom, so half way through our walk we took a coconut break. 


We left the temple tired and sweaty, but excited for our next stop. Wayan drove us to Tirta Empul, the Tampaksiring Temple. Tirta Empul temple is a Hindu Balinese water temple. This water temple is where people come from all over the world for purification. Apparently there was a ceremony (along with the Balinese weekend holiday) going on today, which resulted in very large crowds. However, I got some really beautiful photos…

We only stayed at the water temple for 20 minutes or so, then went on to a place called Coffee Luwak. Here is where we learned how the Civet coffee (the coffee made from coffee berries) was made. The beans are collected, then processed hygienically, then only baked half-cooked and then pounded with a trough so as not to spoil the taste. This is called the Kopi Luwak process, which is only done on the island of Bali, Java and Sumatra in the Indonesian archipelago. Awesome fact: they produce no more than 300kg (662 pounds) of coffee per year and that includes the beans being distributed throughout the world. 

Being a coffee fanatic, this stop was my absolute favorite. 🙂

Next stop…Kintamani! Kintamani is a beautiful volcano which happens to be the most favorite touristy hub. This volcano is surrounded by beautiful nature and six ancient villages. This active volcano has erupted over 24 times since the 1800s! I told Jamie that as long as it doesn’t erupt while we are here then we are fine. 

Our 5th and final spot was at the Tegalalang rice terrace. The rural Tegalalang is 5km north of Ubud. How the rice terraces were designed the grooves that were precisely placed at the edge of the hill. The panorama view of the rice fields surrounded by coconut trees was just breathtaking. 

Jamie and I were very hungry by the time our adventure ended, so we had Wayan drop us off at the restaurant called (oddly enough) Cafe Wayan! This place was recommend to me by my fellow blogger friend, Andjekaj. Check out her blog while you’re at it! Great travel tips and fun stories: http://www.lifecurator.co.

We ate until we couldn’t fit another bite into our mouths, and grabbed a taxi home. Our taxi driver’s name was Douglas. He was a short, balding man who had the BEST laugh I’ve ever heard! Plus he busted out laughing at every one of my jokes which made me like him even more. 🙂

The taxi company he works for coincidentally also provides a bus to Padang Bai. Plus tickets for the fast boat to Gili Air, which is where Jamie and I will be heading to next! Perfect. 

I am pretty tired, but definitely feel like I have had a successful day. Both Jamie and I have been having a hard time sleeping in Ubud. Our villa really doesn’t have proper ventilation, so getting comfortable has been a challenge. 

Tomorrow we have to get up early. Going to try and get some shut eye. Goodnight from two traveling ladies in Bali!