Things to Do in Ubud — Food, Temples, Rice Fields & a Cooking Class

Things to do in Ubud should not be a 40-link dump of swings, ATVs, and the same three temples. This shortlist is how we tell guests to spend two or three days: cook once, walk paddies that are actually farmed, eat at warungs, and pick one sacred site. Island-wide ideas live on things to do in Bali.

What are the best things to do in Ubud?

If you care about food: a morning market tour and Balinese cooking class, a rice-field walk, one temple (Tirta Empul or a quieter pura), and warung meals. Monkey Forest and Tegallalang are optional — they are crowded and not how locals spend a morning. Two full days is the minimum; three nights is comfortable.

Do these first (food and culture)

• Morning cooking class with pasar tour — shop, grind bumbu, cook 10+ dishes (IDR 506,370 shared)
• Village rice-field walk (included with morning class) instead of only Tegallalang tickets
• Ubud morning market if you are not already in a class — go early, before souvenir stalls dominate
• One water temple (Tirta Empul) or a quieter pura — sarong required
• Warung lunch/dinner: nasi campur, lawar, sate lilit now that you know the sambals

Book the class: cooking class Ubud. Market-to-table detail: market-to-table cooking class. Two-day map: Ubud food-lover itinerary.

The classic 10 (if you have extra days)

• Cooking class in Tumang village — market, paddies, 10+ dishes (do this first)
• Tegallalang rice terraces — go before 7am if you still want the famous viewpoint
• Sacred Monkey Forest — no food in bags; go early
• Sukawati Art Market — batik and crafts south of Ubud; bargain
• Pura Tirta Empul — sarong required; purification springs
• A Balinese dance performance in Ubud (kecak is usually a separate Uluwatu evening)
• Ubud traditional market at dawn — not the souvenir afternoon
• Yoga or a spa afternoon if you need a rest day
• Warung crawl: nasi campur, lawar, sate lilit after you know the sambals
• Mount Batur sunrise — only if you skip stacking it on the same day as a cooking class

Optional (crowded, still fine once)

• Sacred Monkey Forest — go early; do not carry food or wear dangling jewellery
• Tegallalang rice terraces — photo stop with fees; our class already includes working paddies
• Campuhan Ridge Walk — free, best at 07:00
• Yoga Barn or a spa afternoon if you need a rest day

Skip or save for a longer stay

All-day ATV + swing combos eat the only morning you had for a cooking class. Nusa Penida is not an Ubud day trip. High-season crowds: is Ubud busy in high season. Temple dress: what to wear in Bali temples.

Book a Balinese cooking class on your Bali trip

If you only book one paid activity in Ubud, make it the village cooking morning — you will taste the rest of the trip differently.

Shared class from IDR 506,370 per adult (2+ participants; IDR 616,032 for 1). Private 1-person class IDR 633,090. Free Ubud-area pickup. Book your cooking class or see the full Balinese cooking class in Ubud page. TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2026 — max 8 guests per shared session.