Our Recommended Ubud Hotels
Ubud Information
Getting around
Ubud can actually be fairly well divided into 5 areas. Monkey Forest Road, Central Ubud, Penestanan, Campuhan River Valley, Ayung River Valley.
The Monkey Forest Road, and let us include Nyuhkunning, the other side of the "forest" (small wooded area). Is where you will find the greatest density of accommodations. Wrongly described as a backpacker area, it has a number of basic, plus luxurious hotels, and everything in between. Of course, it is harder to enjoy the wide open spaces here with so many fellow travelers / rooms. But it does have a good range of fashionable shops and cafes that lead all the way to the market and the shopping areas there too.
Central Ubud is really the area around the main road, Jalan Raya. Here you will find the greatest number of crafts and art shops, especially if you include Jalan Hanoman which leads off this road on the other side of the art market (to Monkey Forest Road). This area is more given to shops and restaurants, but accommodations do exist here to. Penestanan is really the western outskirts of Ubud, about a 15 to 20 minute walk to the market. But, set amongst rice fields, it is a lot more airy than the town center. Also, Penestanan is the home of the "Young Artists". Dutch inspired artists that years ago developed a new painting style to traditional Balinese methods.
The Campuhan River neighbors Penenstanan along the main (and often busy) road north. Despite the proximity to this road however, many of the hotels whose entrance is on this road, actually sit upon the extremely serene / peaceful Campuhan River valley itself. The river is not that large, but the valley is lush. With Alang Alang grass and many palm trees, birds, dragonflies and fireflies. Because the hotel area is spread quite a long way along this valley. A walk from it's first hotel, The Tjampuhan, would only take you 10 minutes to the Art Market. A walk from it's furthest hotel, Bunga Permai, would take you a good 30 minutes more!
Much further out / west from Ubud, after the western most extremities of Penestanan, you come to the impressive Ayung River Valley. Used by the white water rafting companies, the river is quite large and the valley wide. Some of the super expensive / luxury hotels are located in this area. However, despite being included in most travel guides as part of Ubud. For most, it is much too far to walk (would take an hour to the art market). So it is fairly isolated.
