Ubud Bali

Have you ever been to Ubud, Bali?…for those of you who have never traveled to the island of Bali or have been here, but not been to Ubud, Bali, you should definitely make plans to see Ubud. I have been coming to the island of Bali for the past 20+ years and I must say in all honesty, Bali is a place one never get tired of. Every trip to Bali is sensational in one way or another.Naturally here I must say that, depending on what you want out of a trip to Bali, is it parties?…pubs?….food?….beach?…or culture?…Having lived in various parts of Asia and traveled to many countries in this region, I would say that Bali is different in many aspects.

It’s not like Phuket, Thailand and Patong beach where you drink and party non stop to 3 in the morning and more…..though Phuket also has it’s great sides and also has some wonderful people, but more of that in a different article.

Bali is different……….very different, but that does not mean that you cannot experience great night life as well…on the contrary…you can!  big time, so you never have to miss out on that part of entertainment.

Let me just mention a couple of really cool places around the Seminyak and Kerobokan area “The Living Room” and “Hu’u”.

Both these places are not ordinary pubs..they are a sensation one has to experience. Located in Kerobokan just behind “The Living Room”,  Hu’u is a modern-minimalist styled restaurant which provides a great relaxing atmosphere for a cocktail or even a great place for dinner….in the words of the Hu’u website ….Hu’u is best described as a state on consciousness that brings together the quiet elegance imbibed by the mysticism of Bali with a cosmopolitan feel shared by the fusion of our international clientele. Every taxi driver knows it and if you are in the area…go experience it!

“The Living Room” is another great place to enjoy an incredible atmosphere.  ..in the words of the website…”The Living Room keeps the whole concept of ‘living room inspiration’ that makes people feel like their second home and it’s always a surprise. So relax, eat, smile and repeat …! Carry on… to unwind the dazzling Lounge or simply sip on cocktails at the bar”. On your next trip don’t forget to go to both these places… the ambiance is incredible and cannot be compared to other places in the world….best thing to suggest, if you have not been there yet, have a look at their gallery here. Whether it’s for a great dining experience, some fantastic cocktails or a simple beer…GO THERE!

So what does all this have to do with Ubud?…when you compare nightlife to the wee hours in the morning Ubud cannot compare…in my experience! There are some great bars in Ubud as well, but the style and scale of these clubs is slightly different.

Ubud is where your painters and carvers are at home…Ubud is a great cultural center and the club scene,  while available is smaller. The lights go out around midnight..maybe 1 a.m. So, while you don’t have all these clubs, Ubud offers some very exclusive dining places and it is a great place to relax.

One of the good things is that the traffic is a lot less than both in the Seminyak and Kuta areas where traffic can really ruin your day. Ubud is relaxing…it has great cafe’s a string of nice clubs like “The Laughing Buddha” on Monkey Forest Road or the “Jazz Cafe”…just to mention a couple. Compared to the other two Seminyak clubs mentioned above, the beer here is nearly half price, the ambiance is also great at a smaller scale and they also offer some great food. Very nice staff and a very relaxing place to enjoy a good evening. Every second day they have a live band playing …….and these bands are good, mainly around blues and jazzy type music, though when I was there a couple of weeks ago, they had a great violinist from Hungary performing together with some local talents…fantastic!!…even the traffic on the street stopped to listen… Furthermore, around the football field in Ubud, there are quite a few clubs, all with live music and good food and drinks…

Around the football field I can think of a few great places to have meal, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner…everyday eating places…not exclusive night life type restaurants.One of my favorites’ here is Tutmak…right by the football field. They have one of the best Nasi Campur dish i have eaten and their fruit juices and coffee are not bad at all….Tutmak has been around a long time and has, over time, created a good reputation, nice open ambiance and friendly staff. The prices are a bit higher, though the food is really good and worth the experience. 

So here is my suggestion …..plan a trip to Bali…..plan a trip to Ubud and don’t forget Seminyak and Kerobokan as well and enjoy a fabulous holiday….go on..run along now…the ducks are waiting..