UBUD TRAVEL GUIDE - PLACES TO EAT, PRACTICE YOGA, STAY AND WHAT NOT TO MISS
Ubud has got an huge amount of amazing restaurants, yoga studios and places to stay and it can feel like a jungle!
Here are our absolute favourites!
WHERE TO EAT:
Moksa - My absolute favourite restaurant a little outside Ubud. You simply HAVE TO try their Raw Vegan Lasagne, jackfruit with mashed sweet potato.
Sayuri’s Healing Café - Run by our friend, former roomie and super talented vegan chef Sayuri Tanaka this is the place to go for smoothie bowls, raw chocolate and the best vegan waffles! If you’re interested in raw food chef trainings she’s your girl!
Alchemy Bali - Chic vegan café with the best salad bar with almost an infinite amount of things to choose from! Vegan Waffles with whipped coconut cream are epic!
Zest Ubud - Huge Restaurant/ Café with an incredible vegan menu. What not to miss: The Big Breakfast Stack (image 2 below), The Keto Kale Bowl and The Green Chalice Juice.
Casa Curandera - The adventure to get here is definitely worth it! Walk or drive through Penestanan area and you’ll arrive at what feels like a different planet! As you follow the steps down a jungly path you’ll arrive at a super cute Colombian/Italian Restaurant serving the most deliocious jackfruit arepa and tacos! Pst! You can also apparently take the food down to the river further down the path!
The Elephant Bali - A restaurant we’ve been visiting for many years. Gorgeous view over the Tjampuan River, great food and the sweetest staff.
Dumbo Bali - Excellent creative gin tonics and the best sourdough pizza! Same owners as The Elephant and it’s just next door.
Milk & Madu - Modern Café/ Restaurant with amazing food all day long. Great coffee, food and service! Don’t miss out on the smashed peas with poached eggs on sourdough bread!
The Muse Café & Art - Cute café on Sri Wedari street (it’s worth the drive). Loved the Rainbow Salad, Chinese teas and delicious vegan cookies!
Namaskara Café - New place in town that we’ve fallen in love with. Excellent coffee, vegan brownie and super duper smoothie bowls!
The Yoga Barn Café - While in Ubud you’ll most likely take a class or two at the world-famous yoga barn and this café comes very handy when you’re craving something after class! My favourite is the Vegan Caesar Salad!
Kafé - Same owners as The Yoga Barn Cafe but with a bit more selection. Great salads, Ayurvedic stews and raw and vegan cakes!
Puspa Warung - Local restaurant serving super cheap food Indonesian and Balinese food (cooked with coconut oil and no msg - which is very common in the local restaurants). Located on on Goutama Street. Don’t miss out on the delicious Jackfruit Rendang, Nasi Champur or Dadar Galung (green pancakes).
Sage Bali - Located a bit outside of Ubud, here you’ll find an amazing all-vegan menu with the best jack-fruit burgers. Definitely worth the drive!
The Yellow Flower Café - Super nice spot with a view over the valley in Penestanan.
WHERE TO STAY
Nirwa Karma Ubud - Our favorite, good-value-for-money guesthouse located in the middle of the ricefields YET super close to Ubud centre (a 5 min walk and you’re in the busy area with all the shops and restaurants).
Alaya Ubud - Gorgeous 5-star hotel right next to the Yoga Barn.
KT. Kuaya Home Stay - Family-run guesthouse right off the main road in Ubud. Clean, quiet and simple place. Great location if you don’t want to drive a scooter.
Singgah Villa - Beautiful modernized joggle, a typical Javanese house with 2 bedrooms, huge living room and kitchen. Great if you’re staying longer and if you work remotely.
Krishna Guesthouse - Located close to the city centre this nice guesthouse is also a great option if you want to be able to walk to everything.
YOGA STUDIOS
The Yoga Barn - The oldest yoga “studio” in Ubud that is more of a huge spread out venue with 5+ yoga shalas, 25+ international and local teachers and with classes running from 7am til 8pm. We love going here for yoga cause of the huge variety of classes and many great teachers. The classes are usually really big with sometimes 80 people in class so if you’re looking for a more intimate study this might not be your place. Apart from classes there’s also huge selection of workshops, therapies, sound-healing and the nice The Yoga barn Café where you can sit and enjoy a fresh coconut or a meal after class.
Radiantly Alive - This is the yoga studio where we used to teach 2012-2013 and some of the staff are still there, making this place still feel a bit like home :) There are several yoga Shalas, 5-6 classes a day which a bit smaller than at the yoga barn.
Alchemy Yoga Center - Beautifully designed Yoga Shala in Penestanan, sligthly outside of Ububd, right across the street from the well-known Alchemy Café (that has an amazing salad bar!).
BEST MASSAGE THERAPISTS & SPAS
Ayu Bali Healing Massage (Jalan Goutama Street) - Do not miss the best massage therapists in Ubud, Ayu and Yohana! We’ve come to her every time since 2012 and they’re without a doubt the best we’ve ever tried!
Cantika Spa - With three locations (Jasmine, Zest and Alami) this is our second favourite place to go for facials, hair treatment and body scrub because of their amazing home-made, all natural products. The staff are the best! Zest is the biggest of the three and it’s where you can also come for a workshop and learn how to make your own treatment!
Iman Spa (Sri Wedari Street)- Another high-quality spa that has been around since many years. This place is run by Balinese healer Nyoman and you’ll find many different treatments to choose from.
Aura Ubud - Located next to The Yoga Barn (the small entrance) this place has a massage therapist called Dayu who gives an amazing body scrub and acupressure treatment. Highly recommended after traveling!
The Inner Ocean Collective - A group of incredible body workers who offer 1-on-1 aquatic bodywork, meaning you float in the hands of someone and can get the feeling of bing completely weightless and held. Our dear friend and incredible therapist Alexandra Mongelos offer sessions at the Yoga Barn - highly recommended!
WHAT ELSE NOT TO MISS
Eat a Durian - the football-sized spikey fruit that Naza loves!
Go to the local market in the morning and get mangoes, papaya, passionfruit, jackfruit and dragonfruit and make yourself the most amazing fruit salad!
Visit Tegallalang Ricefields north of Ubud.
Drive up Andong Street and buy house decorations for wholesale prices.
Visit Tirta Empul Water Temple.
Park your scooter and walk from Jalan Raya Ubud (main road) through the ricefields and get a drink at Pomegranate café at the sunset.
Go for the day to Bambu Indah, an incredible resort with a restaurant by the Sayan River.
Getting a feel for Bali?! Come join our Bali Yoga Retreat 9-16 February 2025!
