UbudStory N° 70
Bali — Ubud Rice Terraces, Uluwatu Cliffs
Three days on the Island of Gods — slow mornings between rice terraces in the Ubud jungle, an afternoon at Tegallalang's stepped paddies, a cliff-temple sundown Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu, and breakfast on a treehouse deck above the Sayan valley.
The itinerary.
3 days · 17 stops
Friday
Day One
DPS airport, 90 min drive north to Ubud, check into a Sayan valley jungle resort, late-afternoon Ubud centre walk + Sacred Monkey Forest, evening warung dinner.
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DPS → Ubud transfer
Bali's only international airport — pre-arrange a hotel transfer (90 min). Bali roads are slow; do not Grab/Gojek with luggage.
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Four Seasons Sayan
On the Ayung river gorge — round-roofed villas with private plunge pools embedded in the rice-terraced slope. Riverside spa, the lotus-pond lobby is itself an arrival ceremony. fourseasons.com
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Ubud Royal Palace + Saraswati Temple
Walk Ubud's central Jalan Raya — the Puri Saren royal palace (still inhabited by the descendants of Ubud's royal family), Saraswati's lotus-pond temple. Evening Legong dance performance at the palace (19:30).
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Sacred Monkey Forest
10-hectare sanctuary in central Ubud — 700+ long-tailed macaques + three 14th-century temples. Don't bring food, don't make eye contact with the monkeys.
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Locavore — dinner
Ubud's most-respected fine-dining, all-Balinese-ingredients menu (sea, garden, foraged), tasting. locavore.co.id. Book 6 weeks out.
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Hotel
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan fourseasons.com
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Getting around
- DPS → Ubud: 90 min by private transfer.
- Within Ubud: walking or Grab scooter.
Saturday
Day Two
Tegallalang rice terraces sunrise, Tirta Empul holy-water cleansing ritual, lunch in a paddy-edge warung, afternoon swim back at the villa, evening Uluwatu sundown + Kecak fire dance.
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Tegallalang Rice Terraces
Stepped paddies built into a steep gorge 20 min north of Ubud — the subak irrigation system has run by Balinese collective village agreement for 1,200 years (UNESCO 2012). Arrive 06:30 (sunrise + zero crowds), walk the paddy paths 60–90 min.
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Tirta Empul water temple
10th-century temple complex around bathing pools fed by a sacred spring — Balinese Hindus queue along the 13 carved fountains for the melukat purification ritual. Tourists welcome to participate (modest sarong + sash provided).
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Warung Babi Guling Pak Malen — lunch
Local Ubud institution for babi guling (Balinese roast suckling pig), crispy crackling, lemongrass-stuffed pork, sambal matah — the full plate. Closes when the day's pig sells out (~14:00).
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Ubud → Uluwatu drive
2-hour drive south across Bali to the cliffs of the Bukit peninsula — hire driver for the afternoon (with wait + return).
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Uluwatu Temple sundown
11th-century sea temple on a 70 m cliff above the Indian Ocean — the most spectacular sundown viewpoint on Bali. Long-tailed macaques will grab sunglasses + flip-flops (keep them on or hand them to the warden).
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Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu
50-man chant-dance performance (Ramayana epic) at the cliff-amphitheatre next to the temple — starts 18:00 (book 17:30), ends as the fire ring is lit on stage at full dark. Book at the gate same day.
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Single Fin Uluwatu — late dinner
Cliff-edge surf bar in Uluwatu's Suluban Beach — Indo bowls, Bintang beer, the Sunday session is the island's longest-running. Closes 23:00.
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Hotel
Four Seasons Sayan fourseasons.com
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Getting around
- Ubud → Tegallalang: 20 min by car.
- Ubud → Uluwatu: 2 hours by car (hire driver).
Sunday
Day Three
Last morning in the Sayan valley, jungle yoga + spa, late-morning drive to Seminyak for sunset on the beach before DPS departure.
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Sayan jungle yoga
Four Seasons' morning yoga on the riverside deck (06:30, free for guests). Alternative: The Yoga Barn Ubud (open class).
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Sayan resort spa
Balinese boreh body wrap (turmeric + cinnamon paste, 90 min) — the spa floors are open to the gorge below.
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Ubud → Seminyak drive
75 min south to the Seminyak beach district — pre-arrange DPS-bound drop-off, stop at the Tanah Lot sea temple en route if time.
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Potato Head Beach Club
Seminyak landmark on Petitenget Beach — the curved bamboo amphitheatre frames the sundown view. Day pass includes F&B credit. Sunset cocktail + drop to DPS straight after.
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Seminyak → DPS airport
30 min by car. Allow 2.5 hours before international long-haul departures (DPS gets very busy 20:00–23:00).
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Hotel
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Getting around
- Ubud → Seminyak: 75 min by car.
- Seminyak → DPS: 30 min by car.
Location.
Frequently asked
How many days do you need for Bali — Ubud Rice Terraces, Uluwatu Cliffs?
3 days. The itinerary runs from Friday to Sunday and covers 17 curated stops across 3 days.
How much does Bali — Ubud Rice Terraces, Uluwatu Cliffs cost?
Premium — premium lodging and signature experiences included.
Where do you stay during Bali — Ubud Rice Terraces, Uluwatu Cliffs?
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan is the recommended base for the trip; the full hotel list per day is in the itinerary section.
What's included in the Bali — Ubud Rice Terraces, Uluwatu Cliffs itinerary?
Day-by-day stops at 17 restaurants, museums, viewpoints and landmarks; transportation hints between each leg; and a hotel base in Ubud.
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