Bali, Indonesia’s most famous island, is well-known for its beautiful beaches. But there’s a lot more to do than swim and surf, especially if you venture inland to the beautiful town of Ubud. Located amongst rice paddies, dramatic hills, and verdant forests, Ubud is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the country, and is full of wonderful and unique sights to visit.
1. Saraswati Water Temple and Ubud Palace
Although Indonesia as a whole is predominantly a Muslim country (Indonesia actually has the world’s largest Muslim population), about 85% of Balinese follow Hinduism. You’ll find Hindu temples and shrines throughout the island, but some of the most beautiful are located in and around Ubud.
Pura Taman Saraswati is the Ubud Water Temple. Located in the center of town just next to the Ubud Palace and one of the world’s most beautiful Starbucks, the Water Temple sits surrounded by a gorgeous lotus pond and reached by a long stone path.
2. Sacred Monkey Forest
Walk down Monkey Forest Street in the center of Ubud, and you’ll make your way to the Sacred Monkey Forest, a nature reserve and temple complex teeming with indigenous crab-eating macaques.
There are hundreds of monkeys swinging from the trees in the forest. Make sure that your belongings are all well-secured! They are curious and greedy little things and will try to snatch any loose items, including the sunglasses from your head!
3. Pura Tirta Empul
You will need to hire a driver to get to the rest of the places on this list, but it’s worth it! Not too far outside of Ubud is the Pura Tirta Empul Water Temple.
4. Pura Besakih Mother Temple
Bali’s largest and most important temple sits on the slopes of Mount Agung volcano. When the volcano erupted in 1963, the temple was barely spared the path of the lava. To the Balinese devout, this was a sign from the gods.
The Mother Temple is the center of Balinese Hinduism, and is a complex made up of dozens of smaller shrines, each celebrating a number of annual holidays and festivals, meaning that there is almost always some sort of festival going on nearly every day.
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