Ubud is Bali’s cultural heart, and from Kintamani it’s only about 45 minutes away—making it the absolute perfect day trip base. Unlike the busy beach resorts crowding Bali’s south coast, a Kintamani to Ubud drive is genuinely half the adventure itself: you descend from volcanic highlands through terraced hillsides, clove plantations, and traditional villages that feel completely untouched by tourism. First, understand that Ubud isn’t just one place—it’s a constellation of villages where art, ceremony, and daily life blur together in the most magical way imaginable. The Ubud from Kintamani approach gives you a stunning geographic contrast: you’re leaving the raw volcanic energy of the caldera and arriving into lush green valleys thick with incense and the sounds of gamelan rehearsals drifting from family compounds. Honestly, the difference between those two worlds within a single 45-minute drive is one of the most remarkable things about staying in the highlands.
Ubud Art Market is a treasure trove of traditional crafts and handmade souvenirs
When you arrive, the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is completely non-negotiable—it’s a sacred Hindu temple complex home to over 700 long-tailed macaques who will absolutely ransack your snacks if you’re not paying attention, and it’s hilarious and wonderful. Meanwhile, the Ubud Art Market right in the center of town is a sensory explosion of colorful batik textiles, handmade silver jewelry, and wood-carved masks where bargaining is both expected and genuinely fun. Beyond the market, Ubud Palace sits directly across the street and lets you admire stunning traditional Balinese royal architecture without spending a single cent. For nature lovers, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces just north of Ubud deliver some of the most photographed landscapes in all of Southeast Asia—cascading green paddies carved into hillsides with iconic wooden swings hovering over the valley. In addition, the Campuhan Ridge Walk is a completely free 2km stroll through jungle and open grassland ridges that gives you a wonderfully unhurried, peaceful view of Ubud that no tour bus can ever reach.
Tegalalang Rice Terraces offer some of the most iconic landscapes in all of Bali
To make the most of your Ubud day trip, leave Kintamani early—ideally by 8am—to beat both the traffic and the midday tour groups that descend on Tegalalang by late morning. Importantly, hire a private driver for the day rather than relying on ride apps, because the winding roads between Kintamani and Ubud pass through several stunning villages that are genuinely worth a spontaneous stop on the way back. That said, you can easily fill a full day with just the Monkey Forest, market, and rice terraces, so prioritize what genuinely excites you most rather than rushing to tick off every attraction. Additionally, consider arranging your cultural experiences through your highland accommodation to get insider recommendations on the hidden gems—the tiny family warungs, secret weaving villages, and off-the-map temples that never appear on mainstream travel blogs. Ultimately, having Kintamani as your base makes Ubud feel even more special: you explore Bali’s cultural hub fully and deeply during the day, then retreat in the evening to crisp highland air, volcano views, and a silence that coastal Bali simply cannot offer.
