Bali: Ubud Jungle Retreats, Rice Terrace Walks & the Island of the Gods

Bali has been a destination of spiritual longing for Western travelers since the 1930s, when the artist community that gathered around the Ubud royal family introduced the island's extraordinary visual culture to the world. That culture — expressed in daily flower offerings (canang sari), in elaborate temple ceremonies, in the classical dance traditions of legong and kecak, and in the carved stone iconography that appears on every gate and doorway — is the genuine article, practiced with full devotion and not at all performative.

Ubud is the island's cultural capital — a highland market town set above the Ayung River gorge, surrounded by rice terraces, jungle, and one of the highest concentrations of artists, healers, and traditional craftspeople in Southeast Asia.

Where to Stay: Jungle Immersion

Amandari (amanresorts.com/amandari) in Kedewatan, 10 minutes from Ubud, is the hotel that established the Balinese luxury villa concept in 1989 and remains its finest expression. The 30 thatched-roof suites cascade down a ravine to the Ayung River below — each with a private walled garden and plunge pool, and each modeled on the layout of a traditional Balinese compound, with a private sleeping pavilion, an open-air bathroom, and a garden bale (pavilion) for meditation. The infinity pool — which appears to float above the Ayung River gorge, with a rice terrace panorama stretching to the volcanic peaks — is the single most beautiful swimming pool in Asia. Suites from $2,000/night. amanresorts.com.

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan (fourseasons.com/sayan) sits within a rice-field loop above the Ayung River — its approach, across a suspension bridge through the forest canopy, is one of the most memorable hotel arrivals in the world. The 60 villas, nested into the hillside, have private infinity pools that overlook the river gorge. Villas from $1,500/night.

Komaneka at Bisma (komaneka.com) on the edge of Ubud, above the Campuhan ridge, offers the best value luxury in Ubud — 22 contemporary villas with valley views, excellent Balinese cuisine, and a spa team trained in traditional Balinese massage at a fraction of the Aman price. Villas from $600/night.

The Tegallalang Rice Terraces: Bali's Most Iconic Landscape

The subak irrigation system of the Balinese rice terraces — a cooperative water management tradition dating back to the 9th century — was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. The Tegallalang terraces, 8km north of Ubud, represent its most visually spectacular expression: steep cascading paddies in every shade of green, divided by narrow earthen paths, with the sound of water moving through bamboo pipes constant throughout.

The best time to visit is sunrise, before the tourist infrastructure awakens, or late afternoon when the golden-hour light turns the terraces luminous. Walking the paths between the paddies — accompanied occasionally by a Balinese farmer and their ducks — is one of the most peaceful morning experiences available in Asia.

The Balinese Spa Tradition

The traditional Balinese massage — a deep-tissue technique using long, flowing strokes combined with acupressure and gentle stretching — is the original form of bodywork from which many global spa traditions have borrowed. At Amandari, the Jamu treatment uses Indonesian herbal medicine traditions (jamu) combined with traditional ingredients: turmeric, ginger, galangal, and coconut oil applied in a sequence of heat, pressure, and cooling liniments.

For those seeking the cultural context, COMO Shambhala Estate (comohotels.com/comoshambhala) in Begawan above Ubud is the most serious wellness destination in Bali — a residential retreat focused on yoga, Ayurvedic medicine, and the integration of traditional Balinese healing into a comprehensive program. Rooms from $500/night.

Getting There

Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Denpasar receives direct flights from Singapore (Singapore Airlines), Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific), Tokyo, Sydney, and Melbourne. Ubud is a 75-minute drive north. Private transfers can be arranged by all hotels.