Walking to Ubud Palace

Where the palace is

Ubud is a town in Gianyar regency, promoted as an arts and culture centre. Its main street, Jalan Raya Ubud, runs east to west through the middle of town, and two long roads, Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanoman, run south from it. The palace sits at the junction of Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Raya Ubud. If you can find the main street, you can find the palace. Ubud's name, Wikipedia explains, comes from the Balinese word ubad, medicine, after the healing plants that once grew in the area.

On foot from the centre

For anyone staying along Jalan Raya Ubud, Jalan Monkey Forest or Jalan Hanoman, walking is the obvious choice: no fare to agree, no driver to find afterwards. Carry a light for the walk back and wear shoes you can stand in for a while.

Taxis and drivers

Ubud does not allow metered taxis or ride-hailing services to pick up within the town. A ride means negotiating with a driver from the local taxi cooperative, so agree the fare before you get in. If you are staying outside the centre, the simplest plan is a driver booked for the whole evening, with a pickup point fixed before the show. Settle the return time too, so the driver is waiting when the courtyard empties rather than somewhere across town.

Look around before you sit

Arrive early and you have time to take in the palace itself. Its present form was built in traditional Balinese style in the late 19th century, and many of the stone carvings are by the Ubud artist I Gusti Nyoman Lempad. To the north stands Pura Marajan Agung, the private temple of the royal family, and the enclosure in front of the palace shelters a large Bengal fig. The stage for the evening's dances is backed by an angkul-angkul, a carved gateway flanked by guardian statues, which is worth a close look before the courtyard fills.

Arriving at the palace

There is no separate meeting point. Go directly to the palace and present your voucher for admission. Seating is unreserved and the front rows fill with whoever comes first, so plan on 45 minutes or more before the time printed on your ticket. Bring the voucher, a camera and some cash; weapons and sharp objects are not allowed in.

After the show

When the last dance ends, the whole audience leaves at once onto the main street, and the street outside fills quickly. If a driver is collecting you, pick a meeting point a little away from the gate and agree it in advance. If you are walking, dinner in town is an easy next step.

Making an afternoon of it

The Ubud Monkey Forest, a sanctuary with three Hindu temples set among its trees, lies near the southern end of Jalan Monkey Forest. An afternoon there followed by a walk north to the palace makes a natural Ubud day. Leave time to rest and eat before the legong, because the evening asks you to sit still on a bench for about ninety minutes.

Read next: An Ubud day before the legong