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For me, Ubud represents pretty much all of the best things about Bali: lush rainforests and rice paddies, stunning temples, and deep-rooted spirituality. As an Aussie, I grew up coming here with my family and now, Bailey and I still visit often.
We noticed this tour of Ubud absolutely blowing up in popularity, and so on our last visit, we decided it was time to try it out for ourselves. Does it really showcase the best of Ubud, and does it offer good value for money, or are you better off skipping it?
Well, spoiler alert, we loved it, but keep on reading for our full in-depth review. We’ll cover all the need-to-know details, what to expect, and who this tour is suitable for.
What Ubud Tour Did I Do?
- Price: $69-$95 USD per person (price depends on group size)
- Duration: 8-10 hours
- Time: Depart between 7:30-9 am
- Highlights: Monkey forest sanctuary, Tegalalang rice terrace, the famous Ubud swing, bathing ceremony at Tirta Empul, Ubud Palace, Tegenungan waterfall, tea and coffee tasting
- Inclusions: Private driver and guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, all entry fees, Instagram dress for the Ubud swing, lunch, bottled water, tea and coffee, lots of photos taken by your guide
- Pickup from: Anywhere in Bali!
- Rating: 5 Stars (check the 11,400+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
Bailey and I took this private tour of Ubud. We chose it because it has a staggering amount of 5-star reviews – over 11,000, in fact! Lots of people even said the tour was the highlight of their time in Bali. So we already knew that it was a pretty safe bet, and when we looked at the itinerary, we were sold.
The tour ticks off pretty much all of Ubud’s must-see attractions in just one day. From the monkey forest to the famous rice terrace swing that I’m sure you’ve seen all over Instagram, no stone is left unturned! We were also excited to visit the Tegenungan waterfall and do a water purification ceremony at Tirta Empul. After all, Ubud is Bali’s spiritual center, and we were keen to fully immerse ourselves – no pun intended.
We were also drawn to this tour because it’s all-inclusive. In fact, it includes things that most other tours don’t, such as colorful dresses to wear on the jungle swing. Usually, these aren’t included and you have to pay $10-$15 USD extra. But with this tour, we didn’t have to pay extra for anything because it was all covered!
To take the same tour as us, book it here before it sells out!
What I loved about the tour
It was a private tour
Taking a private tour made everything so easy, and it meant we were able to customize the day to our liking. We got to choose the pickup time, we didn’t have to sit in the vehicle for ages and wait for other groups to be picked up, and we had our guide’s undivided attention! We set the pace, we didn’t have to wait for pictures, and we just got to enjoy the day exactly how we wanted.
All-inclusive
This tour covers everything! We’re not just talking about entry fees, either (although that’s a huge bonus). For example, dress rental for the rice terrace swing was covered, which is really unusual for an Ubud tour. So unless you go and buy a bunch of souvenirs, you won’t need to spend any extra money on the day.
Amazing guide
Our guide, Gede, was just incredible. He was such a lovely guy and went above and beyond to make sure we had an amazing day. He really listened to us and tailored the tour to suit our interests, made sure that we were happy with everything we did, and took some excellent photos for us.
We loved chatting with him and learned a lot about what life in Bali is like for the locals, but above all, we just really enjoyed his company.
Picks up from almost anywhere
This tour will pick you up from pretty much anywhere in Bali, and all of the popular places to stay are covered: Legian, Seminyak, Canggu, Sanur, Uluwatu … and more! This is ideal if you don’t have time to stay overnight in Ubud, as the tour showcases the best of the area in a day. However, we were staying in Ubud, so we got picked up from there and got to enjoy more time at the attractions.
Visited the top attractions
This tour is like a one-stop shop for Ubud’s top attractions. We got to explore the world-famous monkey forest (see our guide to the Ubud Monkey Forest for more details!), experience the area’s lush green beauty at the rice terraces, learn more about Balinese religion and spirituality during the bathing ceremony at Tirta Empul, and swim at a beautiful waterfall.
This tour would be ideal for anyone short on time, and we loved that we were able to experience so much in one day.
Safe driver
Gede was a really good driver and we felt totally safe with him! Bali has a lot of scooter traffic, and driving yourself can be dangerous, especially if you’re not experienced. Plus, Ubud has a lot of uneven roads, and navigating them can be tricky, as Google Maps in Bali is not always accurate.
We’re both confident scooter drivers, but we still felt that having a safe, local driver who knew the roads well made our day a lot easier.
Flexibility
One of our favorite things about this tour was how flexible it was. As we were staying in Ubud, we managed to get to the first attractions before the crowds, and so we moved through them faster than usual. We were then able to spend more time at some of the attractions that interested us the most, and Gede even gave us the option to check out some extra places that weren’t on the standard itinerary.
Of course on the flip side, if you want to go slower and skip something you might have already seen or done, that’s fine, too!
Ready to book? Grab your spot on this tour here!
Related Read: For more must-do activities, have a look at our list of the best things to do in Ubud!
What I didn’t like about the tour
Nothing!
If you’ve ever read any of our other tour review blogs, you’ll know that it’s not often we can’t fault a tour at all. Not that we’re picky, but it’s rare to find a tour that’s great for absolutely everyone. However, we just do not have anything negative to say about this tour.
We had such an incredible time and we were impressed from start to finish. And judging by all of the glowing reviews, we’re definitely not the only people who feel this way!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
What did the tour include/not include?
Everything!
Our admission to all of the attractions was covered, as well as private transport the whole time. We really didn’t have to worry about anything. Lots of tours don’t include admission to the Ubud swing, let alone dress rental, but this one did, and we were impressed by this.
We also got a yummy local lunch and a tea and coffee tasting overlooking the Tegalalang rice terraces. Meanwhile, having Gede with us the whole time meant we didn’t have to hire an additional guide at Tirta Empul to take us through the water purification ceremony.
Gede was also an amazing photographer and snapped tons of photos for us. If you don’t go with a guide, you’ll usually end up paying local photographers extra to get those Insta-perfect snaps, so this was another great bonus. Plus, as an experienced guide, Gede knew how to capture all of the best angles – of both us and the setting!
The only thing that the tour wouldn’t include is souvenirs, but I challenge you to find any tour that would! Tips aren’t included either, but we wanted to tip Gede well at the end of the tour because he was such a fantastic guide. Tipping tour guides is customary in Bali, so do bear this in mind.
Would I do this tour again?
Yes, we would absolutely do this exact tour again. In fact, we spend a lot of time in Bali, so the next time that friends or family come to visit us, we’ll be sure to take them on this tour.
We would recommend this tour to literally anyone, from couples and families to groups of friends. It’s also a great choice for anyone who doesn’t want to drive a scooter in Bali, which can be pretty dangerous. And honestly, even though we’re both confident whizzing around on mopeds, driving one around for an entire day gets exhausting in the heat! It was so nice to sit in the air-conditioned car between attractions.
All in all, we think that this tour delivers a wonderful experience for a really competitive price. It hands down makes our list of the best tours in Ubud and we highly recommend it. We can’t fault it in any way, and we’re so glad that we did it!
Where to Stay in Ubud
Ubud is a great place to stay in Bali because of its stellar views. From luxury resorts to budget-friendly hotels, it’s not hard to find a nice vacation spot. But it can be hard to choose! We’ve narrowed it down to our top picks for every budget, including the hotel we stayed at and loved (hint – it’s the Abipraya Hotel!).
TheWakanda Resort – A Prama Experience – $$$
If you’re looking for out-and-out luxury, TheWakanda Resort has luxe suites and standalone villas with rice field views that seem to stretch for miles, until they meet the jungle. We think that this would be perfect for a romantic stay in Ubud! There’s also an on-site spa and a yoga studio that hosts classes every other day, and the staff here are really willing to go the extra mile for you.
Suites are typically around $300 USD, but we’ve seen closer to $200 USD outside of peak season. We’ve found the best deals booking in advance online.
Gynandha Ubud Cottage – $$
In Bali, staying at a mid-range place usually means you get a lot of bang for your buck, and Gynandha Ubud Cottage is a prime example of this. The rooms are big and beautifully decorated, the bathrooms will make you feel like you’re in a spa, and there’s a pretty, split-level waterfall pool for guests to use.
This property is just a few minutes’ walk from the town center, but is still super peaceful and offers beautiful rice field views for around $150-$200 USD per night. Reserve a room in advance with Booking.com.
Abipraya – $
We stayed at Abipraya, which was super quiet and nestled into a tropical garden, about 10 minutes’ walk from the main town. The location was ideal for us and we loved the big swimming pool overlooking the rice fields, as well as the open and airy feel that the rooms had.
Prices start at around $50 USD per night, which includes breakfast, so it was a really good budget option. Book Abipraya here!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind. You can read our honest review of SafetyWing for all the pros and cons.
Thanks for reading!
We knew this tour of Ubud would be good, but we were shocked at HOW good it was! Even though we’ve been to Bali before, this tour was a highlight for us. I think it would be perfect if it’s your first time here or you’re a returning traveler. This is such a great way to see so many amazing places in a day!
While you’re planning a trip to Bali, have a look at our Bali page. We share tons of bucket list activities, tips, and the tours we love. It will almost be like having your own travel guide!
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