Ubud has been the 'it' place of Bali for many years now filled with yoga studio's, vegan food and 'Eat, Pray, Love' fan's, but I wonder if Ubud has now had it's day. The streets have changed so much, from the quaint artsy village I first visited in 1996 and is now overrun with western cafe's, european chain fashion shops and far too many tourists! Don't get me wrong. it can still be a nice place to visit, but not if you are expecting a serene village. Ubud has some great markets, excellent dining options and yoga studio's galore. There is no shortage of guesthouses to stay. It is sweet to walk through the town's lanes and imagine/remember how heavenly Ubud was before before mass tourism took over. Day trips will bring you to the same souvenir shops, the same restaurants and the same famous sights, along with the masses. There are some pretty inspiring temples in the surrounding area, which are worth visiting, for example Gunung Kawi, or Tirta Empul where you can bathe in the holy water spring. If nature is more your thing, visit the Tegalalang rice terraces which offer spectacular views across the countryside. The sacred monkey forest can be fun but beware, many people find the place down right scary, with enquisitive/ angry monkeys frequently sitting on peoples heads and taking their food. We also tried coffee Luwak, which is basically the coffee beans that have been right through a civet's digestive system, cleaned and then ground into coffee? Personally, I am not sure it justify's the $10 price tag, which as you know in Bali can go a long way! There are amazing resorts in the surrounding hills where I am sure you can have a wonderfully relaxing Bali experience. So where are the quiet villages in idyllic hillside locations to discover? I believe there are many, if you go looking, but first take a look at Sidemen...
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