5 Ubud Art & Culture

Made famous by the book and movie Eat, Pray, Love, Ubud is also the epicenter of Balinese art and culture. This is where the modern Balinese art movement was born, with the surrounding royal palaces and temples acting as the main patrons. Today, several excellent local museums and galleries celebrate its evolution and traditions. Art gazing is particularly rewarding here, as many collections are housed in traditional Balinese buildings surrounded by serene tropical gardens.

For an overview of Balinese art, your first stops should be Agung Rai Museum of Art ( ARMA) and the Neka Art Museum, which lie within a short stroll of the Ubud Monkey Forest. Both span traditional to contemporary works, including kris ( ceremonial daggers), photography, and classical wayang ( puppetfigure) paintings. Other worthwhile art galleries and museums in the Ubud area include Setia Darma House of Masks & Puppets featuring ceremonial masks from Asia and beyond; Museum Puri Lukisan, spanning a range of Balinese artistic styles; and the Don Antonio Blanco Museum, at the artist’s former home and studio.

If shopping for art is more your style, don’t miss the the Ubud Art Market. This labyrinth of stalls brimming with carvings, sculptures, jewelry, sarongs, paintings, and homewares is one of the top tourist attractions in town. Bargaining is essential, and a good rule of thumb is to counter with half the asking price and barter upwards from there, always with a smile. Opposite the market, the Puri Saren Royal Ubud Palace is also worth a visit and hosts traditional Balinese dance performances during the evenings.

If you’re a budding artist or have children in tow, one of the popular things to do here is to sign up for an art workshop at a local village, which can include traditional painting, maskmaking, and jewelry making.