Bali, the island of the gods

Ubud is a town on the island of Bali, Indonesia. Ubud Village is a district that belongs to Gianyar regency, located amongst rice paddies and steep canyons in the central foothills of Gianyar regency. It is one of Bali’s major arts and culture centres and it has developed a large tourism industry.

 The History of Ubud Bali

The history of Ubud can be traced from the eighth-century legend which tells that a Javanese priest, Rsi Markendya, who meditated at the confluence of two rivers (an auspicious site for Hindus) at the Ubud locality of Campuan. Here he founded the Gunung Lebah Temple on the valley floor, the site of which remains a pilgrim destination. The town was very important as a source of medicinal herbs and plants. Ubud gets its name from the Balinese word “ubad” which means medicine.

Elephant-cave-ubud

The Moon of Pejeng, in nearby Pejeng, is the largest single-cast bronze kettle drum in the world, dating from circa 300BC. It is a popular destination for tourists interested in local culture.
Tourism in Ubud focuses on culture, yoga and nature. In contrast to the main tourist area in southern Bali, the Ubud area has forests, rivers, cooler temperatures and less chaotic life although traffic has increased dramatically in the 21st century. A number of smaller “boutique”-style hotels such as the Tjampuhan Hotel are located in and around Ubud, which commonly offer spa treatments or trekking to nearby mountains.