Ubud Located on a higher altitude with a pleasant climate, some 25 kilometres north of Denpasar, Ubud has become known worldwide as a centre and haven for the arts. There are also several art galleries and homes of famous artists here, including that of Dutch-born Hans Snel and the American Antonio Blanco. In the past, other foreign painters inspired Balinese artists to adopt western techniques but traditional Balinese paintings are still made and sold. With a spectacular setting among lush rice paddies and the stunning hillsides of central Bali, Ubud offers a special atmosphere. There are nightly performances of traditional dances.
Accommodation ranges from cheap to very exclusive and expensive.
A little further east on the coastal road is Yeh Saneh, an idyllic spot few people know of. Only a few meters from the splash of the surf is a cool freshwater spring, around which has been built a large pool and gardens for bathers and picnickers. Shopping Fine paintings, hand carved wooden statues and screens, silver work, hand-woven and painted cottons and silks, batiks, embroidery and garments for casual wear, leather and cotton bags, bone carvings, shell ornaments, masks, pottery, ceramics, basketry, sandstone statues, bamboo furniture are all available. All rights reserved.